A treatise of self-denial. By Richard Baxter, pastor of the church at KidderminsterA treatise of self-denial. By Richard Baxter, pastor of the church at Kederminster

Direct. 6. If you would promote self-denial, keep with you the continual feeling of your own unworthiness and insufficiency: No man will trust upon a broken staff if he know it; nor be so foolish as to go about to walk upon the water, which he knows will not bear him. One would think this should be an easy and an effectual remedy. Should it not be easy for such wretched sinners as we to carry about with us a sense of our unworthiness? For such Lepers to carry about us a sense of our uncleanness? Me thinks so many and great Diseases should make us feel them. O then ⟨p. 404⟩consider, as creatures you are utterly insufficient for your selves; and as sinners much more. God never made you to live upon or to your selves; or without him, or without the help of others. There are few beasts when they are first brought forth into the world, but are more able to help themselves than man; When he is newly born, he can do nothing to help himself. And when he comes to Age he is naturally formed to a sociable life; so that if he should retire from the world, and live only by and of himself, he would soon find what it is to be selfish: Much more if he be left to himself by God, or forsake God, and trust to and depend upon himself. But if ever innocent man had been sufficient for himself: yet sinful man can have no pretence to such a privilege, while he beareth about him so many convincing evidences of the contrary, every day. Do you not feel sin as a heavy burden pressing you down, and perceive how easily it entangleth and besetteth you? sure you do, if you be not past feeling And do you not know enough of the nature and desert of sin, to drive you out of your selves, and bring you to him that calleth the weary and heavy laden to come to him for ease and rest, Mat. 11. 28. Do you not feel a continual burden of infirmities? and doth not experience tell you that you are not sufficient to relieve your selves in any pain or sickness that doth befall you? you cannot support your selves a moment: you are still in the hands of that invisible God whom you abuse by your self-seeking. You would drop into Hell if he withdrew the hand of his patience and support, as sure as a stone would fall to the earth that were loose in the Air! As truly as the earth beareth you so truly doth he bear the earth and you.

Direct. 6. If you would promote self-denial, keep with you the continual feeling of your own unworthiness and insufficiency: No man will trust upon a broken staff if he know it; nor be so foolish as to go about to walk upon the water, which he knows will not bear him. One would think this should be an easie and an effectual remedy. Should it not be easie for such wretched sinners as we to carry about with us a sense of our unworthiness? For such Lepers to carry about us a sense of our uncleanness? Me thinks so many and great Diseases should make us feel them. O then