Biblical Strategies to Combat Flesh-Pleasing: The Pastoral Theology of Richard Baxter 

J. Neil Daniels

I. Introduction: Richard Baxter and His Pastoral Program

Richard Baxter (1615–1691) stands among the most influential Puritan divines of seventeenth-century England. A prolific author, pastor, and ecclesiastical reformer, Baxter’s theology was shaped by both deep doctrinal conviction and practical pastoral concern. He is best known for works such as The Reformed Pastor, The Saints’ Everlasting Rest, and A Christian Directory, the latter being a vast compendium of ethical and spiritual counsel, combining moral theology with precise casuistry. His aim throughout was to shape holy living in the light of Scripture and eternity. Within A Christian Directory, Baxter treats the issue of “flesh-pleasing” or sensualism with piercing clarity and rigor, offering both diagnostic signs and strategic counsel rooted in biblical principle.

II. The Nature and Signs of Flesh-Pleasing

Baxter defines “flesh-pleasing” not merely as indulgence in gross sins but as a disposition in which bodily pleasure becomes one’s chief end. He writes, “When the pleasures of his flesh exceed his delights in God, and his holy Word and ways...he is a flesh-pleaser.” This condition may not always manifest in scandalous behavior; indeed, Baxter observes that many sensualists hide beneath a veneer of outward piety and moral restraint. Such individuals may abstain from overt vices, yet “make their ease, or their prosperity, or the pleasing of their appetite…their felicity and highest end.” In other words, the essence of sensualism lies not in visible excess, but in the secret orientation of the heart. The “main bent of the life,” says Baxter, reveals the true master one serves, God or the self.

III. The Danger of Self-Deception and Counterfeit Mortification

One of Baxter’s most insightful contributions is his analysis of counterfeit mortification. He warns that many deceive themselves by holding orthodox opinions or engaging in occasional religious exercises such as fasting. But “flesh-pleasing may stand with the doctrine of mortification...as long as they are not put in practice.” Others assume their poverty or laborious life exempts them from the charge of sensuality, when in fact their hearts may still crave ease and indulgence. “It is thy will that thou shalt be judged by,” Baxter insists. The Pharisee who fasts regularly but lives for his appetite, or the nobleman who indulges with refinement rather than vulgarity, is no less guilty than the glutton or drunkard. Thus, the heart, and not just the behavior, is the true arena of mortification.

IV. Biblical Strategies for Spiritual Combat

Baxter then unfolds a series of practical directives to combat flesh-pleasing. Chief among them is the cultivation of “a serious, living faith” in eternal realities. The soul, he argues, must be fixed on the superior joys of God: “There is no true cure for a sensual love of temporal things, but to turn the heart to things eternal.” This counsel echoes the biblical imperative found in Colossians 3:1–2: "Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." Baxter exhorts believers to think deeply and often on the greatness of future glory, the brevity of earthly pleasure, and the spiritual satisfaction found in Christ. Indeed, Psalm 16:11 declares, "In Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever." Sensual pleasures, therefore, pale before the delights of assurance, communion with God, and the hope of glory. “Sober and serious meditation,” Baxter insists, “will turn the mind to the true delights.”

In addition to faith, Baxter stresses vigilant self-observation. Believers must monitor their appetites, restrain excessive desires, and guard against encroachments in seemingly harmless pleasures: food, leisure, adornment, and entertainment. Such watchfulness reflects the apostolic injunction of Romans 13:14, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." Baxter warns, “While you are stopping one gap, they will be running out at many more.” He aligns closely with Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 9:27, "But I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified." Particular remedies must be tailored to particular temptations, reflecting wisdom in spiritual discernment. He cautions against judging others unfairly for enjoying material comforts if these are genuinely subordinated to spiritual service, reminding readers that even “a cheerful sobriety” is compatible with godliness when rightly ordered (cf. 1 Timothy 6:17–19).

V. The Flesh as the Soul’s Greatest Enemy

Baxter’s theology of spiritual warfare culminates in his identification of the flesh as the believer’s most persistent adversary. “Be still sensible that flesh is the grand enemy of your souls,” he pleads. Unlike the world and the devil, whose attacks are external, the flesh is a “homebred traitor,” incessantly undermining spiritual affections. Baxter’s warnings resonate with Paul's teaching in Galatians 5:17: "For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please." The flesh corrupts God’s mercies, provokes divine chastisement, and renders the soul unfit for both duty and death. Baxter underscores the incompatibility of a sensual life with Christian discipleship, echoing Galatians 5:24, “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” To pamper the body while neglecting the soul is to court spiritual ruin.

VI. Conclusion: Crucifying the Flesh in Light of Eternity

Baxter concludes by directing the believer’s gaze to the grave. “Go to the grave, and see there the end of fleshly pleasure,” he urges. Temporal indulgence loses significance when the body returns to dust (cf. Ecclesiastes 12:7). The sensualist, who has had his “good things” in this life, will find nothing remaining when flesh fails. Mortification, therefore, is not mere asceticism but a necessary act of eternal wisdom. To “strive more against your own flesh than against all your enemies in earth and hell,” is to follow Christ, who “suffered in the flesh” (1 Peter 4:1–2) and calls His people to cruciform living. In Baxter’s pastoral theology, the path to heaven is not marked by indulgence but by self-denial, faith, and the joy of walking with God.

Source

Baxter, Richard. A Christian Directory: Or, A Sum of Practical Theology and Cases of Conscience. Vol. 1 of The Practical Works of Richard Baxter. London: Thomas Parkhurst, 1673. Reprint, Morgan, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1990.