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

And is any of this agreeable to our holy Rule and Pattern? No man can think so that hath read the Gospel, but he that is so blinded by selfishness as not to understand what makes against it. And here, besides what is largelier spoken after, let me tell of a few of the evils of this sin, and the contrary benefits of self-denial.

And is any of this agreeable to our holy Rule and Pattern? No man can think so that hath read the Gospel, but he that is so blinded by selfishness as not to understand what makes against it. And here, besides what is largelier spoken after, let me tell of a few of the evils of this sin, and the contrary benefits of selfdenial.

1. The Power of selfishness keeps men strangers to themselves: They know not their Original nor Actual sins, with any kindly humbling knowledge. The very nature of Original sin doth consist in these two things: Privatively, in the want of our Original Love, or Propensity to God as God: I mean, the Privation of the Root, or Habit, or Inclination, to Love God for himself, as the Beginning or End of us and all things, and the absolute Lord, and infinite, simple, inestimable Good. And Positively, in the inordinate Propensity or Inclination to our selves: as for our selves, and not as duly subordinate to God: The soul having unfaithfully and rebelliously withdrawn it self from God, in point of Love and subjection, it become its own Idol, and looks no higher than it self, and Loveth God and all things but for it self (and principally for its carnal pleasure:) And the Propensity to this, with the Privation of the souls Inclination to God, is Original sin; the Disposition suited to the actual sin that caused it, which was a retiring from God to self. He that feeleth not this evil in himself, hath no true knowledge of Original sin. And it's the want of the sense of this great evil, (and so the want of being acquainted with their hearts) that causeth so many to turn Pelagians, and to deny the being of Original sin.

1. The Power of selfishness keeps men strangers to themselves: They know not their Original nor Actual sins, with any kindly humbling knowledge. The very nature of Original sin doth consist in these two things: Privatively, in the want of our Original Love, or Propensity to God as God: I mean, the Privation of the Root, or Habit, or Inclination, to Love God for himself, as the Beginning or End of us and all things, and the absolute Lord, and infinite, simple, inestimable Good. And Positively, in the inordinate Propensity or Inclination to our selves: as for our selves, and not as duly subordinate to God: The soul having unfaithfully and rebelliously withdrawn it self from God, in point of Love and subjection, it become its own Idol, and looks no higher than it self, and Loveth God and all things but for it self (and principally for its carnal pleasure:) And the Propensity to this, with the Privation of the souls Inclination to God, is Original sin; the Disposition suited to the actual sin that caused it, which was a retiring from God to self. He that feeleth not this evil in himself, hath no true knowledge of Original sin. And it's the want of the sense of this great evil, (and so the want of being acquainted with their hearts) that causeth so many to turn Pelagians, and to deny the being of Orignal sin.