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

Consect. 1. SO common and Potent is selfishness in the world, that its enough to convince a rational Considerate man, of the truth of the doctrine of the fall of man, and of Original corruption, against all the objections that all the Socinians or Pelagians in the world do make against it. He that thinks that God made man in this distempered, distracted state that selfishness doth hold the world in, hath unreasonable thoughts of the workmanship of God. He that seeth even children before they can speak or go so selfish as they are, & all mankind without exception to be naturally as so many Idol gods in the world, and can believe that this is the Image of God, in which they were created, doth make the Image of Satan to be the Image of God: No wiser, no better is the Doctrine that denieth Original sin, when self hath such a tyrannical, universal reign in all the world.

Consect. 1. SO common and Potent is selfishness in the world, that its enough to convince a rational Considerate man, of the truth of the doctrine of the fall of man, and of Original corruption, against all the objections that all the Socinians or Pelagians in the world do make against it. He that thinks that God made man in this distempered, distracted state that selfishness doth hold the world in, hath unreasonable thoughts of the workmanship of God. He that seeth even children before they can speak or go so selfish as they are, & all mankind without exception to be naturally as so many Idol gods in the world, and can believe that this is the Image of God, in which they were created, doth make the Image of Satan to be the Image of God: No wiser, no better is the Doctrine that denieth Original sin, when self hath such a tyrannical, universal raign in all the world.

Consect. 2. So deep rooted, and powerful, and universal is this abominable vice, that it must teach us what ⟨p. 78⟩to expect in all places we live in, and may help us to make the truest Prognostics, or probablest conjectures of any mutations where the will of man is like to be the determiner. Know once but where self-interest lies, and you may know what almost all men will endeavour, and might write a probable Prognostication of the changes that are like to be in States, and Kingdoms, and anywhere in the world, were it not for the interposition of two greater Powers that have got the victory of self, and that is Grace, and Divine-over-ruling Providence. I say were it not that these step in, and cross self, and hinder its designs, you might fore-see in self-interest the changes that are made in humane affairs.