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

But that's not the worst, slothfulness is the common cause of mens damnation; when they see a temptation and danger before them, slothfulness hindereth them from resisting it▪ When Heaven is offered them, slothfulness makes them sit still and lose it. They must Run, and Strive, and Fight, and Conquer, and these are not works for a slothful person; especially when they must be continued to the death. So that it's manifest, that most men in the world are undone soul and body, by the sin of sloth.

5. And by this you rob others as well as your selves: You owe the world the fruit of your labours: You rob the souls of men to whom you should do good. You rob the Church that should be bettered by you: You rob the Commonwealth of which you are a member, and should have benefit by you. You owe your labours to Church and Commonwealth and the souls of men, and will you not pay so great a debt? You deserve no room in the Church or Commonwealth, but to be cut off as an unprofitable member, if you bring no advantage to them. They say the Bees will not suffer a drone ⟨p. 186⟩in the Hive. Nay, if you be hired servants, you plainly rob your Masters if you are slothful, as much as if you stole their money or goods. If you buy an hundred sheep of a man, and he let you have but fourscore, doth he not rob or cheat you? And if a man buy a years or a days labour of you, and you let him have but half a years labour, or half a days labour, because of your sloth, do you not defraud or rob him of the other half? So that the idle are thieves to themselves, to the Church and the souls of men, to the Commonwealth and those that they are related to; even to their wives and children, for whom they should provide due maintenance by their labour.

6. And you are injurious to the honest poor, in that you disable your selves from relieving them: when God commandeth you to work with your hands, not only for your selves, but that you may have to give to them that need,