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

9. And consider what a wickedness is here commonly included. Proud men desire to be thought better than they are, and spoken of accordingly; They limit not mens estimation to the truth of their deserts. Otherwise if the best and greatest of you all were thought no better or greater than you are, alas, how far would men be from admiring you? what would you be thought but worms and sinners; and such as after all your glory, cannot forbid a crawling worm to feed upon your face or heart? and such as deserve no less than hell; and have many a secret sin that the world was unacquainted with. But it is not a true, but false Esteem that the Proud desire: They care not how great, or how good, or how wise and learned the world and succeeding ages think them: And thus they desire to cheat mens understandings, and to leave a ⟨p. 329⟩false History of themselves on earth, and to have all men believe and report untruths, to magnify men, whose souls, it's much to be doubted, are in hell, or if they be not, must needs abhor such doings. And thus every Proud and selfish man would be a false Historian and cheater of the world.

9. And consider what a wickedness is here commonly included. Proud men desire to be thought better than they are, and spoken of accordingly; They limit not mens estimation to the truth of their deserts. Otherwise if the best and greatest of you all were thought no better or greater than you are, alas, how far would men be from admiring you? what would you be thought but worms and sinners; and such as after all your glory, cannot forbid a crawling worm to feed upon your face or heart? and such as deserve no less than hell; and have many a secret sin that the world was unacquainted with. But it is not a true, but false Esteem that the Proud desire: They care not how great, or how good, or how wise and learned the world and succeeding ages think them: And thus they desire to cheat mens understandings, and to leave a ⟨p. 329⟩false History of themselves on earth, and to have all men believe and report untruths, to magnifie men, whose souls, it's much to be doubted, are in hell, or if they be not, must needs abhor such doings. And thus every Proud and selfish man would be a false Historian and cheater of the world.