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

Answ. 1. That there should be no Propriety in goods, or estate among men, is contrary to the will of God, who hath made men his Stewards, and trusted several persons with several talents and forbidden stealing, and commanded men to labour that they may have to give to him that needeth; and he that hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother have need, must not ⟨p. 332⟩shut up the bowels of his compassion. It is a standing duty to give to the poor; and we shall therefore have the poor always with us for this exercise of our Charity. And he that hath nothing, can give nothing, nor use it for God. Why did Paul require them to give to the distressed Saints, and maintain the Ministry, and gather for such uses every first day of the week, if he would have men have nothing to give? This therefore is a conceit that needs nothing but Reason and the reading and belief of Scripture to confute it.

2. But as no man is a Proprietary, or hath any thing of his Own in the strict and Absolute sense, because all is Gods, and we are but Stewards; so no man may retain his humane analogical propriety, when God calleth him to give it up: No man may retain any thing from Gods Use and service which he hath a propriety in. We have so much Propriety as that no man must rob us; and so much as our works of charity are rewardable, though it be but giving a cup of cold water, which could not be without propriety; for who will reward him that gives that which is none of his own? yea it is made the matter of the last judgement [I was hungry, and ye fed me,; I was naked, and ye clothed me, &c.] Which they could not have done if they had not had food and clothing to bestow. So that the denial of propriety would destroy all exercise of charity in such kinds, and destroy all Societies and orderly converse and industry in the world.

2. But as no man is a Proprietary, or hath any thing of his Own in the strict and Absolute sense, because all is Gods, and we are but Stewards; so no man may retain his humane analogical propriety, when God calleth him to give it up: No man may retain any thing from Gods Use and service which he hath a propriety in. We have so much Propriety as that no man must rob us; and so much as our works of charity are rewardable, though it be but giving a cup of cold water, which could not be without propriety; for who will reward him that gives that which is none of his own? yea it is made the matter of the last judgement [I was hungry, and ye fed me,; I was naked, and ye cloathed me, &c.] Which they could not have done if they had not had food and cloathing to bestow. So that the denial of propriety would destroy all exercise of charity in such kinds, and destroy all Societies and orderly converse and industry in the world.