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

CHAP. LXIX. Corrupteth and debaseth all that it disposeth of.

7. Another aggravation of the evil of selfishness is, that it corrupteth and debaseth every thing that it disposeth of. And on the contrary it is the excellency of self-denial (as joined with the Love of God) that it rectifieth and ennobleth all your actions.

7. ANother aggravation of the evil of selfishness is, that it corrupteth and debaseth every thing that it disposeth of. And on the contrary it is the excellency of self-denial (as joyned with the Love of God) that it rectifieth and ennobleth all your actions.

Let the work be never so Holy in its own nature, yet if you do it but for your selves, you make a profane employment of it; and to you it is not Holy. A selfish carnal person is serving himself even in Preaching, and hearing, and praying, and Sacraments, and other acts of worship and Church-communion: Much more in the common business of his life. Even when he thinks he is serving God, he is but serving himself of God, and provoking God by this abuse: when he thinks he is very holy because of his services, he is doubly unholy, in that he even profaneth holy things. ⟨p. 391⟩And as it is not God indeed that he serveth, so from God he must not expect a Reward. And as far as a mans self and flesh is below the blessed God, so far, in a sort, is the work of selfish men debased, in comparison of those works of the Saints that are performed purely for God. They make but a low unprofitable drudgery of that which in the hands of others is the highest and noblest work on earth. For the action can be no better than the End; and therefore is base as it is base.