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

Direct. 5. And it may much further your self-denial to take a considerate survey of all the world, and see but what self-seeking hath already done, and is still doing in it. What a doleful sight of wickedness, confusion and misery must you see, which way ever you look: and all is most evidently the fruit of selfishness. Me thinks it ••ould awaken every sober man against it, that doth but observe what work it hath made; that seeth. Families disordered and ruined by it; Neighbours set in dissension by it; Churches divided by it; Religion dishonoured by it; and multitudes of them that seem to be religious, to be so ⟨p. 403⟩lamentably deceived and enslaved by it: Princes and great men blinded by it; Judges and Learned men befooled by it; and the Nations of the world almost all set together by the ears by it: So that it hath turned the world into the Confusion of Babel, that no man can understand a word of the Language that tendeth to Unity, Peace and building up: Princes understand it not: too many Preachers understand it not; but the Language of scorn and strife and dissension they understand: so that the world is cast all into a hurly burly, and every mans hand is against his Brother when he scarce knows why. No Church or State can stand without disturbance: No truths without contradiction: Under pretence of coming in to Christ, they are busily uncovering his House, when the door is wide open, and there are more to invite them than to hinder them. Me thinks as a man that observeth the carriage of mad men or drunken men, should never have any mind to be mad or drunken; so he that observeth but what self-seeking hath done in the world, should have little mind to be self-conceited, selfwilled, or self-seeking, but should love and honour self-denial.

Direct. 5. And it may much further your selfdenial to take a considerate survey of all the world, and see but what self-seeking hath already done, and is still doing in it. What a doleful sight of wickedness, confusion and misery must you see, which way ever you look: and all is most evidently the fruit of selfishness. Me thinks it ••ould awaken every sober man against it, that doth but observe what work it hath made; that seeth. Families disordered and ruined by it; Neighbours set in dissention by it; Churches divided by it; Religion dishonoured by it; and multitudes of them that seem to be religious, to be so ⟨p. 403⟩