_234 The Love andgood Word of others denied,: aworkofPride and felf-feeking in others. Deny your felves fo far as to fubmit to Government and Dignity, and bear it patiently if it be caft uponyou, as being an excellent oppor- tunity of ferving God : But with not for it, . becaufe the Honour and advantages to the fiefh : much lefs contend.for it, or fet your hearts on it. He that feeketh an Office. or Ho- nour for himfelf mull have another heart beforehe will ufe it for God. Its better with Saul to hide our felves from ho- nour , then with Ablalom to contrive and feek it : but belt of all with David to flay till God call us, and then obey.. CH A P . XLII. The Love andgood ITand of others denied.: 2,, A Nother part of felfifh Intereft to be Denied, is the Love, i" andgood Will, and Word of others. This is a thing that may and mull be defired to good ends -, but not for carnal felf When Paullookt at Gods honour and the good offouls, he [became all things to all men that he might by all means fave Tome ; and th't he did, not for Pelf but for the Go(pels fake, and, yet for himfelf in fubordination to God, that he might be par raker of it 'with theml He would give ne ofnce to yew or Gentile, or. the Church of God : but pleated all men in. all things ( that = tended totheir good) not feeng his eon profit; but the profit of .many that they may be laved] Cor. z o. 32, 33. Andhe path left it as the duty of the firongeft Chriftians, Enor to pleafe themfelvet,but every ove topleafe hi.r neighbour for his goad to edification. But when Paul, look's at himfelf, and his efieem among men, then he faith [With me it is a very fmall thing, that I fhouldbe judgedof yon or ofmans,judgement] i Cor.. 4, 3. And Gal. 1. i o, [Do lfeektepleafe men ? For if I yet pleafed men, I Ilioteld not be the Servant of Chriji.] Good natures are loth toprovoke others to difpleafure : and Grace mbveth us toPleafe men for the faving of their fouls. But its. Pride and Seiffetkrig to defire to fet up our felves in wens elleem, arid to endear our felves for our felves into their .affections.. It_
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