A1cgssie/eenoe in (hriftisapprobation. , 13 I the praife of men but of god ; not to have the approba- tion of men to his doings, but of God ; not to have his tare tickled with the empty breath ofvaine mans applaufe, but with the folîde and fweet infpiration, and breathing of Gods Spirit, alluring him of Gods acceptation of him ; as our Saviour fought not himfelfe, nor his owne praife, b Ih,s.s but the h preaifè of his Father, made it his i mutt .and drin&e i Iol,.e.i4. todoe his Fathers will, and contented himfelfewith his Fa- thers approbation, how unworthily foever men thought of him Thus all the members of Chrift in proportion fecke not themfelves, nor the applaufe of men, but the teftimony 'of Chrift ; in this they refoyce and folace themfelves, iin k z Cor 6 4. dell things k approving tlemfelves to God, as good fervants, in all eftates, in all changes, in all theirundertakings ; and this is the holy glorying ; rejoycing and comfort of the foule, to I glory (as the Apoftle faith) in the Lord, toglory in the dominion of God, fubjeCting himfelfe unto him, to glory in t s Car.ro.a 7, the power of God, refting upon him, to glory in the tefti- ts. moony of God, bledling and pleating himfelfe inGods appro- bation ;for not he that commendeth himfelfe is approved, but- whom the Lord comiaitndeth : Gods approbation is the crowne and comfort of a Chriftiae ; and therefore as the wife feeks end rejoyceth in theapprobationofher husband, though íhe difpleafeher felfe, and all the family to enjoy it Thus the feulewhich is wedded toChriftPeeks the approba- tionofChrift,pleafeth himfelfe herein,and forthe enjoyment whereof will difplcafe hisowne #lefh,and all the world,he de- nies whatfoever is ahiiiderancehereunto, he fubjellshimfelfe wholly untoChrift,to gaine and keep the teftimonyofChria; for as he faid of Plato, unins Platonic calculum inter mille , the approbation of Plato alone was in Readofa thoufand : fo the teftimony and approbationof one Chrift, of Chrift alone, is more to a gracious - foule, then the applaufe of the world or whatfoever the earthcan affoord, and for thefe andfuck like caufes Both a man endued with true holineffe deny himfelfe, his owne ends and counfels, and proftrates all underChrift jefus. N 4 CHAP.
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