The Sin of Man Pleasing

Chapter 1

1. Our parents, rulers, and superiors must be honoured, obeyed, and

pleased in all things which they require of us, in the several places of authority which God hath given them over us; and this must be not merely as to man, but as to the officers of God, from whom, and for whom, (and no

Chapter 2

2. We must in charity, and condescension, and meekness of

behaviour, seek to please all men in order to their salvation. We must so thirst for the conversion of sinners, that we must become all things (lawful) to all men, that we may win them. We must not stand upon our terms,

Chapter 3

3. As our neighbour is commanded to love us as himself, we are

bound by all lawful means to render ourselves amiable to him, that we may help and facilitate this his love, as it is more necessary to him than to us: for to help him in obeying so great a command must needs be a great

Chapter 4

4. We must not be self-conceited, and prefer a weak, unfurnished

judgment of our own, before the greater wisdom of another; but in honour must prefer each other: and the ignorant must honour the knowledge and parts of others that excel them, and not be stiff in -- 6 of 37 -- their o

Chapter 5

5. Especially we must reverence the judgment of our able, faithful

teachers, and not by pride set up our weaker judgment against them, and resist the truth which they deliver to us from God. Neither must we set light by the censures or admonitions of the lawful pastors of the church: wh

Chapter 6

6. If sober, godly persons, that are well acquainted with us, do

strongly suspect us to be faulty where we discern it not ourselves, it should make us the more suspicious and fearful: and if judicious persons fear you to be hypocrites, and no sound christians, by observing your temper

Chapter 7

7. A good name among men, which is the reputation of our integrity,

is not to be neglected as a thing of nought; for it is a mercy from God for which we must be thankful, and it is a useful means to our successful serving and honouring God. And the more eminent we are, and the more the h

Chapter 8

8. The censures of the most petulant, and the scorns of enemies, are

not to be made light of, as they are their sins, which we must lament; nor as they may provoke us to a more diligent search, and careful watchfulness over our ways. Thus far man's judgment is regardable. Consider the Nat

Chapter 9

2. We must consider how far the enmity that is in lapsed man to

holiness, and the ignorance, prejudice, and passion of the ungodly, will carry them to despise, and scorn, and slander all such as seriously and zealously serve God, and cross them in their carnal interest. And therefore

Chapter 10

3. Considering what remnants of pride and self-conceitedness

remain in many that have true grace, and how many hypocrites are in the church, whose religion consisteth in opinions and their several modes of worship; we must expect to be reproached and abused by such, as in opinions

Chapter 11

4. No men must be pleased by sin, nor their favour preferred before

the pleasing of God. Man's favour as against God, is to be despised, and their displeasure made light of. If doing our duty will displease them, let them be displeased; we can but pity them.

Chapter 12

5. We must place none of our happiness in the favour or approbation

of men, but account it as to ourselves to be a matter of no great moment, neither worth any great care or endeavour to obtain it, or grief for losing it. We must not only contemn it as compared to the approbation and fav

Chapter 13

6. One truth of God, and the smallest duty, must be preferred before

the pleasing and favour of all the men in the world. Though yet as a means to the pro noting of a greater truth or duty, the favour and pleasing of men must be preferred before the uttering of a lesser truth, or doing a

Chapter 14

7. Our hearts are so selfish and deceitful, naturally, that when we are

very solicitous about our reputation, we must carefully watch them lest self be intended, while God is pretended. And we must take special care, that we be sure it be the honour of God, and religion, and the good of soul

Chapter 15

8. Man's nature is so prone to go too far in valuing our esteem with

men, that we should more fear lest we err on that hand, than on the other, in undervaluing it. And it is far safer to do too little than too much, in the vindicating of our own reputation, whether by the magistrate's jus

Chapter 16

10. If ministers, or councils called general, do err and contradict the

word of God, we must do our best to discern it; and discerning it, must desert their error rather than the truth of God. As Calvin, and -- 10 of 37 -- after him Paraeus on I Cor. iv. 3, say, "We must give an account of

Chapter 17

11. God must be enough for a gracious soul, and we must know "that

in his favour is life," and his "loving-kindness is better than life itself," and this must be our care and labour, that "whether living or dying" we may be accepted of him, and if we have his approbation it must satisfy

Chapter 18

12. The prophecy of our Saviour must be still believed, that the

"world will hate us," and his example must be still before our eyes, who submitted to be spit upon, and scorned and buffeted, and slandered as a traitor or usurper of the crown, and "made himself of no reputation," and "

Chapter 19

13. It is not only the approbation of the ignorant and ungodly that we

must thus set light by; but even of the most learned and godly themselves, so as to bear their censures as an easy burden, when God is pleased this way to try us; and to be satisfied in God alone, and the expectation of

Chapter 20

1. An humbled soul, that hath felt what it is to have displeased God,

and what it is to be under his curse, and what it is to be reconciled to him by the death and intercession of Jesus Christ, is so taken up in -- 12 of 37 -- seeking the favour of God, and is so troubled with every fear

Chapter 21

2. God only is our supreme Judge, and our governors as officers

limited by him but for others, if they will be usurpers, and set themselves in the throne of God, and there let fly their censures upon things and persons which concern them not, why should we seem much concerned in it?

Chapter 22

3. It is God only that passeth the final sentence, from whom there is

no appeal to any other: but from human judgment there lieth an appeal to God.' Their judgment must be judged of by him. Things shall not stand as now men censure them. Many a bad cause is now judged good, through the mul

Chapter 23

4. It is God only that hath power to execute his sentence, to our

happiness or misery. "There is one lawgiver that is able to save and to destroy," James iv. 12. If he say to us, "Come ye blessed," we shall be happy, though devils and men should curse us; for those that he blesseth sha

Chapter 24

1. Remember what a multitude you have to please; and when you

have pleased some, how many more will be still unpleased, and how many displeased when you have done your best. Alas! we are insufficient at once to observe all those that observe us and would be pleased by us. You are l

Chapter 25

2. Remember that all men are so selfish, that their expectations will

be higher than you are able to satisfy. They will not consider your hinderances, or avocations, or what you do for others, but most of them look to have as much to themselves, as if you had nobody else to mind but them.

Chapter 26

3. You have abundance to please that are so ignorant, unreasonable,

and weak, that they take your greatest virtues for your faults, and -- 18 of 37 -- know not when you do well or ill; and yet none more bold in censuring than those that least understand the things they censure. Many an

Chapter 27

4. You will have many factious zealots to please, who being strangers

to the love of holiness, christianity, and unity, are ruled by the interest of an opinion or a sect; and these will never be pleased by you, unless you will be one of their side or party, and conform yourself to their op

Chapter 28

5. Most of the world are haters of holiness, and have a serpentine

enmity to the image of God, being not renewed by the Holy Ghost; and will not be pleased with you, unless you will sin against your Lord, and do as they do. I Pet. iv. 3-5, "Walking in lasciviousness lusts, excess of win

Chapter 29

6. You shall have satanical God-haters, and men of seared and

desperate consciences to please, that are malicious and cruel, and will be pleased with nothing but some horrid iniquity, and the damning of your own souls, and drawing others to damnation. Like that monster of Milan, th

Chapter 30

7. You will have rigorous, captious, uncharitable, and unrighteous

men to please, who will "make a man offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought, and watch for iniquity," Isa. xxix. 20, 21. That have none of th

Chapter 31

8. You will have passionate persons to please, whose judgments are

blinded, and are not capable of being pleased. Like the sick and sore that are hurt with every touch; and at last, saith Seneca, with the very conceit that you touched them. How can you please them, when displeasedness i

Chapter 32

9. You will find that censoriousness is a common vice, and though

few are competent judges of your actions, as not being acquainted with all the ease, yet every one almost will be venturing to cast in his censure. A proud, presumptuous understanding is a very common vice; which thinks

Chapter 33

10. You live among unpeaceable tattlers and tale carriers, that would

please others by accusing you. Who is it that hath ears that hath not such vermin as these earwigs busy at them? Except here and there an upright man, whose angry countenance hath still driven away such backbiting tongue

Chapter 34

11. The imperfection of all men's understandings and godliness is so

great, that the differences of judgment that are among the best, will tend to the injury and undervaluing of their brethren. One is confident that his way is right, and another is confident of the contrary: and to how gr

Chapter 35

12. You have men of great mutability to please; that one hour may be

ready to worship you as gods, and the next to stone you, or account you as devils, as they did by Paul, and Christ himself. What a weathercock is the mind of man! especially of the vulgar and the temporizers! When you ha

Chapter 36

13. Every man living shall unavoidably be engaged by God himself, in

some duties which are very liable to misconstruction, and will have an outside and appearance of evil, to the offence of those that know not all the inside and circumstances. And hence it comes to pass, that -- 23 of 37

Chapter 37

14. The perverseness of many is so great, that they require

contradictions and impossibilities of you, to tell you that they are resolved never to be pleased by you. If John use fasting, they say, "he hath a devil," if Christ come "eating and drinking," they say, "Behold a glutto

Chapter 38

15. There is among men so great a contrariety of judgments, and

dispositions, and interests, that they will never agree among themselves; and if you please one, the rest will be thereby displeased. He that you please is an enemy to another; and therefore you displease his enemy by pl

Chapter 39

16. If you excel in any one virtue or duty, even that shall not excuse

you from the contrary defamation, so unreasonable are malicious men. Nothing in the world can secure you from censorious, slanderous tongues. The perfect holiness of Jesus Christ could not secure him from being called a

Chapter 40

17. If you have a design for a name of honour when you are dead,

consider what power a prevailing faction may have to corrupt the history of your life, and represent you to posterity perfectly contrary to what you are; and how impossible it is for posterity to know whose history is th

Chapter 41

18. Remember that the holiest saints or apostles could never please

the world, nor escape their censures, slanders, and cruelties, no, nor Jesus Christ himself. And can you think by honest means to please them better than Christ and all his saints have done? You have not the wisdom that

Chapter 42

19. Godliness, virtue, and honesty itself will not please the world, and

therefore you cannot hope to please them by that which is not pleasing to them. Will men be pleased by that which they hate? and by the actions which they think accuse them and condemn them? And if you will be ungodly an

Chapter 43

20. They are not pleased with God himself; yea no man doth

displease so many and so much as he. And can you do more than God to please them? Or can you deserve their favour more than he? They are daily displeased with his works of providence: one would have rain, when another wo

Chapter 44

21. How can you please men that cannot please themselves? Their

own desire and choice will please them but a little while. Like children, they are soon weary of that which they cried for: they must needs have it, and when they have it, it is naught, and cast away; they are neither pl

Chapter 45

22. How can you please all others, when you cannot please

yourselves? If you are persons fearing God and feel the burden of your sins, and have life enough to be sensible of your diseases, I dare say there are none in the world so displeasing to you, as you are to yourselves. Y

Chapter 46

9. And he is one that is merciful, and requireth you not to hurt

yourselves to please him: nay, he is pleased with nothing of thine but that which tendeth to thy happiness, and displeased with nothing but that which hurts thyself or others, as a father that is displeased with his chil

Chapter 47

12. He is one that will not be moved by tale-bearers, whisperers, or

false accusers, nor can be perverted by any misinformation. The Benefits of Seeking to Please God -- 34 of 37 -- Consider also the benefits of taking up with the pleasing of God. 1. The pleasing of him is your happines

Chapter 48

4. It will make your lives not only to be divine but this divine life to

be sweet and easy, while you set light by human censures which would create you prejudice and difficulties. When others glory in wit, and wealth, and strength, you would glory in this, that you know the Lord, Jer. ix. 23

Chapter 49

6. The sum of all graces is contained in this sincere desire to please

thy God, and contentedness in this so far as thou findest it attained. Here is faith, and humility, and love, and, holy desire, and trust and the fear of God joined together. You "sanctify the Lord of hosts himself, and

Chapter 50

7. If human approbation be good for you and worth your having, this

is the best way to it; for God hath the disposal of it. "If a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him," Prov. xvi. 7. God does this by appeasing their wrath, or -- 35 of 37 -- res

Chapter 51

7. Whether men be pleased or displeased, or how they judge of you,

or what they call you, will seem a small matter to you, as their own interest, in comparison to God's judgment. You live not on them. You can bear their displeasure, censures, and reproaches, if God be but pleased. These