The Advantages of Pleasing God Rather than Men by Richard Baxter

1. If you seek first to please God and are satisfied therein, you have but
one to please instead of multitudes; and a multitude of masters are hardlier
pleased than one.
2. And it is one that putteth upon you nothing that is
unreasonable, for quantity or quality.
3. And one that is perfectly wise and
good, not liable to misunderstand your case and actions.
4. And one that is
most holy, and is not pleased in iniquity or dishonesty.
5. And he is one
that is impartial and most just, and is no respecter of persons, Acts x. 34.
6. And he is one that is a competent judge, that hath fitness and authority,
and is acquainted with your hearts, and every circumstance and reason of your
actions.
7. And he is one that perfectly agreeth with himself, and putteth
you not upon contradictions or impossibilities.
8. And he is one that is
constant and unchangeable; and is not pleased with one thing to-day, and another
contrary to-morrow; nor with one person this year, whom he will be weary of the
next.
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 children when they
defile or hurt themselves.
10. He is gentle, though just, in his censures of
thee; judging truly, but not with unjust rigour, nor making your actions worse
than they are.
11. He is one that is not subject to the passions of men,
which blind their minds, and carry them to injustice.
12. He is one that
will not be moved by tale-bearers, whisperers, or false accusers, nor can be
perverted by any misinformation.