Oh what a mercy is an upright heart!- That renounces the world and everything in it that stands in competition with his God. And who takes God to be his God indeed; and to be his Lord, his Judge, his Portion, and his All: who in temptation remembers that God is watching, and in all his duty is motivated and ruled by the will and pleasure of his Judge; and considers the observation and thoughts of man as he would the presence of a bird or beast (unless piety, justice or love requires him to have respect for man as God may require); who when men applaud him as person of exceptional godliness or holiness is apprehensive and fearful lest the all-knowing God should think otherwise of him than his applauders; and who when under all the criticisms, reproaches and slanders of men (even though good men might be tempted to thus abuse him) can live in peace, resting upon the approbation of his God alone. and can rejoice in his justification by his righteous Judge and gracious Redeemer, though the insignificant criticisms of man condemn him.
Truly I cannot understand how any other man than this can live a life of true and solid peace and joy. If God's approbation and favor don't give you peace, nothing can rationally give it to you. If the pleasing of God doesn't satisfy you, though men, though good men, though all men should be displeased with you, I don't know how or when you will ever be satisfied.
-Richard Baxter
