[ 1059] Men of self-ends condemned.
IT was a sweet and savoury saying of Oecolampadius,* 1.1 Nolui aliquid loqui vel scribe∣re, &c. I should be loath to speak or write any thing, that Christ should dsiallow; he is that Master, to whom every man must stand or fall; one good look from him is beyond all vulgar acclamation, according to that of the Apostle, Not he that commendeth himself* 1.2 (nor he whom the world commends) is approved, but he whom the Lord commendeth. Reprovable then are the Gnosticks of old, who gloried in themselves,* 1.3 and our modern Iesuits, who vaunt, that the Church is the soul of the world,* 1.4 the Clergy of the Church, and they of the Clergy. And many amongst our selves, that have (as our English Seneca said) Eve's sweet tooth in their heads, would be more then they are, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or ••, the man, or some body; such as are never well, but when they are setting their good parts a sunning,* 1.5 to gain the applause and ad∣miration of the world; such as turn the Perspective-glasse, see themselves bigger, others lesser then they are,* 1.6 sacrificing to themselves, as those Babylonians, and setting up, and serving themselves of Christ and his service, as Iudas and his suc∣cessors, that rob him of his rents, and run away with his glory.