What a creature then is a coveteous, an ambitious, a luxurious, an indolent, a diversion-loving clergyman? Is it any wonder that infidelity should encrease, where any of these are to be found? That many, comparing their spirit with their profession, should blaspheme that worthy name whereby they are called? But _woe be unto him by whom the offence cometh! It were good for that man if he had never been born._ It were good for him now, rather than he should continue to turn the lame out of the way, _that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the depth of the sea_!
3. May not you, who are of a better spirit consider, thirdly, am I such as I ought to be, with regard to my _practice_? Am I in my private life, wholly devoted to God? Am I intent upon this one thing, to do in every point _not my own will, but the will of him that sent me_? Do I carefully and resolutely abstain from every evil word and work? _From all appearance of evil?_ From all indifferent things, which might lay a stumbling block in the way of the weak? Am I zealous of good works? As I have time, do I do good to all men? And that in every kind, and in as high a degree as I am capable?
How do I behave in the public work whereunto I am called? In my pastoral character? Am I _a pattern_ to my _flock, in word, in behaviour, in love, in spirit, in faith and purity_? Is my _word_, my daily conversation, _always in grace_, always _meet to minister grace to the hearers_? Is my _behaviour_ suitable to the dignity of my _calling_? Do I walk as _Christ_ also walked? Does the _love_ of God and man not only fill my heart but shine through my whole conversation? Is the _spirit_, the temper which appears in all my words and actions, such as allows me to say with humble boldness, herein _ye be followers of me, as I am of_ Christ? Do all who have spiritual discernment take knowledge, (judging of the tree by its fruits) that _the life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of_ God; and that _in_ all _simplicity and godly sincerity I have my conversation in the world_? Am I exemplarily _pure_ from all worldly desire? From all vile and vain affections? Is my life one continued labour of love? One tract of praising God and helping man? Do I in every thing see _him who is invisible_? And _beholding with open face the glory of the_ Lord, _am I changed into the same image from glory to glory, by the spirit of the_ Lord?
Brethren, is not this our calling, even as we are Christians? But more eminently as we are ministers of _Christ_? And why (I will not say, do we fall short, but why) are we satisfied with falling so short of it? Is there any necessity laid upon us, of sinking so infinitely below our calling? Who hath required this at our hands? Certainly not he by whose authority we minister. Is not his will the same with regard to us, as with regard to his first ambassadors? Is not his love, and is not his power still the same, as they were in the antient days? Know we not, that _Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever_! Why then may not _you_ be as _burning and as shining lights_, as those that shone seventeen hundred years ago? Do you desire to partake of the same burning love, of the same shining holiness? Surely you do. You cannot but be sensible, it is the greatest blessing which can be bestowed on any child of man. Do you design it? Aim at it? _Press on to_ this _mark of the prize of the high calling of_ God _in_ Christ Jesus? Do you constantly and earnestly pray for it; Then as the Lord liveth, ye shall attain. Only let us pray on, and _tarry at_ Jerusalem, _’till we be endued with power from on high_. Let us continue in all the ordinances of God, particularly in meditating on his word, in _denying ourselves, and taking up our cross daily_, and _as we have time doing good to all men_: and then assuredly _the great shepherd_ of us and our flocks, will _make_ us _perfect in every good work, to do his will, and work in us all that is well pleasing in his sight_! This is the desire and prayer of
_Your Brother and Servant in our common LORD_,