Hereupon I saw my vileness to make men's
opinions my rule. The Lord thus gave me some glimpse of myself and a
good day that was to me.' One would think that this was By-ends himself
climbed up into the ministry. And so it was. And yet David Brainerd
could write on his deathbed about Thomas Shepard in this way. 'He valued
nothing in religion that was not done to the glory of God, and, oh! that
others would lay the stress of religion here also. His method of
examining his ends and aims and the temper of his mind both before and
after preaching, is an excellent example for all who bear the sacred
character. By this means they are like to gain a large acquaintance with
their own hearts, as it is evident he had with his.'
But it is not those who bear the sacred character of the ministry alone
who are full of by-ends. We all are. You all are. And there is not one
all-reaching, all-exposing, and all-humbling way of salvation appointed
for ministers, and another, a more external, superficial, easy, and self-
satisfied way for their people. No. Not only must the ambitious and
disputing disciples enter into themselves and become witnesses and judges
and executioners within themselves before they can be saved or be of any
use in the salvation of others--not only they, but the fishermen of the
Lake of Tiberias, they also must open their hearts to these stabbing
words of Christ, and see how true it is that they had followed Him for
loaves and fishes, and not for His grace and His truth.
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