I Am the Worst!

Editor's Note: The following is an excerpt from Philpot's letter to a church which desired him to come as their pastor. - B.

"I am less than the least of all God's people." - Ephesians 3:8

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst." - 1 Timothy 1:15

    Many are foolishly apt to think that a minister is more spiritual than anyone else.  But I am daily more and more sensible of the desperate wickedness of my deceitful heart, and my miserable ruined state as a sinner by nature and by practice.  I feel utterly unworthy of the name of a Christian, and to be ranked among the followers of the Lamb.

    I have no desire to palm myself off on any church, as though I were anything.  I am willing to take a low place.  The more you see of me, you will be sure to find out more of my infirmities, failings, waywardness, selfishness, obstinancy, and evil temper. 

    I am carnal, very proud, very foolish in imagination, very slothful, very worldly, dark, stupid,  blind, unbelieving and ignorant.

    I cannot but confess that I am a strange compound - a sad motley mixture of all the most hateful and abominable vices that rise up within me, and face me at every turn.