God of my Fathers

Archbishop Leighton admirably sets forth John the Baptist as an example to Ministers of the gospel: to live, as much as possible in their condition and station, disengaged from the world—not following its vain delights and ways—not bathing in the solaces and pleasures of earth, and entangling themselves in its care; but sober and modest, and mortified in their way of living; making it their main business not to please the flesh, but to do service to their Lord, to walk in his ways, and prepare his way for him in the 1 See 2Cor. 4.1. 2 Rev. 1.13-20. 3 1Tim. 6.12. 4 Isa. 8.12-14. 5 Heb. 11.27. 6 Prov. 29.25. 7 On this subject see a most valuable chapter in the Bishop of Winchester’s Ministerial Character of Christ— ‘The self-denial of the Ministry of Christ.’ 8 Exhortation to Priests: that is (as Archbishop Seeker expounds it) ‘not making either gross pleasures, or more refined amusements, even literary ones unconnected with your profession—or power, or profit, or advancement, or applause, your great aim in life; but labouring chiefly to qualify yourselves for doing good to the souls of men, and applying carefully to that purpose whatever qualifications you attain.’—