2. Ministerial faithfulness imports personal sincerity. So the
let us be all such faithful master-builders of the house of our God!
Let us say, not our interest, but Christ's, not our glory, but his. Pure ends in our service, will give abundant comfort at the end of our service, a care, brethren, of all artifices and designs to accommodate carnal interests, under a shew of devotion to God.
Timothy is our pattern in this, of whom Paul saith, Phil. 2:20, 21. "I have no man like minded, who will naturally care for your state; for all seek their own, not the things that are Jesus Christ's." Where the word naturally is not opposed to spiritually, but to artificially. Others had the art to cloak self-ends under Christ's honour; but Timothy was ignorant of such unfaithful tricks and artifices.
2. Ministerial faithfulness imports personal sincerity. So the word signifies, where it is said of Abraham, that God found his heart faithful; that is, sincere before him. (Neh. 9:8.) A faithful minister is a sincere-hearted minister. And herein, brethren, O herein, or in nothing, let us approve ourselves the ministers of Christ: Let this be our "rejoicing, that in all sincerity, and godly simplicity, we have had our conversations in this world," 2 Cor. 1:12. And the rather let us be careful in this, because no sin is more apt to insinuate itself into our hearts, and duties, than hypocrisy. We, of all men, are most in danger to be deceived by it: For our employment lying in, and about spiritual things, we are, on that account, stiled spiritual men, Hos. 9:7. But it is plain, from that very place, that a man may be objectively a spiritual, and all the while subjectively a carnal man. Believe it, brethren, it is easier to declaim, like an orator, against a thousand sins of others, than it is to mortify one sin, like Christians, in ourselves; to be more industrious in our pulpits, than in our closets; to preach twenty sermons to our people, than one to our own hearts.