Walk the Talk

In his book The Reformed Pastor, Richard Baxter gives an important warning to ministers:

"One proud, surly, lordly word, one needless contention, one covetous action, may cut the throat of many a sermon . . . It is a palpable error for some ministers, who make such a disproportion between their preaching and their living; who study hard to preach exactly, and study little or not at all to live exactly. All the week long is little enough to study how to speak two hours; and yet one hour seems too much to study how to live all the week . . . Oh, take heed, brethren, of every word you speak, and of every step you tread, for you bear the ark of the Lord -- you are entrusted with his honor! . . . Take heed to yourselves, for the success of all your labours does very much depend on this."