A sad motley mixture

"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

(The following is an excerpt from Philpot's letter to
a church which desired him to come as their pastor)

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, obstinacy,
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.