One of my Endeavors for 2014 is to read through the collected works of a Puritan named George Swinnock. One of the more unique aspects of Swinnock’s work The Christian Man’s Calling – which makes up 2.5 of 5 volumes – is its personal nature.

The work is punctuated by small sections of “wishes,” which are something akin to personal prayer requests. For example, after his section on how a Christian may exercise godliness in the practice of prayer, Swinnock offers, “A good wish about prayer, wherein all the forementioned particulars are epitomized.”

Yesterday I read his section on how a Christian may exercise godliness in his particular called and was treated to another collection of wishes, those “about the calling of a minister; wherein several properties and duties of a conscientious pastor are epitomized.”

Just last year Stephen Yuille and Reformation Heritage published this section in a slim volume entitled A Labor of Love: Puritan Pastoral Priorities. So if you don’t want to fork over pretty pennies for the Banner of Truth volumes, make sure to grab Yuille’s book. It would be a great devotional for the pastor and an excellent resource for elder teams. In case you don’t buy either of those choices, here are the first eight wishes from good Dr. Swinnock along with some choice quotes.

8 WISHES ABOUT THE PASTOR’S CALLING

1. A Royal Ambassador. “I wish . . . that I may take heed to myself, and too all the flock over which the Holy Ghost has made me overseer.”
2. A True Vessel. “I wish that I may know experimentally what regeneration means, before I travail with others, till Christ be formed in them.”
3. A Sincere Suitor. “I wish that the spring of my motions, and principle of all my work, may be love to my Master, and not expectation of any temporal reward.” “I desire that my ends in the ministry may be purely to exalt the glorious name of God, in the conversion and edification of his precious and chosen ones.”
4. A Wise Builder. “I wish . . . that, as a wise builder, I may lay the foundation of sound doctrine, raise up strong pillars of convincing reasons, and cover it with useful and powerful application.”
5. A Skilled Physician. “I wish, that since I am a steward of the mysteries of Christ . . . that knowing the fear of the Lord, I may persuade men, and give to every on their particular and proper portion in due season.”
6. A Diligent Student. “I wish that I  . . . may mind the work of the ministry, and make it appear that both in my preparation for, and execution of my office, I labor in the word and doctrine.”
7. A Tender Mother. “I wish that I may be tenderly affected to all the souls in my charge, as knowing their worth, and believe of what concernment their unchangeable estates are in the other world.” “Lord, when I behold wounded, bleeding, dying souls, let mine eyes affect my heart with sorrow, that both mine eyes and heart by be up to thee, with the greatest importunity for a blessing upon my diligent endeavors for their recovery.”
8. A Courageous Soldier. “I wish that, being a sworn soldier of the Lord of hosts, whatsoever trials and tribulations I meet in my holy warfare, whatsoever dangers and death shall look me in the face, I may never fly from my colors, or forsake my captain, but ‘endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.'” “My only safety consists in keeping close to my Savior.”