,transcribed from the #ahag ,r4 ,thomas edition by ,david ,price1 email ccx#jgdpglaf4org ,many thanks to the ,british ,library for allowing their copy to be consulted4 ,picture3 ,public domain book cover ,,the ,,descent ,,of ,,the ,,branch ,,into ,,the ,,waters ,,of ,,sorrow1 ,,to ,,bring ,,up ,the ,election of ,grace4 ,,being ,,the ,,substance ,,of ,a ,sermon1 ,,preached ,,by ,j4 ,,church1 ,,of ,,the ,,surrey ,,tabernacle4 ,picture3 ,decorative divider 8,,and ,,he ,,cried ,,unto ,,the ,,lord1 ,,and ,,the ,,lord ,,shewed ,,him ,a ,,tree1 ,,which ,,when ,,he ,,had ,,cast ,,into ,,the ,,waters1 ,,the ,,waters ,,were ,,made ,,sweet40 8,,and ,,if ,,we ,,are ,,afflicted ,,it ,,is ,,for ,,your ,,consolation40 99 99 99 99 99 ,southwark3 ,printed by ,r ,,thomas1 ,no1 #aa1 ,,red ,,lion ,,street1 ,borough4 #ahag4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a ,sermon4 #b ,,kings1 #fth ,chap4 v4 #f4 ,and the ,man of ,god said1 ,where fell it8 ,and he shewed him the place1 and he cut down a stick1 and cast it in thither1 and the iron did swim4 ,,all scripture is written for our instruction in the knowledge of the ,person and ,work of ,god our dear ,saviour1 as the only foundation of our hope1 the object of our faith and love1 the only refuge of guilty man1 the brightness of the ,father's glory1 and the express image of his love1 his wisdom1 and his infinite condescension4 ,holy men of old spake1 and wrote the sacred scriptures1 under the divine influence of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,christ is the main object they all believed in1 looked to1 hoped for1 and held forth to succeeding generations4 ,christ is the substance of the whole ,bible2 every passage1 in some way or other1 like the ,star of ,bethlehem1 points to him2 and the most wise and spiritual children of the ,most ,high1 as divinely taught1 must be ever upon the look-out for ,jesus in every part of the divine word4 ,christ is in every doctrine1 in every sacred illustrious character1 in every type1 in every ordinance1 and in every precept1 in every promise1 and every ,old ,testament history1 as well as every ,new ,testament parable3 and where the mind is sweetly influenced by the love of ,jesus1 it gladly receives ,christ wherever it is given by the ,spirit to see him4 ,i would not be wise above what is written1 nor would ,i attempt to force the meaning of the blessed ,spirit1 or misapply it to answer any purpose2 but ,i must humbly beg to remark1 that in reading the circumstance which ,i have selected for a text1 my mind was at first forcibly struck with the account2 and looking up for wisdom to preach on it1 and having been favored with the gracious presence of my ,lord in handling it1 ,i could no longer suppress my own feelings1 with the earnest solicitations of many that heard it1 who were apparently blessed by this feeble testimony1 ,i present it in the simple form1 as in part preached4 ,i have tried to retain the substance1 though ,i am not able to write verbatim1 what was delivered3 ,i only aim at setting forth the glory of the dear ,saviour1 as held forth in this passage1 to the ,church2 that by comparing spiritual truths with spiritual experiences1 some of ,god's tried people may be built up in their most holy faith1 and sweetly led to see that they have not believed in vain4 ,we find in this history1 that the ,spirit of ,prophecy in the ,church was increasing in the land2 this was doubtless a favourable sign1 for where there is no vision the people perish2 and truly happy is that land which abounds in spiritual ministers1 spiritual ordinances1 and spiritual people4 ,the increase of ,prophets rendered it necessary that they should be convened together1 tor the promotion of each other's knowledge and comfort4 ,we find there was a ,college of them at ,gilgal1 over which the prophet ,elisha was a ,president1 in the room of his ,predecessor ,elijah4 ,we would1 indeed1 humbly hope1 this ,college of ,prophets1 was a blessing to the ,church1 and that the ,candidates for the ,ministry were really moved by the ,holy ,ghost1 to take upon them that sacred office2 but1 alas6 in those days was ,gehazi1 and others1 who1 it is to be feared1 never were taught either ,law or ,gospel1 experimentally2 and may we not adopt the old ,church ,service1 and exclaim1 with grief of heart1 ,as it was in the beginning is now8 ,but our most blessed ,lord will do all his will1 perform all his gracious purposes1 and as the great ,head of the ,church1 and ,saviour of the body1 he must bring all his redeemed to the knowledge of himself1 and at last home to glory1 by all the means his own infinite wisdom has planned1 whether they are educated at a ,collage1 or not4 ,human learning is a blessing to the ,church1 when sanctified2 but most mere letter-learned men1 like ,pilate1 fix their ,hebrew1 ,greek1 and ,latin upon the head of ,christ1 instead of laying it at his feet1 as ,paul did4 ,most probably the ,college of ,gilgal was at this time full1 so that some of the ,sons of the ,prophets asked leave to go to ,jordan1 and reside there--we are informed of the reason of this request1 in the first of this chapter4 ,their piety1 humility1 and industry are evident4 ,the matter was laid before ,elisha and before the ,lord1 by him2 so should ,god's dear ministers and people ever act--for in the multitude of counsellors there is safety2 and hence that very important advice1 ,in all thy ways acknowledge him1 and he shall direct thy paths4 ,the humility of their minds is as clearly revealed2 they did not desire a mansion1 or even an elegant college1 but only an humble cot--a little1 with the fear and love of ,god1 is far1 yea1 infinitely preferable to great riches4 ,the main study of ministers should be usefulness2 great riches seldom promote much spirituality in ministers or people3 those who are running an heavenly race1 should not load themselves with thick clay4 ,the gospel ministry is called a warfare1 and an aged father in the church1 observes to his son ,timothy1 ,no man that warreth should entangle himself in the affairs of this life--that is1 if he can avoid it4 ,not only the piety and humility of these good men are evident1 but their industry2 not to be burdensome to any1 they went to work themselves1 in the thicket1 near the river ,jordan1 the resort of wild beasts2 but the appointed path of duty1 is1 in general1 the place of safety2 here the ,lord had directed them1 and being in his way1 he doubtless honoured them with his protecting1 supporting1 and approving smile4--,elisha was with them1 superintending their affairs1 and entreating the ,lord for their success4 ,this act1 thus recorded by the divine ,spirit1 of the conduct of the ,prophets1 in cutting down the thickets of trees1 and building an ,house1 might perhaps have brought to their minds1 the work to which they were called1 and for which they were preparing4--,sinners are called ,trees2 the ,gospel is compared to an ,axe2 ,ministers are called ,labourers2 and if they find but little success in their work1 they are directed to ,jesus for strength1 and to the blessed ,spirit for wisdom to aim right4 ,perhaps ,solomon alludes to this1 when he says1 ,if the ,iron be blunt1 he must put to the more strength2 but wisdom is profitable to direct4--,agreeable to this is the language of our ,lord to his ,disciples1 when fishing2 he said1 ,follow we1 and ,i will make you fishers of men4 ,thus instructed by ,jesus1 they could spiritualize their employment as fishers4 ,this ,world is called a ,sea1 the ,church a ,ship1 ,men are compared to ,fish1 ,ministers to fishermen1 and the ,gospel to a ,net cast into the ,sea2 thus out dear ,lord improved any circumstance1 for the instruction of his dear people4 ,it appears1 the ,prophets were not ashamed to handle an hammer1 or an axe1 nor did their ,master forbid it2 they were mechanics1 as well as preachers4 ,the ,lord has often called the meanest of men to the highest office in the ,church of ,god1 and made them eminently useful3 ,david from keeping ,sheep2 ,elisha from the ,plough's-tail2 ,amos from gathering ,sycamore-fruit2 the ,apostles from their ,barges2 and those ,prophets to handle the axe1 the saw1 and the hammer4 ,their work as ,carpenters and ,builders1 serves to remind them of their spiritual occupation--and it is worthy of observation1 that when the ,holy ,spirit shewed ,zechariah in vision1 of the future opposition that would be made against the kingdom of ,jesus1 in the ,gospel ,dispensation1 he shewed him four ,horns1 and after that1 he shewed him four ,carpenters1 who were to fray them1 cut them down2 and such were the ,apostles and ,ministers of the ,gospel in the four parts of the ,world2 who were to fell trees1 cut them down1 lay them low1 fit them1 square them according to ,god's ,word1 and thus build them up an habitation for ,god1 through the ,spirit4 ,our text relates1 that as one was felling a ,beam1 the head of his ,axe fell into the water2 7most probably into ,jordan74 ,this was a grief to him1 for the reason he assigned1 so that he cried to ,elisha1 and said1 ,alas1 master1 for it is borrowed6 ,possessing a spirit of honesty1 and being too poor to make it good to the lender1 he applied to ,elisha1 not to work a miracle1 that we can tell1 but because the man's ,axe was sunk1 and the ,prophet's work stopped4 ,thus1 ministers have constantly something to try them in their work2 they well know the world is always ready to reproach them1 and the glorious cause they espouse1 which fills them with grief1 but leads them to the dear ,saviour1 to appear in the love of his heart1 and in the power of his arm1 for their deliverance1 who always kindly assures them his grace is sufficient for them4 ,some have conjectured that this man was an hypocrite1 or a figure of all false preachers1 who run unsent of ,god2 who preach a borrowed experience1 a borrowed system of religion2 who are only in the letter1 and not in the spirit2 of whose religion and preaching1 like the poor man's ,axe1 it may be truly said1 ,alas6 master1 for it was borrowed4 ,and hence ,god threatens the ,prophets1 that steal his words from others1 and declares they shall not profit this people at all2 nor can unconverted1 graceless preachers profit the experimental children of ,god4 ,a preacher must be taught the plague of his own heart1 the spirituality of ,god's ,law1 the value of a precious ,jesus1 in his ,person and ,work1 by ,god the ,spirit1 before he can be useful to the ,church4 ,we must first know1 then speak what we know1 as the ,apostle says1 ,we can but speak of the things which we have seen1 and we are his witnesses4 ,many may borrow words from real saints1 and may appear like believers indeed2 nor can even the brightest saint at all times tell a hypocrite from a saint1 but the day will declare it--then1 then shall ye return1 and discern between the righteous and the wicked--a mere borrowed religion will let the soul sink in death1 but the free gift of ,god is eternal life--locked up in ,christ1 manifested by the ,spirit1 and leads the soul to rest1 live1 and rejoice alone in the everlasting love of ,god1 the free1 unmerited grace of an everlasting covenant1 the glorious person1 and finished work of ,christ1 as its all in all4 ,the ,prophet seeing the situation of his pupil1 cut down a stick from a tree1 and cast it into the water1 when behold a most astonishing miracle appears--the stick1 contrary to its native tendency1 sunk1 and brought up the iron head of the axe1 which swam1 contrary to its natural gravitation4--,the man no doubt joyfully received it1 and went on with his work4 ,what cannot1 what will not the ,god of ,israel do for his people1 to shew he is the ,lord their ,god1 that they are his servants1 and that they are acting agreeable to his will4 ,the ,lord confirmeth the work of his servants and frustrateth the tokens of liars2 and surely the petition of ,elijah is exactly adapted1 in many cases1 to ,god's dear ministers1 when he prayed1 and said1 ,lord ,god1 let it be known this day that ,i am thy servant1 that this is thy people1 and that ,i have done all these things according to thy word4 ,our text reads thus3 ,but as one was felling a beam1 the axe head fell into the water2 and he cried1 and said1 ,alas6 ,master1 for it was borrowed4 ,and the man of ,god said1 ,where fell it8 ,and he shewed him the place4 ,and he cut down a stick and cast it in thither1 and the iron did swim--therefore said he1 take it up to thee1 and he put out his hand1 and took it4 ,in further considering this most instructive subject1 ,i would take occasion to notice our fall and recovery1 in the two heads2 ,adam1 the sinful head and representative of all mankind2 and the adorable ,jesus1 the elect head of his dear people4 ,it is a solemn and a glorious truth1 that as in ,adam all die1 so in ,christ shall all be made alive4 ,or1 as the learned say it is literally in the ,greek1 ,all in ,adam die2 all in ,christ shall be made alive4 ,here are the two heads1 and no more--the one represents all mankind--the second ,adam1 all his children given to him1 loved1 redeemed1 and saved by him4 ,much has been said and written on the subject of the ,fall of ,man3 great indeed was that ,fall1 and dreadful has been the consequences of it4 ,all the miseries in earth and hell are the consequences of it4 ,alas6 how deeply fallen is man into the mire of corruption1 sin1 and folly2 and into the waters of deep affliction--sunk1 as iron cast or dropped into the waters of ,jordan1 which naturally gravitates to its own centre4 ,our nature was sunk so deep1 that it was apparently lost1 and so incapacitated1 that it has no more power to come up out of it1 than iron has to swim of itself1 independent of a miracle--covered over1 sunk in earth1 yea1 the ,apostle asserts1 it is earthly1 sensual1 and devilish2 having fallen from wisdom1 and become foolish2 from righteousness1 and become a criminal2 from holiness1 and become impure2 and from happy freedom1 to awful bondage4 ,the powers of the soul1 all the noble talents that were only lent2 these are awfully depraved1 yea1 so evil1 that ,i am bold to assert1 no man can believe he is as vile as the ,bible declares him1 till he is put in the possession of the faith of ,god's elect4 ,there requires as much divine power1 to credit the state of man1 as to believe in the salvation of the soul4 ,the same faith the holy ,spirit gives to see ,jesus1 believe in ,jesus1 and rest on ,jesus1 is required to believe the desperate depravity of the human heart4 ,the same light in which ,i see the new man1 ,i see the old2 in the same teaching ,i see truth1 ,i discover the aboundings of error1 and by the same anointing ,i behold my standing in the second ,adam1 ,i see my fall in the first4 ,but it is well for the people of ,god1 who are acquainted with their fallen natures1 that the holy ,spirit leads them to see the glorious remedy in the gospel2 that as the ,law enters1 sin being discovered1 weakness felt1 corruption a burden1 misery groaned under1 and the awful consequences deplored4 ,the ,gospel is so highly esteemed by such persons1 and none know the value of the ,gospel1 but those who feel their sins1 and see them in the light of the ,law1 as deserving the wrath of a holy ,god2 and finding the utter impossibility of keeping the ,law1 in thought1 word1 or deed--that the law condemns most justly for a sinful thought1 as well as a sinful action4 ,hence the dear ,redeemer1 in his grand ,sermon on the ,mount1 preached this ,law in its spirituality1 and insisted upon it1 that anger in the heart against another without cause1 was murder2 and a lustful glance of the eye1 adultery4 ,truly believing this testimony from the word1 and by the teaching of the ,spirit out of the ,law1 we must exclaim1 ,what flesh can be saved8 ,the scripture answers1 7and all the election of grace is brought to believe it7 ,therefore by the deeds of the ,law shall no flesh be justified in his sight4 ,but it is the grand design of the ,gospel1 to open to a poor sinner1 the glorious plan of salvation1 by the joint work of the ever adorable trinity in unity4 ,and it is the business of gospel ministers1 to be ever stating the precious truths of the ,gospel1 and pointing poor guilty man to the blessed means whereby he can be justified and pardoned4 ,this leads me to notice the conduct of the ,prophet2 when the man cried on account of his loss to him1 he cut down a stick1 and cast it in thither1 and the iron did swim4 ,many great events were done at ,jordan1 it divided when the ,israelites were to pass over to ,canaan4 ,as soon as the ,ark1 borne upon the shoulders of the priests1 made its appearance1 the waters parted4 ,hence the ,psalmist asks1 ,what ailed thee1 ,o thou ,sea1 that thou fleddest1 and thou ,jordan1 that thou wast driven back4 ,another text answers1 ,the waters saw thee1 ,o ,god1 in the midst of ,jordon4 ,joshua set up twelve stones in remembrance of the surprising event4 ,jacob passed over it twice1 once with a heavy disconsolate heart1 in leaving his home--and twenty years after1 he passed the same place1 and called to remembrance the gracious conduct of his ,god2 with this ,staff ,i passed over ,jordan1 and now ,i am become two bands4 ,elijah and ,elisha smote the waters of ,jordan with the same ,mantle1 but the most distinguished honour that was ever conferred on ,jordan1 was the descent of the lovely ,son of ,god into them1 by the ordinance of baptism1 when the adorable ,spirit alighted upon him1 visible1 though in the manner in which a ,dove hovers in its descent2 and ,jesus was anointed to enter into his great work1 while the ,father bore testimony to him as his beloved ,son1 in whom he rested1 pleased with him1 and all his dear people in him4 ,in the waters of ,jordan the ,axe head fell1 and gravitating to its centre1 sunk deep1 no doubt1 in the mire at the bottom1 but a stick is cut down1 cast in1 sinks deep1 and brings up the head1 by causing it to swim--this was the means2 and who can read this circumstance with attention1 but must be reminded of him1 who is the stem of ,jesse1 who was so many years typified by the rod of ,moses1 who performed so many wonders for the children of ,israel1 and is1 in a certain sense1 doing the same for his people in the wilderness to this day4 ,he was also typified by the rod of ,aaron1 which budded1 blossomed1 and yielded almonds--to all human appearance1 a very unpromising object1 a dry stick4 ,this is he1 of whom the prophet ,isaiah spake1 perhaps in allusion to ,aaron's rod1 ,he shall come up before him like a tender plant1 and as a root out of a dry ground2 to all human appearance1 a very unlikely person to be the ,messiah1 the ,saviour of men4 ,but another chapter holds forth his qualifications1 ,and there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of ,jesse1 and a branch shall grow out of his root4 ,so says the ,lord by another ,prophet1 ,behold my servant1 the ,branch4 ,and the ,lord again1 by ,ezekiel1 says1 ,i will take off the top of his branch a young twig1 and ,i will set it1 and under his branches shall dwell all fowl of every wing4 ,and perhaps1 in allusion to this1 the dear ,saviour compares himself to a grain of mustard seed1 small when sown1 but large when grown1 so that the birds of the air lodge in the branches thereof4 ,this was to shew the reality of his human nature1 his amazing condescension1 his deep abasement1 and the meanness of his descent4 ,as man1 humbled himself to the form of a servant1 and as the saviour of the body1 of which he is the head1 the ,father called him to the great work of redemption1 and said1 ,thou art my servant1 ,o ,israel1 in whom ,i will be glorified4 ,he gave him to the church1 to deliver it from the ruins of the fall1 and1 as a ,branch1 he was cut off from the land of the living4 ,hence the prediction1 ,messiah shall be cut off1 but not for himself4 ,he was indeed cut off from the synagogue of the ,jews1 from the carnal worldling1 and from the proud ,pharisee4 ,he was cut off from his own relatives1 from his own dear disciples for a time1 from every earthly comfort and convenience1 and cut off from the land of the living1 by a most violent1 painful1 and shameful death2 for the transgression of my people was he stricken4 ,he was cast into the deep waters4 ,he had been baptized in water at ,jordan--now he must be baptized in blood1 and sweet1 and tears4 ,hence his deep afflictions are called waters2 and he sighed and said1 ,save me ,o ,god1 the waters are come in unto my soul4 ,i sink in deep mire4 ,i am come into deep waters1 where the floods overflow me4 ,deliver me out of the deep waters1 and out of the mire4 ,let me be delivered from them that hate me4 ,hence we see our dear ,lord sinking with the blood of our guilt1 bearing our sins1 sustaining our curse1 and enduring the hell that we had merited-- ,he sunk beneath our heavy woes1 ,to raise us to his throne4 ,this tells his gracious design to fetch us up from destruction1 to make atonement for all our transgressions1 to fulfil all the ,law's demands1 to satisfy the justice of ,god1 to harmonize every divine attribute1 to redeem his dear people from the curse1 to open a way of access to ,god1 to sanctify every temporal blessing1 to incense the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 and that our old man might be crucified1 that the whole body of death might be destroyed1 to conquer sin1 to subdue ,satan1 to bar the mouth of hell1 to rend the vail of the temple1 to open the pearly gates of the celestial city1 to remove spiritual death1 to take away the sting of temporal death1 to finish transgression1 make an end of sin1 bring in an everlasting righteousness1 make reconciliation for iniquity1 and to make himself an everlasting name2 and he must1 he shall have1 all the glory1 from first to last4 ,thus ,jews died for these grand purposes--death is our life2 he hath raised us up in himself1 raised up our poor fallen natures indeed2 and by virtue of his work we are restored to the image of ,god in regeneration1 to communion with ,god in conversion1 and to the likeness of ,christ in our resurrection4 ,glory be to his dear name for stooping so low to raise us so high2 nor will he ever give over the wonders of his grace till we are raised out of the mire of corruption1 indwelling sin1 and out of the waters of all affliction2 for the ,lord will perfect his begun good work1 for his mercy endureth for ever4 ,thus we see our fall1 and our recovery in ,christ4 ,not that the dear people of ,god1 in one sense1 ever fell out of the flavour of ,god1 or were ever liable to be damned2 but the nature of sin in ,god's people is the same as in the reprobate1 and requires an infinite satisfaction--this being given a free proclamation is issued out to all who feel their need of this ,jesus2 they are welcome to him1 and he has graciously assured such he will in no wise cast them out--and this is a promise worth a thousand worlds1 and gladly accepted by them that believe1 ,that ,jesus ,christ came into the world to save sinners4--,praise ye the ,lord4 ,there is one thought more worthy our attention as the people of ,god4 ,when the ,apostle enumerates the vast privileges of ,god's dear children1 as one with ,christ1 the property of ,christ1 as ,christ is ,god's--he infers that the ministry of the ,gospel is none of the smallest in the inventory3 all are yours1 whether ,paul or ,cephas--implying that the calling and qualification of ministers is for the ,church3 and the ,apostle adds1 in another place1 that even the very afflictions of the ministers are for the ,church4 ,hence1 he says1 ,if we be afflicted it is for your consolation4 ,and again1 ,all things are for your sakes4 ,so then death worketh in us1 but life in you4 ,for this cause we faint not4 ,as a ,candle which burneth1 consumeth away itself to give light to others1 so it is true of ministers2 they are quickened by the ,spirit1 united to ,jesus1 love his person1 name1 and work1 his truths1 his people1 and his ways4 ,and being called into public life1 by the great head of the church1 they are cut off from the world and its maxims1 its religion1 and its bare form the power4 ,they are cast into many waters of affliction2 they are plunged deep1 even into the mire1 to bring up some poor soul by their instrumentality4 ,why are they led to feel more deep the depravity of the human heart1 but that they might be able to describe its workings4 ,why are they so deeply exercised with the discipline of the ,law1 but that they might describe the cases of them who are under its workings1 and so often liable to a spirit of bondage4 ,why have they uncommon temptations from the adversary1 but that they1 like their divine ,lord1 might sympathize with the tempted1 and being well acquainted with ,satan's devices1 that they might expose them4 ,why cast down because of the troubles of the way1 but that they might seek only to ,jesus2 that they might learn1 experimentally1 how to make use of a precious ,saviour1 as exactly adapted for such cases4 ,why more reproached4 ,why more exposed to temptations4 ,why is ,satan more busy with them4 ,why1 perhaps1 more tried in their families2 plagued with erroneous characters of every description2 tried in the world2 perplexed in the church2 in perils often among false brethren2 exercised in mind1 with the sins of professors2 the weakness of ,god's own dear children2 the envy of their own brethren2 and the aboundings of iniquity and error in the ,world4 ,the fears of not being called to the work aright2 the little success they meet with2 their dead seasons in the pulpit2 and the very little progress in the ,church among ,god's children1 in their knowledge of divine things4 ,the instability of their hearers2 the cruel criticisms1 uncharitable reflections1 and unpleasant speeches1 mixed with the contempt of the proud4 ,the apostacy of some from the truth1 after a blazing profession1 and professing to be called under our ministry2 with the envy of poor niggardly professors1 who1 perhaps1 never gave a shilling to the cause of ,jesus1 yet grudge every good thing the ,lord gives them1 and they receive with the sanction of the great head of the church1 the heir of all things4 ,these1 and many more afflictions the dear ministers of the sanctuary experience4 ,oh6 if many pious young men1 who are anxious for the ministry1 even from the best of motives1 if they could foresee what they would pass through before they finish their course1 they would venture forward with more trembling steps than they do4 ,these trials made one of the greatest preachers 7next to our dear ,lord himself7 exclaim1 ,who is sufficient for these things8 ,but glory be to ,jesus1 our sufferings are of ,god1 and our trials are not merely for ourselves1 as believers1 but for the sake of ,god's dear children4 ,we are often cast into these deep waters1 to dive after some who have sunk very low in soul1 either in the waters of affliction1 or in the deep mire of known1 felt1 lamented1 and painful corruptions4 ,this teaching made ,paul understand all things1 and all men3 if he met with a soul in deep terrors1 he could describe their state1 and point out their feelings1 having known the terrors of the ,lord4 ,if in bondage1 if filled with fears1 if depressed in soul1 if exercised with fiery darts1 if fearful of falling away1 if fallen into sin1 if distressed with a load of trials1 if persecuted1 reproached1 apparently forsaken1 and dejected1 he knows how to prescribe the remedy1 as well as to describe the state1 both is a mercy--and to be led by the divine ,spirit1 to be deeply acquainted with sin and its miseries1 with ,jesus and his salvation1 experimentally2 to be called1 and enabled to preach both1 with the testimony of ,god to the soul1 is a mercy for a minister2 and what is he without such teaching8 ,for the whole design of the ,spirit1 leading to all the miseries of our fallen nature1 is but to endear ,christ1 and that we might prize the precious truths of the ,gospel1 as they exhibit to us the only remedy for all our woes2 the mystery of the adorable trinity in unity1 with the several covenant acts of love to the election of grace2 the glorious undertaking of our adorable surety2 the exact suitability of ,jesus2 his infinite birth1 his infinite life of obedience1 his most wonderful death1 his glorious resurrection1 his prevalent intercession1 his covenant engagements1 his precious promises1 his gracious presence1 his astonishing pity1 his boundless compassion1 his free grace1 his saving offices1 his glorious perfections1 his mediatorial glories1 his sweet titles1 his precious characters1 and his numerous appearances for his church4 ,these clearly stated to ,god's chosen1 without the mixture of free-will1 human performances1 or any of the effects of old ,adam's nature1 will be owned and blessed to ,god's own children1 their glorious remedy for every malady2 while the faithful minister will be led to see the gracious design of his ,god1 in permitting him to feel1 and leading him into deep waters4 ,i conclude by observing once more on this subject1 that all the ,lord's children are the subjects of many sinkings of soul1 arising from inbred sin1 felt guilt1 lamented depravity1 heavy trials1 sore besetments1 family troubles1 and grievous backslidings4 ,the holy ,spirit is always carrying on his own work1 by leading us daily to see and feel what we are1 as sinners1 in the first ,adam's head2 and what we are1 as saints1 in ,christ ,jesus1 the second ,adam1 the ,lord from heaven4 ,this is blessed teaching1 it leads from all self-righteousness1 self-wisdom1 self-dependance1 and self-adulation2 it leads alone to the dear ,god-man ,mediator1 as the glorious fountain of untreated good1 as the centre of a believing soul1 and as its eternal all in all4 ,the teachings of the ,spirit1 though accompanied with numerous trials1 known only to those who are taught of ,god1 are1 at the same time1 sweet evidences of our eternal election1 divine predestination1 gracious adoption1 compleat justification1 and eternal pardon4 ,and the holy ,spirit has engaged to act as a gracious comforter in the soul1 to fetch us up when sunk in sorrow1 dismay1 and despair2 and will put this sweet song in our mouths1 ,he brought me up also out of the horrible pit and mirey clay4 ,and he will also quicken our mortal bodies1 and bring us up again from the territories of the grave2 for the ,lord said1 ,i will bring again from ,bashan2 ,i will bring my people up again from the depths of the ,sea4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,finis4