{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_58548/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_58548","id":"gutenberg_58548","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/58548","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Religion/Spirituality","Sermons, English -- 19th century"],"text":"Transcribed from the 1817 R. Thomas edition by David Price, email\nccx074@pglaf.org  Many thanks to the British Library for allowing their\ncopy to be consulted.\n\n                   [Picture: Public domain book cover]\n\n\n\n\n\n                              _THE DESCENT_\n                                    OF\n                                THE BRANCH\n                                 INTO THE\n                           _WATERS OF SORROW_,\n                               TO BRING UP\n                          The Election of Grace.\n\n\n                          BEING THE SUBSTANCE OF\n                                A Sermon,\n\n                               PREACHED BY\n                                J. CHURCH,\n                       _OF THE SURREY TABERNACLE_.\n\n                      [Picture: Decorative divider]\n\n            \u201cAND HE CRIED UNTO THE LORD, AND THE LORD SHEWED HIM A\n              TREE, WHICH WHEN HE HAD CAST INTO THE WATERS, THE\n                           WATERS WERE MADE SWEET.\u201d\n\n            \u201cAND IF WE ARE AFFLICTED IT IS FOR YOUR CONSOLATION.\u201d\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                                Southwark:\n          Printed by R THOMAS, No, 11, RED LION STREET, Borough.\n\n                                  1817.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n\n\n\nA Sermon.\n\n\n                           2 KINGS, 6th Chap. v. 6.\n\n    _And the Man of God said_, _Where fell it_?  _And he shewed him the\n    place_, _and he cut down a stick_, _and cast it in thither_, _and the\n    iron did swim_.\n\nALL scripture is written for our instruction in the knowledge of the\nPerson and Work of God our dear Saviour, as the only foundation of our\nhope, the object of our faith and love, the only refuge of guilty man,\nthe brightness of the Father\u2019s glory, and the express image of his love,\nhis wisdom, and his infinite condescension.  Holy men of old spake, and\nwrote the sacred scriptures, under the divine influence of the Holy\nGhost.  Christ is the main object they all believed in, looked to, hoped\nfor, and held forth to succeeding generations.  Christ is the substance\nof the whole Bible; every passage, in some way or other, like the Star of\nBethlehem, points to him; and the most wise and spiritual children of the\nMost High, as divinely taught, must be ever upon the look-out for Jesus\nin every part of the divine word.  Christ is in every doctrine, in every\nsacred illustrious character, in every type, in every ordinance, and in\nevery precept, in every promise, and every Old Testament history, as well\nas every New Testament parable: and where the mind is sweetly influenced\nby the love of Jesus, it gladly receives Christ wherever it is given by\nthe Spirit to see him.\n\nI would not be wise above what is written, nor would I attempt to force\nthe meaning of the blessed Spirit, or misapply it to answer any purpose;\nbut I must humbly beg to remark, that in reading the circumstance which I\nhave selected for a text, my mind was at first forcibly struck with the\naccount; and looking up for wisdom to preach on it, and having been\nfavored with the gracious presence of my Lord in handling it, I could no\nlonger suppress my own feelings, with the earnest solicitations of many\nthat heard it, who were apparently blessed by this feeble testimony, I\npresent it in the simple form, as in part preached.  I have tried to\nretain the substance, though I am not able to write verbatim, what was\ndelivered: I only aim at setting forth the glory of the dear Saviour, as\nheld forth in this passage, to the Church; that by comparing spiritual\ntruths with spiritual experiences, some of God\u2019s tried people may be\nbuilt up in their most holy faith, and sweetly led to see that they have\nnot believed in vain.\n\nWe find in this history, that the Spirit of Prophecy in the Church was\nincreasing in the land; this was doubtless a favourable sign, for _where\nthere is no vision the people perish_; and truly happy is that land which\nabounds in spiritual ministers, spiritual ordinances, and spiritual\npeople.  The increase of Prophets rendered it necessary that they should\nbe convened together, tor the promotion of each other\u2019s knowledge and\ncomfort.  We find there was a College of them at Gilgal, over which the\nprophet Elisha was a President, in the room of his Predecessor Elijah.\nWe would, indeed, humbly hope, this College of Prophets, was a blessing\nto the Church, and that the Candidates for the Ministry were really moved\nby the Holy Ghost, to take upon them that sacred office; but, alas! in\nthose days was Gehazi, and others, who, it is to be feared, never were\ntaught either Law or Gospel, experimentally; and may we not adopt the old\nChurch Service, and exclaim, with grief of heart, _As it was in the\nbeginning is now_?  But our most blessed Lord will do all his will,\nperform all his gracious purposes, and as the great Head of the Church,\nand Saviour of the body, he must bring all his redeemed to the knowledge\nof himself, and at last home to glory, by all the means his own infinite\nwisdom has planned, whether they are educated at a Collage, or not.\nHuman learning is a blessing to the Church, when sanctified; but most\nmere letter-learned men, like Pilate, fix their Hebrew, Greek, and Latin\nupon the head of Christ, instead of laying it at his feet, as Paul did.\nMost probably the College of Gilgal was at this time full, so that some\nof the Sons of the Prophets asked leave to go to Jordan, and reside\nthere\u2014we are informed of the reason of this request, in the first of this\nchapter.  Their piety, humility, and industry are evident.  The matter\nwas laid before Elisha and before the Lord, by him; so should God\u2019s dear\nministers and people ever act\u2014_for in the multitude of counsellors there\nis safety_; and hence that very important advice, _In all thy ways\nacknowledge him_, _and he shall direct thy paths_.  The humility of their\nminds is as clearly revealed; they did not desire a mansion, or even an\nelegant college, but only an humble cot\u2014a little, with the fear and love\nof God, is far, yea, infinitely preferable to great riches.  The main\nstudy of ministers should be usefulness; great riches seldom promote much\nspirituality in ministers or people: those who are running an heavenly\nrace, should not load themselves with thick clay.  The gospel ministry is\ncalled a warfare, and an aged father in the church, observes to his son\nTimothy, _No man that warreth should entangle himself in the affairs of\nthis life_\u2014that is, if he can avoid it.\n\nNot only the piety and humility of these good men are evident, but their\nindustry; not to be burdensome to any, they went to work themselves, in\nthe thicket, near the river Jordan, the resort of wild beasts; but the\nappointed path of duty, is, in general, the place of safety; here the\nLord had directed them, and being in _his_ way, he doubtless honoured\nthem with _his_ protecting, supporting, and approving smile.\u2014Elisha was\nwith them, superintending their affairs, and entreating the Lord for\ntheir success.  This act, thus recorded by the divine Spirit, of the\nconduct of the Prophets, in cutting down the thickets of trees, and\nbuilding an House, might perhaps have brought to their minds, the work to\nwhich they were called, and for which they were preparing.\u2014Sinners are\ncalled Trees; the Gospel is compared to an Axe; Ministers are called\nLabourers; and if they find but little success in their work, they are\ndirected to Jesus for strength, and to the blessed Spirit for wisdom to\naim right.  Perhaps Solomon alludes to this, when he says, _If the Iron\nbe blunt_, _he must put to the more strength_; _but wisdom is profitable\nto direct_.\u2014Agreeable to this is the language of our Lord to his\nDisciples, when fishing; he said, _Follow we_, _and I will make you\nfishers of men_.  Thus instructed by Jesus, they could spiritualize their\nemployment as fishers.  This World is called a Sea, the Church a Ship,\nMen are compared to Fish, Ministers to fishermen, and the Gospel to a Net\ncast into the Sea; thus out dear Lord improved any circumstance, for the\ninstruction of his dear people.\n\nIt appears, the Prophets were not ashamed to handle an hammer, or an axe,\nnor did their Master forbid it; they were mechanics, as well as\npreachers.  The Lord has often called the meanest of men to the highest\noffice in the Church of God, and made them eminently useful: David from\nkeeping Sheep; Elisha from the Plough\u2019s-tail; Amos from gathering\nSycamore-fruit; the Apostles from their Barges; and those Prophets to\nhandle the axe, the saw, and the hammer.  Their work as Carpenters and\nBuilders, serves to remind them of their spiritual occupation\u2014and it is\nworthy of observation, that when the Holy Spirit shewed Zechariah in\nvision, of the future opposition that would be made against the kingdom\nof Jesus, in the Gospel Dispensation, he shewed him four Horns, and after\nthat, he shewed him four Carpenters, who were to fray them, cut them\ndown; and such were the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel in the four\nparts of the World; who were to fell trees, cut them down, lay them low,\nfit them, square them according to God\u2019s Word, and thus build them up an\nhabitation for God, through the Spirit.\n\nOur text relates, that as one was felling a Beam, the head of his Axe\nfell into the water; (most probably into Jordan).  This was a grief to\nhim, for the reason he assigned, so that he cried to Elisha, and said,\n_Alas_, _master_, _for it is borrowed_!  Possessing a spirit of honesty,\nand being too poor to make it good to the lender, he applied to Elisha,\nnot to work a miracle, that we can tell, but because the man\u2019s Axe was\nsunk, and the Prophet\u2019s work stopped.  Thus, ministers have constantly\nsomething to try them in their work; they well know the world is always\nready to reproach them, and the glorious cause they espouse, which fills\nthem with grief, but leads them to the dear Saviour, to appear in the\nlove of his heart, and in the power of his arm, for their deliverance,\nwho always kindly assures them his grace is sufficient for them.  Some\nhave conjectured that this man was an hypocrite, or a figure of all false\npreachers, who run unsent of God; who preach a borrowed experience, a\nborrowed system of religion; who are only in the letter, and not in the\nspirit; of whose religion and preaching, like the poor man\u2019s Axe, it may\nbe truly said, _Alas_! _master_, _for it was borrowed_.  And hence God\nthreatens the Prophets, that steal his words from others, and declares\nthey shall not profit this people at all; nor can unconverted, graceless\npreachers profit the experimental children of God.  A preacher must be\ntaught the plague of his own heart, the spirituality of God\u2019s Law, the\nvalue of a precious Jesus, in his Person and Work, by God the Spirit,\nbefore he can be useful to the Church.  We must first know, then speak\nwhat we know, as the Apostle says, _We can but speak of the things which\nwe have seen_, _and we are his witnesses_.  Many may borrow words from\nreal saints, and may appear like believers indeed; nor can even the\nbrightest saint at all times tell a hypocrite from a saint, but the day\nwill declare it\u2014_then_, _then shall ye return_, _and discern between the\nrighteous and the wicked_\u2014a mere borrowed religion will let the soul sink\nin death, but the free gift of God is eternal life\u2014locked up in Christ,\nmanifested by the Spirit, and leads the soul to rest, live, and rejoice\nalone in the everlasting love of God, the free, unmerited grace of an\neverlasting covenant, the glorious person, and finished work of Christ,\nas its all in all.\n\nThe Prophet seeing the situation of his pupil, cut down a stick from a\ntree, and cast it into the water, when behold a most astonishing miracle\nappears\u2014the stick, contrary to its native tendency, sunk, and brought up\nthe iron head of the axe, which swam, contrary to its natural\ngravitation.\u2014The man no doubt joyfully received it, and went on with his\nwork.  What cannot, what will not the God of Israel do for his people, to\nshew he is the Lord their God, that they are his servants, and that they\nare acting agreeable to his will.  The Lord confirmeth the work of his\nservants and frustrateth the tokens of liars; and surely the petition of\nElijah is exactly adapted, in many cases, to God\u2019s dear ministers, when\nhe prayed, and said, _Lord God_, _let it be known this day that I am thy\nservant_, _that this is thy people_, _and that I have done all these\nthings according to thy word_.\n\nOur text reads thus: _But as one was felling a beam_, _the axe head fell\ninto the water_; _and he cried_, _and said_, _Alas_! _Master_, _for it\nwas borrowed_.  _And the man of God said_, _Where fell it_?  _And he\nshewed him the place_.  _And he cut down a stick and cast it in thither_,\n_and the iron did swim_\u2014_therefore said he_, _take it up to thee_, _and\nhe put out his hand_, _and took it_.\n\nIn further considering this most instructive subject, I would take\noccasion to notice our fall and recovery, in the two heads; Adam, the\nsinful head and representative of all mankind; and the adorable Jesus,\nthe elect head of his dear people.  It is a solemn and a glorious truth,\nthat as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.  Or, as\nthe learned say it is literally in the Greek, All in Adam die; all in\nChrist shall be made alive.  Here are the two heads, and no more\u2014the one\nrepresents all mankind\u2014the second Adam, all his children given to him,\nloved, redeemed, and saved by him.  Much has been said and written on the\nsubject of the Fall of Man: great indeed was that Fall, and dreadful has\nbeen the consequences of it.  All the miseries in earth and hell are the\nconsequences of it.  Alas! how deeply fallen is man into the mire of\ncorruption, sin, and folly; and into the waters of deep affliction\u2014sunk,\nas iron cast or dropped into the waters of Jordan, which naturally\ngravitates to its own centre.  Our nature was sunk so deep, that it was\napparently lost, and so incapacitated, that it has no more power to come\nup out of it, than iron has to swim of itself, independent of a\nmiracle\u2014covered over, sunk in earth, yea, the Apostle asserts, it is\nearthly, sensual, and devilish; having fallen from wisdom, and become\nfoolish; from righteousness, and become a criminal; from holiness, and\nbecome impure; and from happy freedom, to awful bondage.  The powers of\nthe soul, all the noble talents that were only lent; these are awfully\ndepraved, yea, so evil, that I am bold to assert, no man can believe he\nis as vile as the Bible declares him, till he is put in the possession of\nthe faith of God\u2019s elect.  There requires as much divine power, to credit\nthe state of man, as to believe in the salvation of the soul.  The same\nfaith the holy Spirit gives to see Jesus, believe in Jesus, and rest on\nJesus, is required to believe the desperate depravity of the human heart.\nThe same light in which I see the new man, I see the old; in the same\nteaching I see truth, I discover the aboundings of error, and by the same\nanointing I behold my standing in the second Adam, I see my fall in the\nfirst.  But it is well for the people of God, who are acquainted with\ntheir fallen natures, that the holy Spirit leads them to see the glorious\nremedy in the gospel; that as the Law enters, sin being discovered,\nweakness felt, corruption a burden, misery groaned under, and the awful\nconsequences deplored.  The Gospel is so highly esteemed by such persons,\nand none know the value of the Gospel, but those who feel their sins, and\nsee them in the light of the Law, as deserving the wrath of a holy God;\nand finding the utter impossibility of keeping the Law, in thought, word,\nor deed\u2014that the law condemns most justly for a sinful thought, as well\nas a sinful action.  Hence the dear Redeemer, in his grand Sermon on the\nMount, preached this Law in its spirituality, and insisted upon it, that\nanger in the heart against another without cause, was murder; and a\nlustful glance of the eye, adultery.  Truly believing this testimony from\nthe word, and by the teaching of the Spirit out of the Law, we must\nexclaim, What flesh can be saved?  The scripture answers, (and all the\nelection of grace is brought to believe it) _Therefore by the deeds of\nthe Law shall no flesh be justified in his sight_.  But it is the grand\ndesign of the Gospel, to open to a poor sinner, the glorious plan of\nsalvation, by the joint work of the ever adorable trinity in unity.  And\nit is the business of gospel ministers, to be ever stating the precious\ntruths of the Gospel, and pointing poor guilty man to the blessed means\nwhereby he can be justified and pardoned.  This leads me to notice the\nconduct of the Prophet; when the man cried on account of his loss to him,\nhe cut down a stick, and cast it in thither, and the iron did swim.  Many\ngreat events were done at Jordan, it divided when the Israelites were to\npass over to Canaan.  As soon as the Ark, borne upon the shoulders of the\npriests, made its appearance, the waters parted.  Hence the Psalmist\nasks, _What ailed thee_, _O thou Sea_, _that thou fleddest_, _and thou\nJordan_, _that thou wast driven back_.  Another text answers, _The waters\nsaw thee_, _O God_, _in the midst of Jordon_.  Joshua set up twelve\nstones in remembrance of the surprising event.  Jacob passed over it\ntwice, once with a heavy disconsolate heart, in leaving his home\u2014and\ntwenty years after, he passed the same place, and called to remembrance\nthe gracious conduct of his God; _with this Staff I passed over Jordan_,\n_and now I am become two bands_.  Elijah and Elisha smote the waters of\nJordan with the same Mantle, but the most distinguished honour that was\never conferred on Jordan, was the descent of the lovely Son of God into\nthem, by the ordinance of baptism, when the adorable Spirit alighted upon\nhim, visible, though in the manner in which a Dove hovers in its descent;\nand Jesus was anointed to enter into his great work, while the Father\nbore testimony to him as his beloved Son, in whom he rested, pleased with\nhim, and all his dear people in him.  In the waters of Jordan the Axe\nhead fell, and gravitating to its centre, sunk deep, no doubt, in the\nmire at the bottom, but a stick is cut down, cast in, sinks deep, and\nbrings up the head, by causing it to swim\u2014this was the means; and who can\nread this circumstance with attention, but must be reminded of him, who\nis the stem of Jesse, who was so many years typified by the rod of Moses,\nwho performed so many wonders for the children of Israel, and is, in a\ncertain sense, doing the same for his people in the wilderness to this\nday.  He was also typified by the rod of Aaron, which budded, blossomed,\nand yielded almonds\u2014to all human appearance, a very unpromising object, a\ndry stick.  This is he, of whom the prophet Isaiah spake, perhaps in\nallusion to Aaron\u2019s rod, _He shall come up before him like a tender\nplant_, _and as a root out of a dry ground_; to all human appearance, a\nvery unlikely person to be the Messiah, the Saviour of men.  But another\nchapter holds forth his qualifications, _And there shall come forth a rod\nout of the stem of Jesse_, _and a branch shall grow out of his root_.  So\nsays the Lord by another Prophet, _Behold my servant_, _the Branch_.  And\nthe Lord again, by Ezekiel, says, _I will take off the top of his branch\na young twig_, _and I will set it_, _and under his branches shall dwell\nall fowl of every wing_.  And perhaps, in allusion to this, the dear\nSaviour compares himself to a grain of mustard seed, small when sown, but\nlarge when grown, so that the birds of the air lodge in the branches\nthereof.  This was to shew the reality of his human nature, his amazing\ncondescension, his deep abasement, and the meanness of his descent.  As\nman, humbled himself to the form of a servant, and as the saviour of the\nbody, of which he is the head, the Father called him to the great work of\nredemption, and said, _Thou art my servant_, _O Israel_, _in whom I will\nbe glorified_.  He gave him to the church, to deliver it from the ruins\nof the fall, and, as a Branch, he was cut off from the land of the\nliving.  Hence the prediction, _Messiah shall be cut off_, _but not for\nhimself_.  He was indeed cut off from the synagogue of the Jews, from the\ncarnal worldling, and from the proud Pharisee.  He was cut off from his\nown relatives, from his own dear disciples for a time, from every earthly\ncomfort and convenience, and cut off from the land of the living, by a\nmost violent, painful, and shameful death; _for the transgression of my\npeople was he stricken_.  He was cast into the deep waters.  He had been\nbaptized in water at Jordan\u2014now he must be baptized in blood, and sweet,\nand tears.  Hence his deep afflictions are called waters; and he sighed\nand said, _Save me O God_, _the waters are come in unto my soul_.  _I\nsink in deep mire_.  _I am come into deep waters_, _where the floods\noverflow me_.  _Deliver me out of the deep waters_, _and out of the\nmire_.  _Let me be delivered from them that hate me_.  Hence we see our\ndear Lord sinking with the blood of our guilt, bearing our sins,\nsustaining our curse, and enduring the hell that we had merited\u2014\n\n    He sunk beneath our heavy woes,\n    To raise us to his throne.\n\nThis tells his gracious design to fetch us up from destruction, to make\natonement for all our transgressions, to fulfil all the Law\u2019s demands, to\nsatisfy the justice of God, to harmonize every divine attribute, to\nredeem his dear people from the curse, to open a way of access to God, to\nsanctify every temporal blessing, to incense the gift of the Holy Ghost,\nand that our old man might be crucified, that the whole body of death\nmight be destroyed, to conquer sin, to subdue Satan, to bar the mouth of\nhell, to rend the vail of the temple, to open the pearly gates of the\ncelestial city, to remove spiritual death, to take away the sting of\ntemporal death, to finish transgression, make an end of sin, bring in an\neverlasting righteousness, make reconciliation for iniquity, and to make\nhimself an everlasting name; and he must, he shall have, all the glory,\nfrom first to last.  Thus Jews died for these grand purposes\u2014death is our\nlife; he hath raised us up in himself, raised up our poor fallen natures\nindeed; and by virtue of his work we are restored to the image of God in\nregeneration, to communion with God in conversion, and to the likeness of\nChrist in our resurrection.  Glory be to his dear name for stooping so\nlow to raise us so high; nor will he ever give over the wonders of his\ngrace till we are raised out of the mire of corruption, indwelling sin,\nand out of the waters of all affliction; for the Lord will perfect his\nbegun good work, for his mercy endureth for ever.\n\nThus we see our fall, and our recovery in Christ.  Not that the dear\npeople of God, in one sense, ever fell out of the flavour of God, or were\never liable to be damned; but the nature of sin in God\u2019s people is the\nsame as in the reprobate, and requires an infinite satisfaction\u2014this\nbeing given a free proclamation is issued out to all who feel their need\nof this Jesus; they are welcome to him, and he has graciously assured\nsuch he will in no wise cast them out\u2014and this is a promise worth a\nthousand worlds, and gladly accepted by them that believe, _That Jesus\nChrist came into the world to save sinners_.\u2014Praise ye the Lord.\n\nThere is one thought more worthy our attention as the people of God.\nWhen the Apostle enumerates the vast privileges of God\u2019s dear children,\nas one with Christ, the property of Christ, as Christ is God\u2019s\u2014he infers\nthat the ministry of the Gospel is none of the smallest in the inventory:\n_all are yours_, _whether Paul or Cephas_\u2014implying that the calling and\nqualification of ministers is for the Church: and the Apostle adds, in\nanother place, that even the very afflictions of the ministers are for\nthe Church.  Hence, he says, _If we be afflicted it is for your\nconsolation_.  And again, _All things are for your sakes_.  So then death\nworketh in us, but life in you.  For this cause we faint not.  As a\nCandle which burneth, consumeth away itself to give light to others, so\nit is true of ministers; they are quickened by the Spirit, united to\nJesus, love his person, name, and work, his truths, his people, and his\nways.  And being called into public life, by the great head of the\nchurch, they are cut off from the world and its maxims, its religion, and\nits bare form the power.  They are cast into many waters of affliction;\nthey are plunged deep, even into the mire, to bring up some poor soul by\ntheir instrumentality.  Why are they led to feel more deep the depravity\nof the human heart, but that they might be able to describe its workings.\nWhy are they so deeply exercised with the discipline of the Law, but that\nthey might describe the cases of them who are under its workings, and so\noften liable to a spirit of bondage.  Why have they uncommon temptations\nfrom the adversary, but that they, like their divine Lord, might\nsympathize with the tempted, and being well acquainted with Satan\u2019s\ndevices, that they might expose them.  Why cast down because of the\ntroubles of the way, but that they might seek only to Jesus; that they\nmight learn, experimentally, how to make use of a precious Saviour, as\nexactly adapted for such cases.  Why more reproached.  Why more exposed\nto temptations.  Why is Satan more busy with them.  Why, perhaps, more\ntried in their families; plagued with erroneous characters of every\ndescription; tried in the world; perplexed in the church; in perils often\namong false brethren; exercised in mind, with the sins of professors; the\nweakness of God\u2019s own dear children; the envy of their own brethren; and\nthe aboundings of iniquity and error in the World.  The fears of not\nbeing called to the work aright; the little success they meet with; their\ndead seasons in the pulpit; and the very little progress in the Church\namong God\u2019s children, in their knowledge of divine things.  The\ninstability of their hearers; the cruel criticisms, uncharitable\nreflections, and unpleasant speeches, mixed with the contempt of the\nproud.  The apostacy of some from the truth, after a blazing profession,\nand professing to be called under our ministry; with the envy of poor\nniggardly professors, who, perhaps, never gave a shilling to the cause of\nJesus, yet grudge every good thing the Lord gives them, and they receive\nwith the sanction of the great head of the church, the heir of all\nthings.  These, and many more afflictions the dear ministers of the\nsanctuary experience.  Oh! if many pious young men, who are anxious for\nthe ministry, even from the best of motives, if they could foresee what\nthey would pass through before they finish their course, they would\nventure forward with more trembling steps than they do.  These trials\nmade one of the greatest preachers (next to our dear Lord himself)\nexclaim, _Who is sufficient for these things_?  But glory be to Jesus,\nour sufferings are of God, and our trials are not merely for ourselves,\nas believers, but for the sake of God\u2019s dear children.  We are often cast\ninto these deep waters, to dive after some who have sunk very low in\nsoul, either in the waters of affliction, or in the deep mire of known,\nfelt, lamented, and painful corruptions.  This teaching made Paul\nunderstand all things, and all men: if he met with a soul in deep\nterrors, he could describe their state, and point out their feelings,\nhaving known the terrors of the Lord.  If in bondage, if filled with\nfears, if depressed in soul, if exercised with fiery darts, if fearful of\nfalling away, if fallen into sin, if distressed with a load of trials, if\npersecuted, reproached, apparently forsaken, and dejected, he knows how\nto prescribe the remedy, as well as to describe the state, both is a\nmercy\u2014and to be led by the divine Spirit, to be deeply acquainted with\nsin and its miseries, with Jesus and his salvation, experimentally; to be\ncalled, and enabled to preach both, with the testimony of God to the\nsoul, is a mercy for a minister; and what is he without such teaching?\nFor the whole design of the Spirit, leading to all the miseries of our\nfallen nature, is but to endear Christ, and that we might prize the\nprecious truths of the Gospel, as they exhibit to us the only remedy for\nall our woes; the mystery of the adorable trinity in unity, with the\nseveral covenant acts of love to the election of grace; the glorious\nundertaking of our adorable surety; the exact suitability of Jesus; his\ninfinite birth, his infinite life of obedience, his most wonderful death,\nhis glorious resurrection, his prevalent intercession, his covenant\nengagements, his precious promises, his gracious presence, his\nastonishing pity, his boundless compassion, his free grace, his saving\noffices, his glorious perfections, his mediatorial glories, his sweet\ntitles, his precious characters, and his numerous appearances for his\nchurch.  These clearly stated to God\u2019s chosen, without the mixture of\nfree-will, human performances, or any of the effects of old Adam\u2019s\nnature, will be owned and blessed to God\u2019s own children, their glorious\nremedy for every malady; while the faithful minister will be led to see\nthe gracious design of his God, in permitting him to feel, and leading\nhim into deep waters.\n\nI conclude by observing once more on this subject, that all the Lord\u2019s\nchildren are the subjects of many sinkings of soul, arising from inbred\nsin, felt guilt, lamented depravity, heavy trials, sore besetments,\nfamily troubles, and grievous backslidings.  The holy Spirit is always\ncarrying on his own work, by leading us daily to see and feel what we\nare, as sinners, in the first Adam\u2019s head; and what we are, as saints, in\nChrist Jesus, the second Adam, the Lord from heaven.  This is blessed\nteaching, it leads from all self-righteousness, self-wisdom,\nself-dependance, and self-adulation; it leads alone to the dear God-man\nMediator, as the glorious fountain of untreated good, as the centre of a\nbelieving soul, and as its eternal all in all.  The teachings of the\nSpirit, though accompanied with numerous trials, known only to those who\nare taught of God, are, at the same time, sweet evidences of our eternal\nelection, divine predestination, gracious adoption, compleat\njustification, and eternal pardon.  And the holy Spirit has engaged to\nact as a gracious comforter in the soul, to fetch us up when sunk in\nsorrow, dismay, and despair; and will put this sweet song in our mouths,\n_He brought me up also out of the horrible pit and mirey clay_.  And he\nwill also quicken our mortal bodies, and bring us up again from the\nterritories of the grave; for the Lord said, _I will bring again from\nBashan_; _I will bring my people up again from the depths of the Sea_.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                                  FINIS.","title":"The Descent of the Branch into the Waters of Sorrow, to Bring up the Election of Grace: Being the Substance of a Sermon, Preached by J. Church, of the Surrey Tabernacle","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":5414}