He sunk beneath our heavy woes,
To raise us to his throne.
This tells his gracious design to fetch us up from destruction, to make atonement for all our transgressions, to fulfil all the Law’s demands, to satisfy the justice of God, to harmonize every divine attribute, to redeem his dear people from the curse, to open a way of access to God, to sanctify every temporal blessing, to incense the gift of the Holy Ghost, and that our old man might be crucified, that the whole body of death might be destroyed, to conquer sin, to subdue Satan, to bar the mouth of hell, to rend the vail of the temple, to open the pearly gates of the celestial city, to remove spiritual death, to take away the sting of temporal death, to finish transgression, make an end of sin, bring in an everlasting righteousness, make reconciliation for iniquity, and to make himself an everlasting name; and he must, he shall have, all the glory, from first to last. Thus Jews died for these grand purposes—death is our life; he hath raised us up in himself, raised up our poor fallen natures indeed; and by virtue of his work we are restored to the image of God in regeneration, to communion with God in conversion, and to the likeness of Christ in our resurrection. Glory be to his dear name for stooping so low to raise us so high; nor will he ever give over the wonders of his grace till we are raised out of the mire of corruption, indwelling sin, and out of the waters of all affliction; for the Lord will perfect his begun good work, for his mercy endureth for ever.
Thus we see our fall, and our recovery in Christ. Not that the dear people of God, in one sense, ever fell out of the flavour of God, or were ever liable to be damned; but the nature of sin in God’s people is the same as in the reprobate, and requires an infinite satisfaction—this being given a free proclamation is issued out to all who feel their need of this Jesus; they are welcome to him, and he has graciously assured such he will in no wise cast them out—and this is a promise worth a thousand worlds, and gladly accepted by them that believe, That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.—Praise ye the Lord.
There is one thought more worthy our attention as the people of God. When the Apostle enumerates the vast privileges of God’s dear children, as one with Christ, the property of Christ, as Christ is God’s—he infers that the ministry of the Gospel is none of the smallest in the inventory: all are yours, whether Paul or Cephas—implying that the calling and qualification of ministers is for the Church: and the Apostle adds, in another place, that even the very afflictions of the ministers are for the Church. Hence, he says, If we be afflicted it is for your consolation. And again, All things are for your sakes. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. For this cause we faint not. As a Candle which burneth, consumeth away itself to give light to others, so it is true of ministers; they are quickened by the Spirit, united to Jesus, love his person, name, and work, his truths, his people, and his ways. And being called into public life, by the great head of the church, they are cut off from the world and its maxims, its religion, and its bare form the power. They are cast into many waters of affliction; they are plunged deep, even into the mire, to bring up some poor soul by their instrumentality. Why are they led to feel more deep the depravity of the human heart, but that they might be able to describe its workings. Why are they so deeply exercised with the discipline of the Law, but that they might describe the cases of them who are under its workings, and so often liable to a spirit of bondage. Why have they uncommon temptations from the adversary, but that they, like their divine Lord, might sympathize with the tempted, and being well acquainted with Satan’s devices, that they might expose them. Why cast down because of the troubles of the way, but that they might seek only to Jesus; that they might learn, experimentally, how to make use of a precious Saviour, as exactly adapted for such cases. Why more reproached. Why more exposed to temptations. Why is Satan more busy with them. Why, perhaps, more tried in their families; plagued with erroneous characters of every description; tried in the world; perplexed in the church; in perils often among false brethren; exercised in mind, with the sins of professors; the weakness of God’s own dear children; the envy of their own brethren; and the aboundings of iniquity and error in the World. The fears of not being called to the work aright; the little success they meet with; their dead seasons in the pulpit; and the very little progress in the Church among God’s children, in their knowledge of divine things. The instability of their hearers; the cruel criticisms, uncharitable reflections, and unpleasant speeches, mixed with the contempt of the proud. The apostacy of some from the truth, after a blazing profession, and professing to be called under our ministry; with the envy of poor niggardly professors, who, perhaps, never gave a shilling to the cause of Jesus, yet grudge every good thing the Lord gives them, and they receive with the sanction of the great head of the church, the heir of all things. These, and many more afflictions the dear ministers of the sanctuary experience. Oh! if many pious young men, who are anxious for the ministry, even from the best of motives, if they could foresee what they would pass through before they finish their course, they would venture forward with more trembling steps than they do. These trials made one of the greatest preachers (next to our dear Lord himself) exclaim, Who is sufficient for these things? But glory be to Jesus, our sufferings are of God, and our trials are not merely for ourselves, as believers, but for the sake of God’s dear children. We are often cast into these deep waters, to dive after some who have sunk very low in soul, either in the waters of affliction, or in the deep mire of known, felt, lamented, and painful corruptions. This teaching made Paul understand all things, and all men: if he met with a soul in deep terrors, he could describe their state, and point out their feelings, having known the terrors of the Lord. If in bondage, if filled with fears, if depressed in soul, if exercised with fiery darts, if fearful of falling away, if fallen into sin, if distressed with a load of trials, if persecuted, reproached, apparently forsaken, and dejected, he knows how to prescribe the remedy, as well as to describe the state, both is a mercy—and to be led by the divine Spirit, to be deeply acquainted with sin and its miseries, with Jesus and his salvation, experimentally; to be called, and enabled to preach both, with the testimony of God to the soul, is a mercy for a minister; and what is he without such teaching? For the whole design of the Spirit, leading to all the miseries of our fallen nature, is but to endear Christ, and that we might prize the precious truths of the Gospel, as they exhibit to us the only remedy for all our woes; the mystery of the adorable trinity in unity, with the several covenant acts of love to the election of grace; the glorious undertaking of our adorable surety; the exact suitability of Jesus; his infinite birth, his infinite life of obedience, his most wonderful death, his glorious resurrection, his prevalent intercession, his covenant engagements, his precious promises, his gracious presence, his astonishing pity, his boundless compassion, his free grace, his saving offices, his glorious perfections, his mediatorial glories, his sweet titles, his precious characters, and his numerous appearances for his church. These clearly stated to God’s chosen, without the mixture of free-will, human performances, or any of the effects of old Adam’s nature, will be owned and blessed to God’s own children, their glorious remedy for every malady; while the faithful minister will be led to see the gracious design of his God, in permitting him to feel, and leading him into deep waters.
I conclude by observing once more on this subject, that all the Lord’s children are the subjects of many sinkings of soul, arising from inbred sin, felt guilt, lamented depravity, heavy trials, sore besetments, family troubles, and grievous backslidings. The holy Spirit is always carrying on his own work, by leading us daily to see and feel what we are, as sinners, in the first Adam’s head; and what we are, as saints, in Christ Jesus, the second Adam, the Lord from heaven. This is blessed teaching, it leads from all self-righteousness, self-wisdom, self-dependance, and self-adulation; it leads alone to the dear God-man Mediator, as the glorious fountain of untreated good, as the centre of a believing soul, and as its eternal all in all. The teachings of the Spirit, though accompanied with numerous trials, known only to those who are taught of God, are, at the same time, sweet evidences of our eternal election, divine predestination, gracious adoption, compleat justification, and eternal pardon. And the holy Spirit has engaged to act as a gracious comforter in the soul, to fetch us up when sunk in sorrow, dismay, and despair; and will put this sweet song in our mouths, He brought me up also out of the horrible pit and mirey clay. And he will also quicken our mortal bodies, and bring us up again from the territories of the grave; for the Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan; I will bring my people up again from the depths of the Sea.
FINIS.