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.