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is now a private gentleman, Alas! alas! | sins. No separation from him; no condemhow have the mighty fallen! The Holy nation in him; she being always viewed with him. Jesus the life of the living, and the glorious Christ of God. Now, as all ministers of the "true sanctuary" have their peculiar positions, and excel just in that point, so I would affirm I have heard none excel Mr. TRIGGS upon this doctrine; yea, it seems the all-absorbing theme of his ministrations; and, to use his oft repeated phrase "We have only just reached the threshhold of the subject." I have heard much against Mr. T. from ministers respecting his assertions of we would advise

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Spirit was dishonoured in this ministry; and
pride seems also to have worked his over-
throw in the ministry. That necessary ballast,
HUMILITY, to keep steady a light, feeble,
fragile bark, on the mighty waters was want-
ing. High-mindedness, self-importance, vain
popularity, and the like, will not do for the
church of Christ whose daily confessions are
Nothing, Lord, without thee." Mr. TITE
I heard say "Anything more than nothing
is too big for Christ." We are reminded in the
case of Mr. HASLEM of his words respecting" sin being a nonentity;'
the salt losing its savour, and thereby its unfit-
ness either for the church or the world. This
has been his position for some years. Our
prayer for him is that the Holy Spirit would
lead him to see his delusions, and restore
him a genuine penitent, to take a place
among beggars and sinners. A minister
once said to me, "I inwardly mourn when I

meet him in the streets."

After Mr. H's downfall. the chapel came into the hands of those who shifted from Mr. H.'s first position of error-"the equality of the church unto God," and assumed his last, that of " Arminianism," when the doleful noises of "creature perfection, and other hideous monsters, prowled within it in the dark for a time; but these, after a while retired into their hiding places, and the doors were closed against them. Afterwards the sun of truth again appeared, throwing forth its golden rays in the ministry of ARTHUR TRIGGS; which now, after six year's occupation of this very convenient edifice, we are sorry to be informed, the Wesleyans have purchased; so that the old foxes, and other unclean beasts will again creep in.

We are not so unwise as to imagine we shall find a concentration of excellencies in one man. In vain we look for this any where than where it is; even in HIM whose righteousness God the Father brings near; which when beheld, all besides is deformity and filthy rags; but we desire to adore the grace of God in the distribution of his gifts, and for that variety, which in the church, he has bestowed; (Eph. iv. 8-13); and could wish the church more alive to this than they are, and not be so hood winked by the feelings of JEALOUSY and the like, as they are. (See Ezekiel viii. 3.) I shall, therefore, try to notice what is acceptable, what is in accordance in Mr. TRIGGS' ministry and conduct, with truth, and what appears not. Mr. T. then, in a bold and uncompromising spirit, maintains, with unflinching adherence, that first, that sweet, that rich, ever-full, and everflowing doctrine, the indissoluble urion between Christ and his church; head and members; root and branches forming one body. His life, her life; Zion's sins his

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such to hear what Mr. T. has to say for himself on this point, before condemning. The last time I heard him, he said, "Let me say, I never found temptations pleasurable or pleasureful, but where these are, there is a cry to the Lord, 'hold thou up.' Sometimes all but gone, and yet helped with a little help. It is natural then, for you and me to side on the wrong side, as it is for God to confine us in the right. But says one, 'you don't know how I am oppressed! Well, if you are, you must have been on high to be pressed down. God's people are the worst people in the world to live with friends, nothing can please them Christ only suits them. If you were to offer a child of God mountains of gold, he would not accept of it; nay, heaven won't do for them without Christ. But you say to me, do you feel comfortable in darkness? Why ask such questions? Did our glorious Christ remain stationary in his darkness? No: nor will his members: head and members go together here. But I say there is no power in the darkness (you and I are the subjects of,) to separate us from Christ. It hath no more power over me than over our glorious Christ; now are we light in the Lord;' in the Lord is where it is. Whatever passes or repasses in our experience touches not what we are in the Lord.' unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.' 'The blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanseth us from all sin.' This experience will kill you to the world and its pleasures, and to everything else but Christ; and these are they whom God puts 'his mark' upon, that sigh and that cry. I never can look after my neighbours' faults. I don't want to go out of my house to find all evil. This is old fashioned experience, and I hope you know something about it." Sentiments of this kind do not look like sin being a nonentity in the believer's experience; nor does Mr. T. mean it, in asserting what truth says, that " he hath made him sin," &c. " And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." "And when sought for shall not be found," &c. If therefore Mr. T. pleads, and earnestly contends for the doctrines of substitution, and that in the words of truth, this

The Lord shall be

charge must fall powerless. Making light of sin, and the experiences of believers, must not be deduced from this doctrine, which he is charged with doing. If this be done, it is from the weakness of the man in setting forth the truth, and not in the truth itself.

In our last we observed Mr. ABRAHAMS' drift of ministry, as towards the law, maintaining a law-work. Mr. T. is quite opposite; his centres in the person of the Law-fulfiller, aiming to exhibit his glories. The doctrine of soul-humiliation before God, every servant of Christ has his own peculiar way of setting forth, so has Mr. TRIGGS.

But this will bring us to look at our other position concerning Mr. TRIGGS, and why he is looked upon with some indifference. Not that we wish to speak of externals in our remarks upon the ministry, as whether a man is rich or poor, whether he rides in a carriage or walks on foot; whether he has £500 ayear, or five hundred pence; or whether he speaks classically or not. It is the MINISTRY inore especially, and not the man, we want to view in the man.

1. HIS PUBLIC CONDUCT. I feel as persuaded of this one truth as of any other, "that if ye walk contrary unto me, then I will walk contrary unto you." And God's walking contrary to his people is not in wrath; but it is a walk which will sit very uneasy upon a tender conscience. The approval of a good conscience, and honest approbation is much best. Mr. T. has not given satisfaction to the church in his leaving the chapel at Plymouth.

But though much has been said on this subject we forbear.

"God works in a mysterious way,

His wonders to perform."

II. THE GOVERNMENT OF HIS CHURCH, OR CONGREGATION. We advise Mr. T. to read a pamphlet published by the church in Mulberry Gardens Chapel, Pell-street, over which was Mr. STODHART, for satisfaction on this point, which has told a sad tale of sorrow in allowing managers to bear rule in the church. The church of Christ is a select body, the servant of which is the minister, the other officers are deacons, chosen by the church, to whom must be administered the Lord's ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper, and not to seat-holders as such. Now Mr. T.'s mode of government is not Scriptural, nor is it after the order of the church of Christ, generally; and will sooner or later involve him in trouble; and which has brought on him much obloquy. These things should rather be mourned over, than spoken of. We may be told, as Amos was by Amaziah "Go flee thee away into the land of Judah " we want not your instructions or prophesying "at Bethel; for it is the King's chapel." Amaziah was a great man, and stood high in Israel; Amos was a very poor herdinan, and

no prophet compared with the other. Yet his words stood, and Amaziah fell, and died in a polluted land. So would we rather abide by the revealed word for discipline, than unauthorised authority. "Whoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

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III. HIS METHOD OF PREACHING. not unfrequently occurs that persons to avoid one extreme, run into another. This, we think Mr. T. does. Some who studiously seem to avoid all kind of order, as studiously observe none; are quite immethodical, and set it aside. We have nothing to say here. Let each one do the best, he can for the glory of God, and the vindication of truth. Angelic talent may be employed in this service, as well as earthen vessels. But we object to Mr. TRIGGS making up nearly half his sermon from the hymn last sung, which is his method. We say let "the truth," let a text be the foundation, be pre-eminent, for the basis of a discourse, and not the hymn, though it be a KENT. Mr. T. we have, all along, viewed as a man taught of the Spirit, and therefore recommend a good example, in preference to a bad one, and a good practice to be set before the family, for children will imbibe and follow their teacher's ways. We love precious truths set forth, though we do not like all method. But we would still add something more here: Mr. T.'s ministry is not characterized by the spirit of backbiting, railing, and condemnation, which is as opposed to the gospel, as satan to Christ, and error to truth. Mr. T. is pre-eminent in avoiding this; and though many oppose him, his subject is "a glorious Christ," and here we must speak well of it.

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We have one question to ask-Why does Mr. T., being a Baptist, live in the neglect of that ordinance? And why not act according to the New Testament? Mr. T. seeing much that is wrong in other churches, affords no justification of his conduct. We heard Mr. T. say, "I am a dying man; the Lord hath numbered my days; I want to leave the church with clean hands;" referring to his having preached Christ. Well, we sincerely wish Mr. T. the best of blessings, and that on sound and consistent gospel principles, in public life, in church government, in opening the word, in access to the divine throne, and walking before the church-he may stand as a bold and useful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. In conclusion, I remark, I can clearly behold a ministerial cloud of darkness is hovering over us: the sun is going down over the prophets. It is true, light shines; probably, in many instances, never clearer. But, is it THE SPIRIT'S LIGHT? Is it the light of life from following Christ? Pained am I to hear, and personally to witness, in those whom I would hope and speak well of, what I do; but for the present must pass them over, H. W.

The Interior of our spiritual Zion.

"All her people sigh, they seek bread: they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul, or to make the soul to come again, see, oh, Lord, and consider, for I am become vile." Lam. i. 11.

I WAS sitting at the prayer meeting; and a brother rose and gave out a hymn, commencing

"Shew me some token, Lord, for good."

The hymn drew out my soul in secret prayer to the Lord, to give me something from his own word, which should be sealed upon the heart, as a token, a pledge, a certain witness that all was right between himself and our souls for time and for eternity. I took up the Bible, and opened upon the above words, from which I spoke for a short time, with some degree of liberty.

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First, of spiritual Zion it is said " All her people sigh." Whether it be a bae in grace; a bold young man in the faith; or a father in Israel, all souls really quickened into spiritual life, have seasons of deep, inward sighing, and sorrow before God. There is some sore besetting sin; some thorn in the flesh; some trial in the family; or difficulty by the way, which from time to time, gives rise to inward grief, sinkings of heart, and bitterness of soul. This one word sighing,' seems remarkably descriptive of that inward sense of weakness, unworthiness, and sadness, which every living soul is more or less the subject of. These were the very people that the man with his ink horn was distinctly to mark on the foreheads, as the preserved of God and it is "for the sighing of the needy," (Ps. xii. 5,) that the Lord especially declares "he will arise, and set them in safety."

Furthermore, of Zion's children it is said, "THEY SEEK. BREAD." The pulpits and the churches are, for the most part, now filled with chaff; with light and frothy talk; with fiery, fulsome, hot-headed contentions for certain isolated parts of theology; or with old wives' fables. But these things are not bread; hypocrites and false professors may be pleased and propped up with such rubbish; but sincere living souls, seek for bread. CHRIST, fully, experimentally, preached; a preached Christ; a manifested Christ; a realised Christ. A living Christ in the ministry, and a living Christ in the heart, becomes bread; and except a man eat this bread by precious faith, he has no life in him. A living soul can only feed upon, and be truly blessed with a living Christ.

Thirdly, it is said, "they have given their pleasant things to relieve the soul." Zion's children have their pleasant things, their idols, their vain delights as well as others; but these are a burden to a living soul. One cause of the barrenness and bondage now so

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prevalent in Zion, is this thousands of Zion's children are pursuing and hugging, and secretly delighting in their "pleasant things" they have not given them up: but when, like our brother Paul, excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, our Lord," shall become the one great object both of the soul's desire and delight then all other things shall be counted but loss and dung: yea, these pleasant things shall then be given up, that the soul may come again," (see margin,) to fellowship and peace.

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Lastly poor Zion, deeply convinced of her polluted and helpless condition, throws herself upon the mercy of the Lord, and says - See, O Lord, and consider, for I am vile." C. W. B.

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The Cross of Christ.

How wondrous was that tragic scene which
Calvary's cross presented!
"God forbid,"
says Paul, that I should glory, save in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." What was
the cross, to cause Paul so much to glory in
it? There were three extreme points in the
cross.

First-there was a point downward: the bottom of the cross was not in hell, nor in the pit of sin, nor in the grave of death; but it pointed down to them: and the dear Redeemer's feet covered that extreme point. The cross, I say, pointed to the ruins of the fall; and the Saviour's feet on it, seemed to say-" I have travelled there! Down where my church and people lay; all covered over with sin; down in that horrid pit 1 stood; but am come up again!" This lower point of the cross pointed down to hell; and Christ says "I have conquered it: its gates against my church shall ne'er prevail." It pointed down to the grave; and Christ says - "O death, I will be thy destruction: out of thy horrid jaws shall all my dear elect arise."

Secondly; there was a point in the cross that looked backward and his right hand covered it. He pointed to the law, he said, I have magnified it: he pointed to the covenant of grace, and said, I have fulfilled it: he pointed back to the types and shadows, and said, I am the substance of them all.

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Thirdly there was a point that looked forward to the ends of the earth, where his elect in darkness lay; and as his precious hand pointed to these distant lands, he seemed to exclaim-"I will say to the north give up and to the south keep not back; bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the ends of the earth: they that are far off shall come, and build in the Temple of the Lord." Precious cross! Blessed is the man that by it is crucified to sin, and ransomed from the curse. C. W. B.

James Mason's Call to the Ministry. scripture to prove the truth of the doctrines

(Continued from our last.)

MR. K. hearing that I was ill, kindly came to
see me. I shall never forget the day: it was
June 7, 1833. The Lord had blessed me
that morning with the spirit of prayer. I
had been enabled to tell out, as it were, my
heart to the Lord; and to ask him for wis-
dom and direction; and got up from my
knees relieved in mind, and sat down to try
to do a little work; and as I sat at work,
the mind was up to God for direction in the
thing I was so exercised about: when, all at
once, a still small voice spoke these words
into my heart-" It shall be told thee what
thou shalt do." Not long after this, I heard
a voice down stairs, for I was at work in an
upper room.
My wife came up and said
"Mr. K. has called, and wishes to see you."
I replied, "ask him up stairs." She did so;
and Mr. K. came up; he took a seat, and
we entered into conversation. In the course
of conversation, he drew from me an ac-
count of the subject that so deeply exercised
my mind.
1 shall never forget the words
with which I closed my account, nor the
confilence with which I spoke them-"I
verily believe God hath called me to preach
his Gospel." Mr. K. then began to speak
of the importance of the work of the minis-
try, and in the course of conversation, again
spoke against the preachers, that at times
came to Grove to preach.

You will remember that it was here I first heard Mr. TIPTAFT; and whenever he came to Grove I went to hear him; it was here I first heard Mr. SMART, of whom I have something to say another time; it was here I first heard JOHN WARBURTON, one weekevening, and was favoured to hear him with with so much soul-satisfaction and comfort, that the following evening I walked over to Abingdon to hear him, and shall never forget the season; his text was, "Fear not, worm Jacob." And he was enabled to trace me, a poor worm, in all the ins and outs of the movements of my poor soul, and it was a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. And after I left off going to church in the afternoon, I used to go to this said despised Grove; sometimes there was preaching, and when there was none, there was a prayer-meeting; and there used to be one, a poor old man that engaged in prayer, and he used to tell out to the Lord in such simple language what a poor sinner he was, that he spoke the very feelings of my soul; and I had been blest more under that poor man's prayers, than under all the preaching I then heard. Therefore when Mr. K. began to speak against the Grove people, my soul took fire; and I could not help speaking on their behalf, though I had no manner of connection with them. I brought forth

preached at Grove, and amongst the rest, this scripture-Rom. ix. 11-8. And concluded by saying, "So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy;' and I do firmly believe, Mr. K., that if it had rested on my willing and running, I should have been dead in sin, and an infidel to this day." He assented to what I said, and said he believed all the great doctrines of grace, but they did not set aside human means, creature exertions, nor creature duties; and, to tell you the truth, I assented to what he said thus far, for I had not discernment sufficient to see through the craft of these parsons, who nullify the great truths of the gospel, by their creature duties. Mr. K. then made this observation, "You may depend upon it the Grove people are a bad set." At this time I could not see through this man, but looked up to him as an angel of light; but soon after this, the Lord brought me to see what he was, and to see through all the craft of these things he endeavoured to insinuate into my mind. When he could not overeome me on scripture grounds, he then attacked their characters-"They were a bad set." Again the Lord gave me boldness, and I defended them. I mentioned several of them by name, and pointed to their walk and conduct, and he was compelled to acknowledge they were good men, saying, he had "no doubt there were good men amongst them, but the gnerality of them held the truth in licentiousness. One observation he made respecting the scriptures I quoted, was"these are hard texts, but we must leave them." But I have found from experience, if Mr. K. must leave them, these hard texts won't leave me, but, through grace, have been my comfort and support in many a trying hour. This conversation was then dropped, and we sat silent for some minutes, when Mr. K. observed a thought struck his mind; as I thought I was called to preach, he thought much good might result from my doing so, when he considered what a character I had been in Wantage, and the wonderful change that had taken place in me when it became known that I was going to preach he had no doubt many would come to hear me out of curiosity, and good might result from it; he therefore proposed that I should preach in his pulpit on Sunday afternoons for a time, till we saw how things turned out. I consented; and he told me he would give it out on the Sunday morning, and he hoped the Lord would be with me, and make me useful, shook hands with me, and left me; and left I was to my own thoughts. I began to ruminate over what I had been saying, and the boldness with which I had been talking; and who knows, thought I, but that Mr. K. is right respecting the people and preachers at Grove,

and right in his views of scripture, and I wrong, and know nothing aright yet, and yet notwithstanding all my ignorance, to have the impudence and presumption to oppose that good man; and what presumption to think I can preach, and that I am called to preach, and know nothing aright to preach about. I was brought into such a state as no expression can better describe than that of Job's; (x. 15..) I am full of confusion, oh what an ignorant, stupid wretch I did appear! Oh, how I did wish I had never opened my mouth about preaching. Sunday morning came, I went to chapel, could pay attention to nothing, but the thoughts of what a fool I should make of myself in the afternoon.

I thought I would go to Mr. K. the moment chapel was over, and tell him I would give up all thoughts of preaching altogether, and that I had been altogether deceived, and could not do any such thing; but towards the close of the sermon Mr. K. made allusion to me, and told some of the conversation he had had with me, and the exercises of my mind respecting being called to preach, that he had thought it over much in his mind, and that I should speak there in the afternoon, and that he hoped the Lord would bless what I might have to say to the people that might come to hear. Still this did not alter my mind, but I felt determined to tell Mr. K. that I could do no such thing. At the close of the service I went down out of the gallery with a beating heart, and waited to see Mr. K.; and as I stood in the chapel, these words dropped, with power, into my heart" He that putteth his hand to the plough, and looketh back, is not fit for the kingdom of heaven." Down went my resolution to speak to Mr. K.; and I skulked out of the chapel, and made my way home as fast as I could; my mind was in such a state as I could eat no dinner; I sought my bed room, and shut myself up and was enabled to pour out my soul before God. Oh! how I begged of him that day that I might not be deceived, if he had really called me to the work of the ministry, that he would make it evident, and take such a poor ignorant worm entirely under his own guidance, and teach me, himself, what to preach, and how to preach. A little before it was time to go to the chapel, my wife came up and begged of me to take a little refreshment, saying I should make myself ill. Poor thing she knew nothing of the conflicts of my mind, being in nature's darkness, but was a kind and affectionate creature: with her persuasion, I took a little refreshment, and went to the chapel a little more refreshed in mind, from being enabled to pour out my heart before the Lord. Before the service commenced, the Chapel was literally crammed full, for the news that I was going to preach,

ran like wild fire through the town; and I believe, there was at chapel, that afternoon, people who had not been at a place of worship for years before; together with professors of every description. The service commenced as usual, with the singing of an hymn, and Mr. K. got up into the pulpit and read 1 Tim. i. and my soul felt the power of the word of the living God, and was humbled within me. I cannot forbear making one remark respecting Paul's two epistles to Timothy, and the one to Titus. Whereas many have taken in hand to tell ministers what books they should study, together with many other things, but all the books I have read of advice to ministers, and all I have heard from the the pulpit on the same subject, all fall infinitely short of the invaluable advice that the Holy Ghost has given to ministers, by Paul in those three epistles; and I believe the man that is enabled by grace, to follow the advice given by the apostle in those epistles, and have the sacred contents thereof opened up by the ministry of God the Holy Ghost in the experience of his own soul, is sure to be owned of God. But to return :

Mr. K. read 1 Tim i. and when he came to the 13th verse "Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious, but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly and in unbelief," the word dropped into my heart with power, and my soul was humbled under a sense of the distinguishing grace and mercy of God, manifested to me a poor guilty blasphemer. Mr. K. spoke in pray er, and then left the pulpit. I went up with trembling steps, my knees smiting together, for the first time into a pulpit; whilst the people were singing the second hymn my soul was drawn up to God that he would be pleased to stand by me. I opened the Bible and found the words, I had dreamed of preaching from-"We have found the Messias." (John i. 41.) I began speaking; my lips quivered, my voice faltered, and I told the people with what solemn feelings I stood before them; I then traced a little, as God enabled me, of the way in which he had brought me to know and feel what an awful, guilty, blaspheming wretch I had been; what a sinner I was; and that I found no happiness, no peace, no comfort, no consolation till God brought me to find hope in Jesus Christ, the Messias, and brought my soul to believe that Jesus Christ was able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him; and that I found from the Scripture history before me, that when Andrew had been pointed to the Lamb of God by the ministry of John, and found him indeed, the true Messias, he could not keep the secret, but found the desire in his heart to tell others-"We have found the Messias;" that I had the same desire in my

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