THE LATE REV. ARTHUR TRIGGS. - The Gospel Magazine

The Gospel Magazine. 379
multitudinous religions. Every man who has a fluent tongue and a
bBzen countenance seems to think he is called to be a preacher;
many, indeed, with only the latter qualification attempt exposition:>
of the Scriptures. But let me tell you, that the sin of the many will
not exculpate you; and that if you have not a saving knowledge of
the Gospel that Paul preached, you must perish everlastingly. The
religion of taste is one thing, the religion of conscience is another:
the religion of the Bible is distinct from either. Dross is often
mistaken for metal; and deadly poison is often administered as manna.
Instead of God's plan of redemption, which is founded in the eternal
covenant, and which can never be frustrated, men now prate about
the possibility oLdisappointing Jehovah, and of the power of fallen
man to lay hold of the treasures laid up for the Church, or to incorporate
himself into that Church. Presumers go about hawking Christ from
house to house, and telling people they have a commission to offer
Him for their acceptance. These are either fools, fanatics, or impostors.
As it has been faithfully said by an old author-No man has a right
to offer Christ to his fellow-man. Christ is the gift of the Father to
as many as the Father hath ordained to eternal life, and none others;
and this Christ is revealed and applied to the heirs of salvation by the
Holy Ghost, when, where, and how He pleases-not when, where, and
how men please. The Holy Spirit does not teach men to offer, but
to preach or expound Christ; and it is wickedness in any man, as a
fallen, finite creature, to attempt to offer Christ-who is infinite in
majesty, glory, holiness-indiscriminately to men who are by nature
rebels in chains of guilt, having no desire towards Him, and seeing no
beauty in Him. Many may preach Christ, i.e. expound the Gospel;
but for man to offer Christ is presumptuous blasphemy. Indeed, of
most preachers of the present day, I might say in the language of one
of our poets (slightly altered) :-
" Now unbelieving priests chicane the nation,
And teach more pleasant methods of salYation."
But the man who flatters the prejudices, or extenuates the vices of
his auditory, is a traitor to the cause he espouses.
READER! WHO KNOWS BUT YOU ARE ONE FOR WHOM A SEAT IN
HEAVEN IS PREPARED?
AGED PILGRIMS' FRIEND SOCIETY.
By THE SECRETARY OF THE SOCIETY.
THE Society's 98th Annual Meeting was held in the Mansion House,
on Wednesday evening, May 10th. The noble Egyptian Hall was
crowded to its utmost capacity, and by the favour of God a most
profitable and interesting evening was ~pent, the lovely spring weather
and the glow of the approaching Centenary filling many hearts with