Zion\u2019s Witness 1858: A Witness\u2019s Offering<\/b><\/p>\n
Among the many servants sent by the Lord into the ministry, few have been made the means \u201cto stablish, strengthen, and settle\u201d the children of God like Arthur Triggs.<\/p>\n
We have had good and gracious men \u201cable to admonish,\u201d \u201cof sound speech that cannot be condemned,\u201d and \u201cgiving full proof of their ministry but, without derogating other men\u2019s labours, to Arthur Triggs especially God has, in His wisdom, love, and faithfulness bestowed His good Spirit for the edification of the household of faith, \u201cbuilding them up in their most holy faith.\u201d<\/p>\n
I am aware that many will object even to the bare mention of his name, and among them some of God\u2019s own family. It will be as well, therefore, before entering on the use which God has made of him to His people, to consider some of the objections raised against his preaching.<\/p>\n
The \u201crailing accusations\u201d of professors of all kinds are but as cause and effect: the gospel is preached, and they are offended in Him; for \u201cThese speak evil of those things which they know not.\u201d But \u201cto them who have obtained like precious faith,\u201d I would say, \u201cBeware lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.\u201d Some whom I love in the truth, misunderstanding words and meanings, have earnestly warned their hearers of \u201cpernicious ways\u201d, but of whom it may be said, \u201cNo doubt ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.\u201d Others, again, have used invectives, and applied every fleshly effort to bring into disrepute \u201cthe mason.\u201d Contented as many of them have been, with hear-say, they have lacked the intelligence of the high priest, who asked, \u201cAre these things so?\u201d he has been called \u201cPresumptuous wretch,\u201d \u201cdangerous fellow,\u201d but I must not expose their foolishness, lest their spiritual minds should be hurt; suffice it to say, they have been wanting in the worldly sagacity of Gallio, when he said, \u201cIf it be a matter of words and names and of your law, look ye to it, for I will be judge of no such matter.\u201d Mr. Triggs might say, \u201cBut I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel for many men labouring to dissuade, have been, unwittingly, the means of their people going to hear \u201cJesus only.\u201d<\/p>\n
The word \u201cNonentity\u201d has, perhaps, created greater indignation than any word ever coined. Now, if it were an innovation, it might be said, \u201creason would that I should bear with you;\u201d but it is one of the commonest words in the English language. It is said, too, by some, that the word is unscriptural. If, before objecting, they would but take the trouble to compare \u201cwords,\u201d it would be found to be perfectly scriptural, simply meaning a thing that does not exist. If, too, they would candidly compare what they so frequently utter with the meaning of this word, they must pronounce them to be nothing more or less than synonymous. What meaning do they attach to these expressions? \u201cSin is for ever put away:\u201d \u201cChrist suffered for sin once.\u201c \u201cThe church is everlastingly saved?\u201d Do they not imply that sin, as standing before God and His people, is a nonentity? Why, the precise meaning is enforced by those who reprobate the word.<\/p>\n
There are two motives to be discerned in making remarks about others. One is in soberly weighing the pro and con, and so arriving at a proper conclusion; the other is, in giving vent to mere prejudice and malignity, ably prompted by envy and fleshly zeal. Far be it from me to impute unworthy motives to those children of God who feel constrained to speak of peculiarities or failings; nor can I agree exactly with those who would summarily hush into silence every observation that might be made about a brother with a \u201cI\u2019ve enough faults of my own;\u201d because that seems to savour a little of affectation; and I have found that those remarks have as often tended to establish a man\u2019s character as to deteriorate it in esteem. It is, however, very different when taken up \u201cin the lips of infamy,\u201d and merchandize made of that which ought only to be talked of in the \u201cspirit of love and of a sound mind.\u201d But what has resulted from the malignant opposition? The professors have been fed, who greedily \u201ceat up the sins of God\u2019s people,\u201d while the children of God, by the same means, have been starved. Those having the circumcised heart have then gone to hear \u201cwhat this babbler saith,\u201d and have come away declaring that he \u201cwas a man sent from God.\u201d Yet, in the midst and above all, this deeply-experienced saint has been enabled \u201cto endure as seeing Him who is invisible;\u201d and if some of the children of God preach and write against him, \u201cyet his prayer also shall be in their calamity,\u201d while his soul\u2019s desire is, \u201cThat their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is really humiliating to hear men cavil at truths which have, through the witness of the Spirit, been made a comfort to so many, tempted, tried, buffeted, and devil-hunted souls, who have\u2014<\/p>\n
\u201cFound it sweet to feel the same,\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Passing tribulation\u2019s flame.\u201d<\/p>\n It is flagrant, too, to read words of very different import added to those which he has said, to suit the miserable cravings of grovelling factious minds. To hear also disputes about a word when the same conclusions are arrived at from different points of view, ought ever to be denounced as vulgar prevarications.<\/p>\n Serious, however, as these things are to reflect upon, they become comparatively little when considering Arthur Triggs as a \u201cservant of Jesus Christ.\u201d Here it is that the opposers become the accusers and impugners of the Holy One of Israel. Arthur Triggs has, by the teachings and leadings of God the Eternal Spirit, \u201ccome behind in no good gift,\u201d and has given \u201cfull proof of his ministry;\u201d for \u201cin nothing\u201d is he \u201cbehind the very chiefest of \u201dGod\u2019s ministers, though he \u201cbe nothing,\u201d and contented to be so, \u201cso long as God is glorified in his body and in his spirit which are His.\u201d<\/p>\n It might be contended by some, that undue praise is bestowed upon this minister in particular. I would reply, \u201cye have compelled me;\u201d \u201cbut he ought to have been commended of you.\u201d There is no need for me either to explain or praise; nay, he might with truth say, \u201cYe are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men.\u201d However, as a Witness\u2019s Offering, we who have been favoured \u201cto sit before the Lord in His house,\u201d hearing His servant \u201cpreaching peace by Jesus Christ, He is Lord of all,\u201d cannot but speak of the things \u201cwhich we have seen and heard,\u201d and \u201chave handled, tasted, and felt of the good word of life.\u201d<\/p>\n I remember Zion Chapel, where \u201cthe word of the Lord had free course and was glorified,\u201d and \u201cthe dew lay on my branch,\u201d where \u201cour most glorious Christ\u201d was the theme with both preacher and hearer; where we\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cWept as pardon’d sinners do.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Felt the blood of sprinkling too.\u201d<\/p>\n It has been said by some, and I would gladly reciprocate it, that there has seldom been such a highly favoured, while, at the same time, deeply tribulated church as the one which \u201cwas gathered together\u201d there. This may, on the other hand, be deemed fanciful and exaggerated; but they comprised some of the oldest and most experienced members of the churches about the metropolis. There was this happy coincidence contributed to bring about this result:\u2014a tribulated, persecuted, and despised minister, and an afflicted and oppressed people. Here was the secret of that sweet, spiritual, heart communion which we had one with another; here is the answer to \u201cthose who would trouble us and while the verbal or oral communications were so few, we \u201cjoyed over\u201d one another \u201cin Christ Jesus,\u201d \u201cknowing no man after the flesh.\u201d Belonging to that \u201csect which is everywhere spoken against,\u201d this \u201cminister of God\u201d has \u201cnot failed to declare unto us the whole counsel of God\u201d \u201cin much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in strifes (for Christ\u2019s sake), in imprisonments (bonds of the gospel), in tumults (among professors), in labours, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love un- unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report.\u201d What shall I more say, for Arthur Triggs dwells in the spiritual affections of multitudes of the children of God, \u201chis companions in tribulation,\u201d who \u201crejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh and wheresoever Jesus is preached in His suitability, and sufficiency to poor sensible sinners, there the self same truths will delight the soul, and those walking \u201cin the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free,\u201d will \u201cjoy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,\u201d that sin, as standing between their souls and God, isa \u201cNonentity.\u201d<\/p>\n Samuel<\/p>\n Kentish Town, 31st<\/sup> March, 1859<\/p>\n