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As it is evident there is a God :

And these are awful truths which well deserve
To be contemplated by multitudes,

Who spend the largest portion of their lives.
As folly, vice or fashion tempt them on,
Regardless of their future destiny,

And for the allurements of the present day,
Risk the eternal safety of their souls.

The Substance of a plain extempore Discourse, preached at Benenden, Kent, on Sunday Evening, Nov. 20, 1825, to a respectable and attentive Audience assembled in an Oasthouse. By T. Payne.

Phil. ii. 5—11: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God," &c.

TRINITARIANS and Unitarians entertain different and opposite views in relation to God, to Christ, and the genuine meaning of several texts of scripture. The former maintain, that in the unity of the Godhead, there are three persons of the same substance, equal in power and glory; neither of them greater or less than the other; neither of them before or after the other, but co-equal and co-eternal together. The latter maintain, that the infinite Deity, the Lord of heaven and earth, is one being; and that he has no equal. Trinitarians maintain, that Jesus, the Messiah, was the second person in the Trinity, who laid aside his glory, came down from heaven and assumed manhood; that he was perfect God and perfect man, in one person; equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead, inferior to the Father, as touching his manhood. Unitarians maintain, that Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God, was the real and very Christ. Trinitarians maintain, that several texts of scripture apply to the deity of Christ which are inapplicable to his manhood, and that other texts apply to his manhood which are inapplicable to his deity: for instance, when he says, "My Father is greater than I," that this is true as applying to his manhood, but would be untrue if applied to his godhead. Unitarians reject this mode of interpretation as utterly destitute of proof; and maintain, that whatever is said in the Scriptures concerning Jesus, the Christ, applies to him as a man, commissioned and qualified by his God. Both parties lay claim to our text as containing their respective opinions. Now

both these opinions cannot be true. And does it not appear to you, my Christian friends, of high importance for us to attain right views of God, of Christ, and of the genuine sense of the Holy Scriptures? Let us, then, humbly look to God our Father for his blessing, and with unprejudiced minds turn our attention to a careful examination of this subject. Let us first attend to the Trinitarian view of the text.

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"Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." This verse Trinitarians apply to the deity of Christ before his incarnation. "But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.' This verse they apply to his laying aside his glory, coming down out of heaven and assuming manhood. "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Here Trinitarians completely change their position, and, instead of applying the pronoun he to the same antecedent which they had in their minds before, namely, a co-equal deity, they apply it to the manhood which this co-equal deity (according to their views) assumed. And the evident reason of this is, because common sense will not suffer them to believe that the Jews killed the Almighty. Some have used expressions implying a belief that God actually died: "Behold! a God descends and dies." "God, the mighty Maker, died." But this is not what they really mean, therefore we ought not to charge them with it. Ask them, Do you believe that God died? They will readily answer, No; God could not die nor suffer pain; it was the hu manity, the humanity only, that suffered and died.

Let us now examine this interpretation of the text: ́and first, it stands directly opposed to that great first principle both of natural and revealed religion-the Unity of God. That God is one, is confirmed by the plainest declarations of scripture: Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah." Twenty-six times in Isaiah is he styled the "High and Lofty One," " the Holy One of Israel;" but not once called the holy three. The unity of God is taught in more than two thousand texts of scripture, where singular pronouns are used as applying to deity. "Thou shalt have none other gods before me," i. e. in my pre"I am the Lord." "I am God, and there is none "Is there a God besides me? Yea, there is no

sence. else.'

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God: I know not any." Jesus expressly calls his Father "the only true God." And St. Paul says, "There is one God and Father of all, who is above all." Ought we, then, in direct opposition to this plain evidence, to admit that there are three almighty beings, equal in power and glory? Surely not.

Secondly. The above interpretation of the text stands opposed to the unity of Christ, and represents the one Mediator as a compound being, as two distinct beings in one person; so distinct, that the one suffered pain while the other did not feel any; the one was oppressed with grief and sorrow, while the other was perfectly happy; the one to be dead, while the other remained alive. But Jesus always spoke of himself as one, and he is always spoken of in the Scriptures as one. In our text, the same who was "in the form of God-humbled himself, and was obedient unto death;" the very person who died, was exalted. "God hath made that same Jesus who was crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Thirdly. If Jesus, the Messiah, was co-equal with God the Father, he must have all wisdom and power in himself. But he always spoke of himself as receiving every thing from his God: "I can of my ownself do nothing.' "My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me." "The Father who dwelleth in me, he doeth the work." "He spent whole nights in prayer to God."

Fourthly. If his making " himself of no reputation, and taking upon him the form of a servant," means his laying aside his glory, coming down out of heaven and assuming manhood, we ask, Wherein is this a suitable example for us? How, in this sense, are we to "let the same mind be in us that was also in Christ Jesus"? Are we co-equal deity also?

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Fifthly. View him as co-equal with God, and we ask, How in the nature of things is such a being to be exalted? In what higher station is it possible for him to be placed? The objector will reply, He first humbled himself, and therefore it was from that state of humiliation that he was exalted. Are we then to view the unchangeable Deity as changing his form and condition from one state to another? Surely not.

The Trinitarian sense of our text, therefore, being weighed in the balance, is found wanting.

Let us now examine the Unitarian interpretation of this passage.

To be in the form of God is of the same signification as being in the image of God, and it implies a likeness or resemblance to God. "So God created man in his own image, in the likeness of God." "We all-beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image." "Put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him." Jesus, the Christ, was in the form or image of God, as the spirit of Jehovah rested upon him, "the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and the fear of the Lord." He was fully instructed in the will of God. He knew what was in man. "He did not judge after the sight of the eye, nor reprove after the hearing of the ear." "But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?" The winds and the seas obeyed his command. His powerful word gave sight to the blind, and raised the dead to life. He was in the form of God in relation to his spotless purity. He was pure and without transgression. He was in the form of God, as king in his holy hill of Zion, to establish a universal kingdom, and as the universal judge. He was in the form of God, on the mount of transfiguration, where "his face did shine as the sun, and his garment was white as the light." He received from God the Father, honour and glory.' But he did not eagerly grasp at appearing as God. No, his Father gave him a commandment to lay down his life. He must first suffer before he entered into his glory. "And behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias; who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem," in humble obedience to the will of his God and Father.

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"He took on him the form of a servant" or slave. did not desire worldly show and reputation. "He did not cry nor lift up and cause his voice to be heard in the street." He did not covet to appear before men, with his face shining as the sun, and his raiment white as the light;" nor, that this glory conferred on him should be known. "Tell the vision," said he, "to no man, till the Son of Man be risen from the dead." He that was thus rich subjected himself to poverty. The foxes have holes,

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the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head." He did not eagerly grasp on entering immediately into his glory; but was obedient even unto death, and gave himself up into the hands of his murderers. "And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go up to Jerusalem." Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles; and they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him; and the third day he shall rise again." "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I am commanded to lay it down that I may receive it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." And now, my friends, let us with wonder and gratitude see this great sight. With what solemnity do we behold him eating the last passover with his disciples, and saying, "With desire have I desired to eat this passover with you, before I suffer." "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you." He then instituted a memorial of his sufferings and death, and gave them his dying request and command: "This do in remembrance of me." Follow him into the garden of Gethsemane, there view him in an agony, sweating great drops of blood and praying, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. O, my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.' See him betrayed, taken, bound, and led away as a felon to the judgment hall. There behold him derided, falsely accused, condemned, scourged, spit upon, and led forth, bearing his cross to the place of crucifixion. Follow him to Calvary. There behold him hanging between two thieves; while the priests, the rulers and the multitude stand round reviling him and saying, "Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross." But though he was thus "reviled, he reviled not again," but lifting up his eyes he prayed, saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Was ever innocence so insulted; was ever dignity so degraded! Is this he whose command the

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