The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1831-10-25

scripture Interpretation, send you an
extract from modern publication by
the insertion of which you will much o.
blige
A Friend 10 Primitive Christianity.
at is due to TRUTH and just Difference to
our fellow christians, to take notice OF objcc.
tioDs which are currently made TO our partic.
ulqr views of rellg ion nor ought we tn dis.
miss such objections, as unworthy of atte0rlnn.
on account of their supposed lightness be-
cause what is light to us, may weigh much
with our neighbor, and truth may suffer from
obstructions which few explanations might
remove. II is TO be feared that those chris
tians, who are called Unitarian have been
wanting in this duty. Whilst they have met
the labored arguments of their opponents
fully and fairly, they have overlooked the
loose, vague, indefinite objections, which float
through the community, and operate more on
common minds than tolmal reasoning. On
some of these objections, remarks will now be
offered and IT is hoped that our plainness OF
speech will not be construed into severity, or
our structures on different systems be ascrlbed
To desire of retaliation. Ii cannot be en-
pected, that we shall repcl with indifference,
what seem 10 US reprouches on some OF the
most important and consollng views Of chris.
iianity. Believing that the truths, which
through Gods good providence we arc called
to maintain, are necessary To the vindicaton
of the divine character and To the prevalence
OF a more enlightened and exalted piety, we
are bound to assert them earnestly, and to
speak freely OF the opposite errors which now
disfgure christianity. We trust, however,
al. "a - ,latI Inn
guage and feelings our views are assailed, we
shall not be thought unwarrantably warm in
their defence What then are the principal
objections 10 Unitarian Christianity?
!. II is objected to us, that we deny The
divinity OF Jesus Christ. Now what does this
objection mean? Whata are we to understand
by the dipinity Of Christ? In the sense in
which many christians, and perhaps a ma jorl.
ty, interpret it, we do not deny it, but believe
il as firmly as themselves. We believe firm
y in the divinity Of Christ's mission and Of
fee, that he spoke with divine authority, and
was u bright image of the divine perlections,
We believe that God dwelt in him, manifested
himself through him, taught men by him, and
communicated to him his spirit without meas
ure. We believe that Jesus Christ was the
most glorious display, EXPIRE ssion, and repve
7 sentative OF God to mankind, so that in seein,
and knowing him, we see and know the in
visible Father; 50 that when Christ came
!. God visited the world and dwelt with mel
more conspicuously than at any former period
In Christ's word We hear God speaking il
> his miracles we behold God acting in hi'
character and life we see an unsulIIed image
of Gods purity and lovo. We believe, then
in the diuiniyof Christ. as this term is often
and properly used. How, then. it may be
asked. do We differ from other Christians
E We differ in this lmportan, respect. Whilst
we honor Christ as the son, repi esentulve
and image Of tho supreme God, iu do mol be
here him 10 be The supreme God mmseV We
maintain, thai CHRIST and God are diStiHci be.
ings, too beings, not one and the same beng.
On this point little repetition may be par.
doned, for many good christians, after The
controversies of ages, mlsunderstand the pre-
else difference between us and themselves.
TrlDltarIanlsm teaches that Jesus CHRIST Is
the supreme and infinite God, and that he and
his Father are not only one in affection. coun
sci and will, but are strictly and literally one
and the same being. Now to us this doctrine
is most unscrptural and irrational. We say
that the Son cannot be the same being with
his own Father, that he, who was sent into
the world to save it, cannot be the living God
|
piclt and unqualified. 81 came not to do
mine own wll.' II came not from myself"
al came from God" Now we affirm, and
this is our chief hercsy. that Jesus was not
and could not be the God from nhOm he came,
but was another being and IT amazes US that
any can resist this simple truth. The doc
,rne, that Jesus, who was born at Bethlehem;
who ate and drank and slept: who suffered
and WAS crucifed who came from God who
prayed to God who did Gods will and who
said, on leaving the world, 81 ascend to my
Father and your Father, 10 my God and your
God !" the doctrine that this Jesus was the
supreme God himself, and the same being
with his Father, this seems to US n contradic.
ton 10 reason and scripture so hagrant, that
the simple statement OF IL Is sufficient reiu'
taton We are often charged with degrad'
ing Christ but if this roproach belong To any
christians, il falls, we fear, on those who nc
cuse him of teaching q doctrine so contradic
tory, and so subversive of the supremacy oi
our heavenly Father. Certainly our humble
and dovout master has given no ground Tor
this accusation. Ho always expressed to.
wards God the reverence of a son. lie
babitually distinguished himself from God.
He refer rcd to God all his powers. He SAID
without limitation or reserve, "Tbe Father is
greater than l." "Of myself can do moth
ing" II to represent Christ as being dis
tnct from God, as inferior to him, be to de-
grade him, then lei our opponents lay the guilt
where il belongs, not on as. but on our Mas
ter, whose language we borrow, in whose
very words we express our sentiments, whose
words we dare not rife with and force from
their plain sense. Our limits vii! not allow
us to soy more but we ask common chris
tians, who have taken their opinions from the
, bible rather than from human systems, to look
5 honestly into their own minds. and to answer
frankly, whether they have not understood
md halie xed Chrisi,s divinity. in the sense