ture.

CHAPTER IX.

OBJECTIONS TO UNITARIANISM.

I. If Unitarianism is true, the Bible must be false; for it expressly says that the Word (which is Christ) was God. Unitarianism says he is nothing but a creaThe Bible says that Christ was from everlasting; while Unitarianism says that he was not, but had a beginning. The Bible says that our Saviour knew all things; but Unitarianism affirms that he was ignorant of many things. The Bible says of Christ that he is the Almighty, the mighty God; Unitarianism denies that he possesses this attribute, and contends that he is limited in all his energies. In the Bible, also, our Saviour promises always to be with his followers, and to meet with his children wherever they shall be assembled in his name, and, therefore, must be omnipresent; Unitarianism denies this, and, therefore, contradicts the Bible, and renders it impossible for the Saviour to fulfil his promises. The Bible says that Christ is over all, God blessed forever; Unitarianism says that he is a created being, and therefore cannot be God over all. The Bible says that all things, both in heaven and in earth, were created by and for Jesus Christ; Unitarianism says that all things were created by and for the Father, to the exclusion of the Son. We therefore see, that with regard to the character of our Saviour, Unitarianism is at open war with the Scriptures; and that if true, the Bible must be false.

But it is not only with regard to the character of Christ that Unitarians stand opposed to the Bible, but in several other respects. The Bible views the knowledge of the Holy Ghost as unlimited; for it says of him that he searches all things, yea, the deep things of God;

while Unitarianism regards him as nothing but an attribute or emanation, and therefore strips him of all knowledge, and makes him an unintelligent agent. See the answers given to several questions by the Rev. James Hayes, on page 37. Again, the Bible says, "there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one;" Unitarianism 66 says, no, at the most, there are but two, the Father and the Son, for the Spirit has no personal existence; and so far are these three from being one, that the Father is an eternal self-existent being; while the Word, or Son, is a finite created being; besides, it is impossible that two should be one." Thus we see that Unitarianism contradicts the Bible, and, consequently if one is true, the other must be false. Reader, which will you choose? Will you adhere to the Scriptures of Divine, truth which are able to make you wise unto salvation? or will you suspend your eternal all upon a theory which contradicts the Bible, and limits the Saviour in all his attributes?

II. Unitarianism makes the Bible contradict itself, and thereby destroys its claim to Divine inspiration. This will appear from the fact, that in almost number-. less instances, many of which have been mentioned in the preceding pages, and therefore need not be repeated here, it expressly declares that there is but one God, while in other places it says that Jesus Christ is God, and also that the Holy Ghost is God; and that, too, under circumstances which forbid us to understand this name as applied to them in any inferior or accommodated sense, as the reader will see by turning to the chapters on the Divinity of Christ and the Holy Ghost. These different passages of Scripture are directly opposed to each other, and can only be reconciled by supposing that these three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, exist together in the undivided Trinity, and together constitute the one God who is the Supreme object of religious worship. But Unitarians deny this,

therefore they have no consistent method of reconciling those passages of Scripture which say there is but one God with those which say that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are God; therefore, upon their hypothesis, the Bible contradicts itself, and must be false.

These, however, are not the only passages of Scripture which contradict each other, if Unitarianism is true. It is said, "thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve;" and again, "Worship God." But notwithstanding these passages are thus definite in making God the only object of worship, others, with equal plainness, bear testimony to the fact that JesusChrist, who, according to Unitarianism, is nothing but a creature, is an object of worship. "When he bringeth his first begotten into the world he saith, and let all the angels of God worship him." Here the reader will readily see that one passage makes God the only object of worship, but the other makes Christ an object of worship; consequently, if Christ is not God, which Unitarians deny, these must contradict each other; and if the Bible constradicts itself, it cannot be true.

The Scriptures, also, upon the one hand inform us that Christ is dependant on the Father; that the Father "does nothing of himself;" that he does "those works which the Father gave him to do;" that "the Son knoweth not the hour of the last judgment;" that “the Father is greater than he;" and that "the Son shall deliver up the kingdom to the Father." On the other hand, they represent him as acting according to his own will; acting with a sovereign authority; acting as absolutely independent. "Be it unto thee even as thou wilt-I will, be thou clean-thy sins be forgiven thee." They also assure us that he is one with the Father, and equal with God; that he "knoweth all things, and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Now if Unitarianism be true, which denies that Christ was both God and man, it will be utterly impossible to reconcile these different passages of Sacred Writ; for if Christ possesses

but one nature, how can he be equal with his Father, and yet inferior to him?

For

"With what consistency can our opponents maintain that Christ knows all things, and yet is ignorant of the time fixed for one of the greatest events that ever did, or ever will take place in the universe? The distinction between nature and office is of no use here. knowledge is a property of nature; something, therefore, belonging to the nature of Jesus must be in question. Will they say, 'When Peter declares that our Lord knows all things, that he does not speak in the general?' But what is speaking in the general, if not making use of general expressions? Besides, Peter, from a general principle, draws a particular conclusion. Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee.' As if he had said, Lord, I love thee, and thou must know that I love thee; for thou art not ignorant of any thing. To suppose that the Apostle was under a mistake, when he so expressed himself, has no shadow of reason. Because if he was, he uttered a blasphemy by attributing omniscience to Jesus Christ, which belongs only to God; and because his holy and humble Master would not have rewarded blasphemy by saying, 'Feed my sheep.'

"How can they reconcile those passages which inform us that Christ does nothing of himself; that he prayed at the grave of Lazarus; and that the Father always hears him; with others which represent him as working miracles by his own will and his own power? If he be a mere creature, he depends upon God for his existence every moment, and was entirely beholden to the Great Sovereign for every exertion of power in the performance of his miraculous works. But if so, how came he to speak with such an air of Divine authority and of Divine power, 'I will, be thou clean?' Had Moses or Paul, expressed himself after this manner, he would undoubtedly have been guilty of blasphemy.

therefore they have no consistent method of reconciling those passages of Scripture which say there is but one God with those which say that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are God; therefore, upon their hypothesis, the Bible contradicts itself, and must be false.

These, however, are not the only passages of Scripture which contradict each other, if Unitarianism is true. It is said, "thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve;" and again, "Worship God." But notwithstanding these passages are thus definite in making God the only object of worship, others, with equal plainness, bear testimony to the fact that JesusChrist, who, according to Unitarianism, is nothing but a creature, is an object of worship. "When he bringeth his first begotten into the world he saith, and let all the angels of God worship him." Here the reader will readily see that one passage makes God the only object of worship, but the other makes Christ an object of worship; consequently, if Christ is not God, which Unitarians deny, these must contradict each other; and if the Bible constradicts itself, it cannot be true.

The Scriptures, also, upon the one hand inform us that Christ is dependant on the Father; that the Father "does nothing of himself;" that he does "those works which the Father gave him to do;" that "the Son knoweth not the hour of the last judgment;" that "the Father is greater than he;" and that "the Son shall deliver up the kingdom to the Father." On the other hand, they represent him as acting according to his own will; acting with a sovereign authority; acting as absolutely independent. "Be it unto thee even as thou wilt-I will, be thou clean-thy sins be forgiven thee." They also assure us that he is one with the Father, and equal with God; that he "knoweth all things, and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Now if Unitarianism be true, which denies that Christ was both God and man, it will be utterly impossible to reconcile these different passages of Sacred Writ; for if Christ possesses