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Interpretations in consistency with the Divine Unity.

strikingly inconsistent with what the Apostle afterwards declares, that God had highly exalted Christ Jesus. And farther, how could a Being truly God, set a pattern of humility, disinterestedness, and pious obedience? How could an eternal, immortal, unchangeable Being, be made in the likeness of men, and be obedient unto death?

The excellent and upright Whitby, in his Commentary, has proved that the expression translated to be equal with God, means, to be as God.-The word translated robbery may signify either the act of seizing or the thing seized. If the former rendering be preferred, then the 6th verse may be thus represented, "Who being in the form of God, did not consider it as an unjust assumption to act as God," (i. e. as one to whom the word of God came, as his representative). But this active signification does not, on the whole, so well suit the structure of the original, as the other sense, prey or booty; and accordingly this latter is preferred by most recent commentators, Trinitarian as well as Unitarian. Archbishop Newcome renders the 6th verse thus, "Who being in the form of God, did not esteem it a prey to be like God." On this rendering, the following is a close representation of the original:

"Who though in the form of God," (or, of a God,) invested by his heavenly Father with a dignified and important commission, and clothed with his authority," did not esteem it a prey to be as God," (or as a God,) did not regard his high prerogatives and powers, as if acquired by himself for his own advantage, did not use them for the purposes of interest, ambition and pride; "but made himself of no account," divested himself of all splendour and majesty, "taking upon him the form of a servant, and becoming like common men;t and having been found in condition as a common man," (or man of mean rank,)" he submitted to abject abasement, becoming obedient unto death, the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him," &c.

*

* Matt. xx. 28: "Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."-Luke xxii. 27: "I am among you as he that serveth."-See also John xiii. 1—17.

The original in Phil. ii. 7, 8, is a word which signifies man in general; but it is also used in the Greek Translation of the Old Testament to denote a common man, a man in mean or low circumstances.-See Isa. ii. 9, "The mean man bowed down." So also chap. v. 15; xxxi. 8.— In Psalm lxxxii. 7, " Ye shall die like men," means like common men.

B

In support of Trinitarianism.

(23) Col. i. 12-20. Giving thanks unto the FATHER which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; (13) who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son (14) in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins; (15) who is the image of the INVISIBLE GOD, the first-born of every creature: (16) for by (or in) him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by (through) him, and for him: (17) and he is before all things, and by (in) him all things consist (18) and he is the head of the body the church; who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (19) For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; (20) and having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto 'mself; by him, I say, whe

Disproving the common Interpretation. ness, yet HE LIVETH BY THE POWER OF GOD.

Isa. liii. 2, 3. He hath no form nor comeliness-he is despised and rejected of men;

a MAN OF SORROWS, AND ACQUAINTED WITH GRIEF.

(23) Gen. i. 1. In the beginning GoD created the heaven and the earth.

Exod. xx. 11. In six days JEHOVAH made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is.

Ps. viii. 1, 3. O Jehovah our Lord,-when I consider the heavens the work of thy fingers, the moon and stars which thou hast ordained.

Ps. cii. 25. Of old hast thou (Jehovah, see ver. 1,) laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

Isa. xlviii. 13. MINE HAND also (saith Jehovah) hath laid the foundation of the earth.

Jer. xxxii. 17. Ah Lord GOD, behold THOU hast made the heaven and the earth by THY GREAT POWER and STRETCHED OUT ARM ;-the great, the mighty God, JEHOVAH of hosts is his name.

Acts xiv. 15. The LIVING GOD, which made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein. This is the testimony of PAUL and Barnabas; that of the other Apostles is seen in Acts iv. 24, already quoted in No. 10.

Acts xvii. 24, 31. GOD

Interpretations in consistency with the Divine Unity.

This interpretation is fully borne out by the original; and accords with the general tenor and express declarations of revelation.

(23) On this passage, (after comparing the texts in the second column, and those in No. 10,) the reader is requested to observe (1) That he who is said to be the IMAGE OF GOD, is spoken of in the preceding verse, as having shed HIS BLOOD. Christ was the image of God, inasmuch as in and by him the glorious and gracious perfections of God were clearly displayed to mankind. (2) He who was the FIRST-BORN of every creature, (or rather of the whole creation,) and the FIRST-BORN from the DEAD, could not have been an ETERNAL being. (3) The language essentially differs from that of the passages which speak of the Natural Creation: the latter say that God created the HEAVENS and the EARTH. (4) The passages quoted in the second column, and in No. 10, EXCLUDE EVERY INSTRUMENTAL CAUSE in the natural creation; and ascribe it to the IMMEDIATE AGENCY OF JEHOVAH. (5) The whole connexion of this passage, and the corresponding passage in Eph. i. ii. clearly refers to the blessings of the gospel, in communicating and diffusing which, Jesus Christ was the appointed agent. (6) The great change which took place in the spiritual condition of men, by the gospel dispensation, is repeatedly spoken of as a NEW CREATION; e. g. "If any man be in Christ, he is a NEW CREATURE;' or there is a NEW CREATION;" (2 Cor. v. 17). "The new man, which is CREATED according to God in righteousness and true holiness ;" (Eph. iv. 24). See also Eph. ii. 10, 15, iii. 9; Col. iii. 10; Gal. vi. 15. (7) All things, as in ver. 20, and various other parts of Paul's epistles, signifies all persons. And (8), following the plain declarations of Scripture, and guided by the connexion, and by the language of Paul in other parts, the Unitarian maintains, that he solely meant, in this passage, to represent Christ as the appointed agent in accomplishing the great and glorious scheme of the gospel, in effecting the NEW CREATION.

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It is not easy, however, to perceive the force of some clauses in the 16th verse. The utmost they can imply is, that the benefits of the new creation, in some unknown way extended to angels. Some Unitarians may consider them as referring to

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