TRINITARIANISM & UNITARIANISM CONTRASTED.

The following Compendium has been drawn up, and is presented to the Public, with a view to repel the erroneous impressions which have been made on the religious community against a body of professing Christians known by the name of Unitarians.

Such has been the clamor of denunciation against them by Ministers of what is called the Orthodox faith, and such the terror excited in the minds of their hearers, that even the reading of their books, or the entering their places of worship, is represented as endangering their eternal salvation. The very name of Christian is denied them, and they are ranked with Infidels, and even Atheists.

It is not the design of the writer to assume that Unitarianism is the true doctrine of Revealed Religion; but merely to present a fair statement of the leading views both of Trinitarians and Unitarians, and by placing them in contrast, to afford reflecting, conscientious readers, the means of determining for themselves, as individuals accountable in the sight of God, for the exercise of their judgment.

It will be seen, that the allegation which Trinitarians affect to bring against us, viz: that we appeal to human reason and not to Scripture to support our own opinions, is not only untrue, but that it fairly reverts upon their own creed.-For we have stated our Unitarian faith in the very words of Scripture—(and we wish it to be particularly remarked, that no one text has been quoted whose sense is disputed.) We have long, carefully and earnestly sought for Scripture language in which to express theirs; but it has always been in vain.

TRINITARIAN VIEWS.

1. That there are three Divine Persons, each of whom is the true God, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and yet there are not three Gods, but one God.

2. God, as the Father, is conceived to be a sovereign, whose justice is inexorable, and therefore cannot admit the extension of his mercy to the least violation of his righteous laws, until a full equivalent be made to their demands-unless the threatened punishment be inflicted on, or borne by the offender, or some surety for him.

3. God, as the Son, is conceived to possess an overflowing compassion, which prompts him to undertake to become the sinner's surety, to assume the sinner's guilt—and in consequence to sustain the punishment, which otherwise would have been inflicted upon the actual transgressor; and further, by taking upon Himself human nature, condescended to be considered as a Creature, that in that character he might yield a perfect obedi

ence to the law of his Creator! to be placed to the sinner's account-less than which Divine justice could not accept.

4. God, as the Holy Spirit, is conceived to undertake to accomplish the actual reconciliation between God and Man, by revealing to the guilty mind its totally ruined and lost condition as an offender against the Divine Law, and the impossibility of favor or remission being extended to him on his own account; as sin, being committed against an infinite being, incurs an infinity of punishment; but, that God the Son, having fulfilled all the requirements of the broken law, in the character of Mediator, and suffered all its penalties, God the Father has condescended to accept this on the sinner's behalf, and to be reconciled to him, and that now mercy and forgiveness can be extended to the transgressors, consistently with the most rigid justice.

This representation is supposed to be made by the special agency of God, as the Holy Spirit, on the sinner's mind so affectingly and so overpoweringly, as to induce him to accept. the terms on his part-to repent of sin, and to be reconciled to God.

I think it must be evident to every candid reflecter, that these views embrace an exhibition of three Divine Minds-or otherwise, a change in the unchangeable Mind.

UNITARIAN VIEWS.

The term Unitarian is intended to designate one who believes in the Unity of the Divine Mind,-in one undivided, eternal, unchangeable, purpose of PURE and perfect love in the One infinite "Father, the only true God"*-incapable of being alienated or diminished, much less extinguished, by any creature's obliquity, perversity, obduracy, or depravity, or by any other obstacle whatever. "God is love." "I am Jehovah, and change not." "The first of all the commandments is-Jehovah our God is one Jehovah." "The Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning." "Justice and Judgment are the habitation of His throne; Mercy and Truth go before his face."¶ "Jehovah, Jehovah God, merciful and gracious, long"If suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, shewing mercy to thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin."** we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive "There is One God, who will have all men to be you." saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth," and who "hath now commanded all men every where to repent."§§ "And one Mediator between God and Men, the Man Christ Jesus, who

*John 17: 2. +1 John 4: 8. Malachi 3: 6. ||Mark 12: 29.

TPsalms 89: 14.

** Exodus 34: 6-7. ††1 John 1: 9.

1 Tim. 2: 5-4. Acts 17: 30.

James 1: 17.
Matt. 6: 14.

gave himself a ransom for all," and "through whom is preached the forgiveness of sins." "To us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things,"‡ and of whom the whole family in Heaven and Earth is named," "and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things." "One is your Father, who is in Heaven, and one is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren."¶ "One God and Father of all," "who so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but should have everlasting life."** "The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world." "God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sin, hath quickened us together with Christ." "God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing to them their trespasses.""Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God."§§ "If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give his holy spirit to them that ask him."¶¶ "Not every one that saith to me Lord! Lord! shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in Heaven."*** "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he who loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him." "This is my commandment that ye love one another."-"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”§§§

Unitarians consequently believe that the great law of love is the only true test of obedience to God, and of Christian discipleship, as well as the only true bond of Christian union.

Taking then the Scripture for our guide and authority, we cannot, without contradiction and absurdity, believe in the Trinitarian Hypothesis, which not only essentially requires three distinct minds, or such a CHANGE in the infinite mind as would be equivalent to it—but also presents such unworthy and degra ding views of the perfect and unchangeable character of our Creator; derogatory to the unsullied purity of his paternal, universal, and inalienable love-and effectually saps the vital principle of human brotherhood, as taught and enjoined by Jesus Christ-"One is your Father who is Heaven, and all ye are brethren."

Our Orthodox brethren, indeed, charge us with drawing deductions from mere reasoning, and thus deducing our opinions.

*1 Tim. 2: 5-6. +Acts 13: 38. 1 Cor. 8-6. ||Eph. 3:15. 1 Cor. 8:6. Matt. 23: 8, 9. **Ephe. 4: 6, and John 3: 16. ++1 John 4: 14. Ephe. 2: 4, 5. 2 Cor. 5: 19. 1 John 3: 1. ¶¶Luke 11: 13.***Matt. 7:21. +++John 14:21. ‡‡‡John 15: 12, 13, 34, 35. ||||||Rom. 8:1.

But it is not so. The simple fact is this-the revealed truths which we find recorded in the Bible, and especially in the New Testament, and which are herein stated as the basis of our faith, are so obviously in accordance with the soundest deductions of reason, so perfectly calculated to harmonize the dispensations of God's providence in relation to the whole human family, and so entirely in unison with the manifestations of the Divine Character in the visible Universe-that in the mind's contemplation of them, we may not always have been sufficiently careful to refer VERBALLY to their true origin in the revealed word of God.

Indeed it is not always necessary in appealing to those who ought to treasure up the contents of that Book in their hearts. Another contrast I wish to present, relative to the principle of Christian Discipleship.

Our Orthodox brethren tell us that they "cannot unite with us Unitarians in any benevolent enterprise, or work of Charity," because we are unsound in faith; because we "do not believe in the supreme Divinity of Jesus Christ:" i. e. they cannot unite with us in labors of love and commiseration towards our fellow men-not even in extending the blessings of God's salvation, as revealed in "the Bible without hote or comment,"-because we do not believe in their interpretation of it.

Now with all their assumption, unless they are INFALLIBLE, it is possible that they may be in error. But, admitting that we are in error in our faith, let us turn to Jesus Christ. He tells us that the first of all the Commandments is "Love to God" with all our powers of "heart, and soul, and mind, and strength," and the second, "Thou shalt love thy Neighbor as thyself." And in reply to the question asked of him, "Who is my Neighbor?" he related the parable of the man who fell among thieves, &c.Luke x. 25, 27-and what is the result? That the man whose heart could sympathize with his fellow man, when in need— in distress and afford him relief-he it was who realized the character of Neighbor. And to whom, in the estimation of our Lord, was this second Commandment applicable-although his faith was faulty? He was a Samaritan-which in the eye of a Jew was so heterodox, as to exclude all friendly intercourse between them; and still more-a Samaritan, of whom Jesus Christ himself said, on another occasion, "Ye worship YE KNOW NOT what."

Two essential points, then, are clearly taught us by this authority of our Lord. 1st. That the man whose heart responds in human sympathies-in kind affections-towards his fellow men, he sustains, irrespective of his faith, the character of Neighbor. And, 2d. That to such an one, the Divine Command is-Thou shalt love him as thyself."

Query. Do our Orthodox brethren, then, obey this command of God, as thus illustrated and enforced by Jesus Christ, when VOL. VIII-64.

they refuse to unite with Unitarians in communicating and extending blessings to their fellow-men, because they imagine their faith is unsound?

Do they love them?

Finally, we would adopt the language of the Apostle Paul, when his allegiance to Christ was questioned: "If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's." (2d Corinthians x. 7, T. M.

Cincinnati, 1841.

HIDDEN GRIEF AND FINAL PEACE.

The Rain fell on the Mountain-tops: and joyed,-as from the height, it looked over prospects glowing in the sun; it longed, with glittering cataracts that laced the rocks, to hurry to the plains, where rivers shone amid green meadows.

But the Rain mourned, when it sank among the dark crevices! Slowly it trickled down, till in a cavern deep-hidden in silent rocks, it dropped, with tinkling music, into a crystal lake.Beautiful to the Rain was that lone grot with its sparry lustres, where light through the chasms sparkled upon the pendant jewelry and foam beads on the water.

But the Rain mourned again and more bitterly, when it was drawn in through white pebbles in the bottom of the lake!!

Slowly, slowly it oozed through sandy beds, all, all alone, in subterranean night. But joy at last, what joy! Up through the golden sands, glistening in braided sun-light on the fountain's bed, amid bright flowers stooping to drink upon the fountain's brim, it burst at length. Up, up from night it broke in gushing purity into the smiling day, beneath the beaming blue.

As it swept on with kindred waters to the river, it mirrored in its clear face the morning cloud, the evening star, the blossom sailing on the wind, the flitting bird. And ever, as it glided onward to the sea, it sang: "Oh, well indeed, that the Unseen Life of all things led me,-not over frosty rocks, not through the dashing roar of cataracts, nor rapid streams that turn the mill, nor hurrying brooks beneath the dusty bridge-but in his own still, sure way of hidden sorrows to the plains of Peace.”

And in a snowy mist, beneath the silvery moonlight, rose one night the rain to melt and mingle with the transparent Heaven!