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THE SPIRIT OF THE PAPACYby A. T. JONES
There can not possibly be any fair denying that the whole course of the papacy is the display of sheer selfishness--selfishness supreme, and self-exaltationabsolute. But Christianity is the direct and extreme opposite of selfishness. It is thecomplete emptying of self. It is self-renunciation absolute. p. 1, par. 1, [SPIRIT].2. To all people in the world it is spoken by the Word of God: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thoughtit not robbery to be equal with God: but emptied Himself, and took upon Him theform of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashionas a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Philippians 2:5-8. p. 1, par. , [SPIRIT].3. The idea conveyed in the term translated "robbery" may be more clearlydiscerned by noting the different translations. The "Emphatic Diaglott" remarksthat the original--[?], "harpagmon--being a word of very rare occurrence, a greatvariety of translations have been given," and cites as examples: "Did you think it amatter to be earnestly desired."--Clarke. "Did not earnestly affect."--Cyprian. "Didnot think of eagerly retaining."--Wakefield. "Did not regard--as an object of solicitous desire."--Stuart. "Thought it not a thing to be seized."--Sharpe. "Did notmeditate a usurpation."--Trumbull. To these may be added: "Counted it not a prize."--R.V.
with margin,
"or a thing to be grasped." "Deemed it no trespass."--Murdock's Syriac. In the "Emphatic Diaglott" itself the translation is the same asTrumbull's: "Who [Christ Jesus] being in God's form, yet
did not meditate ausurpation
to be like God." And this, it will be seen, more nearly expresses theintended thought of the Scripture than any other; as where the idea of governmentis involved a
robber of government 
is a usurper. [Note: when you see [?] it meansthat the word is Greek.] p. 1, par. 3, [SPIRIT].4. The thought, therefore, which is conveyed in the text is this: "Let thismind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus; who, being in the form of Godthought it NOT a thing to be seized upon, to be violently striven for, and eagerlyretained,--thought it not a usurpation to be meditated,--to be equal with God." Thisis Christianity. But it is not in any sense the papacy. From the inception of the papacy even in the days of the apostles ("The mystery of iniquity doth alreadywork;"
2 Thessalonians
2:7) until the proclamation of the essential divinity of the papacy by Pope Pius IX, every step of the way is but a manifestation of the mind
 
that has thought expressing the mind that was NOT in Christ, had been writtensince 1870, instead of before A.D. 70, it could not have more fitly defined theessential spirit of the papacy than it does. And that for eighteen hundred years,throughout the blackest record in the whole world, there should be a succession of men perpetually actuated by this one spirit of violently striving for, seizing, andeagerly retaining, equality with God, is a matter of sufficient interest to demandinquiry as to its origin. p. 1, par. 4, [SPIRIT].5. The key to this inquiry, the key that unlocks this mystery, is the word of God in the text here cited: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,who, being in the form of God, thought it NOT a thing to be seized upon, to beviolently striven for, and eagerly retained,--thought it not a usurpation to bemeditated,--to be equal with God; but emptied Himself and took upon Himself theform of a servant and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in thefashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even thedeath of the cross." p. 2, par. 1, [SPIRIT].6. Jesus Christ is the Word of God. Words express thoughts. Jesus Christ,the
Word of God,
is therefore
the expression of the thought 
of God. God's thoughtis manifested in "the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
 Ephesians
3:11. Jesus Christ is the revelation of that eternal purpose of the EternalGod. Jesus Christ is the brightness of His Father's glory, and the express image of His person.
 Hebrews
1:3. From the Father He spoke all things into existence.
 Psalm
33:6, 9;
 Hebrews
1:2. "By 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 Him, and for Him."
Colossians 1:16.
He upholds all things by the word of His power.
 Hebrews
1:3. ByHim all things hold together.
Colossians 1:17.
"It pleased the Father that in Himshould all fullness dwell."
Colossians
1:19. He is the One whom the Lord possessed "in the beginning of His way;" who was "set up from everlasting;" who"was by Him as one brought up with Him."
 Proverbs
8:22, 23, 30. He is the one"whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of Eternity."
Micah
5:2,(with margin). He is the only begotten of the Father, and is therefore in verysubstance of the nature of God; in Him "dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;' He, therefore, by divine right of "inheritance," bears from the Father thename of "God."
 John
3:16;
Colossians
2:9;
 Hebrews
1:4-8. Thus Christ Jesus wasindeed by divine and eternal right one of God--"equal with God." p. 2, par. 2,[SPIRIT].
 
7. Yet, being this, "He thought it
not 
a thing to be violently striven for, andheld fast, to be equal with God." What then should ever raise this question? Whatcould have caused His mind to run in the channel of thinking that this mighty andglorious dignity of equality with God, was not a thing to be striven for and eagerlyretained? What should cause Him
not 
to think of holding fast to, and striving for,that which by eternal and inalienable right was truly His, and which He truly was? p. 3, par. 1, [SPIRIT].8. From the nature of the case as stated in the text, it is evident that on the part of some one there was a mind willing to raise a strife as to who should beequal with God. It is plain that in some one there was manifested
a mind,
adisposition, earnestly to desire, and to seize upon, equality with God. By some onethere was meditated a usurpation of equality with God. Who was this? Can we findhim? If we can find such a one, it is certain that we shall have found the key to thewhole situation, and the secret of the papacy. p. 3, par. 2, [SPIRIT].9. We can find him. He is named, and fully described. His attemptedusurpation, its origin, and its awful results are fully explained. Here is thedescription of an "anointed cherub" who sinned:-- p. 3, par. 3, [SPIRIT]."Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stonewas thy covering, the sardius, the topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, andthe jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanshipof thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wastcreated. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thouwast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midstof the stones of fire. thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wascreated, till iniquity wast found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise theyhave filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned; therefore I willcast thee as profane out of the mountain of God; and I will destroy thee, Ocovering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire." p. 3, par. 4, [SPIRIT].10. It will not be a repetition, but rather an addition, to insert here the Jews'translation of this passage. It runs as follows:-- p. 3, par. 5, [SPIRIT]."Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Thou wast complete in outline, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. In Eden the garden of God didst thou abide; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, the topaz, and the diamond, thechrysolite, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle,
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