A Portraiture of Quakerism, Volume 2: Taken from a View of the Education and Discipline, Social Manners, Civil and Political Economy, Religious Principles and Character, of the Society of FriendsClarkson, Thomas
Religion
A Portraiture of Quakerism, Volume 2: Taken from a View of the Education and Discipline, Social Manners, Civil and Political Economy, Religious Principles and Character, of the Society of Friends
Clarkson, Thomas
Society of Friends
"The Holy Spirit again," says he, "inspires the prayers of those who, in
consequence of his powerful operations, have crucified the flesh with
the affections and lusts, with devout and filial affections, and makes
intercession for them with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered. He
guides and manages them. The sons of God are led by the spirit of god.
He makes, his blessed fruits, righteousness, peace, joy, and divine
love, more and more to abound in them; he confirms them in goodness,
persuades them to perseverance, and seals them to the day of
redemption."
The Quakers usually elucidate this visitation, treatment, and influence
of the Holy Spirit, by the parable of the sower, as recorded by three of
the Evangelists. "Now the seed is the word of God." But as the word of
God and the spirit, according to St. John the Evangelist, are the same,
the parable is considered by the Quakers as relating to that divine
light or spirit which is given to man for his spiritual instruction and
salvation. As the seed was sown in all sorts of ground, good, bad, and
indifferent, so this light or spirit is afforded, without exception, to
all. As thorns choked this seed, and hindered it from coming to
perfection, so bad customs, or the pleasures and cares of the world,
hinder men from attending to this divine principle within them, and
render it unfruitful in their hearts. And as the seed in the good ground
was not interrupted, and therefore produced fruit in abundance, so this
spiritual principle, where it is not checked, but received and
cherished, produces also abundance of spiritual fruit in the inward man,
by putting him into the way of redemption from sin, or of holiness of
life.
SECT. II.
_The spirit of God, therefore, besides its office of a teacher, performs
that of a Redeemer of men--Redemption outward and inward--Outward is by
the sufferings of Jesus Christ--These produce forgiveness of past sins,
and put men into a capacity of salvation--inward, or the office now
alluded to, is by the operation of the spirit--This converts men, and
preserves them from sins to come--outward and inward connected with each
other._
The spirit of God, which we have seen to be given to men, and to be
given them universally, to enable them to distinguish between 'good and
evil, was given them also, the Quakers believe, for another purpose,
namely, to redeem or save them. Redemption and salvation, in this
sense,' are the same, in the language of the Quakers, and mean a
purification from the sins or pollutions of the world, so that a new
birth may be produced, and maintained in the inward man.
As the doctrine of the Quakers, with respect to redemption, differs from
that which generally obtains, I shall allot this chapter to an
explanation of the distinctions, which the Quakers usually make upon
this subject.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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