CHAP. XIII.
_Miscellaneous particularities--Quakers careful about the use of such
words as relate to religion--Never use the words "original sin"--nor
"word of God," for the scriptures--Nor the word "Trinity"--Never pry
into the latter mystery--Believe in the manhood and divinity of Jesus
Christ--Also in a resurrection, but sever attempt to fathom that
subject--Make little difference between sanctification and
justification--- Their ideas concerning the latter_.
The Quakers are remarkably careful, both in their conversation and their
writings, on religious subjects, as to the terms which they use. They
express scriptural images or ideas, as much as may be, by scriptural
terms. By means of this particular caution, they avoid much of the
perplexity and many of the difficulties which arise to others, and
escape the theological disputes which disturb the rest of the Christian
world.
The Quakers scarcely ever utter the words "original sin," because they
never find them in use in the sacred writings.
The scriptures are usually denominated by Christians "the word of God."
Though the Quakers believe them to have been given by divine
inspiration, yet they reject this term. They apprehend that Christ is
the word of God. They cannot therefore consistently give to the
scriptures, however they reverence them, that name which St.
Pages:
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246