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Clarkson, Thomas, 1760-1846

"A Portraiture of Quakerism, Volume 2"

"This belief, says he, in the Divinity
of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, induced some of the
teachers in the Christian church, about three hundred years after
Christ, to form a doctrine, to which they gave the name of Trinity; but,
in our writings we seldom make use of this term, thinking it best, on
such a subject, to keep to scriptural expressions, and to avoid those
disputes which have since perplexed the Christian world, and led into
speculations beyond the power of human abilities to decide. If we
consider that we ourselves are composed of a union of body, soul, and
spirit, and yet cannot determine how even these are united; how much
less may we expect perfect clearness on a subject, so far above our
finite comprehension, as that of the Divine Nature?"
The Quakers believe, that Jesus Christ was man, because he took flesh,
and inhabited the body prepared for him, and was subject to human
infirmities; but they believe also in his Divinity, because he was the
word.
They believe also in the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, as
connected with the Christian religion. In explaining our belief of this
doctrine, says Henry Tuke, we refer to the fifteenth chapter of the
first epistle to the Corinthians. In this chapter is clearly laid down
the resurrection of a body, though not of the same body that dies.


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