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.

The Quakers never make use of the words “original sin,” because these are never to be found in the sacred writings.  They consider man, however, as in a fallen or degraded state, and as inclined and liable to sin.  They consider him, in short, as having the seed of sin within him, which he inherited from his parent Adam.  But though they acknowledge this, they dare not say, that sin is imputed to him on account of Adam’s transgression, or that he is chargeable with sin, until he actually commits it.

As every descendant, however, of Adam, has this seed within him, which, amidst the numerous temptations that beset him, he allows sometime or other to germinate, so he stands in need of a Redeemer; that is, of some power that shall be able to procure pardon for past offences, and of some power that shall be able to preserve him in the way of holiness for the future.  To expiate himself, in a manner satisfactory to the Almighty, for so foot a stain upon his nature as that of sin, is utterly beyond his abilities; for no good action, that he can do, can do away that which has been once done.  And to preserve himself in a state of virtue for the future, is equally out of his own power, because this cannot be done by any effort of his reason, but only by the conversion of his heart.  It has therefore pleased the Almighty to find a remedy for him in each of these cases.  Jesus Christ, by the sacrifice of his own body, expiates for sins that are past, and the spirit of God, which has been afforded to him, as a spiritual teacher, has the power of cleansing and purifying the heart so thoroughly, that he may be preserved from sins to come.