to man from the possibility of keeping the divine commands.  They mean that perfection, such as Noah, and Job, and Zacharias, and Elizabeth, attained, and which the Jewish rabbies distinguished by the name of Redemption, and which they conceived to be effected by the influence of the Holy Spirit, or that state of man in Christian morals, which, if he arrives at it, the Divine Being (outward redemption having taken place by the sacrifice of Christ) is pleased to accept as sufficient, or as the most pure state at which man, under the disadvantages of the frailty of his nature, can arrive.  And is not this the practicable perfection, which Jesus himself taught in these words, “Be ye perfect, even as your Father, which is in heaven is perfect.”  Not that he supposed it possible, that any human being could be as perfect as the Divine Nature.  But he proposed, by these expressions, the highest conceivable model of human excellence, of which our natures were capable, well knowing that the higher our aspirations the higher we should ascend, and the sooner we should reach that best state of humanity that was attainable.  And here it is, that Christianity, as a rule of moral conduct, surpasses all others.  Men, in general, look up to men for models.  Thus Homer makes one of his heroes, when giving counsel to his son, say, “Always emulate the best.”  Thus also we should say to our children, if a person of extraordinary character were to live in our neighbourhood, “This is the pattern for your virture.”  But Jesus Christ says, aim at perfection beyond that which is human, alluding to the attributes of God, and thus you will attain a higher excellence than the study of any other model can produce.

With respect to the formation of man according to the model which Christianity prescribes, the system of the Quakers is no where to be excelled.  No one, that we know of, is more powerful in the production of a subjugated mind and of a moral character.  By this I mean, that there is none which is more universally powerful.  It is the tendency of Christianity, whatever denomination it may assume, to produce these effects.  But there is full as general an appearance of these among the Quakers, as in any other Christian profession.

It will appear then, that, if the three criterions, which have been specified, should be admitted to be those by which a judgment may be formed in the present case, they, who have had thoughts of leaving the society, will not be much better off by an exchange of their religion.

Let us see next, what would be the greater temporal advantages, which they would obtain.  These may be summed up in two essential ingredients of happiness, in tranquillity of mind, in consequence of which we pass through the troubles of life in the most placid manner, and in a moderate pecuniary independence, in consequence of which we know none of the wants and hardships, but enjoy the reasonable comforts of it.