eir faith.

That this trait of benevolence to man in his religious capacity is
probably true, I shall endeavour to shew according to the method I have
proposed.

There is nothing, in the first place, in the religious doctrines of the
Quakers, which can produce a narrowness of mind in religion, or a
contempt for the creeds of others. I have certainly, in the course of my
life, known some bigots in religion, though, like the Quakers, I censure
no man for his faith. I have known some, who have considered baptism and
the sacrament of the supper as such essentials in Christianity, as to
deny that those who scrupled to admit them, were Christians. I have
known others pronouncing an anathema against persons, because they did
not believe the atonement in their own way. I have known others again,
who have descended into the greatest depths of election and reprobation,
instead of feeling an awful thankfulness for their own condition as the
elect, and the most tender and affectionate concern for those whom they
considered to be the reprobate, indulging a kind of spiritual pride on
their own account, which has ended in a contempt for others. Thus the
doctrines of Christianity, wonderful to relate, have been made to narrow
the love of Christians! The Quaker religion, on the other hand, knows no
such feelings as these. It considers the Spirit of God as visiting all
men in their day, and as capable of redeeming all, and this without any
exception of persons, and that the difference of creeds, invented by the
human understanding, will make no difference in the eternal happiness of
man. Thus it does not narrow the sphere of salvation. It does not
circumscribe it either by numerical or personal limits. There does not
appear therefore to be in the doctrines of the Quaker religion any thing
that should narrow their love to their fellow creatures, or any thing
that should generate a spirit of rancour or contempt towards others on
account of the religion they profess.

There are, on the contrary, circumstances, which have a tendency to
produce an opposite effect.

I see, in the first place, no reason why the general spirit of
benevolence to man in his temporal capacity, which runs through the
whole society, should not be admitted as having some power in checking a
bitter spirit towards him in his religious character.

I see again, that the sufferings, which the Quakers so often undergo on
account of their religious opinions, ought to ha