beneficial to society; the serenity and calmness of mind which attend it, affords an unparalleled comfort in this life, and the end of it is blessed. And it is no less true that they who, in the midst of high favours, remain ungrateful, and under all the advantages that a Christian can desire, are selfish, earthly, and sensual, do miss the true fountain of happiness, and wander in a maze of dark anxiety, in which all their treasures are insufficient to quiet their minds. Hence, from an insatiable craving, they neglect doing good with what they have acquired, and too often add oppression to vanity, that they may compass more. "O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end !"-Deut. xxxii. 29.

CONSIDERATIONS

ON THE

KEEPING OF NEGROES,

RECOMMENDED TO THE PROFESSORS OF CHRISTIANITY OF EVERY DENOMINATION.

[First printed in the Year 1762.]

PART THE SECOND.

PREFACE.

All our actions are of the like nature with their root; and the Most High weigheth them more skilfully than men can weigh them one for another.

I believe that one

Supreme Being made and supports the world; nor can I worship any other deity without being an idolater, and guilty of wickedness.

Many nations have believed in, and worshipped, a plurality of deities; but I do not believe they were therefore all wicked. Idolatry, indeed, is wickedness; but it is the thing, not the name, which is so. Real idolatry is to pay that adoration to a creature, which is known to be due only to the true God.

He who professeth to believe in one Almighty Creator, and in his Son Jesus Christ, and is yet more intent on the honours, profits, and friendships of the world, than he is, in singleness of heart, to stand faithful to the Christian religion, is in the channel of idolatry; while the Gentile,

who, notwithstanding some mistaken opinions, is established in the true principle of virtue, and humbly adores an Almighty power, may be of that number who fear God and work righteousness.

I believe the bishop of Rome assumes a power that does not belong to any officer in the church of Christ; and if I should knowingly do anything tending to strengthen him in that capacity, it would be great iniquity. There are many thousands of people, who, by their profession, acknowledge him to be the representative of Jesus Christ on earth; and to say, that none of them are upright in heart, would be contrary to my sentiments.

Men who sincerely apply their minds to true virtue, and find an inward support from above, by which all vicious inclinations are made subject; who love God sincerely, and prefer the real good of mankind universally to their own private interest; though these, through the strength of education and tradition, may remain under some great speculative errors, it would be uncharitable to say, that therefore God rejects them. The knowledge and goodness of Him, who creates, supports, and gives understanding to all men, are superior to the various states and circumstances of his creatures, which to us appear the most difficult.

The apostles and primitive Christians did not censure all the Gentiles as wicked men (Rom. ii. 14; Col. iii. 11); but as they were favoured with a gift to discern things more clearly, respecting the worship of the true God, with much firmness they declared against the worshipping of idols; and, with true patience, endured many sufferings on that account. Great numbers of faithful protestants have contended for the truth, in opposition to papal errors; and, with true fortitude, have laid down their lives in the conflict, without saying, that no man was saved who made profession of that religion.

While we have no right to keep men as servants for term of life, but that of superior power; to do this, with a design to profit ourselves and our families by their labour, is, I believe, wrong; but I do not believe, that all who have kept slaves, have therefore been chargeable with guilt. If their motives were free from selfishness, and their slaves content, they were a sort of freemen; which, I believe, hath sometimes been the case.

Whatever a man does in the spirit of charity, to him it is not sin; and while he lives and acts in this spirit, he learns all things essential to his happiness as an individual : and if he doth not see that any injury or injustice to any other person, is necessarily promoted by any part of his form of government, I believe the merciful Judge will not lay iniquity to his charge. Yet others, who live in the same spirit of charity, from a clear convincement, may see the relation of one thing to another, and the necessary tendency of each; and hence it may be absolutely binding on them to desist from some parts of conduct, which some good men have pursued.

CONSIDERATIONS, &c.

"Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's !”—DEUT. i. 17.

As some in most religious societies among the English, are concerned in importing or purchasing the inhabitants of Africa as slaves, and as the professors of Christianity of several other nations do the like; these circumstances tend to make people less apt to examine the practice so closely as they would if such a thing had not hitherto been, but was now for the first time proposed. It is, however, our individual duty, as creatures accountable to our Creator, to employ rightly the understanding which He hath given us, in humbly endeavouring to be acquainted with his will concerning us, and with the nature and tendency of those things which we practise: for so long as justice remains in the world, so many people of reputation being engaged with wrong things, is no excuse for others joining with them, nor does it make the consequence of their proceedings less dreadful in the final issue, than it would otherwise be.

When unrighteousness is justified from one age to another, it is like dark matter gathering into clouds over us. We may know that this gloom will remain till the cause be removed by a reformation, or change of times; and we may feel a desire, from a love of equity, to speak

L