“How then can we, who have been concerned to publish the Gospel of universal love and peace among mankind, be so inconsistent with ourselves, as to purchase such as are prisoners of war, and thereby encourage this antichristian practice; and more especially as many of these poor creatures are stolen away, parents from children, and children from parents; and others, who were in good circumstances in their native country, inhumanly torn from what they esteemed a happy situation, and compelled to toil in a state of slavery, too often extremely cruel!  What dreadful scenes of murder and cruelty those barbarous ravages must occasion in these unhappy people’s country are too obvious to mention.  Let us make their case our own, and consider what we should think, and how we should feel, were we in their circumstances.  Remember our Blessed Redeemer’s positive command—­to do unto others as we would have them do unto us;—­and that with what measure we mete, it shall be measured to us again.  And we intreat you to examine, whether the purchasing of a Negro, either born here or imported, doth not contribute to a further importation, and, consequently, to the upholding of all the evils above mentioned, and to the promoting of man-stealing, the only theft which by the Mosaic law was punished with death;—­’He that stealeth a man, and selleth him; or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.’

“The characteristic and badge of a true Christian is love and good works.  Our Saviour’s whole life on earth was one continual exercise of them.  ’Love one another,’ says he, ‘as I have loved you.’  But how can we be said to love our brethren, who bring, or, for selfish ends, keep them, in bondage?  Do we act consistently with this noble principle, who lay such heavy burthens on our fellow-creatures?  Do we consider that they are called, and do we sincerely desire that they may become heirs with us in glory, and that they may rejoice in the liberty of the sons of God, whilst we are withholding from them the common liberties of mankind?  Or can the Spirit of God, by which we have always professed to be led, be the author of those oppressive and unrighteous measures?  Or do we not thereby manifest, that temporal interest hath more influence on our conduct herein, than the dictates of that merciful, holy, and unerring Guide?

“And we likewise earnestly recommend to all, who have slaves, to be careful to come up in the performance of their duty towards them, and to be particularly watchful over their own hearts, it being by sorrowful experience remarkable, that custom, and a familiarity with evil of any kind, have a tendency to bias the judgement and to deprave the mind.  And it is obvious that the future welfare of these poor slaves, who are now in bondage, is generally too much disregarded by those who keep them.  If their daily task of labour be but fulfilled, little else perhaps is thought of.  Nay, even that which in others would be looked