therein granted to the Iraelites to purchase and retain slaves among them, have induced me to collect, from the history of the Jews in several books of Holy Scripture, some plain examples of God's vengeance upon that particular nation, expressly for this kind of oppression; which, I hope, will sufficiently prove that slavery was ever detestable in the sight of God, and consequently that a speedy reformation is absolutely necessary, as well with respect to the African slave trade, encouraged in this kingdom, as the toleration of slavery in the British American dominions, if we mean to entertain the least hope of escaping a severe national retribution, which, if we may judge by our present civil dissentions and horrid, mutual slaughters of national brethren, seem ready to burst upon us!
I am well aware, indeed, how very unfashionable it is, now-a-days, to quote Scripture, when matters of law, politics, or trade are called in question; yet I flatter myself that the following examples, drawn from thence, are perfectly suitable to my present point, and consequently must have weight to convince all persons, who sincerely acknowledge the truth of the Scriptures, that we have the greatest reason to apprehend the infliction of some heavy judgment from Almighty God upon these kingdoms, on account of the monstrous load of guilt which the British subjects, on each side of the Atlantic have incurred by the oppressions above mentioned.
In some former tracts I have already shown that the servitude which the Jews, by the Mosaic Law, were permitted to exact of their brethren, even when the latter were sold to them, was very much limited; that they were not to be treated as bond servants, (Levit. xxv. 39, 40.) but as hired servants; that the servitude could not lawfully be extended beyond seven years (Exod. xxi. 2.) unless the servant loved, his master and condition, and voluntarily demanded (Exod. xxi. 5, 6,) of him to be continued in his service; and that, in every other case, it was absolutely unlawful to hold a brother Hebrew in slavery.
I have likewise shown, that, under the glorious dispensation of the gospel, we are absolutely bound to consider
