18. "He contradicts himself concerning Enoch and Elijah, See his notes, the former edition," p. 28. Wisely directed! For Mr. H. knew the mistake was corrected in "the next edition.

197

19. "He is ever raising malicious accusations against the lives and doctrines of all Calvinists, whether Churchmen or Dissenters, throughout all the kingdom," p. 29. "..

Thousands of Calvinists know the contrary, both Churchmen and Dissenters.

20." He exerts all his art, to irritaterthe civil powers against all the people of God," p. 30. "He says, The Dissenters revile, and lightly esteem, the sacred person of the king." I answer, 1. Are the Dissenters, are the Calvinists, all the people of God? 2. If you think they are, do all these defend the American rebels? Who affirms it? I hope, not a quarter, not a tenth part of them. 3) Do I say, All the Dissenters revile the king? I neither nor think so. Those that do, are guilty of what you impute to me. They irritate the civil powers" against themselves.

say so,

21. He says, he will no more continue in fellowship with Calvinists, than with thieves, drunkards, or common swearers." No.: I say, "I will have no fellowship.with

those who rail at their governors, (be they Calvinists ar Arminians,) who speak all manner of evil of them in "private, if not in public too.” "Such is the character he gives of the Calvinistic Methodists, p. 31. I do not; no more than of the Arminians. But I know there have been such among them: if they are wiser now, I am glad. In the mean time, let him wear the cap whom it fits, be it Mr. Wilkes, or Mr. H. himself.) or Tomol. -22. "This apostate miscreant" (civil and his ministers, to fall upon," whom? at their governors, who speak all manner of evil of them in private, if not in public too." I am glad they cry: outs though before they are hurt, and I hope they will cease to speak evil of dignities, before those who bear not the sword in vain fall upon them, not for their opinion, but their evil practices.

"invites the king Those who "rail

23." He says, Calvinists and all Dissenters are rebels,"

p. 32. I never said or thought so. "But a few years ago, he himself thought the Americans were in the right. I did; for then I thought that they sought nothing but legal Liberty: but as as soon as I was convinced they sought Independency, I knew they were in the wrong. Mr. Evans's low and scurrilous tracts have been confuted over and over.

24. He trumpets himself forth, as the greatest man that has ever lived since Constantine the Great," p. 37. This too is in Italics; it might have been in Capitals; but grou it is an utter falsehood. Mr. Hill might as well have said, "He trumpets himself forth as the king of Great Britain.” The pássage to which I suppose he alludes, and the only one he can allude to, is this, "When has true religion, "since the time of Constantine the Great, made so large

a progress within so small a space,” Vol. VIII. p. 401. Is this trumpeting myself forth as the greatest man that has ever lived since then?"

25. "All his disciples are commanded, Not to read what is written against him," p. 38. No: it is the Tabernacledisciples are commanded, Not to read Mr, Fletcher. And reason good; for there is no resisting the force of his arguments. Thousands, if they read them with any candour, would see, That GOD willeth all men to be saved.

26. Mr. H. concludes, "I should have been glad to have addressed him in the softest and most tender style; but those are weapons he turns to ridicule,” p. 39. When? Shew me a single instance. Indeed, I never was tried. What Calvinist ever addressed me in a soft and tender style? And which of them did I turn to ridicule? I am utterly guiltless in this matter.

JJOL

II. 1. I have now done with the merits of the cause, having refuted the charge in every article. And as to the Manner, let Tet any man of candour judge, whether I have not spoken the truth in love. I proceed now to take some notice of the Manner wherein Mr. H. speaks: to illustrate which, I need only present a few of his flowers to the impartial reader.

2. "All the divinity we find in this wretched harangue, which he calls a sermon, are a few bungling scraps of the

religion of nature, namely, Love to God, and Love to man, which an heathen might have preached as well as Mr. John," (polite!)" and probably in a much better manner. Erase half a dozen lines, and I defy any one to discover, whether the lying apostle of the Foundry, be a Jew, a Papist, a Pagan, or a Turk," p. 4.

"Else I should have treated his trumpery with the silence and contempt it deserves. But to see Mr. Whitefield scratched out of his grave, by the claws of this designing wolf," (there is a metaphor for you!) "is enough to make the very stones cry out, or (which would be a greater miracle still,) redden even a Wesley's forehead with a blush," p. 5. I think it would be a greater miracle still, to make a wolf blush.

"The dictatorial Mr. JOHN lyingly maintains argument enough, for the gaping dupes whom he leads by the nose,” p. 6.

"He and his lay-lubbers go forth to poison the minds of men," p. 11. Are not, then, the lay-lubbers and the gaping dupes just fit for each other?

But who are these lay-lubbers? They are Wesley's ragged legion of preaching tinkers, scavengers, draymen, and chimney-sweepers,” p. 21.

3,"No man would do this, unless he were as unprincipled as a ROOK, and as silly as a JACKDAW.”

"His own people say, He is a very poor preacher, and that most of his laymen, raw and ignorant as they are, preach much more to the purpose. Indeed, the old gentleman has lost his teeth; but should he not, then, cease mumbling with his gums?" p. 25.

"Why do they not keep the shatter-brained old gentleman locked up in a garret?" p. 36.

4. "I doubt not but, for profit-sake, he would profess himself a staunch Calvinist," p. 16.

"The Rev. Mr. John, Mr. Whitefield's quondam understrapper," ib. How sadly, then, did he mistake, when he so often subscribed himself, "Your dutiful, your obliged and affectionate Son!"

"Mark the venom that now distils from his graceless

pen," p. 17. "The venomous quill of this grey-headed enemy to all righteousness," p. 19.

5. “The wretch thought himself safe, but the crafty slanderer is taken in his own net," p. 20.

"This truly Socinian, truly heathen, truly infernal passage, is found in that heretic's sermon," p. 23.

"The most rancorous pretences that ever actuated the prostituted pen of a venal profligate," p. 30.

If

"With him Devils and Dissenters are terms synonymous. So, what a Devil must he be !" ib.

"The sole merit of the disappointed Orlando Furioso, (how pretty and quaint that is)" is seeking to enkindle a flame of ecclesiastical and civil discord." No: to put it out; which, I bless God, is done already to a great degree. "And his sole perfection consists in perfect hatred of all goodness, and all good men," p. 31.

6. Now let all the world judge between Mr. H. and me. I do not say, all the religious world; but all that have the smallest portion of common sense and common humanity. Setting every thing else aside, suppose him to be my superior in rank, fortune, learning, and understanding: is this treatment for a young man to give to an old one, who, at least, is no fool, and who, before Mr. H. was born, was in a more honourable employ than he is ever likely to be? What can inspire this young hero with such a spirit, and fill his mouth with such language? Is it any credit to his person, or to his cause? What can men think, either of one or the other? If he does not reverence me, or common decency, should he not reverence himself? Why should" he place himself on a level with "the ragged legion of tinkers, scavengers, draymen, chimney-sweepers?" Nay, there are many of these, who would be ashamed to let such language come out of their mouth. If he writes any more, let him resume the scholar, the gentleman, and the Christian. Let him remember Him, who left us an example, that we might tread in his steps: in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, peradventure God may bring them to the knowledge of the truth.

LONDON, June 28, 1777.

Thoughts on Slavery.

.ril

I. BY Slavery, I mean Domestic Slavery, or that of a servant to a master. A late ingenious writer well observes, "The variety of forms in which slavery appears, makes it almost impossible to convey a just notion of it, by way of definition. There are, however, certain properties, which have accompanied slavery in most places, whereby it is easily distinguished from that mild domestic service, which obtains in our country."

""

2. Slavery imports an obligation of perpetual service, an obligation which only the consent of the master can dissolve. Neither, in some countries, can the master himself dissolve it, without the consent of judges appointed by the law. It generally gives the master an arbitrary power, of any correction not affecting life or limb. Sometimes, even these are exposed to his will; or protected only by a fine, or some slight punishment, too inconsiderable to restrain a master of a harsh temper. It creates an incapacity of acquiring any thing, except for the master's benefit. It allows the master to alienate the slave, in the same manner as his cows and horses. Lastly, it descends, in its full extent, from parent to child, even to the last generation.

3. The beginning of this may be dated from the remotest period, of which we have an account in history. It commenced in the barbarous state of society, and, in process of time, spread into all nations. It prevailed particularly among the Jews, the Greeks, the Romans, and the ancient Germans and was transmitted by them to the various kingdoms and states, which arose out of the Roman empire.

* See Mr. Hargrave's Plea for Somerset the Negro.