Christian Love, which hath been for so many years in agitation.

Thanks be to God! that the Legislature of this Empire hath at length emulated the humanity of the Emperor Alexander Severus, when he inscribed on his palaces and public edifices at Rome, "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." This summary of what the Law hath commanded and the Prophets have taught, we have written with a pen plucked from the wing of the Cherubims shadowing the mercy-seat of God. This writing will be read with tears of gratitude and joy throughout the Continent of Africa; it will be read with a pious purpose of, sooner or later, following our example, by all the Nations in Christendom; and whenever it is read with attention, it will soften the obduracy of our nature into kindness and compassion, it will contribute to humanize the most savage, to spiritualize the most selfish, and ultimately to christianize the whole Earth.

We are confessedly the most enlightened Nation

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Nation on the surface of the Globe, eminent above all others in abstract science, and in all the industrious and peaceful arts of life; and by this disinterested exertion of Christian principle in abandoning a lucrative but inhuman Trade, we testify to Pagans, to Mahometans, to Jews, and to Christians, that we are also the most religious and humane. We prove to all who will observe our conduct, that our Religion consists not in wrangling about doubtful articles of faith or indifferent ceremonies, that it wastes not itself in words, but shews itself in deeds; that our humanity is not derived merely from sympathetic affections, that it is not founded in the terrors of superstition, that it springs not from the fanatical illusions of enthusiasm, but from a sober, intelligent, deliberate sense of religious duty. Duties, you well know, are distinguished by Moralists into duties of perfect and of imperfect obligation, but Christianity scarcely allows the distinction; and even heathen moralists did not approve it, when they tell us, that to be innocent according

according to law, was but a narrow principle of virtue, that piety and humanity require from us many things which the public Law does not require.

The constable cannot seize a man, the magistrate cannot commit him, the judge will not try him at the bar, for the neglect of actions, which at another bar the most merciful of all Judges will condemn him for not having performed, when he shall say to those on his left hand-"Inasmuch 66 as ye have not done it to one of the least "of these my brethren"-an oppressed, distressed, friendless, hopeless Negro will not be excluded from this brotherhood-" ye "have not done it unto me."

In an hour of warfare and danger we have greatly dared to perform a Christian duty; and if there is a God governing the nations upon earth, as doubtless there is, though we may not be able on every occasion certainly to say, this is his work-this humane Act of the British Legislature will never be blotted from the Registry of Heaven: We may perhaps experience

great

great calamity, for what nation doth not deserve punishment! but we may entertain a just confidence, that in the day of our distress, God will call to remembrance this national act of Christian philanthropy, and that the remembrance of it will arrest in it's descent the rod of our chastisement, or mitigate the severity of it's infliction.

SERMON II.

Preached before The KING, at the Chapel Royal, 11th April 1802.

JOHN iii. 16.

GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON, TO THE END THAT ALL THAT BELIEVE JN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.

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T has been urged, both in ancient and modern times, as a serious objection to the truth of the Christian Religion, that on it's first promulgation it was embraced by none but obscure and illiterate persons. This objection, if it were admitted, is of no weight; for, whether a blind nian was restored to sight, a dumb man to speech, a dead man to life, in general, whether works surpassing human art and strength