Wesley Corpus

By _JOHN WESLEY_, A. M. [Illustration] Printed by G. PARAMORE, North Green, Worship-Street; and sold by _G. Whitfield_, at the Chapel, City-Road; and at the Methodist Preaching-Houses, in Town and Country. 1792. [Price TWO-PENCE.] I. 1. 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.”[1] [1] See Mr. _Hargrave’s_ Plea for _Somerset_ the Negro. 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. But after christianity prevailed, it gradually fell into decline in almost all parts of _Europe_. This great change began in _Spain_, about the end of the eighth century: and was become general in most other kingdoms of _Europe_, before the middle of the fourteenth.