Wesley Corpus

Not that the blessing is now quite taken away, though the pains of child-bearing are added to it: And daily experience proves, this curse is not taken away by the blessing repeated to Noah.” (Page 29.) “4. Let us consider, in the next place, how the generality of mankind are preserved in life. Some few have their food without care or toil: But the millions of human creatures, in all the nations of the earth, are constrained to support a wretched life by hard labour. What dreadful risks of life or limbs do multitudes run, to purchase their necessary food | What waste of the hours of sweet repose, what long and slavish and painful toils by day, do multitudes sustain, in order to procure their daily nourishment! It is ‘by the sweat of their brows they obtain ‘their bread: It is by a continual exhausting their spirits, that many of them are forced to relieve their own hunger, and to feed their helpless offspring.” (Page 30.) “If we survey the lower ranks of mankind even in England, in a land of freedom and plenty, a climate temperate and fer tile, which abounds with corn and fruits, and rich variety of food; yet what a hard shift do ten thousand families make to support lifel Their whole time is devoured by bodily labour, and their souls almost eaten up with gnawing eares, to answer that question, What shall I eat, and what shall I drink? even in the poorest and coarsest manner? But if we * “The Author has been censured here for not dropping a tear over the fair sex, under their sorrows and acute pains. But he imagines he has been drop ping tears in every page, and that over every part of mankind.” Undoubtedly he has; and if so, how unjust, how cruel, is that censurel send our thoughts to the sultry regions of Afric, the frost and snows of Norway, the rocks and deserts of Lapland and northern Tartary,--what a frightful thing is human life l How is the rational nature lost in slavery, and brutality, and incessant toils, and hardships | They are treated like brutes by their lords, and they live like dogs and asses, among labours and wants, hunger and weariness, blows and burdens without end.