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COme hither, Sambo! you look as grave∣ly to day as a Dog Out-law'd, or a Iustice of Peace set in the Stocks; I doubt you have been doing some Rogury; I call'd you to
make us some Sport, let us see one of your Dances, such as are used in your own Country, with all your odd Po∣stures and Tricks, for Diversion; I have heard you are the best at it of all my People.
Boon Master! If you will have me Dance upon mine Head, or Caper on the top of the House, I must do it, though I break my Neck; for you are become Lord both of my Feet, and every part of me, but I fear I shall not be able at present to answer your Expectation handsomly, I am so much out of humour, and unfit for Feats of Activity.
Why? What's the matter Sirrah! I'll warrant, you have been frollicking so long amongst your Companions, that now you'l pre∣tend your are Weary.
Truly, Sir! this being the only Day in the Week you spare us from hard labour, and allow us for Recreation, we do a Sundayes amongst our selves, endeavour to forget our
Slavery, and skip about, as if our Heels were our own, so long some∣times, till our Limbs are almost as weary with that, as with working; But that is not my present case, for I have been walking all alone several hours upon the Shoar, viewing that prodigious heap of Waters, that with roaring Waves continually beat upon this little Island, and sometimes cast∣ing up my Eyes to that glorious Eye of Heaven, which (they say) at one view beholds half the World, I could not satisfie my self which was the greatest Wonder; so that the Contemplation of them both together, has fill'd my Brains with abundance of strange Conceits, and made me very Dull and Melancholly.
And what, I pray, might be the Result of our wise Worships spe∣culations?
I had a thousand different Notions offered themselves to my Mind, and amongst the rest, I was thinking, what if the Sun should
forget to Rise to morrow Morning, whether your Man, (our Over-seer) would make him get up, as he does us, by blowing his Horn? Or else how we should do to work in the Dark? Or if the Sea should swell a little higher, and wash the tops of your Sugar-Canes, I might not then law∣fully swim Home to my own Coun∣try, without being beaten to a Jelly for a Run-away?
Out you Rogue! Are these your Contemplations? nothing but studying Mischief to your Master? Your Bones shall presently pay for the busie Idleness of your Brains, and the Sauciness of your Tongue.
O boon Master! I beseech you be not angry, I meant no harm in the World: This is a Day on which you do not Work, & therefore I hope you will not Fight, which I con∣ceive is ten times worse; for I had rather work all the Sunday, then be beaten once: If you will be pleased to lay by your huge Cudgel, and
vouchsafe to answer me a few harm∣less Questions, I doubt not but I shall divert you as much to your satis∣faction, as if I had danc'd two Hours.
Though you are an Impu∣dent, yet since you seem to be an in∣genious Raskal, I am content (for once) to hear your Prate: What is your wise Question?
I desire first you would lay that frightful Cudgel a little further off, and then begging Pardon for the Pre∣sumption, since this is the Day you observe to serve God in, I would crave leave to be a little instructed touching that Service, and wherein it consists.
Why? It consists in being Christians, as we are— But what should I talk to such a dark ignorant Heathen, scarce capable of common Sense, much less able to understand things of such an high and mysterious Nature.
I confess we are poor silly dark ignorant Creatures, and for ought
I find, so are many of the Baccha∣raro's too, as well as we; but that you may not grudge your Time or Pains, I will assure you, that I will attend very seri∣ously to what you say, and possibly may prove somewhat more docible than some of our Com∣plexion; For I was the Son of a Phi∣tisheer, that is, a kind of Priest in our Country and Way; he was also a Sophy, and had studied the Nature of things, and was well skill'd in Physick and natural Magick, I have heard him often discourse of a great and mighty Beeing, (greater far, and brighter too than either Moon or Sun) which framed both Land and Sea, and all the glittering Glories of the Skie; and he was wont to say, Men were the Children of the great King, who if they were good, would take them up (but I think it was after they were dead here) into spangled Regions, where they should do no Work, nor endure any
Pain, nor Fight one with another, but remain in Ioy and Peace, and Happiness: 'Tis so long ago, that I was taken from him and sold hither, that I have forgot much of his Talk, and yet I re∣member some of his Skill, whereby I have Cured several of my Country∣men since I came hither, of Diseases, that your Doctors could not help, either so surely or so suddainly.
I have heard something of your suecess that way, and since thou art the Son of an Heathen-Philosopher, and pretendest to more Wit than the rest of thy Fellow-Brutes, what is it thou wouldst be at?
Sir! I desire to be informed, what a Christian is, or ought to be.
Though I think it will be to as little purpose, as to go about to wash thy Skin white, to inform such dark stupid Heathens as you are; ne∣vertheless I shall endeavour to grati∣fie your Curiosity.
1st; He that is a Christian, ought to believe that God made the World, and all things therein.
O then, Master! I am a Chri∣stian, for I believe that as well as you.
Hold your Tongue, there go many other things to make a Christian besides that; for he must also know and believe, that Man be∣ing thus made, did by transgressing the Law of his Maker, fall from that good and perfect State, wherein he was made, into a sinful estate, and thereby was liable to the Wrath of God, and so to be Damn'd forever, or suffer everlasting Punishment. But God out of the unspeakable Riches of his Grace and Goodness to his Crea∣tures, thus become miserable, deter∣mined in his own secret Counsel, and in fulness of time did actually send down his most beloved and eternal Son, Iesus Christ, to take upon him mans Nature, who after a most un∣spotted exemplary Life, and labori∣ous Preaching the good Tidings of Re∣mission of Sins to all that should be∣lieve in him, and enduring many
Persecutions and Affronts here on Earth, was at last put to Death with∣out the Gates of Ierusalem, by the cruel Hands of the Iews, and being buried, rose again to Life the third day, and ascended into Heaven; by which Death of his, he satisfied the Wrath of God for the Sins of the whole World, as the Scripture witnesseth.
If Jesus Christ dyed for the Sins of the whole World, or satisfied God's wrath for the Sins of All Man∣kind, then we that you call Heathens may justly challenge equal priviledge with your selves.
O no, you do not believe in his Name, nor observe his Com∣mands and Precepts.
As how I pray?
You are not Baptized in the Name of the Holy Trinity, nor do believe the Merits of Christ's satisfa∣ction, or that he hath taken away your Sins.
This is a brave Religion, that by the Death and Suffering of one, all
men that in after Generations believe this, shall have their Sins pardon'd, and be blest with eternal Happiness.
Still, Sambo! you are too quick, there is more required then a bare Faith, or verbal Belief that such a thing was done, Christ is our Pro∣phet to teach us, and our King to rule us, as well as our Saviour to redeem us; They must yield Obedience, and do a Christian's Duty, that shall have an Interest or Benefit by his Death.
I pay then tell me the duty of a Christian.
The Gospel of Christ, or the Doctrine which he taught, and we profess, instructs and requires us; 1st, To fear the Lord that created all things. 2dly; To be Merciful, and do unto all men, as we would be done unto. 3dly; To be Sober and Temperate in Meats, Drinks and Ex∣ercises, mortifying the Lusts of the Flesh, and avoiding all kind of Super∣fluity, that so we may not waste or abuse the good Creatures of God.
4thly; To avoid evil Communication, because it corrupts good Manners, and vain Words, but especially wick∣ed Ones. 5thly; To observe the Rules of Purity, and abstain from all appear∣ance of Evil, both in Words and Works. 6thly; To free our selves from Envy, Strife, Malice, Back-biting and Slander; not to accuse men behind their Backs of what they will not speak to their Faces, or cannot prove. 7thly; Not to judge of things we un∣derstand not, lest we be judged; nor con∣demn those things of which we have no certain Knowledge or Experience. 8thly; To be sensible that the Lord by his all-seeing-Eye and divine Prin∣ciple, beholds all our Wayes, and that to him there is nothing hidden. 9thly; To believe and know for a certain truth, that the Lord will Re∣taliate and Reward every one accord∣ing to his Works. 10. To live ac∣cording to the Gospel and divine Principle, by denying all Vngodliness and worldly Lusts, and Vncleanness, as
Whoredom, Adultery, filthy Speaking; yea, even all unchaste Desires, for so our Lord teacheth us, That he that looketh on a Woman, and lusteth after her, commits Adultery. 11. To regu∣late our Passions and Affections, and to abandon all Wrath, Anger, Malice, Envy, vain or immoderate hopes, as also dispair, and all perturbations of Mind; to shun and avoid Covetous∣ness, (that Root of Evil)Pride, Ambition, and all Vncharitableness; And on the contrary, to walk Humbly, and Meekly towards God, and towards man, and to practise Patience, mutual Forbearance, Moderation, Kindness, and Commiseration in all our wayes. 12. That we be not too confident, nor conceited of our selves, or our own knowledge, but to have regard to the Lord in all our Thoughts, Imaginations and Conclusions, and in every thing to have an Eye to his Pro∣vidence. 13. To return God the Praise and Glory of all the good things we enjoy, as Health, Strength,
Food, Rayment, Knowledge, Vnder∣standing, and the like, acknowledg∣ing them all to be the free Gifts of his Bounty; and when we are in any want, trouble, distress or danger to relie upon the same God for help, suc∣cour and relief, and with earnest, hearty and faithful Prayers, to im∣plore the same of him only. 14. To be merciful to all the inferior Creatures, and to use them gently, and with Moderation, avoiding all kind of Op∣pressions, Violence, hard Heartedness or Cruelty, either to Men or Beasts.
These, Sambo, are some of the Principles or Rules of the Chri∣stian Religion, the Doctrine which it teacheth, and the Practices it re∣quires.
Master Christian! I give you a thousand hearty Thanks for this account of your Religion & Philosophy, which no doubt is the best and no∣blest of all others: Therefore if these be your Christian Principles, I am al∣ready a Disciple; but I beseech you
be in good earnest, and tell me the truth.
I do assure thee, they are the Principles of our Lord, Christ, the Son of the living God, that he preach∣ed to the World when he was on the Earth, and which his Apostles recom∣mended, and left them on Record in the Bible; and which he still conti∣nues to Preach by his Spirit in the Hearts of all that are his.
Since these things are so, I cannot but at once be surprized, and as it were amazed, with two diffe∣rent Objects of Wonder.
What are they, prethee?
First, I admire the Ex∣cellency of your Doctrine, and the wonderful Mystery contained there∣in; it undoubtedly surpasseth all other Religions in the World, as much as the Sun's Light doth that of a Glow-Worm: It seems to me to be an open Gate into Paradise, and a Leaf of the Tree of Life; so agreeable to the Nature and Glory of the great God,
so suitable to the condition of weak Man; no wise Person can make any scruple of the things you have deli∣vered, they command assent; for they proced from a true Root.
But then I cannot but also much wonder and admire that you Chri∣stians live and walk so wide from, and contrary unto all those undeni∣able Truths, and holy Rules, so that what you preach with your Tongues, you pull down with your Hands, and your daily Conversation gives the Lye to your Profession.
You now grow Sawcy thus to upbraid us; we have indeed our Failings, but I hope we do not walk so Retrograde as you talk of: What Instances can you produce to main∣tain so general a Charge?
I intended not to upbraid you, but to satisfie my self, for per∣haps you may have some Reason that I do not know of, why you act con∣trary to what you teach; nor do I say that all, and every Christian does so,
there may be Hundreds and Thou∣sands that I am not acquainted with, and there are some that I know, of whom I cannot say, but that in a very great measure they live accor∣ding to that righteous Doctrine; but for the generality or major part, I must say, That in all, and every of the aforesaid Points by you mention∣ed, the whole Tenour of their Ways, and the continual Practice of their Lives, is directly contrary to the same: And since you command me to instance Particulars, I shall endea∣vour it in some of the chief.
1. You say, that Christian Reli∣gion teacheth to Fear the Lord, that created Heaven and Earth: The truth of this we make no doubt of; but how can we believe, that very many who go under the Name of Christians do obey this Voice of Wisdom, since they so lightly and vainly use the Name of God in their Triffling, and wicked Talk, and boldly Swear by it (and that for the most part falsly too)
in their ordinary Conversation, con∣trary to his express Commands; nay, not a few, will commonly challenge the great God to Damn or Confound them, with divers other Blasphemies; And do you call this Fearing the Lord?
2. To be Merciful, and do as you would be done by, you in the next place assign, as a grand and important point of Christianity; but where shall we find it? We cannot perceive any thing of Mercy to dwell in your Hearts; for you commit Oppression with Violence; and that which you call Trade or Traffick (as 'tis manag'd amongst you) is little better than an Art of Circumventing one another; and you practise all sorts of Cruelty, not only on the inferior Creatures, but also on those of your own Kind, else what makes us your Slaves, and to be thus Lorded and Tyrannized over by you? In a word, not only We, but the whole Creation groans under your heavy Burthens; & yet you tell us of your Mercy and good Nature,
and boast of your Christian Charity.
3. You acknowledge, this divine Religion requires of you to be Sober in Meats and Drinks, &c. and not to indulge Nature with things Super∣perfluous: But does it not appear by your Conversation, that you never regard its Counsel, since your Wayes are directly opposite? Do not we see it a common Practice amongst the Christians, to drink to Drunkenness, and eat to Superfluity and Gluttony? & even of those that seem most reser∣ved, scarce any, that have wherewith∣al, but will indulge themselves great variety of rich compounded Foods, and Cordial-Drinks, that contain too great Nourishment, beyond not only the Necessities, but even the Power of Nature, and the digestive Faculty of the Stomach, which produces many evil Effects; for besides the waste of the good Creatures, and a most Vn∣grateful abuse of the Creator's Mercies, it heats the Blood, makes it thick, hot and sharp, and causeth all the Mem∣bers
to glow with an unnatural Heat, makes both the Body and Mind un∣easie, and disables each of them from performing its Offices as it ought, and also sets open the Gates of Venus to many lewd Practices: And thus in defiance to the Laws of your Reli∣gion, and to his own Personal hurt, one great over-grown Christian shall spend as much in one Day, to gratifie his Lusts or Vanity, as an Hundred or Two of his poor Slaves can get by their sore Labour and Sweat. And as for Exercises, there is rarely here in this Island any of the Christians that will labour, except pure Necessity con∣strain them to it, but you lay heavy Burthens on us, and as your most illu∣minated Prophet, saith, will not touch them your selves with one Finger. So that you make it a Genteel Quality, and honourable, to break and violate that great Command of the Creator in the beginning, which I have heard is recorded by a most famous Prophet of the Iews, and whom you also re∣ceive,
viz. That Man should get his Bread by the Sweat of his Brows; which yet amongst the more Noble Chri∣stians, as you call your selves, is counted a poor, low, Base and shameful thing.
What Heathen People (as you call them) are there in the whole World, that more pamper their Carkasses, and indulge themselves like you, with things that are not needful, nor con∣venient? Do you not invent an hun∣dred Superfluities and needless Toys, to gratifie your own, and your Childrens Pallates and Sensuality? the Wind, forsooth! must not blow upon them; and as if the Earth were not good enough to bear them, nor their Legs made to carry them, you provide Horses and Coaches for them, or we poor Slaves, must lugg them about, who are as well able to go as we. For your Garments, Houses, Furni∣ture, &c. who can exceed your Pride, and Vanity? One of your Women shall wear at once as much in value
as would clothe an hundred poor Peo∣ple in modest Rayment, each far bet∣ter than hers, to defend them from the Injuries of the Elements, which is the chief end of Cloathing: Add to this, your great Palaces, and sumptu∣ous chargeable Buildings, and all kind of rich superfluous Ornaments, and Knick-Knacks in your Houses, wherein you study to out-try and ex∣ceed each other, meerly for State, Pride and vain Glory, and to be ho∣noured of men; which extravagancy is attended with another sore Evil, for that it cannot be maintained but chiefly by great Oppression of Men and Beasts; for those that spend Talents daily, must lay about them for a con∣tinual Supply, so that rather then they will be without those charge∣able Vanities, they care not how cruelly they use their Servants, and inferior Creatures; They will scourge their Slaves for a Penny, and kill their Beasts with over-labour, and at the same time spend Pounds in base
depraved Wantonness, and feasting of the Rich, &c.
4. You mention the avoidance of Evil Communications, as another duty of your Religion, which we Heathens do acknowledge, and therefore we have a Proverb amongst us, when any use lewd Discourse, to bid them, Wash their Mouthes with Water; but we have observed, that amongst the Christians there is nothing more fre∣quent than Evil Communications, whensoever any Number meet to∣gether, are not your Discourses vain, idle and frothy, and oft-times such as no modest Ear can hear without ting∣ling forth Horror and Indignation? Most of it tending to Debauchery, or injuring the good Name of Persons absent, Iesting, Lying, Vapouring, or speaking of Things and People they understand not, nor have any thing to do withal; Nay, a man cannot pass the Way or Street, but his Ears shall be grated with horrid Swearing, and ungodly Speeches, so that 'tis evident
you walk in the greatest opposition imaginable to his command.
5. You say, You are required to ob∣serve Purity, and the natural Rules of Cleanness, and to avoid all appearance of Evil: Which indeed is no inconsi∣derable point in Nature and Religion, but as far as we have been able to ob∣serve, you practise the quite contrary; for not only your Words are very un∣clean for the generality, but also in your Foods and Drinks you make no distinction, but rich provoking Food in excess, and all strong intoxicating Drinks, you desire with greedness, which over-heats the whole Body, and irritates the fierce wrathful bea∣stial Nature, whence all wanton, vain and unclean Thoughts and Imagina∣tions are generated: Also, you make as little distinction between clean and unclean Beasts as we, nay, not so much as some of our Country-men; and you eat Blood, though I have been told there is not any one thing more frequently, expresly and plainly for∣bidden
in all your Bible than that; besides, you make no distinction of the Times and Seasons of the Year, when Beasts are subjects to Surfeits, and other Uncleannesses; neither are your Preparations and cooking of your Food so clean, proper and natu∣ral, as they ought to be; and instead of abstaining from all appearances of Evil, we see you court and improve them on all occasions; For do not you appoint set Meetings, and make great Feasts? to which you invite the Rich, that will invite you again, where you drink to Drunkenness, and eat to Gluttony, roaring all the while like mad Bulls, and mixing your Food with horrid Oaths, and vain Dis∣courses, the fear of the great Creator being banisht from your Hearts, nor any pity shewn to us your poor Vas∣sals, that endure the Heat of the day, and are ready to fall and faint under those heavy Burthens laid upon us, and would rejoyce to partake of the Crumbs that fall from your Tables,
which you will not afford, & yet spend our Sweat, and the Labours of our Hands, in all kinds of Wantonness and Superfluity, by which many of you contract such grievous Diseases, both to Body and Mind, that they become themselves more miserable then us their poor Slaves.
6. You say that the next great point of Christian Doctrine, is to free your selves from Envy, Strife, Malice, Back-biting and Slander; which is also contradicted by your general practice; for what is more frequent amongst you than Envy and Revenge? And though in your Prayers you formally use those Words, Lord forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us, yet at the same time Envy lies lurking in your Hearts, and the very next moment shall erect it self; for do not many of you keep your Neighbours and Brethren in loathsom Prisons for some very little offence, or in truth for none at all, but only to shew your Power, and gratifie
your devilish Fury: And as for the Gentleman called Strife, he rides the Fore-horse, and is Quarter-master-General amongst you; what Fight∣ing, Swearing, Damning, Railing, &c. is there in every House between Fathers and Children, Brothers and Sisters, Relations and Neighbours, ready to destroy and murder one ano∣ther, and all about Things, not worth a wise mans Thoughts? What swarms of Lawyers, Clerks, Pettifoggers and Idle-men, does your Strife, and un∣just Contention maintain? And how many are yearly with their Families utterly ruined thereby? I'll not leave him worth a Groat, cries one: I'll make Dice of his Bones, swears the other: Let him not in Goal, says a third. This is your Christian Charity, and Re∣mission of Injuries.
And for Backbiting and Slandering, even Eating and Drinking, is scarce more universally practised amongst you; almost every man speaks Evil or slighting of those that are not pre∣sent,
though to their Faces he Com∣plements and Flatters them. Calum∣ny is the Sawce at your great Feasts, and Reproaches & scandalous Stories the Entertainments of your Clubs and Visits, so that scarce any honest man is free from the Lashes of your in∣venom'd Tongues, or from having large Furrows plowed upon his Back, his good Name wounded, and his Reputation unjustly blasted or called in question, by your false Sto∣ries and malicious Suggestions, where∣by many are daily ruined, there being nothing more base and unmanly than these whispering Doemons; nor is there any Practice that more opposes Christianity, and the pure simple Law of God in Nature, and therefore is a Sin to be condemned forever, and banisht the Society of all good men.
7. Not to judge and speak of things they understand not, is a very excellent Precept, yet nothing is more common among many Christians than to judge, censure, and condemn Things and
Persons, though they understand them no more then a blind man can distinguish Colours, or the Deaf judge of Musick; but right or wrong without any true sight or compre∣hension, they will pass their Verdict, and shoot their Bolts, for they count their Tongues their own, and think they may say what they list, and so call Evil good, and Good evil, and abuse their own Consciences, and their Neighbours, so greatly are many of the Christians depraved.
8. The eighth Point you menti∣oned, was, That the Lord beholds all mens Wayes and Doings, and that unto him, and his Divine Eye there is not any thing hid: Which without all doubt, is a most certain truth, which neither Christian nor Heathen dare to deny; for as your own Prophet saith, It is he that searcheth the Heart, and tryeth the Reigns. But how can we perswade our selves, that you do in truth and in earnest believe this, since we daily find that you stand more in
awe of Mens seeing, or knowing your Wickedness, than of God's beholding, and revenging of it; and therefore you love to seem, and be counted Ho∣nest, and Iust, and Merciful, but scarce a Soul of you seriously endea∣vours to be so; 'tis the Name and the Credit you look after, not the Thing, which shews that you seek to please, and be well spoken of by Men, but regard not the righteous Judgment of God, who looks through the Fig-Leaves, and requires Truth and Pu∣rity in the inward parts: This Hypo∣crisie of yours is notorious, and every one almost taxes his Neighbour for it, and yet all generally practise it, and each huggs himself therein, as one of your own Poets complaineth;
If my foul Deeds of Darkness may Be wrapt in Clouds as black as they; If being ugly I can Paint, And act the Devil, yet seem a Saint▪ Cheat and Oppress, Forswear and Lye, Yet scape the Law and Infamy, I mind no further Honesty.
9. On the contrary, to believe and know (as you say) That the Lord will Retaliate every man according to his Work, is a most true and necessary Principle; but if Christians did so, surely they could not, nor would do as they do; For what kind of Rewards and Returns do or can you expect for all your Oppressions to us your poor Vassals? For do not you oppress us at your pleasure, beat, whip, over-labour, and half-starve us, and many of you scruple not to Kill us for a small Offence, and possibly for none at all, but in your Drunkenness to sa∣tiate your fierce devilish Passions? Nor do our tender Children, and dear Wives escape your Violence. Now if Retaliation be one point of your Christian Doctrine, and every man shall be rewarded according to his Works, then what a sad Reckoning will you have to make, when God shall arise to visit for these things? And you would not certainly adven∣ture upon those things, which you
must pay so dear for, either in this World, or that which is to come, if you were sufficiently sensible of the Compensation that must be made for the same.
10. 'Tis a noble Truth, that men should walk according to the divine Principle, and forsake all Vngodliness and worldly Lusts: But the generality of Christians take contrary measures for the Gospel of Truth, neither in∣wardly nor outwardly doth teach any to compel others by outward Force to believe, and do as they do, be it right or wrong; but advises all to do as they would be done by; and to let their Moderation be known unto all men; and to bear with one another in Love: Whereas you impose upon one ano∣ther, and tye up other men to your own Conceptions, and without any Compassion or Charity▪ fall upon such as will not go your way, and do as you do, though you have nothing to object against their Lives and Conver∣sations. And whereas you acknow∣ledge
the Doctrine of Christianity, where-ever it is entertained in the Love thereof, will bruise the Head of the Serpentine Nature, that is, of Lust and Uncleanness, and all Ungod∣liness, yet we see you daily wallow∣ing in all those Pollutions; so that you do not only contradict this holy Do∣ctrine, which you boast so much of, but some of you do also severely per∣secute others for obeying the same and submitting to its guidance; And as for brutish Vncleanness, Adulteries, Whoredoms, &c. they are but your Sports and Pastimes, things that many of you glory in; and to be Chaste and Modest, is to be an object of your Scorn and Derision.
11. How well you regulate your Passions (which is another thing you say Christian Doctrine teaches you) all the World sees, and we often feel; the Sea when agitated with contrary Winds, it throws up Dirt and Sand from the bottom of the Deep, and spits its froth up towards towards Hea∣ven,
is not more disorderly or dan∣gerous to come near, than you are, when the least thing happens contra∣ry to your Minds, your Souls are in a perpetual Tumult, your Lusts duel one another, Covetousness fights with Luxury, Wantonness jostles Ambition, and Revenge is opposed by Cowardize; Sence gets above Rea∣son, the Man is ridden by the Beast, and when in this hurry, Conscience gets leave to be heard, then presently there is nothing but Furies and Dis∣pair: Is not all this as contrary to that Calmness and Stillness, that Peace and Serenity of Mind (which true Christia∣nity, both requires and gives, and is de∣lighted in) as Light is to Darkness?
12. 'Tis as great point, and as true that men should not be too resolute, confident or conceited of their own Wisdom or Knowledge, but ought to have regard to the Lord in all their Thoughts, Imaginations and Con∣clusions, and to eye the divine Hand of Providence in all things, it being
better to Fear, than to Boast. But tell us, O Master! who do violate this Rule more than the generality of Christians? Do not many of your learnd Ones boast of their Lights and Knowledge, and count all others little better than Brutes in compari∣son of themselves? And does not every one fancy his own Opinion to be the only Truth, and condemn the Sen∣timents of others, how well grounded soever they may be? And do not many endeavour to spread their No∣tions by Violence, Fighting and Op∣pression, and by Cruelty, to force all to be of their Complexion in Under∣standing? Which self-conceited Pro∣ceedings are a true token and demon∣stration, that they love to contradict the whole course of God and Nature; for he hath made all things to differ, and by that difference the Universe is sustained; and from those various Notes proceed the sweetest Harmo∣ny? Is it not for want of this Spirit of Humility, that you wrangle, fight,
contend, punish and imprison each other, for not thinking as others do, or because they have not all one coloured Hair? For alas! men's Minds and Understandings are as different and various, as their Complexions or Vi∣sages; wherefore then are you angry with your Creator, because he hath not made you all alike? If you were not blind and ignorant, and yet very presumptuous and Self-admirers, this could never be amongst People that believe all in one Prophet, and one God: I perceive therefore it is not about true Virtue that you make all this ado in the World; 'tis for your own Conceits, your own Inven∣tions, your own Dreams, that you thus contend and disquiet your Neighbours.
13. Your thirteenth Point of Chri∣stianity was to return God the Glory of all your Enjoyments, and relie solely upon him in your Distresses and this you observe no better than the rest; to give God the glory of
your Health, Strength, Wealth, &c, is to use the same soberly and discreetly, and imploy them as he hath required▪ for the benefit and advantage of our fellow Creatures, and our own Happi∣ness both here and hereafter; but you only swagger and vapour and domineer with them, as if your own right hand had made them, your own Wisdom and Power had procured them, and not as given, or rather lent you by the Lord, for the good ends before men∣tioned; whereas you use and bestow them only for Pride and Ostentation, for Vanity or Luxury, to accomodate your Lusts, or gratifie your Revenge; this is sure very far from a true Chri∣stian improvement of what you enjoy.
Lastly, Whereas you say, your Christian Doctrine enjoyns you to be merciful to all the Inferior Creatures, and to use them with Compassion, and avoid all kind of Oppression and Violence to those of your own kind: How contrary most Christians act hereun∣to, our own woful Experience has too
sadly informed us, that there is little or no Mercy or Compassion dwells in your Hearts; for on every small oc∣casion you will not only beat and op∣press us, but some of you count it no more Sin in their drunken fits to Murther us, than to kill their Horse, or their Dog; but let them know, we are humane rational Souls, and as much the Image of God as themselves, and want none of the noble Faculties, therefore our innocent Blood will equal∣ly call for Vegeance, and as powerfully as if you had killed one of the pre∣tended Christians. The Voice of God in Nature is the same; and it is not your custom of Killing will make it the more lawful or excusable in that day, when Accounts and Retaliation must be made, every Principle then apprehends and comprehends its own Children; those that have immers'd, or precipitated themselves through Violence, into the fierce Anger and wrathful Principle, shall be therein captivated even to Eternity: It is not
good Words, long Prayers, and fair Speeches, that will break or untye the wrathful Net, which men all their Lives have been tying; but look what Principle has carried the upper Dominion in the Heart, to that King∣dom you belong.
As for the inferior Creatures, they groan under your Cruelties, you hunt them for your Pleasure, and over∣work them for your Covetousness, and kill them for your Gluttony, and set them to fight one with another till they dye, and count it a Sport and a Pleasure to behold them worry one another; whereas the same should be matter of Grief to you, to see the Gate of Wrath thus opened amongst the Creatures, and that you your selves have been the original Cause thereof, by violating the Law of your Maker.
Thus, Master Christian! have I briefly shewed, that in all the parti∣culars by you mentioned, the gene∣rality of you Christians do act the clean contrary; what then do you
boast of, and wherein are you better than we? Only that you pretend to understand more, and do less, and so deserve the greater Condemnation. Will you make us believe, that those men have any Religion, who have no God? or have they indeed a God, who prefer their Lusts, or Wealth, or Honour, or any thing in the World before him, and his holy Commands; Can we think that you know what it is to believe that there is a God, and a Life to come, and to renounce the Flesh, the World, and the Devil, and give up your selves to a Saviour, and a Sanctifier, when we behold you per∣suing after Vanity with out-stretched Arms, and committing all kind of Wickedness with greediness? Can you your selves think, whilst you are awake and sober, that Perfideousness will avail you, and Rebellion save you? or that the God of Wisdom, Holiness and Justice, will accept you for a perjured Profession to be, and to do that which never came into your
Hearts? Is Hypocrisie a Virtue? Or will Lying and Dissembling bring a man to Heaven? Christianity (by that very Description you have given of it) is such a blieving in Christ, to bring us unto God and everlasting Glory, as maketh the Love of God become the very Nature of the Soul, and thankful Obedience its Imploy∣ment, and an heavenly Mind, and an humble, pure, harmless and holy Life, to be its Constitution, and constant Trade; and the Interests of fleshly Lusts, and the Pomps and Vanities, the Riches and Honours of the World to be truly esteemed but as dross and dung; Now tell us in good earnest, is this the Life which you live, or which you hate? Why will you profess a Re∣ligion you abhor? Or why will you abhor and despise a Religion which you profess? Why will you glory in the part of a Parrot, or an Ape, to say over a few Words, or move your Bo∣dies into such Forms and Ceremonies, whilst you detest the humane and
divine part, to know, and love, and live to God? Do you profess your selves Christians only for Self-Condem∣nation, to be Witnesses against your selves in Judgment, that you wilfully lived Unchristian Lives? What is there in the World that you are so averse to, as to be seriously that which you profess to be? That is, to walk uprightly and sincerely in all those fourteen Particulars by you enumera∣ted. Whom do you hate more than those that are that in Heart and Life, which you call your selves in custo∣mary Words? or that are serious in the Religion which you your selves say, You hope to be saved by. Call us Heathens as long as you will, I am confident Christ hath not more bitter Enemies in the World, than some of you that wear his Livery; We Blacks are more gentle to you, than you Christians are to one another; and I have been assured, that all the Hea∣thens in the World have shed less Christian Blood, than what Hypocrite
Christians themselves have greedily let out, or occasioned to be destroyed: Thus you honour dead Saints, and abhor the Living, and would gladly make more Martyrs, whilst you keep Days in Commemoration of those that others made. Can any thing be more preposterously absurd, more foolish∣ly wicked, than these interferring Contradictions? Were it not better to be what you call your selves, or to call your selves what you are? If you approve of these Christian Doctrines, why do not you square your Conver∣sations accordingly? If you think them needless Notions, why do not you disown them? Or why do you so much cry up and magnifie them? Be either Christians indeed, or cease to upbraid us for being Heathens; for such shuffling Hypocrisie is more abo∣minable to God and Man, than the most ignorant Paganism.
I have given you, Sambo, a large liberty of Prating, and you have used it very confidently: How come
you so wonderous Wise? How dare you upbraid us that have the Light of the Gospel? Or indeed why should we mind any thing such Hea∣thens as you can say or talk of?
We boast not of Wisdom; what I have said, arises from plain matter of Fact, which no Person whom our Creator hath endued with a rational Soul, can be ignorant of, if he do not wilfully quench and ex∣tinguish in himself that Light which enlightneth every man that cometh into the World, and which one of your own Prophets calls, The Candle of the Lord. Nor are we altogether such ignorant dark Heathens▪ as you call and suppose us; for many of the Christians do not esteem, nor look on us any otherwise, or better than Dogs; for tell me, I pray boon Master! what difference has our Creator made be∣tween you and us? Hath he endued you with any particular Quality or Property more then we are furnisht with? The Members of our Bodies,
the Faculties of our Minds, our Senses and all the Furniture of Nature, are equal, and the same in us as in you: We are not Beasts, as you count, and use us, but rational Souls, and in us is contained the true Nature and Pro∣perties of all Elements, and created things; Nor do we contemn or flight the Light of the Gospel; as you call it, but we wonder at you that so much talk of it, and so little practise the good Rules of Life contained therein. Be∣sides, since you are pleased to grant us the Liberty to plead our own Cause, we might tell you, that we have the same Gospel that you so much talk of, written in our Hearts, and doing by Nature the things that are written in the Law, being without the Law, are a Law unto our selves, as one of your illuminated Prophets speaks: And if we do the things that are right in the sight of God, and walk in his innocencent Law in Nature, according to our measure and under∣standing, we have so far discharged
our Duty, and we doubt not but the goodness of our Creator will accept thereof, and pardon our involuntary Misprisions, and Failings; and if you have a larger Manifestation of the eternal Light and Love of God, which we have no reason to doubt, then the more is required of you, and there∣fore the greater and more sore will your Condemnation be.
And do you black Heathenish Negroes then dane compare your selves with us brave white Christians? Does not your very Hue, that sooty Skin of yours, serve for an Emblem of the darkness of your Minds? You eat all unclean Foods, Carrion and Vermine without scruple; you have no Order nor decent Ceremonies at your Mar∣riages; you go naked, and have not wherewithal to cover your Shame; in a Word, you are in most particu∣lars the very next Door to Beasts, and therefore we have hardly so much care and esteem for you, as we have for our Horses, or other Cattel; Are
you not altogether unlearned, and can neither spue Latine, nor sputter Greek, nor understand the Hebrew Rabbins, and the Talmud; your Dis∣courses are not trim'd with Flowers of Rhetorick, nor can you chop Logick, nor make Syllogisms, and run down both Truth and Sense with Mood and Figure, and the Magick of a concluding Ergo: What Divines or Clergy-men, what cunning Lawyers have you to boast of? Though you pretend to do Cures, yet you never read Galen nor Paracelsus, nor have any Apothecaries to make a Trade of the Materia Me∣dica, nor Chymists to tell you the Medi∣cinal Vertues of Minerals; you have very few Persons of Honour amongst you (except your Kings) and but a few Misses, and no Theaters or Play∣houses for the Education of your Youth; your Women are not so no∣bly arrayed, nor have those charming Arts, to invite men to love and dote upon them, as ours daily study; nei∣ther do you drink Wine in Bowls,
nor understand the genteel mystery of quaffing of Healths with an Huzza! or to Swear Modishly with a boon Courage! All these things We enjoy, and make sumptuous Feasts, where we spend as much in a few Hours, as two or three Hundred of such Wretches as you can earn in some dayes: We have all forts or War like Weapons, and murthering Engines to use at our pleasure: We eat and drink of the fattest Foods, and rich∣est Liquors, and take our ease, and clothe us in costly Attire, and study new Fashions for our Garments, to render us more honourable and admi∣red, and many other great Priviledges we have, which you are destitute of.
These, Sir! are brave things indeed to vapour with! Is it possible that rational men, much less such illu∣minated Christians, as you account your selves, should thus be taken with things that are so much below the Dignity of humane Nature, to boast of your Evils, and glory in
your Shame? As for our Complexion, 'tis the Livery of our Creator, the property of the Climate and Soil, wherein his good Providence dispo∣sed of us to be born and bred; we made not our selves Black, nor do you make your selves White; wherein then have you any thing to brag of above us? If for this cause you de∣spise us; you at the same time despise that adorable Power, which is the Ma∣ker both of us and you: And thought White be an Emblem of Innocence, yet there are whited Walls filled within with Filth and Rottenness; what is only outward, will stand you in no stead, it is the inward Candor that our Creator is well-pleased with, and not the outward; have a care therefore that you be not found as black within, as we are externally.
You upbraid us with eating unclean Foods, Carrion, Vermine, &c.. But I pray, is it not your Cruelty, in not affording us what is sufficient to sup∣port Nature otherwise; that makes
us do it? This is first to make us Cripples, and then beat us with our Crutches for being Lame. As for our poor Coverings, or going Naked, as long as Man remained in the innocent State, he wanted no Garments; and you are forced to Rob several sorts of Creatures to cover your Shame; nor do you bring into the World any greater Ward robe with you, than we do; nor have you occasion to carry out any more. But how depraved and dishonourable does it look, for that noble Creature, [Man] not only to be glad to borrow of his inferior Crea∣tures to hide his Shame, but also to grow Proud of those Ornaments, which are but the Spoils, or the La∣bours, and many times the Excre∣ments of Beasts and Flies, or Insects, and the like lower Graduates?
As for Order in Marriages, we have as much as you; for though Plurality of Wives is contrary to your Custom, it is not to ours; and he is no wise man that admires or con∣temns
the various Customs of different Regions, any further than they con∣tradict Nature: Now this Custom of ours, as it is be friended with Ex∣amples amongst the antient Patriarchs, and the Laws of many Nations so re∣nowned for Civility, as to esteem all others Barbarians, so it seems some∣what to agree with the Law of Na∣ture, and to prevent Out-rages against Nature, it being not fit, nor natural for Men to meddle with their Wives when they are Breeding, or great with-child: However, these any things are more of Custom, than any thing else, and we our selves esteem that man most happy that contents himself with one Wife: But you, although your Customs and Laws forbid Poli∣gamy, and Adultery, yet whilst you comply somewhat in the former, do make nothing, many of you, to vio∣late the latter, as often as you can meet with an opportunity.
When you say, You hardly esteem of us so well as Beasts; we have
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Reason to believe you, from your cruel Usages, and not allowing us what is necessary for Food and Rest, which yet is to be wondred at, since if we are not worthy (forsooth!) to be your Brethren, we are however your Money. So that — this Cru∣elty towards us, doth savour more of Envy, than of Christianity or Fruga∣lity. It is also true, that we have no Lip-learned Doctors, nor are confined to the old musty Rules of Aristole or Galen, nor acquainted with the new Fancies of your modern Fire-working Chymists, or Vertuosi, nor will we compare our selves to you in those things; but we have so much under∣standing, as not to content our selves to see with other mens Eyes, and put out our own, as many of your learned Rabbies do; nor want we amongst us those that God and Nature have en∣dued with Gifts of knowing the Vertues of Herbs, and that can by ge∣nuine Skill, administer good Medicines, and perform greater Cures, than your
famous Doctors with their hard Words and affected Methods. Neither will the Art of Chymistry advantage us; for since God hath hid all sorts of Meettals in the deep Bowels of the Earth, and on the contrary adorned its Surface with so many noble and salutiferous Herbs and Plants, we conceive he intended the latter, not the former, both for the Food and Physick of man; And also we observe, the most who have hazarded their Healths and Lives, to get them out of these Subterranean Caverns, have done much hurt by the use of them in the World Yet in our own Country we have in divers parts the best Met∣tals near at hand, viz. Gold, which too many of the Christians make their God. Our Women, 'tis true, have no other Ornament than what is Na∣tural, which is more than abundance of yours have, for they want the great Ornament of that Sex, Modesty; for though ours go naked, yet they are not so impudent as your Misses, who
make a Trade of Lasciviousness and Filthiness.
We drink not Wine in Bowls, nor without; and it would be much bet∣ter and more becoming Christianity, if you did not too; for doth it not heat our Blood, irritate the central Heat, set the whole Body into an un∣natural Flame, & precipitate the Mind into Fury and Madness, and excite the Senses to Uncleanness and Beastiality? For pray, good Master! tell me, how many Villanies of all sorts do some nominal Christians commit against God, and his pure Law in Nature, by reason of their Excesses in that kind? And what grievous Diseases do such Debauches occasion both pre∣sent, and for the future? Nay, to the further shame of Christians, have you not by lewd Examples defiled and debauched us Ethiopeans, and the Indi∣ans amongst whom you converse? So that instead of learning us Virture, and courting us to your Faith and Religion by Sobriety and Godliness,
you set before us destructive Presidents, and make us more the Children of the Devil than we were before; which has forced many of your Religion to make strict Laws, that no Christians shall suffer Indians to drink strong in∣toxicating Liquors, or sell the same unto them; so that we must needs say in that respect, you have been kinder to us, than to your selves; for seeing the great Inconveniences and Hurt the drinking thereof does do us, you endeavour to prevent the same, and yet you continue and encrease the evil Practice thereof your selves, and so long as the Christians thus trade in Debauchery and Superfluity; there is no likelihood or hopes that they should draw any considerable Number of us, or the neighbouring Indians to em∣brace their Religion, though un∣doubtedly it is the most excellent Do∣ctrine that ever was communciated to the World: But the vicious Lives of its Professors, their saying, and not doing, cuts off in the Bud, and whol∣ly
destroys the growth and encrease of those sublim Truths, and makes the World despise both the Christians and their Doctrine; for it is not your good Words, and long Prayers, (and indeed some are short enough) that are pleasing to our Creator, or edify∣ing to us; It must be your good Works that shall convince any of the Truth, and beget Love and Amity in all men.
But instead thereof, you spend your time in Riot, Excess, Vanity, or wicked Plays, whereof evil Daemons were the Inventers, whilst we sigh and groan under your heavy Burthens. But our Cries are slighted by you, and your Ladies too, who many of them will Swagger, and Curse, and Rant, and equally oppress, and as much abuse us as your selves, which Fierceness and Cruelty looks more monstrous in them, though bad in both Sexes, and where-ever practised, must of a cer∣tain truth be retaliated. I have heard some of our Master Christians talk of, and cry out against the Ty∣ranny
of the Turks, and the Slavery they impose on what Christians they can get into their Cluches at Algier; Is it not strange that you should Pra∣ctise the very same thing your selves, that you so much Condemn in others? Nay, you do ten times worse than they, both because you profess your selves Christians, which is a Religion of Love, Sweetness and Beneficience to all the Creation; and for that you use us worse than the Turks do their Servants; and especially in this, that you rather hinder, than promote our embracing the Christian Faith, where∣as amongst the Turks any Christian Slave may turn Mahumetan, and is encouraged thereunto, and thereby gains his Liberty.
The World is come to a fine pass, that such ignorant Slaves and Heathens as you are, that do neither know nor worship the true God, should presume either to instruct, or condemn us. Do not you know, that most of the hard usage you so much
complain of; is occasioned by your selves, for if we should not be severe, and rule you with a Rod of Iron, you are so stubborn and disobedient, that there would be no governing of you; therefore we are forced to beat you in∣to Obedience and good Manners, you are so morose, surly and inhumane; so that you are the first cause of those Miseries you endure: Have not you made several Attempts to Rise, and cut off the Christians Root and Branch, and make your selves Ma∣sters of all that we have? And do not such Offences require a strict Hand, and severe Punishments? What grea∣ter Crime can there be, than for you to betray your Masters?
True it is, the World is come to that pass, and mens Wicked∣ness is arrived to that height, that good Advertisements, and wholsom Counsel, either of Christian, Iew or Gentile, will not be entertained, let it come from whom it will, if it tend to Vertue, be sure it shall be with∣stood
with various Pretences. Where∣as you accuse us of evil Carriage, and that the same hath been the Original of all our Griefs and sore Oppressions, there is a certain Truth therein, tho' not as you intend it, for if we and our Fore-fathers had not violated the innocent Law of Nature by Violence and Transgression, we had never fallen under your Yoke, nor been car∣ried away Captives out of our own Native Country; but now we have by the divine Justice been retaliated, for ours, and our Princes Transgres∣sions; However, though we acknow∣ledge this is but just from God, yet that doth not concern you, nor can you from thence justifie your Op∣pressions, which could not be occasi∣oned by the Miscarriages you speak of, because they had long been pra∣ctised upon us, before any of us made any of those ill Attempts you men∣tion; 'twas your Cruelties put us up∣on those extravagant courses: And since Oppression (according to the
Doctrine of your most holy wise Pro∣phet) makes Wise Men mad, 'twas no wonder if some of our silly Country∣men were thereby so far transported, as to seek by unjustifiable means, to gain their Liberty, or a Melioration of their wretched condition.
Besides, if we had indeed offended you, yet you ought not to retaliate Evil for Evil, since on the contrary your Christian Doctrine enjoyns you to return Good for Evil, & to love even your Enemies; how dare you then in the Light of this holy and everlasting Gospel, to talk and act after this manner? Do you indeed dream that your Cruelty, and ruling us with a martial Rod, and barbarous Fierceness, will make us Tractable and Friendly, or to love our Masters, and do our Labours with willingness? Alas! we imagined you to be greater Seers into the Mysteries of God, and his Law in Nature, than to entertain such vain and impossible Conceits; For how contrary is this not only to your
Christian Principles, but also to Rea∣son, and the common Sense and Experience of all mankind? With the Froward thou shalt learn Frowardness, saith your own Prophet. And again, Did ever the Wrath of Man accomplish the Righteousness of God? Or Tyranny beget Love? If those who have the government of generous Horses, or go about to tame wild Beasts, and endea∣vour by gentle Vsage to make them tractable, and fit for Service, rather then by Cruelty and Beating; much more those who have the command of Men▪ should bring them to Order and Discipline by the mildest and fair∣est means, and all the Arts of Sweet∣ness and Perswasion; not treating them worse than Gardiners do those wild Plants, which by careful looking to, and good Usage, lose the Savage∣ness of their Nature, and in a little time come to bear excellent Fruit.
In vain therefore you go about to excuse your Tyranny and Oppression towards us, by making the World
believe, that you are as it were con∣strained, or forced to be cruel to us; Though yet the same be true in one Sense, viz. you are irritated there- unto from you own innate awakened Wrath, which does predominate in your Hearts and Souls, and then those fierce Arrows of Mars, and Poysons of Saturn, which you let fly at us, do by simily stir up the origi∣nal Venoms, and wrathful Qualities in us: And this, and this only, is it that hath occasioned some of the worser sort of our Country-men to Curse you and your Posterity, and to endeavour to kill and destroy you, which is a crying Sin, which we nei∣ther justifie, nor can execute, since 'tis condemned by God, and his Law in Nature; And all that have attempted such savage Mischiefs, ought not to go unpunisht, neither will they; for the just Law of Retaliation will take hold them; but will you therefore punish the Innocent for, or with the Guilty? because some called Christians
commit Murders and Treasons, must all of that Profession be cut off by the Ax, or the Gibbet? If you will deal ingenuously, your own Hearts will tell you, that the occasion of these Evils committed, or endeavoured to have been committed, arise from your Sins, and the great Abuses wherewith you have from time to time afflicted us, viz. your Mur∣dering us at your pleasure, and no Account or just Compensation ren∣dred for the same. Therefore does our innocent Blood call for Venge∣ance on you, and (without serious Repentance and Amendment) must be reckoned for. Consider well these things, and then tell us; Do you think, or can you in Reason, but ex∣pect, that the great Tyranny, In∣justice, and cruel Usages you have practised upon us, will in due time be brought back upon you and your Land or Posterity, if you do not atone for these Evils, and give us Ease and Refreshment? And though
we are never so submissive, can not the kindled Wrath raise up other Ene∣mies to destroy you and yours in a Moment? Therefore be intreated to bethink your selves in time, for un∣doubtedly the Cup of Wrath is almost full.
I have considered what you alledge, touching the severe Usage, which we have and do daily offer to your Country-men; & I must confess, I cannot well seehow the same can be reconciled to the Doctrine of our holy and harmly Christian Religion: But alas! What would you have us do? If we should leave off these Practices, how should we live at the Rate we do? fill our Tables daily with variety of costly Dishes, and swill our selves and numerous Visitants with rich Wines, and other strong Liquors: How should we maintain our Gran∣dure, and our Pomp, and raise great Estates for our selves and Children, and leave our Posterity great, and rich, and honourable in the World?
We consider nor your Labour, Wea∣riness, Disorders, Sickness, Hunger, Drought, want of due Rest, or con∣venient Food, nor any the like Hard∣ships that you suffer: If we can but live in State and Abundance, and make vast Quantities of Sugar, or other Commodities yearly, which is our chief delight, and the highest good we desire; and he that does thus do, how hard soever he uses his Slaves, is counted a brave Husband, and a good Christian too, a very no∣table man, fit for others to make Ex∣amples by, and imitate his prudent Conduct.
But all this time you look not into the Radix, nor consider the lamentahle Oppressions and Violences that cleave fast to this your good Hus∣bandry (as you call it) that your Houses are cemented with Blood, and all your Dainties and your Riches ac∣companied with the dolorous Com∣plaints, Sighs and Groans of your poor Vassals, which are continu∣ally
sent up to Heaven against you.
No, no, we expel all such Melancholly Thoughts with a plen∣tiful Glass of Wine, Jovial Company, or other sensual Diversions.
Those Arts you use to lay your Reason and Consciences to sleep, will in the end both hasten and aggra∣vate that Vengeance which must necessarily follow all Injustice and Op∣pression. As for maintining Pride, Superfluity, and other Evils of that nature, I am of your mind, that they cannot be supplied without Oppres∣sion and Violence; for all Extreams beget their Likenesses: But sure you Christians above all others, ought not to regard such Vanities, but relinquish and detest all Superfluity, Pride, Gluttony, and other the like Intem∣perances, since they are so diametri∣cally opposite to your Profession and Religion. Besides, you abuse your selves and Posserity, by thinking to raise great Estates, or derive any last∣ing
Temporal Happiness to you or them, by over-charging us with labour; For does not Reason and Experience let you know, that Houses built with mouldering Stone and rotten Timber, will not long continue; and that Estates heap'd together by Vio∣lence, carry along with them a Curse and are blasted from the Radix, so that at most they seldom descend to the third Heir, and rarely out-live the first or second Generation? What are become of all the Glories of the Nimrods, and the Caesars, and the Alexanders? of all the mighty Tyrants, and spreading Monarchies of the As∣syrians, Medes, Persians, Macedonians and Romans? Are they not all long since crusht to pieces by one another, because their Foundations were laid in Violence and Spoil, Injustice and Oppressions? The Spaniards, who baptized the New World in Blood, murdered many Hundred Thousand Indians, on pretence of propagating the Christian Religion, when in truth
it was only to get Gold and Empire; Have they not met with Retaliation? Have they not decreased in Power ever since those Cruelties, and instead of grasping an universal Monarchy, (which their Ambition promised themselves) are now scarce able to defend their own antient Patrimony, or keep off an Enemy from the Fron∣tiers of Castile? If all these mighty Men of War have Shipwrackt by steer∣ing this Course, how hope you with your petty Pinnaces, and tottering Skiffs, to avoid the like Tempests? If just Vengeance hath overturned whole Empires and Kings, that cal∣led themselves Invinceable, for their Cruelties and Oppressions, how shall your private Fortunes be establisht, that have no other Foundation but the like Violence and Injustice?
On the other side, I pray observe, there are many honest, compassionate, and truly Christian-spirited Men amongst you, that do not willingly oppress either Man or Beast, and yet
you see how they are blest, and pros∣per, and enjoy more true Content and Happiness in one Week, than you whose Minds are continually distracted with greedy Desires, or anxious Fears, do in all your Lives; Nor are any of your Estates so firm∣ly establisht, as those whose Posses∣sors use Mercy and Gentleness in all their Doings; for Vertue and Well∣doing will as naturally attract the Influences, and favour both of God and Man, and of the Coelestials, as well as inferior Creatures, as a Load∣stone does Iron: And whosoever en∣deavours sincerely to live according to the innocent Law of God in Na∣ture, shall be filled with good things, but those that study to grow rich by Wickedness and Oppression, shall be sent empty away, and both their Estates and their Hopes be scattered like Leaves before the Wind.
Nor is your Practice herein less Impudent than Ungodly, all Wicked∣ness being indeed the height of Folly,
and Piety and Vertue evermore the best Policy. For why should you oppress us, by whose Labours you are sustained? And our Ill is your Loss, are we not your Money? And what a small matter more than you allow us, might plentifully supply us? As suppose such Masters as have Fifty, a Hundred or two Hundred Negroes, if they would add to our Allowance, Fifty, or one Hundred, or two Hundred Pounds per annum, it might maintain us in lively Strength, and sufficient Vigour to go through with our Labour with cheerful Spirits, and brisk Dispositi∣ons; then should our Souls (instead of Cursing, and calling for Vengeance upon you) Bless you, and serve you cordially and willingly, with all our Power. For those that are wise amongst us, matter not their Free∣dom so much, provided they might but be admitted such necessary Sup∣ports, Priviledges and Accomoda∣tions, as our bountiful Creator by his
Hand-maid, Nature, has plentifully provided for all his Creatures, and especially for the race of Men: And then would you have Peace in your own Houses and Spirits, whereas now you are always filled with Con∣tention, Anger, Strife, Jealousie or Suspitions; nor need you ever then fear our Rising up against you, to cut you off, or any other Invasion; for nothing does so much disarm the Rage of the fierce Wrath, as Well-doing and Innocency; these being the surest Bulwarks both against in∣ward and outward Enemies.
I cannot deny the Truth of what you have said, nor know I how to make any further Objections, there∣fore I think it will more become us to amend our Practices, than to study Arguments to cloak or defend them.
I am over-joy'd, good Ma∣ster, to hear these Words from your Mouth; they sound well in our Ears, and make most pleasant Mu∣sick; nor will you, I dare promise
you, ever have cause to Repent of these merciful Resolutions, for the only way for you to have good Ser∣vants, is for you first to be good Ma∣sters; and though some of our Coun∣try-men are untractable, sullen, morose, cruel and revengeful (more especially by reason of the Oppressions before-mentioned) so others of them have notwithstanding given you strong Motives to believe their Integrity and faithful Honesty towards their Ma∣sters, and Christians in general, for many of us at several times, and on sundry occasions, have givem most clear and demonstrative Testimonies of our Faithfulness, in discovering several horrid Plots and Conspiracies, which some of the worst of us had designed against our Masters; And how little do many of us value our dear Lives, to save our Masters? And how ready are we to go, run, work, watch and defend our Ma∣sters▪ and to preserve their Rights? So that many of our Christian Ma∣sters
have been heard to say, That they would as soon, and willingly trust their Lives with some of their Ne∣gro Slaves, as with the most trusty Christian Servants they had. And I doubt not, but if our Masters deal justly, and with tenderness preserve us, by allowing us such suitable Food, Drinks and Rest as are needful for the support of our Lives and Health, and suitable to the Climate, we should all in general become more tractable, obedient and diligent, and thereby not only perform our Labour much better, but secretly attract the sweet Influences of God and Nature on their Heads, and then twenty of us would dispatch as much Work and Business as thirty do, or can do, that have neither Food that is proper, either in Quantity or Quality, nor due Rest, for want of which, the whole frame of the Body, and all the Members grow heavy, dull, weak and heartless, and the Mind indispo∣sed and averse from, as well as un∣able
for Work or Business, which can never go on well, and to satis∣faction, where the chief motive is Whip and Spur, Fear on the one side, and Cruelty on the other.
Besides, if we and our Wives were kept in good Heart, we should be able to get not only more strong and healthy Children, but more in Number, which would supply your Business far better, than for you every Year to be at that great Charge of buying such Numbers of new Negroes, of whom many fail, and many dye upon the change of Climate; For by rea∣son of the Hardships used to us, and especially the Cruelties towards our Wpmen, during their Pregnancy, they so often Miscarry, that we upon the Island cannot keep our Number, but decrease so fast, that you are forced every Year (at vast charge) to fetch about ten Thousand (as I have heard) new Ones; whereas there is no doubt to be made, but if we were conveniently supplied with Food and
competent Rest, and some due Re∣spect or Commiseration had to our Wives when they are big, then every of our Masters Families would so en∣crease by his own Bread, that there would be no more occasion for buy∣ing of new Ones, which would won∣derfully enrich you; so that if either you regard the Rules of your Holy Religion, and will not justly be bran∣ded for Hypocrites or Atheists; If you have any respect to Humanity, com∣mon Honesty, and that universal ••rin∣ciple (but almost universally neg∣lected) to do as you would be done by; or lastly, if you would avoid divine Vengeance, in Retaliation for your Oppressions, and would justly en∣crease your Estates by such ways, as they may be a comfort to your selves, and continue to your Posterity: If all or any of these thing, I say, have any weight with you, then speedily leave off your Severities, and let your usage of us be such as is fit for Men to practise towards Men, let us see the
excellency of the Christian Religion, by the goodness of your Lives that profess it, by your Meekness, and Charity, and Benignity, and Com∣passion towards your fellow Crea∣tures, especially those of the same Species with your selves, and who have no less rational and immortal Souls than the best of you: If these things you do, we and our Posterity shall willingly serve you, and not count it any Slavery, but our unspeakable Happiness; Peace shall be in your Dwellings, and Safety shall surround your Island, for Innocency is a better defence than Forts and Citadels, than Armies and Fleets, than Walls of Brass, flankt with Towers of Adamant: In a word, you shall have Satisfaction within, and Security without, and en∣joy the Blessings both of Time and Eternity. But if neither the Voice of Religion, nor Nature, can be heard; If neither Humanity nor Self-interest can prevail with you, be assured, that although you are wilfully Deaf, our
great Creator will be ready to hear our Cries; and you must certainly one day make Retaliation to the ut∣termost Farthing.
Sambo! I have hearkened attentively, and well considered your Discourse, which carries with it such Evidence and Reason, that I must acknowledge I am convinced that our former Conduct towards you, has not been agreeable to our Religion, or common Equity; there∣fore for my own part, you shall see by future Vsage, what Impression your Words have made upon me, nor shall I be wanting to acquaint others with what you have offered— It grows late, therefore you were best be gone, and betake your self to Rest.
Boon Master, I return you a thousand of Thanks for the freedom you have given me of speaking to you: And I am over∣joyed to hear, that you have thereby
received some satisfaction; I shall now return to my fellow Servants; and as I have used some Arguments to you to be kind to them, so I shall on all occasions press them with Ar∣guments to be obedient, humble, just and respective to all their Masters.
Therein honest Sambo! you will do very well, and so good Night to you.
Good Night, my good dear Master!
So the Ne∣gro's in their Language call the Whites.