All slave-keepers that keep the innocent in bondage, apostates pretending to lay claim to the pure & holy Christian religion; of what congregation so ever; but especially in their ministers, by whose example the filthy leprosy and apostacy is spread far and near; it is a notorious sin, which many of the true Friends of Christ, and his pure truth, called Quakers, has been for many years, and still are concern'd to write and bear testimony against; as a practice so gross & hurtful to religion, and destructive to government, beyond what words can set forth, or can be declared of by men or angels, and yet lived in by ministers and magistrates in America. The leaders of the people cause them to err. / Written for a general service, by him that truly and sincerely desires the present and eternal welfare and happiness of all mankind, all the world over, of all colours, and nations, as his own soul; Benjamin Lay.

Title: All slave-keepers that keep the innocent in bondage, apostates pretending to lay claim to the pure & holy Christian religion; of what congregation so ever; but especially in their ministers, by whose example the filthy leprosy and apostacy is spread far and near; it is a notorious sin, which many of the true Friends of Christ, and his pure truth, called Quakers, has been for many years, and still are concern'd to write and bear testimony against; as a practice so gross & hurtful to religion, and destructive to government, beyond what words can set forth, or can be declared of by men or angels, and yet lived in by ministers and magistrates in America. The leaders of the people cause them to err. / Written for a general service, by him that truly and sincerely desires the present and eternal welfare and happiness of all mankind, all the world over, of all colours, and nations, as his own soul; Benjamin Lay.

Author: Lay, Benjamin, 1677-1759.

Collection: Evans Early American Imprint Collection

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Hand in a lordly manner, and they that would or could not submit to his Commands, although never so unjust and unreasonable, he spake as a Dragon, especially if any found it their Duty to contradict and oppose his usurped Au|thority, and his unjust Commands, and Ar|bitrary Proceedings, such must expect no Mercy from him, and yet have all the Pro|fession and outward appearance of a meek follower of the dear Lamb, who suffered the contradictions of sinners, for our sakes, that we might follow his Example; so the Beast, I say the Beast had two Horns like a Lamb, got into the outward Form as much as possible, the more craftily to deceive, and thus the Beast is a Beast still, being a little outwardly re|formed in Speech and Habit; he then gets to Preaching, and that is his Master-Piece, and here Satan is exalted, and shows himself that he is God, chief Ruler, and here Satan's Chieftains thinks they reign in Glory or glo|riously, and may be others think so too, that see 'em and hear 'em hold forth, such I mean that knows not any thing, but what they know naturally, as Brute Beasts; so e'en let those Swine-Herds, with their Herds of Swine go down into the Sea, and be choaked together, if they please; that the true Sheep and Lambs might never more be troubled with them, would be joyful News to a many afflicted 0