of Covetousness—Intemperance—Pride—Un|cleanness—Theft—and Murder, which he de|livered,—every lesson of meekness, humility, forbearance, Charity, Self-denial, and brother|ly-love, which he taught, are levelled against this evil;—for Slavery, while it includes all the former Vices, necessarily excludes the prac|tice of all the latter Virtues, both from the Master and the Slave.—Let such, therefore, who vindicate the traffic of buying and selling; Souls, seek some modern System of Religion to support it, and not presume to sanctify their crimes by attempting to reconcile it to the sub|lime and perfect Religion of the Great Author of Christianity.The influence of Christianity in putting a stop to Sla|very, appears in the first christian emperor Constantine, who commanded, under the severest penalties, all such as had Slaves, to set them at liberty. He afterwards contrived to render the manumission of them much easier than formerly, for instead of recurring to the forms prescribed by the Ro|man laws, which were attended with great difficulties and a considerable expence, he gave leave to masters to infranchise their slaves in the presence of a bishop, or a minister and a christian assembly.Universal History, vol. xv. p. 574, 577.Dr. ROBERTSON, in treating of those causes which weakened the feudal system, and finally abolished Slavery in Europe, in the I4th century, has the following Obser|vations—"The gentle spirit of the Christian Religion, together with the doctrines which it teaches, concerning the original equality of mankind, as well as the impartial eye with which the almighty regards men of every condition, and admits them to a participation of his benefits, are inconsistent with servitude. But in this, as in many other instances, Consi|derations of Interest and the Maxims of false Policy, led men to a conduct inconsistent with their principles. They were so sensible, however, of the Inconsistency, that to set their Fellow Christians at liberty from servitude was deemed an act of piety highly meritorious, and acceptable to Heaven. The humane spirit of the Christian Religion, struggled with the Maxims and Manners of the World, and contributed more than any other circumstance, to introduce the practice of manumission. The formality of manumission was executed, in a church or a religious assembly.—The person to be set free, was led round the great altar, with a torch in his hand, he took hold of the horns of the altar, and there the solemn words conferring liberty, were pronounced."CHARLES V. Historical Illustrations. Note xx.0