Baxters Directions to Slave-Holders, Title page – Preface
BAXTER's DIRECTIONS TO SLAVE-HOLDERS, REVIVED; Firſt Printed in London, in the Year 1673.
TO WHICH IS SUBJOINED, A Letter from the Worthy ANTHONY BENEZET, late of this City, deceaſed, to the Celebrated ABBE RAYNAL, with his Anſwer, which were firſt Publiſhed in the Bruſſels Gazette, March 7, 1782.
PHILADELPHIA: Printed by FRANCIS BAILEY, at Yorick's Head, in Market-Street. MDCCLXXXV.
THE following expoſtulation with ſlave holders, is abſtracted from the works of Richard Baxter, an eminent author, and diſſenting preacher of the laſt century, and is now republiſhed as an evidence that the ſame Divine principle which hath enlightened the minds of many in the preſent age, wich a ſenſe of liberty, and influenced the… … …poſe the inhumanity and injuſtice of the barbarous trade to Africa, for the purpoſe of enſlaving the poor untutored Negroes, and continuing them and their offspring in bondage, was clearly ſeen to be unchriſtian and unjuſt, at ſo early a period as that in which the author wrote, viz. in 1673. And it is not becauſe the iniquitous practice hath been ſince unreproved, by judicious and conſciencious men, that it is not yet aboliſhed, but rather that avarice, pride, and ignorance hath ſo unhappily prevailed over juſtice and mercy, as to continue great numbers of profeſſing Chriſtians in partaking of the unrighteous gain of oppreſſion.
And in order to preſerve from oblivion, and for general information, it is thought expedient to ſubjoin a letter from the truly pious Anthony Benezet, lately deceaſed, who was well known to be an uniform prudent advocate for relief of the oppreſſed, to the famous Abbe Raynal, with his anſwer, which firſt appeared in the Bruſſels gazette, of March, 1782, and from thence publiſhed in one of the news papers of this city.