himself as a model of human perfection, was a great
slaveholder. Seventh. It is certain, when God showed honor, and came
down to bless Jacob's posterity, in taking them by the hand to lead them
out of Egypt, _they were the owners of slaves that were bought with
money, and treated as property_; _which slaves_ were allowed of God to
unite in celebrating the divine goodness to their _masters_, while
_hired servants_ were excluded. Eighth. It is certain that God
interposed to give Joseph the power in Egypt, which he used, to create a
state, or condition, among the Egyptians, which _substantially agrees_
with _patriarchal_ and _modern slavery_. Ninth. It is certain, that in
reference to this institution in Abraham's family, and the surrounding
nations, for five hundred years, it is never censured in any
communication made from God to men. Tenth. It is certain, when God put a
_period_ to _that dispensation_, he _recognised slaves as property on
Mount Sinai_. If, therefore, it has become sinful since, it cannot be
from the _nature of the thing_, but from the _sovereign pleasure of God
in its prohibition_. We will therefore proceed to our second
proposition, which is--

Second.--That it was incorporated in the only national constitution
emanating from the Almighty. By common consent, that portion of time
stretching from Noah, until the law was given to Abraham's posterity, at
Mount Sinai, is called the patriarchal age; _this is the period we have
reviewed_, in relation to this subject. From the giving of the law until
the coming of Christ, is called the Mosaic or legal dispensation. From
the coming of Christ to the end of time, is called the Gospel
dispensation. The legal dispensation _is the period of time, we propose
now to examine_, in reference to the institution of involuntary and
hereditary slavery; in order to ascertain, whether, during this period,
_it existed at all_, and _if it did exist_, whether with the _divine
sanction_, or in _violation of the divine will_. This dispensation is
called the legal dispensation, because it was the pleasure of God to
take Abraham's posterity by miraculous power, then numbering near three
millions of souls, and give them a written constitution of government, a
country to dwell in, and a covenant of special protection and favor, for
their obedience to his law until the coming of Christ. The laws which he
gave them emanated from his sovereign pleasure, and were designed, in
the first pla