hemselves in their rash and
blind appeal to "the divine law" in question. "The reason of the law,"
says my Lord Coke, "is the law." It is applicable to those cases, and to
those cases only, which come within the reason of the law. Hence, if it
be a fact, and if our Northern brethren really believe that we are sunk
in the darkness of heathen idolatry, while the light of the true
religion is with them alone, why, then, we admit that the reason and
principle of the divine law in question is in their favor. Then we admit
that the return of our fugitive slaves is "contrary to the divine law."
But if we are not heathen idolaters, if the God of the Hebrews be also
the God of Southern masters, then the Northern States do not violate the
precept in question--they only discharge a solemn constitutional
obligation--in delivering up our "fugitives from labor."

Sec. II. _The argument from the New Testament._

The New Testament, as Dr. Wayland remarks, was given, "not to one
people, but to the whole race; not for one period, but for all time."
Its lessons are, therefore, of universal and perpetual obligation. If,
then, the Almighty had undertaken to enlighten the human race by
degrees, with respect to the great sin of slavery, is it not wonderful
that, in the very last revelation of his will, he has uttered not a
single syllable in disapprobation thereof? Is it not wonderful, that he
should have completed the revelation of his will,--that he should have
set his seal to the last word he will ever say to man respecting his
duties, and yet not one word about the great obligation of the master to
emancipate his slaves, nor about the "appalling sin" of slavery? Such
silence must, indeed, appear exceedingly peculiar and anomalous to the
abolitionist. It would have been otherwise had he written the New
Testament. He would, no doubt, have inserted at least one little precept
against the sin of slavery.

As it is, however, the most profound silence reigns through the whole
word of God with respect to the sinfulness of slavery. "It must be
granted," says Dr. Wayland, "that the New Testament contains no
_precept_ prohibitory of slavery." Marvellous as such silence must needs
be to the abolitionist, it cannot be more so to him than his attempts to
account for it are to others. Let us briefly examine these attempts:

"You may give your child," says Dr. Wayland, "if he were approaching to
years of discretion, permission to do an act, while y