menu_book Chapter 8

The Law of Liberty, or Royal Law, by which all mankind will certainly be judged, by Granville Sharp. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. In two former tracts, I have attempted to describe the just limitation of slavery in

the laws of God and the law of passive obedience with respect more particularly to the due submission of Christian servants or slaves to their masters. The purpose of the present tract is not only to point out the reciprocal duty of Christian masters to their servants and all other persons with whom they are connected, but also more particularly to enable our British American slaveholders to examine or measure with very little trouble by the rule of God's holy word

the legality or illegality of slavery among Christians. For this purpose, some of the clearest and most essential maxims or principles of scripture are selected and compared with each other in the following pages so speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty this the earnest advice of the apostle james in his general epistle chapter 2 verse 12 and as it is therefore manifest that we shall certainly be judged by the law of liberty it becomes a business

of the utmost importance to ascertain what particular law is thereby to be understood that we may write it on our hearts, since our everlasting happiness depends upon it, and the peril of eternal damnation seems to attend a breach of it. For he shall have judgment without mercy, says the apostle in the following verse, who hath showed no mercy.

The necessary premises for the examination of the question are nothing less than the fundamental moral principles of Christianity. And if I am rather prolix in defining them, I hope the importance of the subject will be considered as a sufficient excuse, for indeed the subject is not only important to those persons for whose use this text is particularly intended, I mean those persons who desire to be satisfied

concerning the legality or illegality of slavery amongst Christians, but to all mankind besides of every rank and denomination. All the moral duties of the gospel are briefly comprehended in two single principles of the law of Moses, viz. the love of God and the love of our neighbor. nothing therefore can be esteemed truly lawful under the gospel that is in the least repugnant to either of these and we need never be at a loss to distinguish what is or what is not so

if we will but carefully consider the proportion or degree of that love which is clearly expressed to be due both to god and our neighbor in these two comprehensive and eternal maxims the degree of love due to god exceeds all comparison and consideration of other things for it must, says the text, be with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might. Deuteronomy 6.5, which necessarily implies a most fervent zeal for the glory of God,

far exceeding all worldly considerations. And with respect to the degree or true proportion of love due to our neighbor, we have no pretense to plead ignorance, since the appointed measure of it is contained in every man's breast. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Leviticus 19.18. On these two commandments, said the eternal judge, hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22 40

The same eternal judge of mankind made also, on another occasion, a similar declaration concerning the sum or compendium of the law and the prophets. All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, said he, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7 12 this most excellent rule of conduct and behavior towards our neighbors which includes the whole substance or spirit of the law and the prophets so perfectly corresponds with the great second

commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves viz to manifest our love by doing to them as we ourselves might with reason and justice expect and desire they would do unto us that it seems intended like a sort of paraphrase to explain the true tenor of it for though the mode of expression is different, yet the effect of the doctrine is undoubtedly the same, because the Apostle Paul has in like manner declared this second great commandment to be the compendium of all the law.

All the law, says he, is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Galatians 5.14. Self-love, therefore, must be the rule or measure, not of self-gratification or private interest, but of our conduct and behavior towards other men. It must not be sole tenant of the heart, but is always to leave equal room for a due balance of that love which we owe to our neighbor, whenever the present circumstances, whatever they may be, require a

conscientious regard to the public good, or a sympathetic consideration for the feelings and sufferings of individuals, to enable us to fulfill our duty to our neighbor. Self-love is not hereby excluded, for self-preservation and a prudent regard for our own support and happiness may still be allowed an equal share of our consideration, without a breach of this second great commandment, which would otherwise be too hard and difficult for human nature to receive. We are not commanded

therein to love our neighbours more than ourselves, but only, here there is a lacuna in the text, as ourselves, so that self-love is apparently the true measure of our conduct and behaviour towards other men, and though an exalted sense of duty to God, according to the first great commandment, may, in some particular cases, prompt men to noble actions, wherein self-love may seem to be lost in a generous and benevolent regard to others, of which there are several instances in

scripture, as I have elsewhere shown, and also, though the like admirable generosity and perfect disinterestedness, may possibly, upon some unforeseen occasion, become likewise the peculiar duty of any one of us, viz. to lay down our lives for the brethren. 1 John 3.16. Yet, as this far exceeds the measure of love laid down in the second great commandment, which is given us as the general or ordinary rule of life, we may be assured that such a very difficult duty as that

of laying down our lives for the brethren can only be required of us on very extraordinary occasions, as in times of persecution or on other such pressing emergencies, when some very singular good or benefit to our friends, our country, or mankind in general, apparently depends upon our perseverance unto death for their sakes, in a just cause to the glory of God, or to the manifestation of his revealed truth for their confirmation and example. This is indeed the

best and most noble foundation not only for true patriotism in all men, as members respectively of some particular nation, but also for universal benevolence as citizens of the world, which latter duty should always regulate and limit the former, viz. patriotism, by the eternal rules of natural equity and justice. But, though a cheerful obedience in this ultimate duty of laying down our lives and sacrificing self-love and every temporal blessing for the good of others does

undoubtedly exalt human nature to the highest pitch of heroism and real dignity, let us all nevertheless pray God, as in effect we do by that comprehensive expression in our daily prayers, lead us not into temptation to preserve us from any such severe trials of our obedience and love to him as the necessity of laying down our lives for the brethren, lest, through the want of presence of mind or unwariness, or through weakness and natural infirmity, any of us should

unhappily shrink back from that ultimate duty, and thereby incur the dreadful condemnation of those that deny Christ before men. Let us also be truly thankful that the absolute command, in the second great branch of our duty, by which all mankind are to be judged, as shall hereafter be shown extends no farther than to limit self-love by a sympathetic consideration or fellow feeling for our neighbor's welfare lest the former self-love should be considered as the

proper universal principle of action and thereby endanger the peace and happiness of society by its partial instigations let me add too that if self-love is not thus restrained it will defeat its own purpose and fixed principles of self-preservation by incurring a dreadful and eternal doom. The omission of an act of mercy and benevolence towards our neighbour, when it is in our power and occasion requires it, is declared by our Lord, the Saviour of the world, to be as

gross an affront even to himself as if he had been personally neglected and denied by us. Inasmuch, says he, as he did it not to one of the least of these, he did it not to me. Matthew 25.45. And if sins of omission, even towards the meanest of our brethren, are by our Lord esteemed as a personal affront to himself, we may be assured that the actual commission of injuries will be infinitely more heinous in his sight and cannot escape his just

vengeance. We must remember also that this declaration of our Lord will be made to those miserable wretches who shall stand on the left hand, after the tremendous final sentence is passed upon them. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. See verse 41. It is manifest, therefore, that a violation of the love that is due to our neighbor is a violation also of the love of God, and on the contrary, the latter is perfected by

a strict obedience to the former. If we love one another, says the beloved apostle, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 1 John 4.12. So that the two great commandments appear to be reciprocally included and blended together in their consequences, by which we may more readily perceive the propriety of our Lord's declaration that the second great commandment is like unto the first, and this reciprocal connection between them enables us also to comprehend the reason

why the second is given alone, when both are undoubtedly necessary, as the grand test of Christian obedience, and as the sum and essence of the whole law of God. For all the law is fulfilled, says the Apostle Paul in one word, even in this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Galatians 514. Now a continued multiplication of statutes, as in England, where the number exceeds the capacity of the human memory, affords matter only for equivocation, doubt, and evasion, whereby sound

law is vitiated and corrupted, and the loathsome prostitute, still retaining the name of law, arises, like the harlot potpourri from pure Christianity, in another dress. She is clothed with the many-coloured garment of misconstruction, and seats herself at the right hand of the unjust judge, prompting him with wily subdefuges and bad precedents instead of law, whereby he is enabled to ensnare the innocent and screen the guilty. But on the other hand, when we consider

that all law is reduced to so small a compass that it may be accounted comparatively as one word, there is no room left for offenders to plead ignorance as an excuse for having violated the general laws of morality and the natural rights of mankind. Let me therefore exhort my opponents, as they regard their own eternal welfare to take this subject into their most serious consideration and no longer refuse to acknowledge this glorious word or maxim as the true measure except a still

greater measure of love is required of all their actions and more especially with respect to the present point before us the legality or illegality of slavery among christians for this question by infallible necessity falls under the decision of this very law because it sets before us our own personal feelings as the proper measure or standard of our behavior to other men, for tyrants, slaveholders, extortioners, and other oppressors would most certainly dislike to be treated as

as they treat others, so that this compendious law necessarily excludes the least toleration of slavery or of any other oppression which an innocent man would be unwilling to experience in his own person from another. We must therefore acknowledge this heavenly maxim to be the true standard not only of mutual benevolence among men, but also of our love and duty to God, since it includes the first great commandment by perfecting the love of God in us, as I have

before remarked, so that it must necessarily be esteemed the most sure and best foundation of perfect liberty, and accordingly we find it expressly distinguished in scripture by the title of the law of liberty. So speak ye, and so do, says the apostle James, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty, James 2.12. This title properly belongs indeed to the whole law or gospel of Christ and seems to be so applied by the same apostle in the preceding chapter, 25th verse,

wherein he speaks of the perfect law of liberty. Yet the general application of the title does not lessen the propriety of that particular application which I conceive to have been intended by the apostle in this second chapter because the precept in question is a complete compendium of Christian morality, containing, as I have before observed, the very essence of the whole gospel, or general law of liberty with respect to our duty towards men, and has therefore an indisputable right

also to the general title of the whole. But there are other reasons to justify the application of this general title of the gospel to that one comprehensive word or maxim in which all the law is fulfilled, though the Apostle James seems to mean the whole gospel in that passage of his first chapter, wherein he mentions the perfect law of liberty. Yet the whole tenor of his argument in the second chapter, where he again mentions the law of liberty, is apparently founded on

the principles of the glorious maxim in question, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. For this subject, in the beginning of the chapter, particularly relates to the duty we owe to our neighbors, being a warning against respect of persons or partiality, and as the maxim in question forbids even self-preference by directing us to love our neighbors. Here there is a lacuna in the text, as ourselves. It is so apparently suitable to the apostle's subject that he

expressly cites it under the eminent title of the royal law. Here there is a lacuna in the text, to enforce his argument. My brethren, says he, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. And then after challenging them in the second and third verses with partiality in preferring a well-dressed man in their assemblies to the poor and after appealing to them thereupon in the fourth and fifth verses saying are ye not partial

in yourselves etc and also after reproving them in the sixth and seventh verses for despising the poor he adds in the eighth verse if ye fulfill says he the royal law here there is a lacuna in the text according to the scripture thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself which is the very maxim in question, ye do well, but if ye have respect to persons, says he thereby, plainly pointing out this partiality as a direct breach of the said royal law, ye commit sin, and are

convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, continues the apostle, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, do not commit adultery, said also, do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do ye, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. Manifestly referring us to the indispensable principle of doing as we would

be done by, or to that which is exactly parallel to loving our neighbours as ourselves. For he shall have judgment without mercy, said the apostle, that hath showed no mercy, and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. James 2.1-13. This absolute necessity that we are laid under to show mercy that we may obtain mercy is apparently founded on the very same principle which our Lord declared to be the law and the prophets, that is, the sum and essence of the whole scriptures, as I have

before remarked. All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7.12. And I have already shown that this comprehensive maxim is exactly the same in effect, though expressed in different words, as the second great commandment of our Lord, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, in which, as the Apostle Paul has expressly declared, all the law is fulfilled, viz all the law, so see, is fulfilled

in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, Galatians 5.14. This one word, as the maxim is esteemed by the Apostle Paul, is therefore undoubtedly that glorious law of liberty by which we shall all be judged, as the Apostle James hath fairly warned us. So speak ye, and so do, says he, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. And therefore, if what has already been said be duly considered, the propriety of citing

this glorious and comprehensive law of liberty in vindication of the natural liberty of mankind against the tyranny of slaveholders cannot be doubted or called in question, for, though this supreme law virtually prohibits every other kind of oppression, yet its very title leads us to a more particular and express application of it against the toleration of slavery among Christians, because it seems to be thus eminently distinguished by the appointment of God himself

in his holy word, as the peculiar antidote against that baneful evil slavery, which is the most opposite and repugnant to its glorious title the law of liberty. This law of liberty, this supreme, this royal law must therefore be our guide in the interpretation and examination of all laws which relate to the rights of persons, because it excludes partiality or respect of persons, and consequently removes all ground for the pretense of any absolute right of dominion

inherent in the masters over their slaves. For, as all ranks of men are equal in the sight of God, the Christian slave or servant being the freeman of the Lord, and the Christian master the servant of Christ. 1 Corinthians 7.22. There is no doubt but that the same Christian qualities are necessary to be maintained by the Christian master that are required of the Christian servant, as humility, forgiveness of trespasses or debts, and though not submission yet certainly brotherly love towards

inferiors with unfeigned charity and universal benevolence founded on the glorious maxim or royal law, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, all which are indispensably necessary to form the disposition of a true Christian master, as they are absolutely incompatible with the oppressive and tyrannical claims of our American slaveholders. Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne fecheris, what thou wouldst not have done to thee, do not thou to another, was the favourite maxim of the

emperor Alexander Cerverus, according to the report of Lampridius, quoted by the learned Joseph Mead, book 3, page 550. This principle was probably deduced from the royal law or law of liberty, for Lampridius relates that the emperor heard it either from some Jews or Christians. Quod a qui bustam sive judoes sive christianis audiarat et tenebat, etc. And it cannot be denied that the doctrine of it is necessarily included in that great and indispensable commandment.

The doctrine was expressed even by Christ himself nearly to the same effect, which I have already quoted. All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7.12. So that slavery is absolutely inconsistent with Christianity because we cannot save any slaveholder that he doth not to another what he would not have done to himself. For he is continually exacting involuntary labor from others without

wages, which he would think monstrously unjust were he himself the sufferer. Nay, many of them are so besotted with avarice that they are not content with reaping the whole fruit of other men's labor upon earth without wages, but would deprive their poor laborers even of their eternal comfort, if they could exact a little more work from them by reducing them nearer to the state of brutes. What I advance cannot be denied, for it is notorious that many masters oppose the

instruction of their slaves in Christian knowledge, but very few promote it as they ought, so that the iniquity of the ignorant slave must rest with double weight on the guilty head of the owner to fill up the measure of his sins. Suppose a reverse of fortune, that an English or Scotch slaveholder or slave dealer is shipwrecked on the Barbary coast, and is retained as a slave by the Moors who sees him or is sold as such to another person according to the detestable customs of that

savage people? Would he esteem himself the lawful property of his tawny master because the wretched police of those barbarians in tolerating slavery is similar to his own former practices as an American slaveholder or African trader? Would he not think it cruel treatment to be esteemed a mere chattel, and as such to be ranked with the horses and oxen of his African master? Like them to be compelled by stripes to perform the most servile and abject labour? Like them to receive no wages

or other reward for his service, except a little coarse provender merely to keep him in working order for his master's benefit? Would he not think himself grievously injured by being forcibly detained and prevented from working for himself? And would he not think himself absolutely robbed of the fruits of his own labor. He would certainly have ample reason to lament the Mohammedan's ignorance of the heavenly precept, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, for he

would then be taught by his own sufferings to comprehend the full force, extent, and meaning of that benevolent command, which in his prosperity he was never willing to understand, though the doctrine is so plain and obvious, that there can be no excuse for misunderstanding it, for unless the slaveholder can make it appear that his slave is not his neighbor, he must necessarily acknowledge this law of liberty to be the true measure of his conduct and behavior towards his

slave, as well as towards all other men. Let not slaveholders or African traders conceive that they are at liberty to receive or reject this glorious precept, according as it may suit their interest or convenience, but rather let them carefully examine, for they are particularly interested in the determination of the question whether obedience to the doctrine of the great law of liberty is not absolutely indispensable, and whether the violation of it is not dangerous to

salvation. If they think there is any room to flatter themselves, that they do not offend God by tolerating slavery among them, let them but examine their action by this royal law, and they will clearly perceive both their guilt and danger, unless they have consciences seared with a hot iron. If ye have respect unto persons, says the Apostle James when he enforces the observation of the royal law, ye commit sin and are convinced of the law as transgressors, etc.

Chapter 2 verse 9. Now this offence of having respect unto persons is a mark which strongly characterizes slaveholders as violators of the royal law. They are courteous, friendly, and hospitable enough in general to persons of their own rank, as indeed they ought to be, but at the same time they look down upon their slaves, who are equally their brethren, as if they were not human beings, and rank them as mere chattels with their horses and dogs, so that there needs no

argument to prove them guilty of having respect unto persons, in a most notorious degree, whereby they surely commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. What therefore have such men to expect, when they shall be judged by the law of liberty, especially as the apostle adds, they shall have judgment without mercy, especially as the apostle adds, they shall have judgment without mercy, that have showed no mercy, etc. And even our Lord himself has declared the very

same doctrine, though in different words. With the same measure that ye meet, says he, shall it be measured unto you again. Here there is a lacuna in the text. Luke 6.38, Matthew 7.2, Mark 4.24. What measure of benevolence, therefore, have these men to expect, who endeavor to enrich themselves by enslaving and oppressing their brethren. For men who, without mercy or fellow feeling, have violated the royal law of liberty, can neither be said to love God nor their neighbor,

as directed in the two great commandments, and consequently are violators of the whole law, by which they absolutely deprive themselves of the benefit of Christ's redemption. This seems to be the necessary meaning of that dreadful doom before mentioned, He shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy. But let no man conceive that I presume to charge individuals, or any person in particular,

with the want of this mercy, so necessary to salvation, even though they are apparently guilty of that oppressive treatment of their neighbor which I now oppose, for this would seem like setting bounds to the mercy of God, whereby I should be liable to involve myself as an uncharitable judge in the same condemnation. and there are certainly a variety of circumstances beyond the reach of human knowledge that may

extenuate the guilt of particular persons of which the great searcher of hearts alone can judge. It is not therefore the persons but the uncharitable practices of slaveholders and slave dealers that I now venture to condemn and these I can with confidence affirm to be really damnable or dangerous to salvation as being the most notorious violations of that Christian charity or love of our neighbor, which God indispensably requires of us, and without which the highest

gifts are vain, and even faith itself. For though I have all faith, said the Apostle Paul, so that I could remove mountains and have no charity, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13.2. The nature of this indispensable charity is more particularly described by the same Apostle under the appellation of love. Here there is a lacuna in the text. Love, says he, worketh no ill to his neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13.10. But as the being detained

in an involuntary slavery is one of the greatest ills or evils that can happen to our neighbor, it must necessarily be allowed that he who causes or continues such an unnatural oppression of poor unfortunate strangers, who never injured him, nor his, nor ever voluntarily contracted to serve him, even for the shortest term, much less for life, such a man, I say, most certainly worketh ill to his neighbor, and consequently violates that saving love which is required for the fulfilling of the

law. For he that loveth another, says the apostle in a preceding verse of the same chapter, hath fulfilled the law. And after repeating the several articles of the Decalogue, respecting our duty towards our neighbor, he adds, and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Romans 13, 8-10. We may therefore fairly conclude that this glorious maxim is the touchstone or proof of that saving

love which is the fulfilling of the law, and without which faith is dead, as declared by the apostle Paul. That it is also the royal law being thus eminently distinguished from all other precepts of the gospel by the apostle James, and if it is not also particularly signified, though I am fully convinced that it is under the title of the law of liberty by the same apostle in his second chapter yet it is surely one of the most essential and comprehensive principles

of that law of liberty by which we shall all be judged because the apostle at the same time declares that he shall have judgment without mercy who hath showed no mercy chapter 2 verse 13 by which he manifestly refers to the breach of that particular precept which ought to regulate the conduct of all mankind towards each other, and therefore, lastly, we must acknowledge this same precept to be also the true measure or test on which our eternal doom will depend on that awful

day, when it shall be measured unto us again, according to the measure of our actions as declared by the eternal judge himself, Matthew 7.2, Mark 4.24, Luke 6.38, whose words cannot fail. and if even a mere neglect or omission in our duty towards our neighbor is so offensive to our blessed lord that he esteems it as a denial and affront to his own person which i have already observed how much more offensive to him must be the actual commission of the grossest injuries

such as the exaction of an involuntary service from our poor brethren without wages and the various cruelties usually practiced to enforce the same which are the necessary and unavoidable attendance on slavery. What a dreadful measure of retribution, then, may obstinate and unrepenting slaveholders and slave-dealers justly expect from the righteous judge! Surely there is but too much cause to apprehend that Christ will one day profess unto them, Inasmuch as ye have done it

unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Matthew 25, 40. This sentence, indeed, is applied in the text to those who shall have done good to their brethren, yet by necessary consequence it is equally applicable, as in the forty-fifth verse, to those who have neglected or shown them no brotherly love and charity. Inasmuch, said our Lord, as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

And these, by which our Lord plainly referred to all that should neglect or violate that indispensable brotherly love and charity which he enjoined, shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal. But alas, to worldly-minded men the judgments of another world seem too far distant to awaken their attention, though they are liable to be called away in the very next hour to a state of existence wherein the most repugnant remorse will avail them nothing. From such, therefore, and from those unrepenting individuals, that will still persist in violating the law of liberty by slave-dealing and slave-holding, it is time to turn away.

I have already bestowed too much labor upon them, I mean with respect to themselves. but this warning was not intended for them alone. The whole community, every individual without accepting even those who never had the least concern in promoting slavery, is personally interested in the consideration of this subject, for if a breach of God's command, even in the hidden crime of a single individual, as in the case of Achan, could involve a whole nation in

trouble and deprive them of God's blessing, how much more hateful in the sight of God must be a public infringement of his royal law, the perfect law of liberty, by national authority. The African slave trade, which includes the most contemptuous violations of brotherly love and charity that men can be guilty of, is openly encouraged and promoted by the British Parliament, and the most detestable and oppressive slavery that ever disgraced even the unenlightened heathens is notoriously tolerated

in the British colonies by the public acts of their respective assemblies, by acts that have been ratified with the assent and concurrence of British kings. The horrible guilt, therefore, which is incurred by slave-dealing and slave-holding, is no longer confined to the few hardened individuals that are immediately concerned in those baneful practices, but alas, the whole British empire is involved. By the unhappy concurrence of national authority,

the guilt is rendered national, and national guilt must inevitably draw down from God some tremendous national punishment, which I trust is fully demonstrated in my tract on the law of retribution, if we do not speedily take away the accursed thing from among us, if we do not carefully reform and redress at least every public and notorious violation of God's royal law, the perfect law of liberty. Granville sharp, glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace, goodwill towards men. End of the law of liberty or royal law by which all Mankind will certainly be judged by Granville Sharp.