21. 2 Pet. ii. 19.
POLITICAL WRITINGS 149 to God his own sins and the sins of his people, and declares with pious grief that these were the cause of the captivity. ^^ The prime cause, then, of slavery is sin, which brings man under the dominion of his fellow—that which does not happen save by the judgment of God, with whom is no unrighteousness, and who knows how to award fit punishments to every variety of offence. But our Master in heaven says, "Every one who doeth sin is the servant of sin." ^o And thus there are many wicked masters who have religious men as their slaves, and who are yet themselves in bondage;
"for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." ^^ And beyond question it is a happier thing to be the slave of a man than of a lust; for even this very lust of ruling, to mention no others, lays waste men's hearts with the most ruthless dominion. Moreover, when men are subjected to one another in a peaceful order, the lowly position does as much good to the servant as the proud position does harm to the master. But by nature, as God first created us, no one is the slave either of man or of sin. This servitude is, however, penal, and is appointed by that law which enjoins the preservation of the natural order and forbids its disturbance; for if nothing had been done in violation of that law, there would have been nothing to restrain by penal servitude. And therefore the apostle admonishes slaves to be subject to their masters, and to serve them heartily and with good-will, so that, if they cannot be freed by their masters, they may themselves make their slavery in some sort free, by serving not in crafty
19. Dan. ix. 20. John viii. 34. 21. 2 Pet. ii. 19.