# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_M rz 1863_S83
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

The Old Lutheran Teachers on Slavery. 83

it by his testimony, and teaches that, for the taming of the godless and of fleshly minds, governments and servitude must exist. And these things the saints make use of, like other good creatures of God . . . But as for the saying that, according to natural law, all things are common, this is explained by referring it to the uncorrupted nature of man, as it was before original sin. When we speak of the present condition after original sin, we rightly say that the distribution of goods belongs to natural law. And I do not believe that among the old jurists this expression is to be found, that according to natural law all things are common. For they speak of the present state of nature, of which they see that a distribution of goods is necessary. They therefore put it this way: What belongs to no one beforehand is, by natural reason, granted to whoever takes possession of it. This maxim teaches that, by natural reason, property comes to be through a person's taking possession of a thing, and indeed according to natural reason. But natural reason here means the law of nature. I have said this to warn the reader, so that he not be deceived by those sayings which praise the Platonic community of goods, which sometimes, through their novelty, appear alluring to the inexperienced and give occasion for great and ruinous errors. No virtue adorns Christian understanding more than when one conscientiously honors the civil orders and authorities. Therefore those sayings which are against the public peace must be kept far from the Gospel. If anyone says that community of goods is a matter of divine right, set against him: Thou shalt not steal. For in this commandment it is commanded that everyone keep what is his own. If anyone claims that community of goods is a matter of evangelical right, set against him the saying of Paul, who calls the lawful orders of the commonwealths ordinances of God, Rom. 13:1. If anyone contends that community of goods is a matter of natural right, set against him the judgment of reason, that it is impossible for goods to be held in common amid this corruption of mankind. For the lazy would wish to be fed by the labor of others, against the law of nature, which is confirmed by these words, Gen. 3:19: In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread." (Corpus Reformator, XVI, 426. 427. 432. 433.)*)

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*) Even Calvin cannot help but acknowledge this teaching on servitude as a biblical one. He writes on Ephesians 6:5—9: "The Apostle does not speak of hired servants, such as are common nowadays, but of all those whose servitude was a permanent one, unless one were freed by his master's favor — servants whom the masters bought with money in such a way that they abused them for the most degrading services, and even held over them the right of life and death granted by the laws. Such servants he commands to obey their masters, so that they might not dream that a freedom of the flesh had been won for them through the Gospel . . He does, however, testify that they are obedient to God when they serve their masters faithfully; as though he would say: Weep not, that you have been brought into servitude by human tyranny. It is God who