Slave And Free

Caeterum quod ad moralem pertinet locum, quia omnes vult salvos fieri Dominus Deus noster, dedit per Joseph etiam iis qui sunt in servitute solatium: attribuit magisterium; ut discerent etiam in ultima conditione posse mores esse superiores, nec ullum statum immunem esse virtutis, si animus se uniuscujusque cognoscat: carnem servituti subditam esse, non mentem: multosque servulos esse dominis liberiores, si in servitute positi a servilibus putent operibus abstinendum. Servile est omne peccatum, libera est innocentia. Unde et Dominus ait: 'Omnis qui facit peccatum, servus est peccati. Quomodo enim non servus omnis avarus, qui pro exiguo pecuniae lucello se ipsum auctionatur? Timet omnia, ne congesta amittat, qui non utenda congessit, majore periculo servaturus quo majora quaesivit. Quomodo non mendicus, cui sunt parva quae possidet? Nam etsi mihi dives videatur, sibi eget: nec testimoniis sua vota solatur, qui quod optat nescit credere. Quomodo autem non et ille servus, qui subditus est libidini? Primum suis ardet incendiis, et pectoris sui facibus exuritur. Quibus recte dicit propheta: Ambulate in lumine ignis vestri, et in flamma quam accendistis. Suscepit omnes metus, insidiatur somno singulorum; ut unius cupiditate potiatur, fit servus omnium. Servit igitur hanc miseram quidem servitutem, qui ipse sibi dominos facit, ipse vult habere quos timeat. Nihil enim tam speciale servitutis est, quam semper timere ille vero in quavis conditione servitii semper liber, qui mundi amore non capitur, avaritiae vinculis non tenetur, metu criminis non alligatur, qui securus spectat praesentia, quem futura non terrent. Nonne videtur tibi iste in servitude dominari: ille autem in libertate servire? Serviebat Joseph, regnabat Pharao: beatior hujus servitus, quam regnum illius. Denique tota Aegyptus collapsa esset fame, nisi regnum suum consilio servuli subdidisset. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, De Jospeph Partiarcha, Caput IV Source: Migne PL 14.649c-650b

There are other things which pertain to the moral of this passage. Because the Lord wishes everyone to be saved, He gave through Joseph a comfort to those who are in a state of servitude, he gave a teaching, that they learn even in this least condition to be greater in conduct, for there is no pure state of virtue if a man does not know his soul. The flesh may be subdued to slavery but not the mind, and many slaves are more free than masters if placed in slavery they think to abstain from slavish works. Every sin is slavish, innocence is freedom. Whence the Lord said, 'Everyone who sins is a slave to sin.' 1 For how is every avaricious man not a slave, who for the least profit of money will even put himself up for sale? He who fears everything, lest it take what he has heaped up, useless things that he hoards, so the greater peril shall be his slavery by the more he has sought. How is he not a beggar to whom whatever he possesses is little? For even if he seems rich to me, he is poor to himself, nor shall the witnesses of his vows free him, he who because of his desire does not know how to believe. How is he not a slave who is conquered by lust? First he burns with his own flame and he kindles the torch of his own heart. Concerning which the prophet rightly said: 'Walk in the light of your fire and in the flame which you have kindled. 2 All sorts of fear seize him and his sleep is troubled by every one of them, so that having one desire, he is made a slave of many things. Thus he who is a slave in this miserable state of servitude, who makes masters for himself, let him fear what he wishes to have. Nothing is a greater mark of slavery than always to be fearful. Truly anyone who is in any state of slavery may be free who is not snared by the love of the world, and is not held by the chains of avarice, who is not bound by fear because of crime, who may securely look at the present, who is not terrified by the future. Does it seem to you this one in servitude rules and that one in freedom serves? Joseph served, Pharaoh ruled, happier was the servant than his king. Certainly all Egypt would have fallen into famine unless he had given his kingdom to the counsel of a slave. Saint Ambrose, On The Patriarch Joseph, Chap 4 1 Jn 8.34 2 Isaiah 50.11