Freedom And Slavery

Unusquisque in ea vocatione, in qua vocatus est, in ipsa permaneat. Hoc firmat, quod supra dixit. 'Servus vocatus es. Non sit tibi curae: sed  et si potes liber fieri, magis utere.' Hortatur ut bene serviens de Dei timore carnali domino, dignum se faciat libertate, ne audiens forte: Servus vocatus es? Non tibi sit curae;' negligentior esset circa bonos actus carnalis domini, et doctrina Christi blasphemaretur, et nec ille Deum prometetur, qui in his terrenis bene serviens, meritum sibi collocat apud Deum: quia dixit Dominus: Qui in minimo fidelis est, et in magno.' Qui enim in Domino vocatus est servus, liberatus est Domini. Ereptus enim a peccatis, quae vere servos probant, libertus fit; hic enim omnino servus est, qui imprudenter agit, sicut et veteribus placuit, qui omnes sapientes liberos appelarunt, imprudentes autem omnes servos. Unde et Saloman: Servo, inquit, sapienti liberi servient. Hic ergo qui credit, etsi servus sit ad tempus, quia rem facit prudentem, ut credat in Christum, libertus fit Domini. Si ergo peccata servos faciunt, sicut Cham filius Noe peccati et imprudentiae causa factus est servus; cum quis accipit remissionem peccatorum, libertus efficitur. Ambrosiaster, In Epistolam Beati Pauli Ad Corinthios Primam, Caput VII Source: Migne PL 17.220c-d

'Each one in the vocation in which he is called, let him remain.' 1 Here he confirms that which he said above, 'You are called and a slave? Let it not worry you; but if you can make yourself free, better it would be.' 2 He exhorts that by serving well a carnal lord in the fear of God, a man will be made worthy to gain his freedom, lest perhaps hearing, 'Are you are a slave? Let it not worry you,' there be neglect for good deeds for a carnal lord and the teaching of Christ be blasphemed, and he not merit God, he who serving well in worldly things will be with merit gathered to God, because the Lord said, 'He who is faithful in the least of things, is so in the greatest.' 3 For he who is a slave and has been called to the Lord is freed in the Lord. 4   For seized from sin, which truly proves one a slave, he is made free. For he is an utter slave, who acts imprudently, as it pleased the men of old to name everyone wise a free man and all the foolish slaves. Whence Solomon says, 'Free born sons will be servants of the wise servant.' 5 He, then, who believes, even if he be a slave for a time, because he acts prudently, believing in Christ, is made free in the Lord. If therefore sins make slaves, so Ham the son of Noah, by reason of sin and imprudence, was made a slave, and when someone receives forgiveness for sin, he is liberated Ambrosiaster, from the Commentary On The First Epistle of Saint Paul To The Corinthians, Chapter 7 1 1 Cor 7.20-21 2 1 Cor 7.21 3 Lk 16.10 4 1 Cor 7.22 5 Sirach 10.28