§. 23. This is the perfect condition of slavery, which is nothing else but the
state of war continued between a lawful conqueror and a captive, for if once
compact enter between them, and make an agreement for a limited power on the
one side, and obedience on the other, the state of war and slavery ceases as
long as the compact endures; for, as has been said, no man can by agreement
pass over to another that which he hath not in himself — a power over his
own life.
I confess, we find among the Jews, as well as other nations, that men did
sell themselves; but it is plain this was only to drudgery, not to slavery; for
it is evident the person sold was not under an absolute, arbitrary, despotical
power, for the master could not have power to kill him at any time, whom at a
certain time he was obliged to let go free out of his service; and the master
of such a servant was so far from having an arbitrary power over his life that
he could not at pleasure so much as maim him, but the loss of an eye or tooth
set him free (Exod. 21.).
