John Ponet on Anabaptist communism

[Reformed Covenanter]

THE Anabaptists wresting scripture to serve their madness, among other foul errors, have this: that all things ought to be common, they image man to be of that purity that he was before the fall, that is, clean without sin, or that (if he will) he may so be: and that as when there was no sin, all things were common, so they ought now to be.

But this mingling of the state of man before the fall, and of him after the fall much deceiveth them. For by the fall, and ever after the fall, this corruptible flesh of man is clogged with sin, and shall never be rid of sin, as long as it is in this corrupt world, but shall be always disposed and prone to do that is evil. And therefore as one means to be the rather encumbered of the heap of sin, God ordained that man should get his living by the sweat of his brows: and that he should be the more forced to labour, the distinction of things and property (mine, and thine) was (contrary to Plato’s opinion) ordained, as appeareth by these two laws: Thou shalt not steal: Thou shall not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his servant, nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his Ass, nor any thing that is his. ...

For more, see John Ponet on Anabaptist communism.