11. But if any man supposes that the reason why it is right for a person to tell a lie for another is, that he may live the while, or not be offended in those things which he much loveth, to the end he may attain unto eternal truth by being taught: that man doth not understand, in the first place, that there is no flagitious thing which he may not upon the same ground be compelled to commit, as has been above demonstrated; and in the next place, that the authority of the doctrine itself is cut off and altogether undone if those whom we essay to bring thereunto, are by our lie made to think that it is somewhiles right to lie. For seeing the doctrine which bringeth salvation consisteth partly in things to be believed, partly in things to be understood; and there is no attaining unto those things which are to be understood, unless first those things are believed, which are to be believed; how can there be any believing one who thinks it is sometimes right to lie, lest haply he lie at the moment when he teacheth us to believe? For how can it be known whether he have at that moment some cause, as he thinks, for a well-meant27    Officiosi lie, deeming that by a false story a man may be frightened and kept from lust, and in this way account that by telling a lie he is doing good even in spiritual things? Which kind of lie once admitted and approved, all discipline of faith is subverted altogether; and this being subverted, neither is there any attaining to understanding, for the receiving of which that discipline nurtureth the babes: and so all the doctrine of truth is done away, giving place to most licentious falsehood, if a lie, even well-meant, may from any quarter have place opened for it to enter in. For either whoso tells a lie prefers temporal advantages, his own or another’s, to truth; than which what can be more perverse? or when by aid of a lie he wishes to make a person fit for gaining the truth, he bars the approach to truth, for by wishing when he lies to be accommodating,28    Aptus it comes to pass that when he speaks the truth, he cannot be depended upon. Wherefore, either we must not believe good men, or we must believe those whom we think obliged sometimes to tell a lie, or we must not believe that good men sometimes tell lies: of these three the first is pernicious, the second foolish; it remains therefore that good men should never tell lies.

CAPUT VIII.

11. Neque mentiendum studio servandi alios ad vitam aeternam. Quod si quisquam putat, ideo cuiquam pro alio esse mentiendum, ut interim vivat, aut in his rebus quas multum diligit non offendatur, quo possit ad aeternam veritatem pervenire discendo: non intelligit primo nullum esse flagitium, quod non eadem conditione suscipere cogatur, sicut jam superius demonstratum est; deinde ipsius doctrinae auctoritatem intercipi et penitus interire , si eis quos ad illam perducere conamur, mendacio nostro persuademus aliquando esse mentiendum. Cum enim doctrina salutaris, partim credendis, partim intelligendis rebus constet; nec ad ea quae intelligenda sunt perveniri possit, nisi prius credenda credantur: quomodo credendum est ei qui putat aliquando esse mentiendum, ne forte et tunc mentiatur cum praecipis ut credamus? Unde enim sciri potest utrum et tunc habeat aliquam causam, sicut ipse putat, officiosi mendacii, existimans falsa narratione hominem territum posse a libidine cohiberi, atque hoc modo etiam ad spiritualia se consulere mentiendo arbitretur? Quo 0497 genere admisso atque approbato, omnis omnino fidei disciplina subvertitur; qua subversa, nec ad intelligentiam pervenitur, cui capiendae ista parvulos nutrit: atque ita omnis doctrina veritatis aufertur, cedens licentiosissimae falsitati, si mendacio vel officioso alicunde penetrandi aperitur locus. Aut enim temporalia commoda, vel propria vel aliena, veritati praeponit, quicumque mentitur; quo quid fieri potest perversius? aut cum veritati adipiscendae opitulante mendacio vult facere idoneum, intercludit aditum veritati; volens enim cum mentitur esse aptus , fit cum verum dicit incertus. Quamobrem aut non est credendum bonis, aut credendum est eis quos credimus debere aliquando mentiri, aut non est credendum bonos aliquando mentiri: horum trium primum perniciosum est, secundum stultum; restat ergo ut nunquam mentiantur boni.