23. But in all our doings, even good men are very greatly embarrassed in the matter of compensative sins; so that these are not esteemed to be sins, if they have such causes for the which they be done, and in the which it may seem to be rather sin, if they be left undone. And chiefly as concerning lies hath it come to this pass in the opinion of men that those lies are not accounted sins, nay rather are believed to be rightly done, when one tells a lie for the benefit of him for whom it is expedient to be deceived, or lest a person should hurt others, who seems likely to hurt unless he be got rid of by lies. In defense of these kinds of lies, very many examples from holy Scripture are accounted to lend their support. It is not, however, the same thing to hide the truth as it is to utter a lie. For although every one who lies wishes to hide what is true, yet not every one who wishes to hide what is true, tells a lie. For in general we hide truths not by telling a lie, but by holding our peace. For the Lord lied not when He said, “I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.”31    John xvi. 12 He held His peace from true things, not spoke false things; for the hearing of which truths He judged them to be less fit. But if He had not indicated this same to them, that is, that they were not able to bear the things which He was unwilling to speak, He would indeed hide nevertheless somewhat of truth but that this may be rightly done we should peradventure not know, or not have so great an example to confirm us. Whence, they who assert that it is sometimes meet to lie, do not conveniently mention that Abraham did this concerning Sarah, whom he said to be his sister. For he did not say, She is not my wife, but he said, “She is my sister;”32    Gen. xx. 2, 12 because she was in truth so near akin, that she might without a lie be called a sister. Which also afterwards he confirmed, after she had been given back by him who had taken her, answering him and saying, “And indeed she is my sister, by father, not by mother;” that is, by the father’s kindred, not the mother’s. Somewhat therefore of truth he left untold, not told aught of falsehood, when he left wife untold, and told of sister. This also did his son Isaac: for him too we know to have gotten a wife near of kin.33    Gen. xxvi. 7, and xxiv It is not then a lie, when by silence a true thing is kept back, but when by speech a false thing is put forward.

CAPUT X.

23. Exempla pro mendacio quaesita in Scripturis expendenda. Aliud est occultare veritatem, aliud proferre mendacium. Abraham et Isaac defenduntur 0533 a mendacio. Factum Jacob non esse mendacium. Tropi non sunt mendacia. Metaphora. Antiphrasis. Tropi in Scripturis quare. In omnibus autem actibus nostris maxime etiam bonos turbant compensativa peccata; ita ut nec peccata existimentur, si habeant tales causas propter quas fiant, et in quibus videatur peccari potius si non fiant. Et praecipue de mendaciis hoc in hominum opinione praevaluit, ut peccata non putentur illa mendacia, quinimo et recte facta esse credantur, quando quisque pro ejus cui falli expedit utilitate mentitur, aut ne aliis noceat qui nociturus videtur, nisi mendaciis evitetur. Ad haec mendaciorum genera defendenda, plurima de Scripturis sanctis suffragari putantur exempla. Non autem hoc est occultare veritatem, quod est proferre mendacium. Quamvis enim omnis qui mentitur velit celare quod verum est, non tamen omnis qui vult quod verum est celare mentitur. Plerumque enim vera non mentiendo occulimus, sed tacendo. Neque enim mentibus est Dominus, ubi ait: Multa habeo vobis dicere, sed non potestis illa portare modo (Joan. XVI, 12). Vera tacuit, non falsa locutus est; quibus veris audiendis eos minus idoneos judicavit. Quod si eis hoc ipsum non indicasset, id est, non eos posse portare quae dicere noluit, occultaret quidem nihilominus aliquid veritatis, sed posse hoc recte fieri forsitan nesciremus, aut non tanto firmaremur exemplo. Unde qui asserunt aliquando esse mentiendum, non convenienter commemorant Abraham hoc fecisse de Sara, quam sororem suam dixit. Non enim dixit, Non est uxor mea; sed dixit, Soror mea est: quod erat revera tam propinqua genere, ut soror non mendaciter diceretur. Quod et postea jam sibi ab illo qui abduxerat ea reddita confirmavit, respondens illi et dicens, Et vere soror mea est de patre, non de matre (Gen. XX, 2, 12): hoc est de paterno genere, non de materno. Aliquid ergo veri tacuit, non falsi aliquid dixit, quando tacuit uxorem, dixit sororem. Hoc et filius ejus fecit Isaac: nam et ipsum novimus propinquam suam conjugem fuisse sortitum (Id. XXVI, 7, et XXIV). Non est ergo mendacium cum silendo absconditur verum, sed cum loquendo promitur falsum.