33. It remains then that we understand as concerning those women, whether in Egypt or in Jericho, that for their humanity and mercy they received a reward, in any wise temporal, which indeed itself, while they wist not of it, should by prophetical signification prefigure somewhat eternal. But whether it be ever right, even for the saving of a man’s life, to tell a lie, as it is a question in resolving which even the most learned do weary themselves, it did vastly surpass the capacity of those poor women, set in the midst of those nations, and accustomed to those manners. Therefore their ignorance in this as well as in those other things of which they were alike unknowing, but which are to be known by the children not of this world but of that which is to come, the patience of God did bear withal: Who yet, for their human kindness which they had shown to His servants, rendered unto them rewards of an earthly sort, albeit signifying somewhat of an heavenly. And Rahab, indeed, delivered out of Jericho, made transition into the people of God, where, being proficient, she might attain to eternal and immortal prizes which are not to be sought by any lie. Yet at that time when she did for the Israelite spies that good, and, for her condition of life, laudable work, she was not as yet such that it should be required of her, “In your mouth let Yea be yea, Nay nay.”65    Matt. v. 37 But as for those midwives, albeit Hebrewesses, if they savored only after the flesh, what or how great is the good they got of their temporal reward in that they made them houses, unless by making proficiency they attained unto that house of which is sung unto God, “Blessed are they that dwell in thine house; for ever and ever they will praise thee?”66    Ps. lxxxiv. 4 It must be confessed, however, that it approacheth much unto righteousness, and though not yet in reality, even now in respect of hopefulness and disposition that mind is to be praised, which never lies except with intention and will to do good to some man, but to hurt no man. But as for us, when we ask whether it be the part of a good man sometimes to lie, we ask not concerning a person pertaining to Egypt, or to Jericho, or to Babylon, or still to Jerusalem itself, the earthly, which is in bondage with her children;67    Gal. iv. 25, 26 but concerning a citizen of that city which is above and free, our mother, eternal in the heavens. And to our asking it is answered, “No lie is of the truth.”68    1 John ii. 21 The sons of that city, are sons of the Truth. That city’s sons are they of whom it is written,“In their mouth was found no lie:”69    Rev. xiv. 5 son of that city is he of whom is also written, “A son receiving the word shall be far from destruction: but receiving, he hath received that for himself, and nothing false proceedeth out of his mouth.”70    Prov. xxix. 27. Lat. (not in Hebrew). These sons of Jerusalem on high, and of the holy city eternal, if ever, as they be men, a lie of what kind soever doth worm itself into them, they ask humbly for pardon, not therefrom seek moreover glory.

33. Restat itaque ut intelligamus illis mulieribus, vel in Aegypto, vel in Jericho, pro humanitate et misericordia redditam fuisse mercedem utique temporalem, quae quidem et ipsa aeternum aliquid 0541 etiam illis nescientibus prophetica significatione figuraret. Utrum autem sit aliquando vel pro cujusquam salute mentiendum, cum quaestio sit in qua dissolvenda etiam doctissimi fatigantur, valde illarum muliercularum in illis populis constitutarum et illis moribus assuetarum excedebat modum. Itaque hanc earum ignorantiam, sicut aliarum rerum quas pariter nesciebant, sed sciendae sunt a filiis non hujus saeculi, sed futuri, Dei patientia sustinebat: qui tamen eis pro benignitate humana, quam famulis ejus impenderant, quamvis coeleste aliquid significantia, praemia terrena reddebat. Et Raab quidem ex Jericho liberata, in Dei populum transitum fecit, ubi proficiens posset ad aeterna et immortalia munera pervenire, quae nullo sunt quaerenda mendacio.

CAPUT XVI.

Sitne boni hominis aliquando mentiri pro alterius salute. Tunc tamen quando illud opus bonum et pro suae vitae conditione laudabile Israelitis exploratoribus praestitit, nondum erat talis ut ab ea exigeretur, Sit in ore vestro, Est, est; Non, non (Matth. V, 37). Obstetrices autem illae quamvis Hebraeae, si secundum carnem tantummodo sapuerunt, quid aut quantum est quod eis profuit remuneratio temporalis, quia fecerunt sibi domos, nisi proficiendo pertinuerint ad eam domum de qua Deo cantatur, Beati qui habitant in domo tua; in saecula saeculorum laudabunt te (Psal. LXXXIII, 5)? Multum autem fatendum est propinquare justitiae, et quamvis re ipsa nondum, jam tamen spe atque indole animum esse laudandum, qui nunquam nisi hac intentione mentitur, qua vult prodesse alicui, nocere autem nemini. Sed nos cum quaerimus sitne boni hominis aliquando mentiri, non de homine quaerimus adhuc ad Aegyptum, vel ad Jericho, vel ad Babyloniam pertinente, vel adhuc ad ipsam Jerusalem terrenam, quae servit cum filiis suis; sed de cive illius civitatis quae sursum est libera mater nostra aeterna in coelis (Galat. IV, 25, 26). Et respondetur quaerentibus nobis: Omne mendacium non est ex veritate. Filii autem illius civitatis, filii sunt utique veritatis. Ejus civitatis filii sunt de quibus scriptum est, In ore eorum non est inventum mendacium (Apoc. XIV, 5): ejus civitatis filius est de quo item scriptum est, Verbum suscipiens filius a perditione longe aberit: excipiens autem excepit illud sibi, et nihil falsi ex ejus ore procedit (Prov. XXIX, 27). His filiis supernae Jerusalem et sanctae civitatis aeternae si quando ut hominibus obrepit qualecumque mendacium, poscunt humiliter veniam, non inde quaerunt insuper gloriam.