40. But sometimes a peril to eternal salvation itself is put forth against us;83    Opponitur. which peril, they cry out, we by telling a lie, if otherwise it cannot be, must ward off. As, for instance, if a person who is to be baptized be in the power of impious and infidel men, and cannot be got at that he may be washed with the laver of regeneration, but by deceiving his keepers with a lie. From this most invidious cry, by which we are compelled, not for a man’s wealth or honors in this world which are fleeting by, not for the life itself of this present time, but for the eternal salvation of a human being, to tell a lie, whither shall I betake me for refuge but unto thee, O truth? And by thee is put forth before me,84    Proponitur. Chastity. For why, if those keepers may be enticed to admit us to baptize the man, by our committing lewdness, do we refuse to do things contrary to chastity, and yet, if by a lie they may be deceived, consent to do things contrary to truth? when without doubt no man would faithfully think chastity amiable, but because it is enjoined of truth? So then, to get at a man to baptize him, let the keepers be deceived by lying, if truth bid it. But how can truth bid in order that a man may be baptized, that we should tell a lie, if chastity biddeth not, in order that a man be baptized, that we should commit whoredom? Now why doth chastity not bid this, but because this truth teacheth not? If then, save what truth teacheth, we ought not to do, when truth teacheth not even for the sake of baptizing a man to do what is contrary to chastity, how shall she teach us to do for the sake of baptizing a man what is contrary to herself, the truth? But like as eyes not strong enough to look upon the sun yet do gladly look upon the objects which are by the sun enlightened, so, souls which have already strength to delight in the beauty of chastity are yet not straightway able to consider in her very self that truth whence charity hath her light, insomuch that when it cometh to the doing of somewhat that is adverse to truth, they should so start back in horror as they do start back in horror if aught be proposed to be done that is adverse to chastity. But that son, who, receiving the word shall be far from perdition, and nothing false cometh forth of his mouth,85    Prov. xxix. 27. Lat. accounts it as much debarred from him if, to the succoring of his fellow man he be urged to pass through a lie, as if it were through the deed of lewdness. And the Father heareth and granteth his prayer that he may avail without a lie to succor whom the Father Himself, Whose judgments are unsearchable, willeth to be succored. Such a son therefore so keeps watch against a lie, as he doth against sin. For indeed sometimes the name of lie is put for the name of sin: whence is that saying, “All men are liars.”86    Ps. cxvi. 11. [See R.V.] For it is so said, as if it were said, “All men are sinners.” And that: “But if the truth of God hath abounded through my lie.”87    Rom. iii. 7 And therefore, when he lies as a man he sins as a man, and will be held by that sentence in which it is said, “All men are liars;” and, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”88    1 John i. 8 But when nothing false cometh forth of his mouth, according to that grace will it so be, of which is said: “He that is born of God, sinneth not.”89    1 John iii. 9 For were this nativity by itself alone in us, no man would sin: and when it shall be alone, no man will sin. But now, we as yet drag on that which we were born corruptible: although, according to that which we are new-born, if we walk aright, from day to day we are renewed inwardly.90    2 Cor. iv. 16 But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, life will swallow it up wholly, and not a sting of death will remain.91    1 Cor. xv. 53–56. [See R.V.] Now this sting of death is sin.

CAPUT XX.

40. An saltem pro aeterna hominis salute mentiendum. In salutis aeternae periculo, sicut non debet homini subveniri per stuprum, ita nec per mendacium, quod vere peccatum est. Sed aliquando nobis ipsius quoque salutis aeternae periculum opponitur, quod nostro mendacio, si aliter non potest, depellendum esse clamatur: velut si quisquam baptizandus in potestate sit impiorum atque infidelium constitutus, ad quem perveniri non possit ut lavacro regenerationis abluatur, nisi deceptis mentiendo custodibus. Ab hoc invidiosissimo clamore, quo cogimur non pro cujusquam opibus vel honoribus in hoc saeculo transcurrentibus, non pro ipsa hujus temporis vita, sed pro aeterna hominis salute mentiri, quo confugiam, nisi ad te, Veritas? Et mihi abs te proponitur castitas. Cur enim si custodes isti, ut nos ad baptizandum hominem admittant, stupro illici possunt, non facimus contraria castitati, et si mendacio decipi possunt, facimus contraria veritati? cum procul dubio nulli esset fideliter amabilis castitas, si non eam praeciperet veritas. Proinde ut perveniatur ad hominem baptizandum, fallantur mentiendo custodes, si hoc jubet veritas. Sed quomodo jubeat veritas, ut homo baptizetur, esse mentiendum, si non jubet castitas, ut homo baptizetur, esse moechandum? Cur autem hoc non jubet castitas, nisi quia hoc non docet veritas? Si ergo, nisi quod veritas docet, facere non debemus; cum veritas doceat nec propter hominem baptizandum facere quod contrarium est castitati, quomodo nos docebit facere propter baptizandum hominem quod ipsi est contrarium veritati? Sed sicut oculi ad intuendum solem parum firmi, ea tamen quae a sole illustrantur, libenter intuentur; sic animae jam valentes delectari pulchritudine castitatis, non tamen continuo per se ipsam considerare veritatem unde lucet castitas possunt, ut cum ventum fuerit ad aliquid faciendum quod adversum est veritati, ita refugiant et exhorreant, quemadmodum refugiunt et exhorrent, si faciendum aliquid proponatur quod adversum est castitati. Ille autem filius qui verbum suscipiens a perditione longe aberit, et nihil falsi ex ejus ore procedit (Prov. XXIX, 27), tam sibi clausum deputat, si ad subveniendum homini per mendacium, quam si per stuprum transire cogatur. Et Pater exaudit orantem, ut valeat sine mendacio subvenire, cui vult Pater ipse, cujus inscrutabilia sunt judicia, subveniri. 0547 Talis ergo filius ita observat a mendacio, sicut a peccato. Nam et aliquando mendacii nomen pro peccati nomine ponitur: unde illud est, Omnis homo mendax (Psal. CXV, 11). Sic enim dictum est, tanquam diceretur. Omnis homo peccans. Et illud: Si autem veritas Dei in meo mendacio abundavit (Rom. III, 7). Ac per hoc cum mentitur ut homo, peccat ut homo, et ea sententia tenebitur qua dictum est, Omnis homo mendax; et, Si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos seducimus, et veritas in nobis non est (I Joan. I, 8). Cum vero nihil falsi ex ejus ore procedit, secundum eam gratiam sic erit de qua dictum est: Qui natus est ex Deo, non peccat (Id. III, 9). Haec enim nativitas si sola esset in nobis, nemo peccaret: et quando sola erit, nemo peccabit. Nunc autem adhuc trahimus quod corruptibiles nati sumus: quamvis secundum id quod renati sumus, si bene ambulamus, de die in diem renovamur interius (II Cor. IV, 16). Cum vero et corruptibile hoc induerit incorruptionem, vita totum absorbebit, et nullus mortis aculeus remanebit. Aculeus autem mortis est peccatum (I Cor. XV, 53-56).