23. This did a former Bishop of the Church of Thagasta, Firmus by name, and even more firm in will. For, when he was asked by command of the emperor, through officers sent by him, for a man who was taking refuge with him, and whom he kept in hiding with all possible care, he made answer to their questions, that he could neither tell a lie, nor betray a man; and when he had suffered so many torments of body, (for as.yet emperors were not Christian,) he stood firm in his pur- pose. Thereupon being brought before the emperor, his conduct appeared so admirable, that he without any difficulty obtained a par- don for the man whom he was trying to save. What conduct could be more brave and con- stant? But peradventure some more timid person may say, " I can be prepared to bear any torments, or even to submit to death, that I may not sin; but, since it is no sin to tell a lie such that you neither hurt any man, nor bear false witness, and benefit some man, it is foolish and a great sin, voluntarily and to no purpose to submit to torments, and, when one's health and life may haply be use- ful, to fling them away for nothing to people in a rage." Of whom I ask; Why he fears that which is written, "Thou shalt not bear false witness," x and fears not that which is said unto God, " Thou wilt destroy all them that speak leasing? " - Says he, " It is not written, Every lie: but I understand it as if it were written, Thou wilt destroy all that speak false witness." But neither there is it said, All false witness. " Yes, but it is set there," saith he, " where the other things are set down which are in every sort evil." What, is this the case with what is set down there, " Thou shalt not kill? " 3 If this be in every sort evil, how shall one clear of this crime even just men, who, upon a law given, have 1 Exod. xx. 16.
2 Ps. v. 6.
3 Exod. xx. 13.
ON LYING.
469 killed many? '' But," it is rejoined, " that man doth not himself kill, who is the minister of some just command." These men's fear, then, I do accept, that I still think that laud- able man who would neither lie, nor betray a man, did both better understand that which is written, and what he understood did bravely put in practice.
25. But one sometimes comes to a case of this kind, that we are not interrogated where the person is who is sought, nor forced to betray him, if he is hidden in such manner that he cannot easily be found unless be- trayed: but we are asked, whether 'he be in such a place or not. If we know him to be there, by holding our peace we betray him, •or even by saying that we will in no wise tell whether he be there or not: for from this the questioner gathers that he is there, as, if he were not, nothing else would be answered by him who would not lie nor betray a man, but only, that he is not there. So, by our either holding our peace, or saying such words, a man is betrayed, and he who seeks him hath but to enter in, if he have the power, and find him: whereas he might have been turned aside from finding him by our telling a lie. Wherefore if thou know not where he is, there is no cause for hiding the truth, but thou must confess that thou knowest not. But, if thou know where he is, whether he be in the place which is named in the question or else- where; thou must not say, when it is asked whether he be there or not, " I will not tell thee what thou askest/' but thou must say, " I know where he is, but I will never show."
For if, touching one place in particular thou answer not and profess that thou wilt not be- tray, it is just as if thou shouldest point to that same place with thy finger: for a sure suspicion is thereby excited. But if at the first thou confess that thou know where he is, but will not tell, haply the inquisitor may be diverted from that place, and begin now to ply thee that the place where he is may be betrayed. For which good faith and humanity whatever thou shalt bravely bear, is judged to be not only not culpable, but even laudable; save only these things which if a man suffer he is said to suffer not bravely, but im- modestly and foully. For this is the last de- scription of lie, concerning which we must treat more diligently.
25. For first to be eschewed is that capital lie and far to be fled from, which is done in doctrine of religion; to which lie a man ought by no consideration to be induced. The second, that he should hurt some man un- justly: which is such that it profits no man and hurts some man. The third, which so profits one as to hurt another, but not in cor- poral defilement. The fourth, that which is done through only lust of lying and deceiv- ing, which is an unmixed lie. The fifth, what is done with desire of pleasing by agree- ableness in talk. All these being utterly eschewed and rejected, there follows a sixth sort which at once hurts nobody and helps somebody; as when, if a person's money is to be unjustly taken from him, one who knows where the money is, should say that he does not know, by whomsoever the ques- tion be put. The seventh, which hurts none and profits some: except if a judge interro- gate: as when, not wishing to betray a man who is sought for to be put to death, one should lie; not only a just and innocent, but also a culprit; because it belongs to Christian discipline neither to despair of any man's amendment, nor to bar the way of repentance against any. Of which two sorts, which are wont to be attended with great controversy, we have sufficiently treated, and have shown what was our judgment; that by taking the consequences, which are honorably and bravely borne, these kinds also should be eschewed by brave and faithful and truthful men and women. The eighth sort of lie is that which hurts no man, and does good in the preserving somebody from corporal defile- ment, at least that defilement which we have mentioned above. For even to eat with un- washen hands the Jews thought defilement. Or if a person think this also a defilement, yet not such that a lie ought to be told to avoid it. But if the lie be such as to do an injury to any man, even though it screen a man from that uncleanness which all men abhor and detest; whether a lie of this kind may be told provided the injury done by the lie be such as consists not in that sort of un- cleanness with which we are now concerned, is another question: for here the question is no longer about lying, but it is asked whether an injury ought to be done to any man, even otherwise than by a lie, that the said defile- ment may be warded off from another. Which I should by no means think: though the case proposed be the slightest wrongs, as that which I mentioned above, about a single measure of wheat; and though it be very em- barrassing whether it be our duty not to do even such an injury to any man, if thereby another may be defended or screened from a lustful outrage upon his person. But, as I said, this is another question: at present let us go on with what we have taken in hand: whether a lie ought to be told, if even the inevitable condition be proposed that we either do this, or suffer the deed of lust or 4/0 THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN.
some execrable pollution; even though by lying we do no man harm.
26. Touching which matter, there will be some place open for consideration, if first the divine authorities which forbid a lie be diligently discussed: for if these give no place, we vainly seek a loophole; for we are bound to keep in every way the command of God, and the will of God in all that through keep- ing His command we may suffer, it is our duty with an even mind to follow: but if by some relaxation any outlet be allowed, in such a case we are not to decline a lie. The reason why the Divine Scriptures contain not only God's commands, but the life and character of the just, is this: that, if haply it be hidden in what way we are to take that which is en- joined, by the actions of the just it may be understood. With the exception, therefore, of those actions which one may refer to an allegorical significance, although none doubts that they really took place, as is the case with almost all the occurrences in the books of the Old Testament. For who can venture to affirm of any thing there, that it does not pertain to a figurative foretelling? Seeing the Apostle, speaking of the sons of Abraham, of whom of course it is most easily said that they were born and did live in the natural order of propagating the people, (for not monsters and prodigies were born, to lead the mind to some presignification,) nevertheless asserteth that they signify the two Testa- ments;1 and saith of that marvellous benefit which God bestowed upon His people Israel to rescue them out of the bondage in which they in Egypt were oppressed, and of the punishment which avenged their sin on their journey, that these things befell them in a figure:2 what actions wilt thou find, from which thou mayest set aside that rule, and take upon thee to affirm that they are not to be reduced to some figure? Excepting therefore these, the things which in the New Testament are done by the Saints, where there is a most evident commending of man- ners to our imitation, may avail as examples for the understanding of the Scriptures, which things are digested in the commands.
27. As, when we read in the Gospel, " Thou hast received a blow in the face, make ready the other cheek."3 Now as an example of patience can none be found than that of the Lord Himself more potent and excellent; but He, when smitten on the cheek, said not, Behold here is the other cheek, but He said, " If I have spoken ill, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou 1 Gal. iv. 22-24.
2 1 Cor. x. 1-11.
3 Matt. v. 39.
Me?"4 Where He shows that the prepara- tion of the other cheek is to be done in the heart. Which also the Apostle Paul knew, for he, too, when he was smitten on the face before the high priest, did not say, Smite the other cheek: but, "God," saith he, "shall smite thee, thou whited wall: and sittest thou to judge me according to law, and con- trary to law commandest me to be smitten? " s with most deep insight beholding that the priesthood of the Jews was already become such, that in name it outwardly was clean and fair, but within was foul with muddy lusts; which priesthood he saw in spirit to be ready to pass away through vengeance of the Lord, when he spake those words: but yet he had his heart ready not only to receive other blows on the cheek, but also to suffer for the truth any torments, whatever, with love of them from whom he should suffer the same.
28. It is alsq written, " But I say unto you, Swear not at all." But the Apostle himself has used oaths in his Epistles.6 And so he shows how that is to be taken which is said, " I say unto you, Swear not at all:" that is, lest by swearing one come to a facility in swearing, from facility to a custom, and so from a custom there be a downfall into per- jury. And therefore he is not found to have sworn except in writing, where there is more wary forethought, and no precipitate tongue withal. And this indeed came of evil, as it is said, "Whatever is more than these is of evil: "7 not however from evil of his own, but from the evil of infirmity which was in them, in whom he even in this way endeavored to work faith. For that he used an oath in speaking, while not writing, I know not that any Scripture has related concerning him. And yet the Lord says, " Swear not at all: " for He hath not granted license thereof to persons writing. Howbeit, because to pro- nounce Paul guilty of violating the command- ment, especially in Epistles written and sent forth for the spiritual life and salvation of the nations, were an impiety, we must under- stand that word which is set down, "At all," to be set down for this purpose, that as much as in thee lies, thou affect not, love not, nor as though it were for a good thing, with any delight desire, an oath.
29. As that, "Take no thought for the morrow," and, "Take therefore no thought what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, or what ye shall put on."8 Now when we see that the Lord Himself had a bag in which was put what was given,9 that it might be ON LYING.
471 kept for necessary uses as the time should require; and that the Apostles themselves made much provision for the indigence of the brethren, not only for the morrow, but even for the more protracted time of impend- ing dearth, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles;1 it is sufficiently clear that these precepts are so to be understood, that we are to do nothing of our work as matter of necessity, through love of obtaining temporal things, or fear of want.
30. Moreover, it was said to the Apostles that they should take nothing with them for their journey, but should live by the Gospel.2 And in a certain place too the Lord Himself signified why He said this, when He added, " The laborer is worthy of his hire: " 3 where He sufficiently shows that this is permitted, not ordered; lest haply he who should do this, namely, that in this work of preaching the word he should take aught for the uses of this life from them to whom he preached, should think he was doing any thing unlawful. And yet that it may more laudably not be done is sufficiently proved in the Apostle Paul: who, while he said, "Let him that is taught in the word, communicate unto him that teacheth in all things,"4 and showed in many places that this is wholesomely done by them to whom he preached the word, "Nevertheless," saith he, "I have not used this power."3 The Lord, therefore, when He spake those words, gave power, not bound men by a command. So in general, what in words we are not able to understand, in the actions of the Saints we gather how it is meet to be taken, which would easily be drawn to the other side, unless it were re- called by an example.
31. Thus then what is written, " The mouth that lieth, slayeth the soul; "6 of what mouth it speaketh, is the question. For in general when the Scripture speaks of the mouth, it signifies the very seat of our conception7 in the heart, where is approved and decreed whatever also by the voice, when we speak the truth, is uttered: so that he lieth with the heart who approveth a lie; yet that man may possibly not lie with the heart, who uttereth other than is in his mind, in such sort that he knows it to be for the sake of avoiding a greater evil that he admitteth an evil, disap- proving withal both the one and the other. And they who assert this, say that thus also is to be understood that which is written, " He that speaketh the truth in his heart:8 because always in the heart truth must be 1 Acts xi. 28-30.
4 Gal. vi. 6.
7 Conceptaculum.
spoken; but not always in the mouth of the body, if any cause of avoiding a greater evil require that other than is in the mind be uttered with the voice. And that there is indeed a mouth of the heart, may be under- stood even from this, that where there is speech, there a mouth is with no absurdity understood: nor would it be right to say, 'Who speaketh in his heart," unless it were right to understand that there is also a mouth in the heart. Though in that very place where it is written, "The mouth that lieth, slayeth the soul," if the context of the lesson be considered, it may peradventure be taken for no other than the mouth of the heart. For there is an obscure response there, where it is hidden from men, to whom the mouth of the heart, unless the mouth of the body sound therewith, is not audible. But that mouth, the Scripture in that place saith, doth reach to the hearing of the Spirit of the Lord, Who hath filled the whole earth; at the same time mentioning lips and voice and tongue in that place; yet all these the sense permitteth not to be taken, but concerning the heart, because it saith of the Lord, that what is spoken is not hidden from Him: now that which is spoken with that sound which reacheth to our ears, is not hidden from men either. Thus, namely, is it written: "The Spirit of wis- dom is loving, and will not acquit an evil- speaker of his lips: for of his reins God is witness, and of his heart a true searcher, and of his tongue a hearer. For the Spirit of the Lord hath filled the whole earth, and that which containeth all things hath knowledge of the voice. Therefore he that speaketh unrighteous things cannot be hid: but neither shall the judgment when it punisheth pass by him. For in the thoughts of the ungodly shall there be interrogation; and the hearing of his words shall come from the Lord, to the punishment of his iniquities.9 For the ear of jealousy heareth all things, and the tumult of murmurings will not be hid. Therefore keep yourselves from murmuring, which pro- fiteth nothing, and from backbiting refrain your tongue: because an obscure response will not go into the void.10 But the mouth that lieth, slayeth the soul." " It seems then to threaten them who think that to be obscure and secret, which they agitate and turn over in their heart. And this, it would show, is so clear to the ears of God, that it even calls it "tumult."
32. Manifestly also in the Gospel we find 9 A Domino, " unto the Lord." E. V. Ic Obscurum resftonsum in vacuum non ibit, word so secret that shall go for nought.'' E. V. " Wisd. i. 6-1 1.
'There is no 472 THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN.
the mouth of -the heart: so that in one place the Lord is found to have mentioned the mouth both of the body and of the heart, where he saith, " Are ye also yet without un- derstanding? Do ye not yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? but those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornica- tions, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man. " ' Here if thou understand but one mouth, that of the body, how wilt thou understand, " Those things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart; " since spitting also and vomiting proceed out of the mouth? Unless peradventure a man is but then de- filed when he eateth aught unclean, but is defiled when he vomits it up. But if this be most absurd, it remains that we understand the mouth of the heart to have been ex- pounded by the Lord, when He saith, " The things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart.'' For being that theft also can be, and often is, perpetrated with silence of the bodily voice and mouth; one must be out of his mind so to understand it as then to account a person to be contami- nated by the sin of theft, when he confesses or makes it known, but when he commits it and holds his peace, then to think him un- defiled. But, in truth, if we refer what is said to the mouth of the heart, no sin what- ever can be committed tacitly: for it is not committed unless it proceed from that mouth which is within.
33. But, like as it is asked of what mouth the Scripture saith, " The mouth that lieth, slayeth the soul," so it may be asked, of what lie. For it seems to speak of that lie in particular, which consists in detraction. It says, " Keep yourselves from murmuring, which profiteth nothing, and from detraction refrain your tongue." Now this detraction takes place through malevolence, when any man not only with mouth and voice of the body doth utter what he forgeth against any, but even without speaking wisheth him to be thought such; which is in truth to detract with the mouth of the heart; which thing, it saith, cannot be obscure and hidden from God.
34. For what is written in another place, "Wish not to use every lie;"2 they say is not of force for this, that a person is not to 1 Matt. xv. 16-20.
2 Ecclus. vii. 13. /J.V; 6e\e i^eiiSeo-Cat itav 'I'eGSo;, noli velle mentiri omne mendacium. " Use not to make any manner of lie," E. V. " Every " is used for " any."
use any lie. Therefore, when one man shall say, that according to this testimony of Scripture we must to that degree hold every sort and kind of lie in detestation, that even if a man wish to lie, yea, though he lie not, the very wish is to be condemned; and to this sense interpreteth, that it is not said, Do not use every lie, but, " Do not wish to use every lie; " that one must not dare not only to tell, but not even to wish to tell, any lie whatever: saith another man, " Nay, in that it saith, Do not wish to use ever)'- lie, it willeth that from the mouth of the heart we exterminate and estrange lying: so that while from some lies we must abstain with the mouth of the body, as are those chiefly which pertain to doctrine of religion; from some, we are not to abstain with the mouth of the body, if reason of avoiding a greater evil require; but with the mouth of the heart we must abstain utterly from every lie." Where it behoveth to be understood what is said, "Do not wish:" namely, the will itself is taken as it were the mouth of the heart, so that it concerneth not the mouth of the heart when in shunning a greater evil we lie unwillingly. There is also a third sense in which thou mayest so take this word, " not every/' that, except some lies, it giveth thee leave to lie. Like as if he should say, wish not to believe every man: he would not mean to advise that none should be believed; but that not all, some however, should be believed. And that which follows, " For assiduity thereof will not profit for good," sounds as if, not lying, but assiduous lying, that is, the custom and love of lying, should seem to be that which he would pro- hibit. To which that person will assuredly slide down,3 who either shall think that every lie may be boldly used (for so he will shun not that even which is committed in the doc- trine of piety and religion; than which what more abominably wicked thing canst thou easily find, not among all lies, but among all sins?) or to some lie (no matter how easy, how harmless,) shall accommodate the incli- nation of the will; so as to lie, not unwiilingly for the sake of escaping a greater evil, but willingly and with liking. So, seeing there be three things which may be understood in this sentence, either " Every lie, not only tell thou not, but do not even wish to tell: " or, " Do not wish, but even unwillingly tell a lie when aught worse is to be avoided:" or, "Not every," to wit, that except some lies, the rest are admitted: one of these is found to make for those who hold that one is never to lie, two for those who think that sometimes 3 Abutendum.
ON LYING.
473