guests were not about to do but to suffer a wrong, that just man chose that his daughters should suffer wrong rather than his guests, acting upon his rights as his daughters' lord; and he knew that it would be no sin in them, if the thing were done, because they would but bear them which did the sin, not consent- ing unto them, and so without sin of their own. In fine, they did not offer themselves (albeit better females than males) to be car- nally known instead of those guests, lest they should be rendered guilty, not by the suffer- ing of others'' lust, but by consenting of their own will: nor yet did their father permit it to be done unto himself, when they essayed to do it, because he would not betray his guests to them, (albeit there had been less of evil, if it were done to one man than to two;) but as much as he could he resisted, lest himself also should be defiled by any assent of his own, though even if the frenzy of others' lust had prevailed by strength of body, it would not have defiled him so long as he consented not. Now as the daughters sinned not, neither did he sin in their persons, because he was not making them to sin, if they should be deforced against their will, but only to bear them that did the sin. Just as if he should offer his slaves to be beaten by ruffians, that his guests might not suffer the wrong of beat- ing." Of which matter I shall not dispute, because it would take long to argue, whether even a master may justly use his right of power over his slave, so as to cause an un- offending slave to be smitten, that his un- offending friend may not be beaten in his house by violent bad men. But certainly, as concerning David, it is no wise right to say that he ouirht to have sworn to do a thing; which afterwards he would perceive that he ought not to do. Whence it is clear that we ought not to take all that we read to have been done by holy or just men, and transfer the same to morals, but hence too we must learn how widely that saying of the Apostle extends, and even to what persons it reaches: ' Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself also, lest thou be tempted."4 The being overtaken in a fault happens, either while one does not see at the time what is right to be done, or while, seeing it, one is overcome; that is, that a sin is done, either for that the truth is hidden, or for that infirmity com- pelleth.
23. But in all our doings, even good men are very greatly embarrassed in the matter 4 Gal. vi. 1.
TO CONSENTIUS: AGAINST LYING.
49 1 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 per- son should hurt others, who seems likely to hurt unless he be got rid of by lies. In de- fense of these kinds of lies, very many exam- ples 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." " He held His peace from true things, not spake 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; ''- be- cause 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.3 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.
24. Touching Jacob, however, that which he did at his mother's bidding, so as to seem to deceive his father, if with diligence and in faith it be attended to, is no lie, but a mys- tery. The which if we shall call lies, all parables also, and figures designed for the 3 Gen. xxvi. 7, and xxiv.
signifying of any things soever, which are not to be taken according to their proper mean- ing, but in them is one thing to be understood from another, shall be said to be lies: which be far from us altogether. For he who thinks this, may also in regard of tropical expres- sions of which there are so many, bring in upon all of them this calumny; so that even metaphor, as it is called, that is, the usurped transferring of any word from its proper ob- ject to an object not proper, may at this rate be called a lie. For when he speaks of wav- ing corn-fields, of vines putting forth gems,4 of the bloom of youth, of snowy hairs; with- out doubt the waves, the gems, the bloom, the snow, for that we find them not in those objects to which we have from other trans- ferred these words, shall by these persons be accounted lies. And Christ a Rock, and the stony heart of the Jews; also, Christ a Lion, and the devil a lion, and innumerable such like, shall be said to be lies.5 Nay, this tropical expression reaches even to what is called antiphrasis, as when a thing is said to abound which does not exist, a thing said to be sweet which is sour; " lucus quod non luceat, Parcce quod non parcatit.'' Of which kind is that in holy Scripture, " If he will not bless6 Thee to Thy face; " which the devil saith to the Lord concerning holy Job, and the meaning is " curse." By which word also the feigned crime of Naboth is named by his calumniators; for it is said that he " blessed7- the king," that is, cursed. All these modes of speaking shall be accounted lies, if figura- tive speech or action shall be set down as ly- ing. But if it be no lie, when things which signify one thing by another are referred to the understanding of a truth, assuredly not only that which Jacob did or said to his father that he might be blessed, but that too which Joseph spoke as if in mockery of his brothers,8 and David's feigning of madness, 9 must be judged to be no lies, but prophetical speeches and actions, to be referred to the understand- ing of those things which are true; which are covered as it were with a garb of figure on purpose to exercise the sense of the pious in- quirer, and that they may not become cheap by lying bare and on the surface. Though even the things which we have learned from other places, where they are spoken openly and manifestly, these, when they are brought out from their hidden retreats, do, by our (in some sort) discovering of them, become re- 4 " Gemmare."
8 Gen. xlii. 9 1 Sam. xxi. 13.
49 2 THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN.
newed, and by renewal sweet. Nor is it that they are begrudged to the learners, in that they are in these ways obscured; but are pre- sented in a more winning manner, that being as it were withdrawn, they may be desired more ardently, and being desired may with more pleasure be found. Yet true things, not false, are spoken; because true things, not false, are signified, whether by word or by deed; the things that are signified namely, those are the things spoken. They are accounted lies only because people do not understand that the true things which are sig- nified are the things said, but believe that false things are the things said. To make this plainer by examples, attend to this very thing that Jacob did. With skins of the kids, no doubt, he did cover his limbs; if we seek the immediate cause, we shall account him to have lied; for he did this, that he might be thought to be the man he was not: but if this deed be referred to that for the signifying of which it was really done, by skins of the kids are signified sins; by him who covered him- self therewith, He who bare not His own, but others' sins. The truthful signification, there- fore, can in no wise be rightly called a lie. And as in deed, so also in word. Namely, when his father said to him, "Who art thou, my son?''1 he answered, "I am Esau, thy first-born." This, if it be referred to those two twins, will seem a lie; but if to that for the signifying of which those deeds and words are written, He is here to be understood, in His body, which is His Church, Who, speaking of this thing, saith, " When ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and your- selves cast out. And they shall come from the east and from the west and from the north and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God; and, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last."2 For so in a certain sort the younger brother did bear off the primacy of the elder brother, and transfer it to himself. Since then things so true, and so truthfully, be signified, what is there here that ought to be accounted to have been done or said ly- ingly? For when the things which are signi- fied are not in truth things which are not, but which are, whether past or present or future, without doubt it is a true signification, and no iie. But it takes too long in the matter of this prophetical signification by stripping off the shell to search out all, 3 wherein truth hath the palm, because as by being signified they 1 Gen. xxvii. 16-19.
3 Enucleate cuncta rimari.
2 Luke xiii. 28-30.
were fore-announced, so by ensuing have they become clear.
25. Nor have I undertaken that in the present discourse, as it more pertains to thee, who hast laid open the hiding-places of the Priscillianists, so far as relates to their false and perverse dogmas; that they may not seem to have been in such sort investigated as if they were meet to be taught, not to be argued against. Make it therefore more thy work that they be beaten down and laid low, as thou hast made it, that they should be be- trayed and laid open; lest while we wish to get at the discovery of men practising false- hood, we allow the falsehoods themselves, as if insuperable, to stand their ground; when we ought rather even in the hearts of latent heretics to destroy falsehoods, than by spar- ing falsehoods to find out the deceivers who practise falsehood. Moreover, among those dogmas of theirs which are to be subverted, is this which they dogmatize, namely, that in order to hide religion religious people ought to lie, to that degree that not only concerning other matters, not pertaining to doctrine of religion, but concerning religion itself, it is meet to lie, that it may not become exposed to aliens; to wit, that one may deny Christ, in order that one may in the midst of His enemies be in secret a Christian. This impious and nefarious dogma do thou likewise, I beseech thee, overthrow; to bolster up which they in their argumentations do gather from the Scriptures testimonies to make it appear that lies are not only to be pardoned and tolerated, but even honored. To thee therefore it pertains, in refuting that detesta- ble sect, to show that those testimonies of Scripture are so to be received, that either thou shalt teach those to be no lies which are accounted to be such, if they be understood in that manner in which they ought to be un- derstood; or, that those are not to be imitated which be manifestly lies; or in any wise at last, that concerning those matters at least which pertain to doctrine of religion, it is in no wise meet to tell a lie. For thus are they truly from the very foundation overthrown, while that is overthrown wherein they lurk: that in that very matter they be judged least fit for us to follow, most fit to be shunned, in that they, for the hiding of their heresy, do pro- fess themselves liars. This it is in them that must from the very first be assaulted, this which is, as it were, their fitting bulwark must with blows of Truth be battered and cast down. Nor must we afford them another lurking-place, which they had not, wherein they may take refuge, to wit, that being per- haps betrayed of them whom they have es- TO CONSENTIUS: AGAINST LYING.
493 sayed to seduce but could not, they should say, " We only wanted to try them, because prudent Catholics have taught that to find out heretics it is right to do this." But it is necessary with somewhat more earnest be- speaking of thy favor to say why this seems to me a tripartite method of disputing against those who want to apply the divine Scriptures as advocates of their lies; to wit, by showing that some which are there accounted to be lies, are not what they are accounted, if rightly understood; next, that if there be there any manifest lies, they are not meet to be imitated; thirdly, contrary to all opinions of all persons who think it pertains to the duty of a good man sometimes to lie, that it must in every way be held that in doctrine of religion there must in no wise a lie be told. For these are the three things to follow up which I shortly before recommended, and in some sort enjoined thee.
26. To show then that some things in the Scriptures which are thought to be lies are not what they are thought, if they be rightly understood, let it not seem to thee to tell little against them, that it is not from Apos- tolic but from Prophetical books that they find as it were precedents of lying. For all those which they mention by name, in which each lied, are read in those books in which not only words but many deeds of a figura- tive meaning are recorded, because it was also in a figurative sense that they were done. But in figures that which is spoken as a seem- ing lie, being well understood, is found to be a truth. The Apostles, however, in their Epistles spoke in another sort, and in another sort are written the Acts of the Apostles, to wit, because now the New Testament was re- vealed, which was veiled in those prophetic figures. In short, in all those Apostolic Epistles, and in that large book in which their acts are narrated with canonical truth, we do not find any person lying, such that from him a precedent can be set forth by these men for license of lying. For that simula- tion of Peter and Barnabas with which they were compelling the Gentiles to Judaize, was deservedly reprehended and set right, both that it might not do harm at the time, and that it might not weigh with posterity as a thing to be imitated. For when the Apostle Paul saw that they walked not uprightly ac- cording to the truth of the Gospel, he said to Peter in the presence of them all, " If thou, being a Jew, livest as the Gentiles; and not as do the Jews, how compellest thou the Gentiles to Judaize?"1 But in that which 1 Gal. ii. 13, 14.
retaininghimself did, to the intent that by and acting upon certain observances of the law after the Jewish custom he might show that he was no enemy to the Law and to the Prophets, far be it from us to believe that he did so as a liar. As indeed concerning this matter his sentence is sufficiently well known, whereby it was settled that neither Jews who then believed in Christ were to be prohibited from the traditions of their fathers, nor Gen- tiles when they became Christians to be com- pelled thereunto: in order that those sacred I rites2 which were well known to have been of God enjoined, should not be shunned as sac- (rileges; nor yet accounted so necessary, now that the New Testament was revealed, as though without them whoso should be con- verted unto God, could not be saved. For there were some who thought so and preached, albeit after Christ's Gospel received; and to these had feignedly consented both Peter and Barnabas, and so were compelling the Gen- tiles to Judaize. For it was a compelling, to preach them to be so necessary as if, even after the Gospel received, without them were no salvation in Christ. This the error of cer- tain did suppose, this Peter's fear did feign, this Paul's liberty did beat down. What therefore he saith, " I am made all things to all, that I might gain all,"3 that did he, by suffering with others, not by lying. For each becomes as though he were that person whom he would fain succor, when he succoreth with the same pity wherewith he would wish him- self to be succored, if himself were set in the same misery. Therefore he becomes as though he were that person, not for that he deceives him, but for that he thinks himself as him. Whence is that of the Apostle, which I have before rehearsed, "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted."4 For if, because he said, " To the Jews became I as a Jew, and to them which were under the law as under the law,"5 he is therefore to be accounted to have in a lying manner taken up the sacra- ments of the old law, he ought in the same manner to have taken up, in a lying way, the idolatry of the Gentiles, because he hath said that to them which were without law he be- came as without law; which thing in any wise he did not. For he did not any where sacri- fice to idols or adore those figments and not rather freely as a martyr of Christ show that they were to be detested and eschewed. From no apostolic acts or speeches, there- 2 ll Sacramento.. 4 Gal. vi. 1.
494 THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN.
fore, do these men allege things meet for imitation as examples of lying. From pro- phetical deeds or words, then, the reason why they seem to themselves to have what they may allege, is only for that they take figures prenunciative to be lies, because they are sometimes like unto lies. But when they are referred to those things for the signifying of which they were so done or said, they are found to be significations full of truth, and therefore in no wise to be lies. A lie, namely, is a false signification with will of deceiving. But that is no false signification, where, although one thing is signified by an- other, yet the thing signified is a true thing, if it be rightly understood.
27. There are some things of this sort even of our Saviour in the Gospel, because the Lord of the Prophets deigned to be Himself also a Prophet. Such are those where, con- cerning the woman which had an issue of blood, He said, " Who touched Me?"' and of Lazarus. " Where have ye laid him?"2 He asked, namely, as if not knowing that which in any wise He knew. And He did on this account feign that He knew not, that He might signify somewhat else by that His seeming ignorance: and since this significa- tion was truthful, it was assuredly not a lie. For those were signified, whether by her which had the issue, or by him which had been four days dead, whom even He Who knew all things did in a certain sort know not. For both she bore the type of the people of the Gentiles, whereof the prophecy had gone before, "A people whom I have not known hath served Me:''3 and Lazarus, removed from the living, did as it were in that place lie in significative similitude where He lay, Whose voice that is, "I am cast out of the sight of thine eyes." 4 And with that intent, as though it were not known by Christ, both who she was, and where he was laid, by His words of interrogating a figure was enacted, and by truthful signification all lying left apart.
28. Hence is also that which thou hast mentioned that they speak of, that the Lord Jesus, after He was risen, walked in the way with two disciples; and upon their drawing near to the village whither they were going, He made as though He would have gone farther: where the Evangelist, saying, " But He Himself feigned that He would go further," s hath put that very word in which liars too greatly delight, that they may with impunity lie: as if every thing that is feigned 1 Luke viii. 4- 4 Ps. xxxi. 22.
2 John xi. 34. 3 Ps. xviii. 44—" Scrvivit." 5 Luke xxiv. 2S — " Finxit."
is a lie, whereas in a truthful way, for the sake of signifying one thing by another, so many things use to be feigned. If then there had been no other thing that Jesus signified, in that He feigned to be going further, with reason might it be judged to be a lie: but then if it be rightly understood and referred to that which He willed to signify, it is a mystery. Else will all things be lies which, on account of a certain similitude of things to be signified, although they never were done, are related to have been done. Of which sort is that concerning the two sons of one man, the elder who tarried with his father, and the younger who went into a far country, which is narrated so much at length.6 In which sort of fiction, men have put even human deeds or words to irrational animals and things without sense, that by this sort of feigned narrations but true significations, they might in more winning manner intimate the things which they wished. Nor is it only in authors of secular letters, as in Horace,7 that mouse speaks to mouse, and weasel to fox, that through a fictitious narration a true sig- nification may be referred to the matter in hand; whence the like fables of ^Esop being referred to the same end, there is no man so