18. It does indeed make very
much difference, for what cause, with what end, with what intention
a thing be done: but those things which are clearly sins, are upon
no plea of a good cause, with no seeming good end, no alleged good
intention, to be done. Those works, namely of men, which are not in
themselves sins, are now good, now evil, according as their causes
are good or evil; as, to give food to a poor man is a good work, if
it be done because of pity, with right faith; as to lie with a
wife, when it is done for the sake of generation, if it be
done with faith to beget subjects for regeneration. These and the
like works according to their causes are good or evil, because the
self-same, if they have evil causes, are turned into sins: as, if
for boasting sake a poor man is fed; or for lasciviousness a man
lies with his wife; or children are begotten, not that they may be
nurtured for God, but for the devil. When, however, the works in
themselves are evil, such as thefts, fornications, blasphemies, or
other such; who is there that will say, that upon good causes they
may be done, so as either to be no sins, or, what is more absurd,
just sins? Who is there that would say, That we may have to give to
the poor, let us commit thefts upon the rich: or, Let us sell false
witness, especially if innocent men are not hurt thereby, but
rather guilty men are rescued from the judges who would condemn
them? For two good things are done by selling of this lie, that
money may be taken wherewith a poor man may be fed, and a judge
deceived that a man be not punished. Even in the matter of wills,
if we can, why not suppress the true, and forge false wills that
inheritances or legacies may not come to unworthy persons, who do
no good with them; but rather to those by whom the hungry are fed,
the naked clothed, strangers entertained, captives redeemed,
Churches builded? For why should not those evil things be done for
the sake of these good things, if, for the sake of these good
things, those are not evil at all? Nay, further, if lewd and rich
women are likely to enrich moreover their lovers and paramours, why
should not even these parts and arts be undertaken by a man of
merciful heart, to use them for so good a cause as that he may have
whence to bestow upon the needy; and not hear the Apostle saying,
“Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor,
working with his hands that which is good, that he may have to give
to him that needeth?”2406
If indeed not only
theft itself,
but also false witness and
adultery and every
evil work will be not
evil but good, if it be done for the sake of being the means of
doing good. Who can say these things, except one who endeavors to
subvert human affairs and all manners and
laws? For of what most
heinous
deed, what most foul
crime, what most impious
sacrilege,
may it not be said that it is possible for it to be done rightly
and justly; and not only with impunity, but even gloriously, that
in perpetrating thereof not only no punishments should be
feared,
but there should be
hope even of
rewards: if once we shall concede
in all
evil works of men, that not what is done, but wherefore
done, must be the
question; and this, to the end that whatever are
found to have been done for good causes, not even they should be
judged to be
evil? But if
justice deservedly punisheth a
thief,
albeit he shall say and shew that he therefore withdrew
superfluities from a
rich that he might afford necessaries to a
poor man; if deservedly she punisheth a forger, albeit he
prove
that he therefore
corrupted another’s will, that he might be
heir, who should thence make large
alms, not he who should make
none; if deservedly she punisheth an
adulterer yea, though he shall
demonstrate that of
mercy he did
commit adultery, that through her
with whom he did it he might
deliver a man from
death; lastly, to
draw nearer to the matter in
question, if deservedly she
punishment
him who hath with that intent mixed in adulterous embrace with some
woman, privy to the turpitude of the Priscillianists, that he might
enter into their concealments; I
pray thee, when the
Apostle saith,
“Neither yield ye your members
instruments of
unrighteousness
unto
sin;”
2407
and
therefore neither
hands, nor members of generation, nor other
members, can it be right to yield unto flagitious
deeds with intent
that we may be able to find out Priscillanists; what hath our
tongue, what our whole mouth, what the organ of the voice, offended
us, that we should yield these as
instruments to
sin, and to so
great a
sin, in which, that we may apprehend and rescue
Priscillianists from blaspheming in ignorance, we, without excuse
of ignorance, are to blaspheme our God?
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
