40. But sometimes a peril to
eternal salvation itself is put forth against us;2466
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,
2467
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,
2468
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.”
2469
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.”
2470
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.”
2471
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.”
2472
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.
2473
But when
this corruptible shall have put on incorruption,
life will
swallow
it up wholly, and not a
sting of death will remain.
2474
Now this
sting of death is sin.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
