30. But why do these persons
think they may imitate Tamar telling a lie, and not think they may
imitate Judah committing fornication?2440
For there they have read both, and
nought of these hath that Scripture either
blamed or
praised, but
has merely narrated both, and to our
judgment dismissed both: but
it is marvellous if it hath permitted aught of these to be
imitated
with impunity. For, that Tamar not through
lust of playing the
harlot, but through wish of conceiving
seed, did tell the
lie, we
know. But
fornication also, howbeit
Judah’s was not such, yet
some man’s may be such whereby to procure that a man may be
delivered, just as her
lie was in order that a man might be
conceived; is it right then to
commit fornication on this account,
if on that account it is thought that it was right to
lie? Not
therefore concerning
lying only, but concerning all works of men in
which there arise as it were compensative
sins, must we consider
what sentence we ought to pass; lest we open a way not only to
small sins whatsoever, but even to all wickednesses, and there
remain no outrageous, flagitious, sacrilegious deed, in which there
may not arise a cause upon which it may rightly seem a thing meet
to be done, and so universal probity of life be by that opinion
subverted.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
