Against Lying 10

St Augustine of Hippo (AD 354–430) · Contra mendacium · PL 40, 517–548

10 Section 10 PL 40, 525

10. Ever, my brother, in such cases, it behoves with fear to recollect, “Whoso shall deny Me before men, I will deny him before My Father which is in heaven.” Or truly is it no denying of Christ before men, to deny Him before Priscillianists, that when they hide themselves, one may by a blasphemous lie strip them and catch them? But who doubts, I pray thee, that Christ is denied, when so as He is in truth, we say that He is not; and so as the Priscillianist believes Him, we say that He is?

Negare Christum coram hominibus vel mendaciter et ficte, nunquam licet. Objectio. Responsio. Confutantur itidem quae objectari possunt. Corde credere non sufficit, nisi et ore non negetur Christus. Ut intelligendus Psalmus 14, V\. 3, ubi laudatur loquens veritatem in corde. Item Apostolus praecipiens ut loquamur veritatem cum proximo. Veritatem non veritate praedicantes tolerati, non falsitatem annuntiantes. Semper, frater, in talibus causis cum timore recolendum est, Quicumque me negaverit coram hominibus, negabo eum coram Patre meo qui in coelis est . An vero Christum coram hominibus non negat, qui eum coram Priscillianistis negat, ut eos latentes blasphemo mendacio nudet et capiat? Quis autem dubitat, obsecro te, negari Christum, cum sicuti est verus, ita non esse dicitur; et sicut eum priscillianista credit, ita esse dicitur?

Philip Schaff (ed.), Buffalo/New York: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886-1889. Public domain: English translation first published 1885-1900 (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series). Latin: Migne, Patrologia Latina (1844-1855), public domain; transcription from Corpus Corporum (University of Zurich).