Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

Now it hath been a question among the divines of the Primitive Church, whether they, whose examples I have here alleged, did sin in lying or no. Origenes & they that followed him, did permit a wise and godly man to lye, if so be it were for the welfare of them, for whom the lye was made. Neither was S. Hierome without suspicion of Origins opinion. For upon the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians he writ, that Peter and Paul to serve the time, did use a kind of simulation. But S. Augustine admonishing Hierome of that matter, denieth flatly that we ought once to suspect, that a lie is allowed in the sacred Scriptures. On the other side again, S. Hierome telleth Augustine that the best interpreters of the ancient Church, are full and wholly of his mind. There are, to and fro, very learned and large epistles written on both sides, which are extant now and to be seen among us, and therefore I né•de not […] hereupon any longer. The same Augustine in the 15. chapter of his book that he wrote ad Consentium contra mendacium, saith, He, which sayeth that some lies are righteous, is to be thought to say nothing else, but that some sins are righteous, & so consequently that some unrighteousness is righteous. Than which: what can be spoken more absurd? For whereupon is sin, but because it is contrary to righteousness? But […] things, that are done against the law ⟨p. 322⟩of God, cannot be righteous. Now it is said to God, Thy law is truth: and therefore that which is against the truth, cannot be righteous. But who doubteth, but that every lye is against the trueth? Therefore no lye can possibly be righteous. And so forth as followeth.

Nowe it hath béene a question amonge the diuines of the Primatiue Church, whether they, whose examples I haue heere alledged, did sinne in lying or no. Origenes & they that followed him, did permitt a wise and godly man to lye, if so be it were for the welfare of them, for whome the lye was made. Neither was S. Hierome without suspicion of Orig•ns opinion. For vpon the Epistle of Paul to the Galathians hée writ, that Peter and Paule to serue the time, did vse a kinde of simulation. But S. Augustine admonishing Hierome of that matter, denieth flatly that wée ought once to suspect, that a ly is allowed in the sacred Scriptures. On the other side againe, S. Hierome telleth Augustine that the best interpreters of the auncient Church, are full and whoalie of his minde. There are, to and fro, verie learned and large epistles written on both sides, which are extant nowe and to be séene amonge vs, and therefore I néde not hereupon any longer. The same Augustine in the 15. chapter of his booke that he wrote ad Cōsentium contra mendacium, sayth, Hee, which saieth that some lyes are righteous, is to bee thought to say nothing else, but that some sinnes are righteous, & so consequently that some vnrighteousnes is righteous. Than which: what can be spoken more absurd? For whereuppon is sinne, but because it is contrarie to righteousnesse? But things, that are done against the law