Chapter 3 (146)
158 | THE SENTENCES, BOOK 3
Chapter 2 (145) 1. ON THE EIGHT KINDS OF LYING. It is also to be known that there are eight kinds of lying, as Augustine explains in his book On Lying; these are to be diligently noted, so that it may be clear which lie is venial and which damnable. "The first and to be carefully avoided is that capital lie which is done in the teaching of religion; to this lie one ought not be induced for any reason whatever. The second is such that it profits no one, but hurts someone. The third is that which profits one so as to hurt another. The fourth, that which is done exclusively for the lust of lying and deceiving, which is an astonishing lie. The fifth, that which is done out of a deep desire to please by sweet-talk. All these being avoided, there follows a sixth kind, which hurts no one and helps someone, as when, if someone else's money is about to be unjustly taken from him, one who knows where the money is should lie about this knowledge. The seventh, which hurts no one and profits someone, as when, not wishing to betray a man who is sought in order to be put to death, one should lie. The eighth is that which hurts no one, and helps to preserve someone from bodily uncleanness.""!
2. "In these, a man sins much less, when he lies, the further he moves away from the first kind. But whoever thinks that there is any sort of lie which is not sin, deceives himself awfully, since he judges a deceiver of other people to be honest."'"—"And so flee every kind of lie as much as you can," "because no lie is of God.""* Chapter 3 (146) WHAT IS LYING. Here we must see what lying is and what it is to lie, and then whether every lie is a sin, and why.—AUGUSTINE, IN THE BOOK
AGAINST LYING. As Augustine says: "A lie is a false signification of speech with the intention of deceiving.' And so, in order for there to be a lie, it is necessary that falsehood be spoken and with the intention of deceiving: "for this evil is characteristic of the liar, that he has one thing enclosed in his heart and another ready on his tongue."
'Augustine, De mendacio, c14 n25., *Ibid., c21 n42.
*Isidore, Synonyma de lamentatione animae peccatricis, bk 2 n52.
*Rufinus of Aquileia, Historia monachorum, De Iohanne 1, bk 1, c2 n5.
'Augustine, Contra mendacium, ¢21 n26.
*Augustine, Enchiridion, c18.