{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/105/1050366.htm","path":"chr/ecf/105/1050366.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/105/1050366.htm","text":"(30.) \u201cEvery Man is a Liar,\u201d Owing to Himself Alone; But \u201cEvery Man is True,\u201d By Help Only of the Grace of God.\n\u201cMoreover,\u201d says he, \u201cin Job himself it is said: \u2018And he maintained the miracle of a true man.\u2019 1490 Again we read in Solomon, touching wisdom: \u2018Men that are liars cannot remember her, but men of truth shall be found in her.\u2019 1491 Again in the Apocalypse: \u2018And in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without fault.\u2019\u201d 1492 To all these statements we reply with a reminder to our opponents, of how a man may be called true, through the grace and truth of God, who is in himself without doubt a liar. Whence it is said: \u201cEvery man is a liar.\u201d 1493 As for the passage also which he has quoted in reference to Wisdom, when it is said, \u201cMen of truth shall be found in her,\u201d we must observe that it is undoubtedly not \u201cin her,\u201d but in themselves that men shall be found liars. Just as in another passage: \u201cYe were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord,\u201d 1494 \u2014when he said, \u201cYe were darkness,\u201d he did not add, \u201cin the Lord;\u201d but after saying, \u201cYe are now light,\u201d he expressly added the phrase, \u201cin the Lord,\u201d for they could not possibly be \u201clight\u201d in themselves; in order that \u201che who glorieth may glory in the Lord.\u201d 1495 The \u201cfaultless\u201d ones, indeed, in the Apocalypse, are so called because \u201cno guile was found in their mouth.\u201d 1496 They did not say they had no sin: if they had said this, they would deceive themselves, and the truth would not be in them; 1497 and if the truth were not in them, guile and untruth would be found in their mouth. If, however, to avoid envy, they said they were not without sin, although they were sinless, then this very insincerity would be a lie, and the character given of them would be untrue: \u201cIn their mouth was found no guile.\u201d Hence indeed \u201cthey are without fault;\u201d for as they have p. 170 forgiven those who have done them wrong, so are they purified by God\u2019s forgiveness of themselves. Observe now how we have to the best of our power explained in what sense the quotations he has in his own behalf advanced ought to be understood. But how the passage, \u201cEvery man is a liar,\u201d is to be interpreted, he on his part has altogether omitted to explain; nor is an explanation within his power, without a correction of the error which makes him believe that man can be true without the help of God\u2019s grace, and merely by virtue of his own free will.","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. V: A Treatise Concer...","type":"page"}