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Objection 1: It would seem that guile is not a sin pertaining to
craftiness. For sin, especially mortal, has no place in perfect
men. Yet a certain guile is to be found in them, according to 2
Cor. 12:16, "Being crafty I caught you by guile."
Therefore guile is not always a sin.
Objection 2: Further, guile seems to pertain chiefly to the
tongue, according to Ps. 5:11, "They dealt deceitfully with
their tongues." Now craftiness like prudence is in the very act of
reason. Therefore guile does not pertain to craftiness.
Objection 3: Further, it is written (Prov. 12:20):
"Guile is in the heart of them that think evil things." But the
thought of evil things does not always pertain to craftiness.
Therefore guile does not seem to belong to craftiness.
On the contrary, Craftiness aims at lying in wait, according to
Eph. 4:14, "By cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to
deceive": and guile aims at this also. Therefore guile pertains to
craftiness.
I answer that, As stated above (Article 3), it belongs to
craftiness to adopt ways that are not true but counterfeit and
apparently true, in order to attain some end either good or evil. Now
the adopting of such ways may be subjected to a twofold consideration;
first, as regards the process of thinking them out, and this belongs
properly to craftiness, even as thinking out right ways to a due end
belongs to prudence. Secondly the adopting of such like ways may be
considered with regard to their actual execution, and in this way it
belongs to guile. Hence guile denotes a certain execution of
craftiness, and accordingly belongs thereto.
Reply to Objection 1: Just as craftiness is taken properly in a bad
sense, and improperly in a good sense, so too is guile which is the
execution of craftiness.
Reply to Objection 2: The execution of craftiness with the purpose
of deceiving, is effected first and foremost by words, which hold the
chief place among those signs whereby a man signifies something to
another man, as Augustine states (De Doctr. Christ. ii, 3),
hence guile is ascribed chiefly to speech. Yet guile may happen also
in deeds, according to Ps. 104:25, "And to deal deceitfully
with his servants." Guile is also in the heart, according to
Ecclus. 19:23, "His interior is full of deceit," but this is
to devise deceits, according to Ps. 37:13: "They studied
deceits all the day long."
Reply to Objection 3: Whoever purposes to do some evil deed, must
needs devise certain ways of attaining his purpose, and for the most
part he devises deceitful ways, whereby the more easily to obtain his
end. Nevertheless it happens sometimes that evil is done openly and by
violence without craftiness and guile; but as this is more difficult,
it is of less frequent occurrence.
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