Leander of Seville on
the Training of Nuns and the Practice of Swearing.
Source: Iberian
Fathers. Fathers of the Church : Iberian
Fathers : Writings of Martin of Braga, Paschasius, Leander, p.224 .
Baltimore, MD, USA: Catholic University of America Press, 2010.
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The Training of Nuns,
Chapter 29 (19)
Never take an oath, always tell the truth; these precepts
are to be observed equally. Although the carnal are allowed to swear from
terror of fraud, the spiritual may never use oaths, even though they have a
clear conscience. "Let your yes," He said, "be yes; your no,
no"; any more than this is evil. So do not swear for good reason because
that is evil. It is said to be evil because the need of an oath comes from an
unsure conscience. It is necessary to extract an oath from one whose sincerity
is in doubt. But why should you bind yourself by an involuntary oath when you
are bound to show with your lips the sincerity of your heart? Take away the use
of an oath for good reason and you will not swear falsely in evil. Speak the
truth from your heart and you will not need an oath. For we read: "Be not
accustomed to swearing, for in it there are many falls."
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