Question VI: On cunning

CRAFTINESS is the devising of means which, toward some end, whether good or evil, are such that they indeed appear good, but are in reality false and feigned. Thus it is gathered from the Philosopher lib. 1. Magn. Moral. cap. 33. and lib. 6. Eth. cap. 12. and St. Thomas art. 3. See Tanner disp. 3. quaest. 1. dub. 4. It is often called Prudence Proverb. 1. yet it is a vice¹, as is said 2. Corinth. 4. Not walking in craftiness. For the crafty and the dissemblers provoke the anger of God, whether for hidden iniquity or for open simulation; as St. Bernard says, de ordine vitae, finem versus. It usually attacks the weaker and the less discerning; thus the Devil, before the Master of Craftiness, in the serpent, the most cunning of Animals, deceived not the man but the woman, endowed indeed with less discretion, by feigned speech. ¹ N. Editor's note: the print reads 'Proptie tamen est vitium' (OCR 'ptie'), likely a misprint for 'Proprie'; rendered as 'nevertheless it is a vice'. The print also has the clause 'sicuti Prudentia in malo sensu saepe accipitur', omitted in the first transcription and restored in the Latin.

WHEREFORE St. Gregory says, lib. 9. moral. cap. 17. Two things are to be feared in good works, sloth, and deceit. Sloth is caused by lesser love of God; Craftiness is caused by greater love of self, the latter, proceeding from private love of self, issues outwardly in the circumvention of one's neighbor, simulating one thing in deeds while putting forward another in words, or the contrary.

MANY examples of Craftiness from the Sacred Letters the Saintly Doctor records in Bibliis pauperum, cap. 54. as when Laban was searching the household goods of Jacob, and came to the tent of Rachel, she, by feigning the custom of women, craftily deluded him Genes. 31.

SO the Gabaonites, knowing what Joshua had done to Jericho and Hai, cunningly plotted how they might so act as not to be utterly destroyed Ios. 9.

SO Absalom, coveting the kingdom of his Father, maliciously began to flatter the people, cunningly boasting that he would judge with all equity 2. Reg. 15.

TO these add in the New Testament the Craftiness of Herod, wishing to learn the time of the star Matth. 2. so that coming he might rather kill than adore, though he cunningly simulated the latter; thus also the Pharisees, often seeking to catch the Lord in his speech, now sent disciples to him, simulators of Justice, now brought a woman taken in adultery; and many other things, which see in the place cited above.