Whether Twelve Degrees of Humility Are Fittingly Distinguished in the
Rule of the Blessed Benedict?
Objection 1: It would seem that the twelve degrees of humility that
are set down in the Rule of the Blessed Benedict [*St. Thomas gives
these degrees in the reverse order to that followed by St. Benedict]
are unfittingly distinguished. The first is to be "humble not only in
heart, but also to show it in one's very person, one's eyes fixed on
the ground"; the second is "to speak few and sensible words, and not
to be loud of voice"; the third is "not to be easily moved, and
disposed to laughter"; the fourth is "to maintain silence until one
is asked"; the fifth is "to do nothing but to what one is exhorted by
the common rule of the monastery"; the sixth is "to believe and
acknowledge oneself viler than all"; the seventh is "to think oneself
worthless and unprofitable for all purposes"; the eighth is "to
confess one's sin"; the ninth is "to embrace patience by obeying
under difficult and contrary circumstances"; the tenth is "to subject
oneself to a superior"; the eleventh is "not to delight in fulfilling
one's own desires"; the twelfth is "to fear God and to be always
mindful of everything that God has commanded." For among these there
are some things pertaining to the other virtues, such as obedience
and patience. Again there are some that seem to involve a false
opinion--and this is inconsistent with any virtue--namely to declare
oneself more despicable than all men, and to confess and believe
oneself to be in all ways worthless and unprofitable. Therefore these
are unfittingly placed among the degrees of humility.
Obj. 2: Further, humility proceeds from within to externals, as do
other virtues. Therefore in the aforesaid degrees, those which
concern outward actions are unfittingly placed before those which
pertain to inward actions.
Obj. 3: Further, Anselm (De Simil. ci, seqq.) gives seven degrees of
humility, the first of which is "to acknowledge oneself
contemptible"; the second, "to grieve for this"; the third, "to
confess it"; the fourth, "to convince others of this, that is to wish
them to believe it"; the fifth, "to bear patiently that this be said
of us"; the sixth, "to suffer oneself to be treated with contempt";
the seventh, "to love being thus treated." Therefore the aforesaid
degrees would seem to be too numerous.
Obj. 4: Further, a gloss on Matt. 3:15 says: "Perfect humility has
three degrees. The first is to subject ourselves to those who are
above us, and not to set ourselves above our equals: this is
sufficient. The second is to submit to our equals, and not to set
ourselves before our inferiors; this is called abundant humility. The
third degree is to subject ourselves to inferiors, and in this is
perfect righteousness." Therefore the aforesaid degrees would seem to
be too numerous.
Obj. 5: Further, Augustine says (De Virginit. xxxi): "The measure of
humility is apportioned to each one according to his rank. It is
imperiled by pride, for the greater a man is the more liable is he to
be entrapped." Now the measure of a man's greatness cannot be fixed
according to a definite number of degrees. Therefore it would seem
that it is not possible to assign the aforesaid degrees to humility.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 2) humility has essentially to
do with the appetite, in so far as a man restrains the impetuosity of
his soul, from tending inordinately to great things: yet its rule is
in the cognitive faculty, in that we should not deem ourselves to be
above what we are. Also, the principle and origin of both these
things is the reverence we bear to God. Now the inward disposition of
humility leads to certain outward signs in words, deeds, and
gestures, which manifest that which is hidden within, as happens also
with the other virtues. For "a man is known by his look, and a wise
man, when thou meetest him, by his countenance" (Ecclus. 19:26).
Wherefore the aforesaid degrees of humility include something
regarding the root of humility, namely the twelfth degree, "that a
man fear God and bear all His commandments in mind."
Again, they include certain things with regard to the appetite, lest
one aim inordinately at one's own excellence. This is done in three
ways. First, by not following one's own will, and this pertains to
the eleventh degree; secondly, by regulating it according to one's
superior judgment, and this applies to the tenth degree; thirdly, by
not being deterred from this on account of the difficulties and
hardships that come in our way, and this belongs to the ninth degree.
Certain things also are included referring to the estimate a man
forms in acknowledging his own deficiency, and this in three ways.
First by acknowledging and avowing his own shortcomings; this belongs
to the eighth degree: secondly, by deeming oneself incapable of great
things, and this pertains to the seventh degree: thirdly, that in
this respect one should put others before oneself, and this belongs
to the sixth degree.
Again, some things are included that refer to outward signs. One of
these regards deeds, namely that in one's work one should not depart
from the ordinary way; this applies to the fifth degree. Two others
have reference to words, namely that one should not be in a hurry to
speak, which pertains to the fourth degree, and that one be not
immoderate in speech, which refers to the second. The others have to
do with outward gestures, for instance in restraining haughty looks,
which regards the first, and in outwardly checking laughter and other
signs of senseless mirth, and this belongs to the third degree.
Reply Obj. 1: It is possible, without falsehood, to deem and avow
oneself the most despicable of men, as regards the hidden faults
which we acknowledge in ourselves, and the hidden gifts of God which
others have. Hence Augustine says (De Virginit. lii): "Bethink you
that some persons are in some hidden way better than you, although
outwardly you are better than they." Again, without falsehood one may
avow and believe oneself in all ways unprofitable and useless in
respect of one's own capability, so as to refer all one's sufficiency
to God, according to 2 Cor. 3:5, "Not that we are sufficient to think
anything of ourselves as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is from
God." And there is nothing unbecoming in ascribing to humility those
things that pertain to other virtues, since, just as one vice arises
from another, so, by a natural sequence, the act of one virtue
proceeds from the act of another.
Reply Obj. 2: Man arrives at humility in two ways. First and chiefly
by a gift of grace, and in this way the inner man precedes the
outward man. The other way is by human effort, whereby he first of
all restrains the outward man, and afterwards succeeds in plucking
out the inward root. It is according to this order that the degrees
of humility are here enumerated.
Reply Obj. 3: All the degrees mentioned by Anselm are reducible to
knowledge, avowal, and desire of one's own abasement. For the first
degree belongs to the knowledge of one's own deficiency; but since it
would be wrong for one to love one's own failings, this is excluded
by the second degree. The third and fourth degrees regard the avowal
of one's own deficiency; namely that not merely one simply assert
one's failing, but that one convince another of it. The other three
degrees have to do with the appetite, which seeks, not outward
excellence, but outward abasement, or bears it with equanimity,
whether it consist of words or deeds. For as Gregory says (Regist.
ii, 10, Ep. 36), "there is nothing great in being humble towards
those who treat us with regard, for even worldly people do this: but
we should especially be humble towards those who make us suffer," and
this belongs to the fifth and sixth degrees: or the appetite may even
go so far as lovingly to embrace external abasement, and this
pertains to the seventh degree; so that all these degrees are
comprised under the sixth and seventh mentioned above.
Reply Obj. 4: These degrees refer, not to the thing itself, namely
the nature of humility, but to the degrees among men, who are either
of higher or lower or of equal degree.
Reply Obj. 5: This argument also considers the degrees of humility
not according to the nature of the thing, in respect of which the
aforesaid degrees are assigned, but according to the various
conditions of men.
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