Whether the Four Species of Pride Are Fittingly Assigned by Gregory?
Objection 1: It seems that the four species of pride are unfittingly
assigned by Gregory, who says (Moral. xxiii, 6): "There are four
marks by which every kind of pride of the arrogant betrays itself;
either when they think that their good is from themselves, or if they
believe it to be from above, yet they think that it is due to their
own merits; or when they boast of having what they have not, or
despise others and wish to appear the exclusive possessors of what
they have." For pride is a vice distinct from unbelief, just as
humility is a distinct virtue from faith. Now it pertains to
unbelief, if a man deem that he has not received his good from God,
or that he has the good of grace through his own merits. Therefore
this should not be reckoned a species of pride.
Obj. 2: Further, the same thing should not be reckoned a species of
different genera. Now boasting is reckoned a species of lying, as
stated above (Q. 110, A. 2; Q. 112). Therefore it should not be
accounted a species of pride.
Obj. 3: Further, some other things apparently pertain to pride, which
are not mentioned here. For Jerome [*Reference unknown] says that
"nothing is so indicative of pride as to show oneself ungrateful":
and Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xiv, 14) that "it belongs to pride to
excuse oneself of a sin one has committed." Again, presumption
whereby one aims at having what is above one, would seem to have much
to do with pride. Therefore the aforesaid division does not
sufficiently account for the different species of pride.
Obj. 4: Further, we find other divisions of pride. For Anselm
[*Eadmer, De Similit. xxii, seqq.] divides the uplifting of pride,
saying that there is "pride of will, pride of speech, end pride of
deed." Bernard [*De Grad. Humil. et Superb. x, seqq.] also reckons
twelve degrees of pride, namely "curiosity, frivolity of mind,
senseless mirth, boasting, singularity, arrogance, presumption,
defense of one's sins, deceitful confession, rebelliousness, license,
sinful habit." Now these apparently are not comprised under the
species mentioned by Gregory. Therefore the latter would seem to be
assigned unfittingly.
_On the contrary,_ The authority of Gregory suffices.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (AA. 1, 2, 3), pride denotes
immoderate desire of one's own excellence, a desire, to wit, that is
not in accord with right reason. Now it must be observed that all
excellence results from a good possessed. Such a good may be
considered in three ways. First, in itself. For it is evident that
the greater the good that one has, the greater the excellence that
one derives from it. Hence when a man ascribes to himself a good
greater than what he has, it follows that his appetite tends to his
own excellence in a measure exceeding his competency: and thus we
have the third species of pride, namely "boasting of having what one
has not."
Secondly, it may be considered with regard to its cause, in so far as
to have a thing of oneself is more excellent than to have it of
another. Hence when a man esteems the good he has received of another
as though he had it of himself, the result is that his appetite is
borne towards his own excellence immoderately. Now one is cause of
one's own good in two ways, efficiently and meritoriously: and thus
we have the first two species of pride, namely "when a man thinks he
has from himself that which he has from God," or "when he believes
that which he has received from above to be due to his own merits."
Thirdly, it may be considered with regard to the manner of having it,
in so far as a man obtains greater excellence through possessing some
good more excellently than other men; the result again being that his
appetite is borne inordinately towards his own excellence: and thus
we have the fourth species of pride, which is "when a man despises
others and wishes to be singularly conspicuous."
Reply Obj. 1: A true judgment may be destroyed in two ways. First,
universally: and thus in matters of faith, a true judgment is
destroyed by unbelief. Secondly, in some particular matter of choice,
and unbelief does not do this. Thus a man who commits fornication,
judges that for the time being it is good for him to commit
fornication; yet he is not an unbeliever, as he would be, were he to
say that universally fornication is good. It is thus in the question
in point: for it pertains to unbelief to assert universally that
there is a good which is not from God, or that grace is given to men
for their merits, whereas, properly speaking, it belongs to pride and
not to unbelief, through inordinate desire of one's own excellence,
to boast of one's goods as though one had them of oneself, or of
one's own merits.
Reply Obj. 2: Boasting is reckoned a species of lying, as regards the
outward act whereby a man falsely ascribes to himself what he has
not: but as regards the inward arrogance of the heart it is reckoned
by Gregory to be a species of pride.
Reply Obj. 3: The ungrateful man ascribes to himself what he has from
another: wherefore the first two species of pride pertain to
ingratitude. To excuse oneself of a sin one has committed, belongs to
the third species, since by so doing a man ascribes to himself the
good of innocence which he has not. To aim presumptuously at what is
above one, would seem to belong chiefly to the fourth species, which
consists in wishing to be preferred to others.
Reply Obj. 4: The three mentioned by Anselm correspond to the
progress of any particular sin: for it begins by being conceived in
thought, then is uttered in word, and thirdly is accomplished in deed.
The twelve degrees mentioned by Bernard are reckoned by way of
opposition to the twelve degrees of humility, of which we have spoken
above (Q. 161, A. 6). For the first degree of humility is to "be
humble in heart, and to show it in one's very person, one's eyes
fixed on the ground": and to this is opposed "curiosity," which
consists in looking around in all directions curiously and
inordinately. The second degree of humility is "to speak few and
sensible words, and not to be loud of voice": to this is opposed
"frivolity of mind," by which a man is proud of speech. The third
degree of humility is "not to be easily moved and disposed to
laughter," to which is opposed "senseless mirth." The fourth degree
of humility is "to maintain silence until one is asked," to which is
opposed "boasting". The fifth degree of humility is "to do nothing
but to what one is exhorted by the common rule of the monastery," to
which is opposed "singularity," whereby a man wishes to seem more
holy than others. The sixth degree of humility is "to believe and
acknowledge oneself viler than all," to which is opposed "arrogance,"
whereby a man sets himself above others. The seventh degree of
humility is "to think oneself worthless and unprofitable for all
purposes," to which is opposed "presumption," whereby a man thinks
himself capable of things that are above him. The eighth degree of
humility is "to confess one's sins," to which is opposed "defense of
one's sins." The ninth degree is "to embrace patience by obeying
under difficult and contrary circumstances," to which is opposed
"deceitful confession," whereby a man being unwilling to be punished
for his sins confesses them deceitfully. The tenth degree of humility
is "obedience," to which is opposed "rebelliousness." The eleventh
degree of humility is "not to delight in fulfilling one's own
desires"; to this is opposed "license," whereby a man delights in
doing freely whatever he will. The last degree of humility is "fear
of God": to this is opposed "the habit of sinning," which implies
contempt of God.
In these twelve degrees not only are the species of pride indicated,
but also certain things that precede and follow them, as we have
stated above with regard to humility (Q. 161, A. 6).
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