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Objection 1: It would seem that presumption, which is a sin against
the Holy Ghost, trusts, not in God, but in our own power. For
the lesser the power, the more grievously does he sin who trusts in it
too much. But man's power is less than God's. Therefore it is a
more grievous sin to presume on human power than to presume on the power
of God. Now the sin against the Holy Ghost is most grievous.
Therefore presumption, which is reckoned a species of sin against the
Holy Ghost, trusts to human rather than to Divine power.
Objection 2: Further, other sins arise from the sin against the
Holy Ghost, for this sin is called malice which is a source from
which sins arise. Now other sins seem to arise from the presumption
whereby man presumes on himself rather than from the presumption whereby
he presumes on God, since self-love is the origin of sin, according
to Augustine (De Civ. Dei xiv, 28). Therefore it seems that
presumption which is a sin against the Holy Ghost, relies chiefly on
human power.
Objection 3: Further, sin arises from the inordinate conversion to
a mutable good. Now presumption is a sin. Therefore it arises from
turning to human power, which is a mutable good, rather than from
turning to the power of God, which is an immutable good.
On the contrary, Just as, through despair, a man despises the
Divine mercy, on which hope relies, so, through presumption, he
despises the Divine justice, which punishes the sinner. Now justice
is in God even as mercy is. Therefore, just as despair consists in
aversion from God, so presumption consists in inordinate conversion to
Him.
I answer that, Presumption seems to imply immoderate hope. Now the
object of hope is an arduous possible good: and a thing is possible to
a man in two ways: first by his own power; secondly, by the power of
God alone. With regard to either hope there may be presumption owing
to lack of moderation. As to the hope whereby a man relies on his own
power, there is presumption if he tends to a good as though it were
possible to him, whereas it surpasses his powers, according to Judith
6:15: "Thou humblest them that presume of themselves." This
presumption is contrary to the virtue of magnanimity which holds to the
mean in this kind of hope.
But as to the hope whereby a man relies on the power of God, there
may be presumption through immoderation, in the fact that a man tends
to some good as though it were possible by the power and mercy of God,
whereas it is not possible, for instance, if a man hope to obtain
pardon without repenting, or glory without merits. This presumption
is, properly, the sin against the Holy Ghost, because, to wit, by
presuming thus a man removes or despises the assistance of the Holy
Spirit, whereby he is withdrawn from sin.
Reply to Objection 1: As stated above (Question 20, Article
3; FS, Question 73, Article 3) a sin which is against God
is, in its genus, graver than other sins. Hence presumption whereby
a man relies on God inordinately, is a more grievous sin than the
presumption of trusting in one's own power, since to rely on the
Divine power for obtaining what is unbecoming to God, is to
depreciate the Divine power, and it is evident that it is a graver sin
to detract from the Divine power than to exaggerate one's own.
Reply to Objection 2: The presumption whereby a man presumes
inordinately on God, includes self-love, whereby he loves his own
good inordinately. For when we desire a thing very much, we think we
can easily procure it through others, even though we cannot.
Reply to Objection 3: Presumption on God's mercy implies both
conversion to a mutable good, in so far as it arises from an inordinate
desire of one's own good, and aversion from the immutable good, in as
much as it ascribes to the Divine power that which is unbecoming to
it, for thus man turns away from God's power.
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