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Objection 1: It would seem that pride is not the first sin of all.
For the first is maintained in all that follows. Now pride does not
accompany all sins, nor is it the origin of all: for Augustine says
(De Nat. et Grat. xx) that many things are done "amiss which are
not done with pride." Therefore pride is not the first sin of all.
Objection 2: Further, it is written (Ecclus. 10:14) that
the "beginning of . . . pride is to fall off from God."
Therefore falling away from God precedes pride.
Objection 3: Further, the order of sins would seem to be according
to the order of virtues. Now, not humility but faith is the first of
all virtues. Therefore pride is not the first sin of all.
Objection 4: Further, it is written (2 Tim. 3:13):
"Evil men and seducers shall grow worse and worse"; so that
apparently man's beginning of wickedness is not the greatest of sins.
But pride is the greatest of sins as stated in the foregoing Article.
Therefore pride is not the first sin.
Objection 5: Further, resemblance and pretense come after the
reality. Now the Philosopher says (Ethic. iii, 7) that "pride
apes fortitude and daring." Therefore the vice of daring precedes the
vice of pride.
On the contrary, It is written (Ecclus. 10:15): "Pride is
the beginning of all sin."
I answer that, The first thing in every genus is that which is
essential. Now it has been stated above (Article 6) that aversion
from God, which is the formal complement of sin, belongs to pride
essentially, and to other sins, consequently. Hence it is that pride
fulfils the conditions of a first thing, and is "the beginning of all
sins," as stated above (FS, Question 84, Article 2), when
we were treating of the causes of sin on the part of the aversion which
is the chief part of sin.
Reply to Objection 1: Pride is said to be "the beginning of all
sin," not as though every sin originated from pride, but because any
kind of sin is naturally liable to arise from pride.
Reply to Objection 2: To fall off from God is said to be the
beginning of pride, not as though it were a distinct sin from pride,
but as being the first part of pride. For it has been said above
(Article 5) that pride regards chiefly subjection to God which it
scorns, and in consequence it scorns to be subject to a creature for
God's sake.
Reply to Objection 3: There is no need for the order of virtues to
be the same as that of vices. For vice is corruptive of virtue. Now
that which is first to be generated is the last to be corrupted.
Wherefore as faith is the first of virtues, so unbelief is the last of
sins, to which sometimes man is led by other sins. Hence a gloss on
Ps. 136:7, "Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation
thereof," says that "by heaping vice upon vice a man will lapse into
unbelief," and the Apostle says (1 Tim. 1:19) that "some
rejecting a good conscience have made shipwreck concerning the faith."
Reply to Objection 4: Pride is said to be the most grievous of sins
because that which gives sin its gravity is essential to pride. Hence
pride is the cause of gravity in other sins. Accordingly previous to
pride there may be certain less grievous sins that are committed through
ignorance or weakness. But among the grievous sins the first is
pride, as the cause whereby other sins are rendered more grievous.
And as that which is the first in causing sins is the last in the
withdrawal from sin, a gloss on Ps. 18:13, "I shall be
cleansed from the greatest sin," says: "Namely from the sin of
pride, which is the last in those who return to God, and the first in
those who withdraw from God."
Reply to Objection 5: The Philosopher associates pride with
feigned fortitude, not that it consists precisely in this, but because
man thinks he is more likely to be uplifted before men, if he seem to
be daring or brave.
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