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Objection 1: It would seem that the twelve degrees of humility that
are set down in the Rule of the Blessed 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.
Objection 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.
Objection 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.
Objection 4: Further, a gloss on Mt. 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.
Objection 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 (Article 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 to Objection 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 to Objection 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 to Objection 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 to Objection 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 to Objection 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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