the love of God where it is producing (those) great things. And likewise in reference to his Neighbours crudeness of mind, and incompassionateness to others, counting injuries intolerable, impatience, not enduring to be slighted, indignation, and the like, do show, that the man thinks better of himself than he is, &c. So great a littler of this monster he exposes to our view, telling us its issue is much more numerous; and then strokes all gently over, calling them Venials. (m)These, says he, and many others are a sort of imperfect pride, and are ⟨p. 282⟩commonly Venial sins for the imperfectness of them, since they occur in the manner of passions, without injury to God or others. Yet (that we may be the more amazed, to see all this pass for a little fault) such sins (he adds) hinder spiritual life exceedingly; being of the stock of pride; when it is written, that God resists the proud. As for that pride which they count mortal, and grown to its full height; (n)Aquinas out of Gregory, and (o)others after both, give an account of it in some particulars; the prime are these, (p)When o• thinks that good he has, is from himself. When he thinks that what he has from God, is for his merits. And when he boasts that he hath what he has not. If their great Azpilcue•a could see none of this most deadly crime amongst Christians, having the merit of congruity and condignity before him; either his sight failed him, or his Church was not visible. Others, with his eyes, can see not only mortal pride, but (as deadly a sin) infidelity, (q)where this is part of a Creed: To make up one article, of two deadly sins, must be a sure mark of the only Church. Seriously, finding so many of their Authors on this head, charging the opinion of merit, with mortal pride; and therein following not only the greatest of their Doctors, but the most infallible of their Bishops; I have wondered why they did not either make that none of their faith, or this no such sin. What sal• they will find against deadly sin, when it is in their faith, I know not: but if part of their belief had proved arrogance (though that founds like the worst of pride) they might have come off well enough, for arrogance is a Venial sin, except in some rare cases. It is ⟨p. 283⟩says Cajetan, 6frequently Venial, when without prejudice of others, a man values himself as having more knowledge, or goodness, or authority than he hath;
the love of God where it is produeing (those) great things. And likewise in reference to his Neighbours crudeness of mind, and incompassionateness to others, counting injuries intolerable, impatience, not induring to be slighted, indignation, and the like, do shew, that the man thinks better of himself than he is, &c. So great a littler of this monster he exposes to our view, telling us its issue is much more numerous; and then stroaks all gently over, calling them Venials. (m)These, says he, and many others are a sort of imperfect pride, and are ⟨p. 282⟩commonly Venial sins for the imperfectness of them, since they occur in the manner of passions, without injury to God or others. Yet (that we may be the more amazed, to see all this pass for a little fault) such sins (he adds) hinder spiritual life exceedingly; being of the stock of pride; when it is written, that God resists the proud. As for that pride which they count mortal, and grown to its full heighth; (n)Aquinas out of Gregory, and (o)others after both, give an account of it in some particulars; the prime are these, (p)When o• thinks that good he has, is from himself. When he thinks that what he has from God, is for his merits. And when he boasts that he hath what he has not. If their great Azpilcue•a could see none of this most deadly crime amongst Christians, having the merit of congruity and condignity before him; either his sight fail'd him, or his Church was not visible. Others, with his eyes, can see not only mortal pride, but (as deadly a sin) infidelity, (q)where this is part of a Creed: To make up one article, of two deadly sins, must be a sure mark of the only Church. Seriously, finding so many of their Authors on this head, charging the opinion of merit, with mortal pride; and therein following not only the greatest of their Doctors, but the most infallible of their Bishops; I have wondred why they did not either make that none of their faith, or this no such sin. What sal• they will find against deadly sin, when it is in their faith, I know not: but if part of their belief had proved arrogance (though that founds like the worst of pride) they might have come off well enough, for arrogance is a Venial sin, except in some rare cases. It is
- (m)Sunt autem haec & multa alia, quae imperfectae sunt superbiae, communiter venialia peccata propter imperfectionem actus, dumb per modum passionum occurrunt absque injuria Dei & proximorum. Impediunt autem hujusmo li peccata valde vitam spiritualem: utpote ex genere superbiae existentia: quum scriptum sit superbis Deus resistit. Ibid. p. 548.Sunt autem haec & multa alia, quae imperfectae sunt superbiae, communiter venialia peccata propter imperfectionem actus, dum per modum passionum occurrunt absque injuria Dei & proximorum. Impediunt autem hujusmo li peccata valde vitam spiritualem: utpote ex genere superbiae existentia: quum scriptum sit superbis Deus resistit. Ibid. p. 548.
- (n)22 q. 142. art. 4.
- (o)Angelus, v. superb. Sylvest. v. superb. Navarre. c. 23. n. 7. alii communiter.Angelus, v. superb. Sylvest. v. superb. Navar. c. 23. n. 7. alii communiter.
- (p)Secundum hoc sumuntur duae primae superbiae species, scilicet cum quis à semet ipso habere aestimat quod à Deo habet, vel oum propriis meritis sibi datum desuper credit.—Sic est tertia species superbiae cum scilicet aliquis jactat se habere quod non babet. Aquinas, ibid.
- (q)Credere id (viz. predicta) in genere est actus—infidelitatis. Navarre. ibid. n. 8. In universally dicere—bonum aliquod habere à se & non à Deo, vel suis meritis, hoc p•rtinet ad infidelitatem & est mortale peccatum infidelitatis. Angel. sum. v. super•i•.Credere id (viz. predicta) in genere est actus—infidelitatis. Navar. ibid. n. 8. In universali dicere—bonum aliquod habere à se & non à Deo, vel suis meritis, hoc p•rtinet ad infidelitatem & est mortale peccatum infidelitatis. Angel. sum. v. super•i•.
- 6(r) Est autem frequenter venialis arrogantia dumb absque prejudicio proximi astimat quis▪ se plus scientiae, aut bonitatis aut authoritatis habere, quam habet Sum. v. arrogantia peccatum est quia contra rectam rationem est. Sed mortale non est nisi vel id quod sibi usurpat, sit contra divinam reverentiam: ut Rex Tyri, Ego Deus Sum. aut contra proximum: ut tyrannis, vel finis ultimus in bujusmodi elation ponatur. Ibid.)
