31. Whence the greatness of
this service,2101
unto the
undertaking of which we have according to our
strength exhorted,
the more excellent and
divine it is, the more doth it
warn our
anxiety, to say something not only concerning most glorious
chastity, but also concerning safest
humility. When then such as
make profession of perpetual chastity, comparing themselves with
married persons, shall have
discovered, that, according to the
Scriptures, the others are below both in
work and
wages, both in
vow and
reward, let what is written straightway come into their
mind, “By how much thou art great, by so much
humble thyself in
all things: and thou shalt find
favor before
God.”
2102
The
measure of
humility for each hath been given from the measure of
his greatness itself: unto which
pride is full of
danger, which
layeth the greater wait against persons the greater they be. On
this followeth envying, as a
daughter in her train; forsooth
pride
straightway giveth
birth to her, nor is she ever without such a
daughter and companion. By which two evils, that is,
pride and
envying, is the
devil (a
devil). Therefore it is against
pride, the
mother of envying, that the whole
Christian discipline chiefly
wars. For this
teaches humility, whereby both to
gain and to keep
charity; of which after that it had been said, “
Charity envieth
not;”
2103
as though
we were asking the reason, how it comes to pass that it envieth
not, he straightway added, “is not puffed up;” as though he
should say, on this account it hath not envying, in that neither
hath it
pride. Therefore the
Teacher of
humility,
Christ, first
“emptied Himself, taking the form of a
servant, made in the
likeness of men, and found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself,
made
obedient even unto
death, even the
death of the
Cross.”
2104
But His
teaching itself, how carefully it suggests
humility, and how
earnest and instant it is in commanding this, who can easily
unfold, and bring together all witnesses for
proof of this matter?
This let him essay to do, or do, whosoever shall wish to
write a
separate
treatise on humility; but of this present work the end
proposed is different, and it hath been undertaken on a matter so
great, as that it hath chiefly to guard against pride.
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