Volume I, Treatise III, Chapter IV

That the Temptation of Vainglory Attacks not Only Those that Enter into the Way of Perfection, but Even Such as Are Most Advanced in It

Sr. Cyprian, speaking of the second temptation the devil made use of against Jesus Christ, when he-carried him to the top of the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you be the Son of God, cast yourself down” (Mat. iv. 6); cries out in this manner: “Q execrable malice of the devil! this miserable spirit thought, that he who could not be overcome by gluttony, might be vanquished by vainglory;” and therefore he endeavoured to persuade hit to cast himself into the air, to the end that, by flying, he should become a spectacle of admiration to all the beholders. The devil imagined that he should have the same success against Jesus Christ, that he had formerly had against others. He had experienced, says St. Cyprian, that he had often overcome by vainglory, such as he could not vanquish any other way; and it was for this reason, that after he had tempted him with gluttony to no purpose, he tempts him with vainglory, as with something more considerable, and which was harder to be resisted. For it is very hard not to be touched with praise; since as there are very few persons that are pleased to hear anything that is said to their disadvantage, so also there are very few but are extremely delighted when they hear what is said to their advantage. So that the temptation of vainglory attacks not only such persons as are beginners in virtue, but also those who are most advanced in it; and it is even such as those, to whom the enemy chiefly addresses himself.

The holy abbot Nilus, who was a disciple of St. Chrysostom, relates, that the most ancient and most experienced fathers of the desert educated and instructed the young religious in a manner very different from that wherein they instructed the others. To the young they recommended and enjoined temperance and abstinence; because such as permit themselves to be carried away by gluttony will more easily yield to and be carried away by impurity; for having yielded to the weaker temptation, there was little appearance that they would resist the more violent. But as to the seniors—they admonished them to take care, and be continually upon their guard against vainglory. As those who go to sea, ought diligently evade the sand-banks and the rocks in the mouth of the harbour; because it often happens, that after a most prosperous voyage, a vessel is wrecked in the very haven. Just so, the most perfect ought to be exceedingly on their guard against vanity; because it often happens, that when we have sailed very prosperously throughout the whole course of our life, and resisted courageously all the storms and tempests the devil had raised against us; in fine, when we are come in sight of the harbour, confiding in our past victories, believing ourselves out of all danger, we come at last, by our pride and negligence, to suffer a miserable shipwreck. It is upon this account that the saints styled vainglory a tempest in the harbour; and others say, that it does to the most perfect Christian, what a man does who, going on board a ship well provisioned, and richly laden with merchandise, bores a hole in the -bottom of it, through which the water enters, and at length sinks it.

So that these ancient fathers thought it was not so necessary to give novices any warning or particular remedy against vainglory, because they supposed, that such as those who came out of the world all covered with the fresh bleeding wounds of their sins, had in themselves sufficient matter of humility and dejection, and therefore it was necessary to speak to them only of abstinence, penance, and mortification. Indeed the more ancient, who had already deplored their sins, and performed severe penance for them, and who had for a long time exercised themselves in the practice of virtue, ought to be continually on their guard against vainglory. But they who only began—who had not as yet acquired any virtue—who were not yet free from the bad inelinations and evil habits which they had contracted in the world, and who were still employed in deploring their sins, and their so long-continued forgetfulness of the things belonging to God’s service, these were supposed to have no need of any precaution against vanity; because they saw in themselves nothing but what was matter of sorrow and confusion. This ought also to confound many persons, who having frequent occasions to humble themselves, do still in very many things permit themselves to be puffed up with pride, for some one thing or other that is commendable in them. This is a very great abuse. One fault alone ought to be sufficient to humble and confound us; because there ought to be nothing defective in what is good; since even the least defect renders anything whatsoever bad and imperfect. We, notwithstanding, act after a different manner. The many faults and many sins we daily commit suffice not to inspire us with humble thoughts; but the least advantage we think we possess, is sufficient to fill us with a great deal of vanity, and make us sigh after the esteem and applause of the world. By this it is very easy to perceive that vainglory is very dangerous, because it spares nobody, and sets upon us without any cause at all. «It is the first thing we give way to, and it is the last we resist.” (Aug. sup.) Wherefore, says St. Austin, let us arm ourselves, my dear brethren, and use great precaution against this Vice, the danger whereof was very sensibly felt by the Royal Prophet, when he made this earnest petition: “Turn my eyes, O Lord, from beholding vanity.” (Psalms 118:31)

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