Volume II, Treatise III, Chapter XVII

‘Wherein Is More Particularly Explained, What that Perfection 1s, Which We Must Try to Raise Ourselves To, in This Second Degree of Humility

St. JoHN Cimacnvs, adds another thing to what we have already said; itis, that as the proud value the esteem of the world so much, that, to acquire it, they falsely attribute to themselves several gifts ‘and. advantages which they have not, and announce themselves to be of higher birth, to be possessed of more wealth and talents than they are; so they who are extremely humble, so far shew the desire they have of being despised by the world, that to make themselves the more despicable, they wish to have imputed to them, some defects, which they really have not. We have, says he, an example thereof in Simeon the hermit, who knowing that the president of the province, moved by the reputation of his sanctity, was coming to see him, sat down on the threshold of his door, with a piece of bread and cheese in his hand, which he began to eat, assuming all the appearance of a simpleton. ‘The president on seeing him felt contempt for him, and returned; but the hermit remained quite happy, because he had obtained what he desired. We have several examples of the same kind; as that of St. Francis, who, to avoid the honour and reception intended him, began to knead the dirt with his feet; and that of brother Juniper, who was found playing at see-saw on a beam with little children, in order to render himself despicable.

Those great saints did doubtless then consider, that the world had despised Jesus Christ, who is the sovereign good; and this blindness of the world in not having known the true light, nor having honoured the Son of God, had given them such an aversion to the world, and such a contempt of whatever it esteems, and so much esteem for whatever it despises, that they thought they were carefully to avoid being honoured by the world, and looked upon their being despised by the world with him, and for the love of him, as a great mark of the love of Jesus Christ for them... It was that which made them feel so much pleasure in reproach and contempt, and urged them to disguise themselves in so many ways, that they might be despised. It is true, says St. John Climachus, that what the saints have done therein has often come from a particular inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and that consequently they are more to be admired than imitated; but if we do not imitate them in their holy follies, we ought endeavour, at least, to imitate them in the zeal which made them commit them, and in the ardent desire they had to be despised by the world.

St. Diadocus goes further yet, and says, there are two sorts of humility. The first is the humility of the indifferent, that is to say, af those who indeed make some progress, but have yet some battles to give, and who are attacked by motions of pride, which they endeavour to overcome by the grace of God, in humbling themselves. Thé other sort of humility is that of the perfect, to whom God communicates his light so abundantly, and gives so great a knowledge of themselves, that nothing seems capable to give them any further motion of pride and vain glory. In this state, humility is as it were natural in the soul, so that whatever good works a person performs, he has always a mean opinion of himself, and believes himself the least of all. Now there is this difference, continues the saint, between these two kinds, that the humility of the indifferent, who have not yet gained an entire victory over themselves, but who feel still some contradiction within them, is ordinarily accompanied with some pain; and that though they bear with patience the occasions of humiliation, they nevertheless receive them not with j joy because the passions being not fully vanquished iu them, there is always something within which still makes resistance. But the humility of the perfect is not only free from pain, but full of joy; because their passions being wholly overcome, and there being nothing in them which makes further resistance, they humble themselves before God with pleasure, and find delight in the contempt shown them, Wherefore, still adds the saint, they who have only the first humility let themselves be easily troubled by good and bad success, and by all the different accidents of life; whereas those who have the other kind of humility, never let themselves be cast down by adversity,.nor elevated by prosperity, but remain always in the same frame and temper of mind, and enjoy a perfect peace and tranquillity, as persons whom virtue has raised above all that can happen in the world. Nothing puts him in pain who is glad to be despised; for what can do it, since the scorn of men, which is the only thing that could vex him, is what makes him rejoice? What, also, can make him lose his peace if he finds it in the very thing

which one would think could be done to disturb it? “He who has -brought himself to this state.” says St. Chrysostom, “makes even this world a paradise; for what can.be more happy than a soul which lives thus, which is always in the harbour sheltered from all ‘storms, and enjoys itself in peace?”—(Chrys. hom. sup. Gen.)

Now, it is this height of humility which we should endeavour to attain, and let it not seem impossible to us. For if we will, says St. Austin, we can, with the grace of God, imitate not only the saints, but the Saint of saints; since he himself says to us—“Learn of me, for I am meek and humble” (Mat. xi. 29); and St. Peter teaches us also, that “Jesus Christ has suffered for us, leaving us an example that we might follow his footsteps.” (1 Peter 2:21) St. Jerom, upon these words of our Saviour, “if you will be perfect,” says, we plainly see that we may, if we will, be perfect, because Jesus Christ says, “if you will.” For if you pretend to be excused on account of the weakness of your strength, does not he that sees the very bottom of your heart know it better than you? ‘Nevertheless he says you can if you will, for he is always ready to ‘help us; and if we will, we can do all things with his assistance. Jacob, as St. Jerom continues, saw a ladder which reached from earth to heaven, upon which there were angels, who went up and down, and God sat at the top of the ladder to give, as it were, his hand to those who went up, and to encourage them by his presence. Get up this ladder—endeavour to do it, by mounting the steps we have shown you, and he will reach out his hand to help you to the top. A traveller who sees a steep place a great way off, believes it not possible to get up thither, but when he comes near to it, and sees the beaten road, he judges thereof after another manner.

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