Volume III, Treatise VIII, Chapter II

That It 13 Pride Which Hinders Us from Receiving Corrections So Well as We Ought

Waar chiefly shows the pride of man is the repugnance he feels to be reprehended for his faults. ‘ Who”, says St. Austin, “can find out a man that wishes to be reprehended? And where is the wise man to be found, of whom it is said in the ninth chapter of the Proverbs, reprehend the wise man and he will love thee?” (Proverbs 9:8) He truly deserves the name of a wise man, because he gratefully acknowledges, as he ought to do, so great a benefit as that of correction is; but where is such a one to be found? ‘And who is he, that we may give him such praises as are due to him?”’—Zecl., xxxi. 9. We are so puffed up with pride, says St. Gregory, and this vice is so rooted in us, that we cannot bear to be told of our faults, because we imagine that what they say to us lessens the good opinion the world has of us, and renders us less esteemed. And then we are very sensible to the least things affecting our honour, we presently take fire as soon as we believe it wounded, and instead of thanking those that reprehend us for our faults, we look upon their admonitions as injuries and as a kind of persecution. And in effect there are some people who, when care is taken to tell them of their faults, presently think themselves persecuted, and that it is done from some kind of aversion to them; nay, some are also to be found, continues this father, who, though of their own accord they frequently accuse themselves of their faults, yet, if any one happens to reprehend them, or accuse them of them, are presently moved and excuse themselves, because they cannot endure to be less esteemed than they think they deserve. Such as these are not truly humble, and speak not of their faults with the spirit of truth. For if they were truly humble, and believed what they said of themselves, they would not be angry that others said the same, and would not take so much pains as they do to excuse and defend themselves. True humility consists in the knowledge and contempt of ourselves, and in being glad that others also should know us and contemn us; and such persons as these, says St. Gregory, make it clearly appear that it is not that they may be contemned that they speak ill of themselves, but that they may pass for just and humble persons, because, as the Scripture says, “the just man is the first who accuses himself’ (Proverbs 18:17) You would therefore gain esteem, and pass for one that is humble; and you speak ill of yourself, because you think this is a means to obtain what you aim at. But at the same time, because you do not believe that the evil that another says of you can help you thereunto, but on the contrary, as you imagine that it may destroy the good opinion that people may have of you, therefore you cannot suffer from another that which you say of yourself. All this proceeds from pride and vanity, and hence it often happens, though we see what they say is true, and that they have reason to reprehend us, yet we fail not to suffer the reprehension very impatiently, and to be displeased at it.

How then can we say any longer, “reprehend the wise man and he will love you”? (Proverbs 9:8) For where are these wise men to be found that desire to be reprehended, and are pleased with those that tell them of their faults? No; but we are forced to say, what the same Solomon said in another place, “Take care of reprehending a scoffer for fear he hate you” (Proverbs 9:8) This is the recompense that the world ordinarily gives to those that give good advice. ‘For a wicked man loves not him who reprehends him, and has no conversation with those that are wise’ (Proverbs 15:12),—or that are able to admonish him of his faults. In fine, it is an old saying, “that truth begets hatred”—Ter. in Andr.,—and speaking truth procures enemies. The saints compare these sorts of people to fools and mad-men, who cannot endure the sight of their physician, and refuse all sorts of remedies, because they feel them painful, and do not believe themselves sick. This comparison is taken from the Holy Ghost, who says, “that he who hates reprehension is mad” (Proverbs 12:1) And in effect he wants not only humility, but he wants judgment and common sense; and, in a word, he is either a fool or a madman, because he refuses those wholesome remedies that are given him, and because he hides himself from his physician, who would cure him.

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