The Institutes, Book XII

Book XII

• The Institutes XII.1 — How our eighth combat is against the spirit of pride, and of its character. Our eighth and last combat is against the spirit of pride, which evil, although it is the latest in our conflict with our faults and stands…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.2 — How there are two kinds of pride. And of this pride there are two kinds: the one, that by which we said that the best of men and spiritually minded ones were troubled; the other, that which assaults even beginners…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.3 — How pride is equally destructive of all virtues. There is then no other fault which is so destructive of all virtues, and robs and despoils a man of all righteousness and holiness, as this evil of pride, which like…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.4 — How by reason of pride Lucifer was turned from an archangel into a devil. And that we may understand the power of its awful tyranny we see that that angel who, for the greatness of his splendour and beauty was termed…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.5 — That incentives to all sins spring from pride. This is the reason of the first fall, and the starting point of the original malady, which again insinuating itself into the first man, through him who had already been…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.6 — That the sin of pride is last in the actual order of the combat, but first in time and origin. That the sin of pride is last in the actual order of the combat, but first in time and origin. And so it is most clearly…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.7 — That the evil of pride is so great that it rightly has even God Himself as its adversary. How great is the evil of pride, that it rightly has no angel, nor other virtues opposed to it, but God Himself as its…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.8 — How God has destroyed the pride of the devil by the virtue of humility, and various passages in proof of this. How God has destroyed the pride of the devil by the virtue of humility, and various passages in proof of…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.9 — How we too may overcome pride. And so we can escape the snare of this most evil spirit, if in the case of every virtue in which we feel that we make progress, we say these words of the Apostle: “Not I, but the grace…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.10 — How no one can obtain perfect virtue and the promised bliss by his own strength alone. For the will and course of no one, however eager and anxious, is sufficiently ready for him, while still enclosed in the flesh…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.11 — The case of the thief and of David, and of our call in order to illustrate the grace of God. The case of the thief and of David, and of our call in order to illustrate the grace of God. For if we recall that thief…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.12 — That no toil is worthy to be compared with the promised bliss. For all the long years of this present life disappear when you have regard to the eternity of the future glory: and all our sorrows vanish away in the…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.13 — The teaching of the elders on the method of acquiring purity. Wherefore it is now time to produce, in the very words in which they hand it down, the opinion of the Fathers; viz., of those who have not painted the way…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.14 — That the help of God is given to those who labour. Nor do I say this to cast a slight on human efforts, or in the endeavour to discourage any one from his purpose of working and doing his best. But clearly and most…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.15 — From whom we can learn the way of perfection. And so, if we wish in very deed and truth to attain to the crown of virtues, we ought to listen to those teachers and guides who, not dreaming with pompous declamations,…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.16 — That we cannot even make the effort to obtain perfection without the mercy and inspiration of God. That we cannot even make the effort to obtain perfection without the mercy and inspiration of God. We ought…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.17 — Various passages which clearly show that we cannot do anything which belongs to our salvation without the aid of God. Various passages which clearly show that we cannot do anything which belongs to our salvation…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.18 — How we are protected by the grace of God not only in our natural condition, but also by His daily Providence. How we are protected by the grace of God not only in our natural condition, but also by His daily…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.19 — How this faith concerning the grace of God was delivered to us by the ancient Fathers. This then is that humility towards God, this is that genuine faith of the ancient fathers which still remains intact among their…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.20 — Of one who for his blasphemy was given over to a most unclean spirit. I knew one of the number of the brethren, whom I heartily wish I had never known; since afterwards he allowed himself to be saddled with the…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.21 — The instance of Joash, King of Judah, showing what was the consequence of his pride. Some such thing we read of in the book of Chronicles. For Joash the king of Judah at the age of seven was summoned by Jehoiada the…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.22 — That every proud soul is subject to spiritual wickedness to be deceived by it. And this clearly shows that every soul of which the swellings of pride have taken possession, is given over to the Syrians of the soul,…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.23 — How perfection can only be attained through the virtue of humility. And so it is clearly shown that none can attain the end of perfection and purity, except through true humility, which he displays in the first…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.24 — Who are attacked by spiritual and who by carnal pride. Thus much let it suffice to have spoken, as far as, by God’s help, our slender ability was able, concerning spiritual pride of which we have said that it attacks…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.25 — A description of carnal pride, and of the evils which it produces in the soul of a monk. This carnal pride therefore, of which we spoke, when it has gained an entrance into the heart of a monk, which is but lukewarm,…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.26 — That a man whose foundation is bad, sinks daily from bad to worse. Those then who are possessed by such distrust of mind, and who through the devil’s own want of faith fall away from that spark of faith, by which…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.27 — A description of the faults which spring from the evil of pride. The mind then that is hardened by such feelings, and which begins with this miserable coldness is sure to go daily from bad to worse and to conclude…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.28 — On the pride of a certain brother. I have heard while I have been in this district a thing which I shudder and am ashamed to recall; viz., that one of the juniors—when he was reproved by his Abbot because he had…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.29 — The signs by which you can recognize the presence of carnal pride in a soul. And to draw together briefly what has been said of this kind of pride, by collecting, as well as we can, some of its signs that we may…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.30 — How when a man has grown cold through pride he wants to be put to rule other people. And when a man whom pride has mastered has fallen through these stages of descent, he shudders at the discipline of the cœnobium,…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.31 — How we can overcome pride and attain perfection. Wherefore if we wish the summit of our building to be perfect and to rise well-pleasing to God, we should endeavour to lay its foundations not in accordance with the…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.32 — How pride which is so destructive of all virtues can itself be destroyed by true humility. Wherefore the Christian athlete who strives lawfully in the spiritual combat and desires to be crowned by the Lord, should…vatican.va
• The Institutes XII.33 — Remedies against the evil of pride. And when men remain in this condition, there is no doubt that this quiet and secure state of humility will follow, so that considering ourselves inferior to every one else we shall…vatican.va