Answers from church history on today's questions
What Christian writers said, from about AD 207 to 1930.
61 passages · 12 writers · 7 centuries
Few writers in this collection set out the seven deadly sins as a scheme. Of the 61 passages here, 31 state a position and 30 mention the subject in passing, and the 31 come from six writers, 21 of them from Aquinas. Early monastic writers count eight principal faults rather than seven: John Cassian (about 425) gives Abbot Serapion's list of gluttony, fornication, avarice, anger, dejection, acedia, vainglory, and pride, and Gennadius of Marseilles (about 480) lists a work by Evagrius against the eight principal sins and says Evagrius was among the first to teach them. Tertullian (about 207) uses "seven deadly sins" for a different list: idolatry, blasphemy, murder, adultery, fornication, false witness, and fraud. Aquinas (about 1265) defines a capital vice as one from which other vices arise, follows Gregory the Great's list of seven, and discusses whether pride is one of them or the queen of them all. Catherine of Siena (1378) speaks of seven mortal sins as branches of a tree rooted in self-love and pride, and Ignatius of Loyola (1548) names the seven deadly sins as a subject of examination and prayer and directs the seven contrary virtues to be sought.
5 passages · 2 writers · 400s to 1200s
Cassian gives eight principal faults, and Aquinas asks which vices are capital, why hatred is not counted, and whether pride is one of them.
Abbot Serapion’s enumeration of eight principal faults. There are eight principal faults which attack mankind; viz., first gastrimargia, which means gluttony, secondly fornication, thirdly philargyria, i.e., avarice or the love of money, fourthly anger, fifthly dejection, sixthly acedia, i.e., listlessness or low spirits, seventhly cenodoxia, i.e., boasting or vain glory; and eighthly pride.
John Cassian, Conferences 6.2
I answer that, The capital vices are enumerated in two ways. For some reckon pride as one of their number: and these do not place vainglory among the capital vices. Gregory, however (Moral. xxxi), reckons pride to be the queen of all the vices, and vainglory, which is the immediate offspring of pride, he reckons to be a capital vice: and not without reason.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q132.A4
I answer that, As stated above (A[3]) , the capital vices are those which give rise to others, especially by way of final cause.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica I-II.Q84.A4
I answer that, As stated above ( AA[2] ,5, ad 1) pride may be considered in two ways; first in itself, as being a special sin; secondly, as having a general influence towards all sins. Now the capital vices are said to be certain special sins from which many kinds of sin arise. Wherefore some, considering pride in the light of a special sin, numbered it together with the other capital vices. But Gregory, taking into consideration its general influence towards all vices, as explained above (A[2], OBJ[3]), did not place it among the capital vices, but held it to be the "queen and mother of all the vices."
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q162.A8
On the contrary, Gregory (Moral. xxxi) does not reckon hatred among the seven capital sins. I answer that, As stated above ( FS, Q[84], AA[3] ,4), a capital vice is one from which other vices arise most frequently.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q34.A5
5 passages · 2 writers · 400s to 1500s
Cassian describes the vices as linked in a chain, grouped in pairs, and attacking different people in different ways, and Ignatius of Loyola directs the seven contrary virtues to be sought.
Of these eight faults then, although they are different in their origin and in their way of affecting us, yet the six former; viz., gluttony, fornication, covetousness, anger, dejection, accidie, have a sort of connexion with each other, and are, so to speak, linked together in a chain, so that any excess of the one forms a starting point for the next. For from superfluity of gluttony fornication is sure to spring, and from fornication covetousness, from covetousness anger, from anger, dejection, and from dejection, accidie.
John Cassian, Conferences 6.10
And though these eight faults of which we have spoken are connected and joined together in the way which we have shown, yet they may be more exactly divided into four groups and sub-divisions. For to gluttony fornication is linked by a special tie: to covetousness anger, to dejection accidie, and to vainglory pride is closely allied.
John Cassian, Conferences 6.10
Although then these eight faults trouble all sorts of men, yet they do not attack them all in the same way. For in one man the spirit of fornication holds the chief place: wrath rides rough shod over another: over another vainglory claims dominion: in an other pride holds the field: and though it is clear that we are all attacked by all of them, yet the difficulties come to each of us in very different ways and manners.
John Cassian, Conferences 6.13
Wherefore in order to overcome accidie, you must first get the better of dejection: in order to get rid of dejection, anger must first be expelled: in order to quell anger, covetousness must be trampled under foot: in order to root out covetousness, fornication must be checked: and in order to destroy fornication, you must chastise the sin of gluttony. But the two remaining faults; viz., vainglory and pride, are connected together in a somewhat similar way as the others of which we have spoken, so that the growth of the one makes a starting point for the other (for superfluity of vainglory produces an incentive to pride); but they are altogether different from the six former faults, and are not joined in the same category with them, since not only is there no opportunity given for them to spring up from these, but they are actually aroused in an entirely different way and manner.
John Cassian, Conferences 6.10
In order to know better the faults committed in the Deadly Sins, let their contraries be looked at: and so, to avoid them better, let the person purpose and with holy exercises see to acquiring and keeping the seven virtues contrary to them.
Ignatius of Loyola, The Spiritual Exercises 6.1
4 passages · 2 writers · 1200s
Aquinas explains the word capital and discusses when a vice is mortal or venial, and Meister Eckhart describes deadly sin by its effects.
I answer that, The word capital is derived from "caput" [a head]. Now the head, properly speaking, is that part of an animal's body, which is the principle and director of the whole animal. Hence, metaphorically speaking, every principle is called a head, and even men who direct and govern others are called heads. Accordingly a capital vice is so called, in the first place, from "head" taken in the proper sense, and thus the name "capital" is given to a sin for which capital punishment is inflicted. It is not in this sense that we are now speaking of capital sins, but in another sense, in which the term "capital" is derived from head, taken metaphorically for a principle or director of others.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica I-II.Q84.A3
Reply to Objection 3: Vainglory stands prominent under the aspect of desirability, for the reason given above, and this suffices for it to be reckoned a capital vice. Nor is it always necessary for a capital vice to be a mortal sin; for mortal sin can arise from venial sin, inasmuch as venial sin can dispose man thereto.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q132.A4
On the other hand, if the inordinate concupiscence in the vice of gluttony be found to affect only such things as are directed to the end, for instance when a man has too great a desire for the pleasures of the palate, yet would not for their sake do anything contrary to God's law, it is a venial sin. Reply to Objection 1: The vice of gluttony becomes a mortal sin by turning man away from his last end: and accordingly, by a kind of reduction, it is opposed to the precept of hallowing the sabbath, which commands us to rest in our last end.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q148.A2
Therefore deadly sin is a breach of nature, a death of the soul, a disquiet of the heart, a weakening of power, a blindness of the sense, a sorrow of the spirit, a death of grace, a death of virtue, a death of good works, an aberration of the spirit, a fellowship with the devil, an expulsion of Christianity, a dungeon of hell, a banquet of hell, an eternity of hell. Therefore, if thou committest a deadly sin thou art guilty of all these and incurrest their consequences.
Meister Eckhart, Sermons 2
3 passages · 2 writers · 1200s to 1300s
Aquinas and Catherine of Siena treat pride as the queen or root of the vices, and Aquinas counts vainglory as a capital vice.
Wherefore pride, like a universal vice, is not counted along with the others, but is reckoned as the "queen of them all," as Gregory states (Moral. xxxi, 27). But covetousness is said to be the root from another point of view, as stated above ( AA[1] ,2). Reply to Objection 5: These vices are called capital because others, most frequently, arise from them: so that nothing prevents some sins from arising out of other causes.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica I-II.Q84.A4
Reply to Objection 3: The fact that envy, which is a capital vice, arises from pride, does not prove that pride is a capital vice, but that it is still more principal than the capital vices themselves.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q162.A8
“I say that this tree has seven branches drooping to the earth, on which grow the flowers and leaves in the way I have told you. These branches are the seven mortal sins which are full of many and diverse wickednesses, contained in the roots and trunk of self-love and of pride, which first made both branches and flowers of many thoughts, the leaves of words, and the fruits of wicked deeds.
Catherine of Siena, The Dialogue 4.16
2 passages · 1 writer · 1200s
Aquinas argues that covetousness is a capital vice because money is a principal sensible good.
On the contrary, Gregory (Moral. xxxi) reckons covetousness among the capital vices. I answer that, As stated in the Second Objection, a capital vice is one which under the aspect of end gives rise to other vices: because when an end is very desirable, the result is that through desire thereof man sets about doing many things either good or evil.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q118.A7
Therefore covetousness, which is desire for money, is a capital vice. … Wherefore, although liberality is not a principal virtue, since it does not regard the principal good of the reason, yet covetousness is a principal vice, because it regards money, which occupies a principal place among sensible goods, for the reason given in the Article.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q118.A7
1 passage · 1 writer · 1200s
Aquinas argues that lust is a capital vice because its end is very desirable.
I answer that, As stated above (Q[148], A[5]; FS, Q[84], AA[3] ,4), a capital vice is one that has a very desirable end, so that through desire for that end, a man proceeds to commit many sins, all of which are said to arise from that vice as from a principal vice. … Therefore it is evident that lust is a capital vice.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q153.A4
3 passages · 2 writers · 1200s
Aquinas ranks anger as a capital vice, and Jacobus de Voragine treats anger held with will to harm as deadly sin.
In this commandment is defended the sin of wrath and hate, of rancour and of ire. For as the Scripture saith: Who hateth his brother is an homicide when it is by his will, and he sinneth deadly; and he that beareth anger in his heart long, for such ire long holden in the heart is rancour and hate, which is deadly sin, and is against this commandment. And yet sinneth he more that doth or purchaseth shame, villany or hurt to another wrongfully, or counselleth or helpeth to grieve another for to avenge him. But wrath or anger lightly past without will to noy or grieve any other, is not deadly sin.
Jacobus de Voragine, The Golden Legend 25 (Vol. 1)
Now anger, which desires evil under the aspect of good, has a more desirable end than hatred has, since the latter desires evil under the aspect of evil: wherefore anger is more a capital vice than hatred is.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q158.A6
I answer that, As stated above ( FS, Q[84], A[3] ,4), a capital vice is defined as one from which many vices arise. … Therefore it is evident that anger is a capital vice.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q158.A6
4 passages · 1 writer · 1200s
Aquinas treats gluttony as a capital vice and weighs its gravity and its daughters.
On the contrary, Gregory (Moral. xxxi, 45) reckons gluttony among the capital vices. I answer that, As stated above ( FS, Q[84], A[3] ), a capital vice denotes one from which, considered as final cause, i.e. as having a most desirable end, other vices originate: wherefore through desiring that end men are incited to sin in many ways.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q148.A5
I answer that, As stated above ( AA[1] ,2,3), gluttony consists properly in an immoderate pleasure in eating and drinking. Wherefore those vices are reckoned among the daughters of gluttony, which are the results of eating and drinking immoderately.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q148.A6
I answer that, The gravity of a sin may be measured in three ways. First and foremost it depends on the matter in which the sin is committed: and in this way sins committed in connection with Divine things are the greatest. From this point of view gluttony is not the greatest sin, for it is about matters connected with the nourishment of the body.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q148.A3
Therefore the vice of gluttony, being about pleasures of touch which stand foremost among other pleasures, is fittingly reckoned among the capital vices. … Yet gluttony seems to be about pleasures of food rather than about food itself; wherefore, as Augustine says (De Vera Relig. liii), "with such food as is good for the worthless body, men desire to be fed," wherein namely the pleasure consists, "rather than to be filled: since the whole end of that desire is this---not to thirst and not to hunger."
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q148.A5
3 passages · 2 writers · 1200s
Aquinas counts envy as a capital vice and a mortal sin by its genus, and Jacobus de Voragine treats consented envy as deadly sin.
In this commandment is defended envy of other men’s weal, of other men’s grace or welfare. For such envy cometh of evil covetise to have such good or such grace or fortune as he seeth in other. And this covetise is when the consenting and thought be certainly one, then it is deadly sin. And if there be any evil movings without will and consenting of damage or hurt of other, this is not deadly sin. If he sin herein it is but venial sin.
Jacobus de Voragine, The Golden Legend 25 (Vol. 1)
I answer that, Just as sloth is grief for a Divine spiritual good, so envy is grief for our neighbor's good. Now it has been stated above ( Q[35], A[4] ) that sloth is a capital vice for the reason that it incites man to do certain things, with the purpose either of avoiding sorrow or of satisfying its demands. Wherefore envy is accounted a capital vice for the same reason. … Consequently the notion of a capital vice does not exclude its originating from another vice, but it demands that it should have some principal reason for being itself the origin of several kinds of sin.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q36.A4
I answer that, Envy is a mortal sin, in respect of its genus. … Therefore it is evident that envy is a mortal sin in respect of its genus.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q36.A3
1 passage · 1 writer · 1200s
Aquinas argues that sloth, as grief over spiritual good, is a capital sin.
I answer that, As stated above ( FS, Q[84], AA[3] ,4), a capital vice is one which easily gives rise to others as being their final cause. Now just as we do many things on account of pleasure, both in order to obtain it, and through being moved to do something under the impulse of pleasure, so again we do many things on account of sorrow, either that we may avoid it, or through being exasperated into doing something under pressure thereof. Wherefore, since sloth is a kind of sorrow, as stated above (A[2]; FS, Q[85], A[8]), it is fittingly reckoned a capital sin.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q35.A4
8 passages · 2 writers · 400s
Cassian presents Serapion's eight principal faults and the struggle against each, and Gennadius of Marseilles says Evagrius was among the first to teach them.
Serapion : Everybody is perfectly agreed that there are eight principal faults which affect a monk. And all of them are not included in the figure of the nations for this reason, because in Deuteronomy Moses, or rather the Lord through him, was speaking to those who had already gone forth from Egypt and been set free from one most powerful nation, I mean that of the Egyptians. And we find that this figure holds good also in our case, as when we have got clear of the snares of this world we are found to be free from gluttony, i.e., the sin of the belly and palate; and like them we have a conflict against these seven remaining nations, without taking account at all of the one which has been already overcome.
John Cassian, Conferences 6.18
A question with regard to the comparison of seven nations with eight faults. Germanus : How then is it that there are eight faults which assault us, when Moses reckons the nations opposed to the people of Israel as seven , and how is it well for us to take possession of the territory of our faults?
John Cassian, Conferences 6.17
Thus far did Abbot Serapion discourse to us of the nature of the eight principal faults, and so clearly did he expound the different sorts of passions which are latent within us—the origin and connexion of which, though we were daily tormented by them, we could never before thoroughly understand and perceive—that we seemed almost to see them spread out before our eyes as in a mirror.
John Cassian, Conferences 6.27
Of the two classes of faults and their fourfold manner of acting on us. Of these faults then there are two classes. For they are either natural to us as gluttony, or arise outside of nature as covetousness. But their manner of acting on us is fourfold. For some cannot be consummated without an act on the part of the flesh, as gluttony and fornication, while some can be completed without any bodily act, as pride and vainglory. Some find the reasons for their being excited outside us, as covetousness and anger; others are aroused by internal feelings, as accidie and dejection.
John Cassian, Conferences 6.3
That which wrath had held, will be claimed by patience. That which had been occupied by a sorrow that worketh death, will be taken by a godly sorrow and one full of joy. That which had been wasted by accidie, will at once be tilled by courage. That which pride had trodden down will be ennobled by humility: and so when each of these faults has been expelled, their places (that is the tendency towards them) will be filled by the opposite virtues which are aptly termed the children of Israel, that is, of the soul that seeth God: and when these have expelled all passions from the heart we may believe that they have recovered their own possessions rather than invaded those of others.
John Cassian, Conferences 6.23
Wherefore while we are practising fasting and abstinence, we must be careful when we have got the better of the passion of gluttony never to allow our mind to remain empty of the virtues of which we stand in need; but we should the more earnestly fill the inmost recesses of our heart with them for fear lest the spirit of concupiscence should return and find us empty and void of them, and should not be content to secure an entrance there for himself alone, but should bring in with him into our heart this sevenfold incentive of sins and make our last state worse than the first. For the soul which boasts that it has renounced this world with the eight faults that hold sway over it, will afterwards be fouler and more unclean and visited with severer punishments, than it was when formerly it was at home in the world, when it had taken upon itself neither the rules nor the name of monk.
John Cassian, Conferences 6.26
But of those seven troublesome faults we must in every possible way root out the affections from the inmost recesses of our souls. For of them we read: “Let all bitterness and anger and indignation and clamour and blasphemy be put away from you with all malice:” and again: “But fornication and all uncleanness and covetousness let it not so much as be named among you, or obscenity or foolish talking or scurrility.” We can then cut out the roots of these faults which are grafted into our nature from without while we cannot possibly cut off occasions of gluttony.
John Cassian, Conferences 6.19
Evagrius Born 345, died 399. the monk, the intimate disciple of the above mentioned Macarius, educated in sacred and profane literature and distinguished, whom the book which is called the Lives of the fathers mentions as a most continent and erudite man, wrote many things of use to monks among which are these: Suggestions against the eight principal sins. He was first to mention or among the first at least to teach these setting against them eight books taken from the testimony of the Holy Scriptures only, after the example of our Lord, who always met his tempter with quotations from Scripture, so that every suggestion, whether of the devil or of depraved nature had a testimony against it.
Gennadius of Marseilles, Jerome and Gennadius. Lives of Illustrious Men 4.12
4 passages · 3 writers · 200s to 1900s
Tertullian lists seven deadly sins that differ from the later seven, Jacobus de Voragine names the seven vices in a chapter on the Circumcision and in a saint's life, and A.T. Robertson notes a list of vices in the New Testament that is longer than seven.
The cleansing of the Syrian rather was significant throughout the nations of the world of their own cleansing in Christ their light, steeped as they were in the stains of the seven deadly sins: idolatry, blasphemy, murder, adultery, fornication, false-witness, and fraud.
Tertullian, The Five Books Against Marcion 4.9
One of the prefects or judges of Thessalonica that named was Manam, was much agreeable to God, and to the world, on which the enemy had great envy for his good works, and began to tempt him sore and strong. And first he tempted him of the seven deadly sins, but God would that he never should overcome him. When the devil saw that he might not deceive him, he took from him all his temporal goods and finally smote him with such a sickness that he had no member wherewith he might help him, save only his tongue, with which he praised and thanked ever our Lord.
Jacobus de Voragine, The Golden Legend 24 (Vol. 7)
And at the circumcision must he cut a little of the skin at the end of the member or yard, and that is signified and shewed that we ought to be circumcised, and cut and taken away from us the sins and evil vices, that is to wit pride, wrath, envy, covetousness, sloth, gluttony, and lechery, and all sins, and purge us by confession, by contrition, by satisfaction, by almsdeeds, and by prayers, and to give for God’s sake of the goods that he hath lent us.
Jacobus de Voragine, The Golden Legend 5 (Vol. 1)
Ancient writers were fond of lists of vices and virtues. Cf. Stalker's sermons on The Seven Cardinal Virtues and The Seven Deadly Sins. There are more than seven in this deadly list in verses 19-21.
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament 10.5
5 passages · 3 writers · 400s to 1500s
Writers distinguish graver sins from lesser ones, leave the judgment of gravity to God, say mortal sin forfeits grace, or say that some movements of the flesh are not deadly.
Awake, then, while it is day: the day shines, Christ is the day. He is ready to forgive sins, but to them that acknowledge them; ready to punish the self-defenders, who boast that they are righteous, and think themselves to be something when they are nothing. But he that walks in His love and mercy, even being free from those great and deadly sins, such crimes as murder, theft, adultery; still, because of those which seem to be minute sins, of tongue, or of thought, or of intemperance in things permitted, he doeth the truth in confession, and cometh to the light in good works: since many minute sins, if they be neglected, kill. Minute are the drops that swell the rivers; minute are the grains of sand; but if much sand is put together, the heap presses and crushes.
Augustine of Hippo, Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 13
Now, what sins are trivial and what heinous is not a matter to be decided by man’s judgment, but by the judgment of God. For it is plain that the apostles themselves have given an indulgence in the case of certain sins: take, for example, what the Apostle Paul says to those who are married: “Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer: and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.” Now it is possible that it might not have been considered a sin to have intercourse with a spouse, not with a view to the procreation of children, which is the great blessing of marriage, but for the sake of carnal pleasure, and to save the incontinent from being led by their weakness into the deadly sin of fornication, or adultery, or another form of uncleanness which it is shameful even to name, and into which it is possible that they might be drawn by lust under the temptation of Satan.
Augustine of Hippo, The Enchiridion 78
If he swear false wittingly he is forsworn, and that is against the commandment and sinneth deadly, for he sweareth against his conscience, and that is when he sweareth by advice and by deliberation, but a man should swear truly and yet not for nought or for any vain or ill thing, ne maliciously. But to swear lightly without hurt or blame is venial sin, but the custom thereof is perilous and may well turn to deadly sin but if he take heed. But he then that sweareth horribly by our Lord, or by any of his members, or by his saints in despite, and blasphemeth in things that be not true, or otherwise, he sinneth deadly, he may have no reason whereby he may excuse him.
Jacobus de Voragine, The Golden Legend 25 (Vol. 1)
In this commandment it is forbidden and defended all manner sin of the flesh which is called generally lechery, which is a right foul sin and villainous. How be it that there is some branch of it that is not deadly sin, as oft movings of the flesh that may not be eschewed, which men ought to restrain and refrain as much as they may.
Jacobus de Voragine, The Golden Legend 25 (Vol. 1)
In opposition also to the subtle wits of certain men, who, by pleasing speeches and good words, seduce the hearts, of the innocent, it is to be maintained, that the received grace of Justification is lost, not only by infidelity whereby even faith itself is lost, but also by any other mortal sin whatever, though faith be not lost; thus defending the doctrine of the divine law, which excludes from the kingdom of God not only the unbelieving, but the faithful also [who are] fornicators, adulterers, effeminate, liers with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkards, railers, extortioners, and all others who commit deadly sins; from which, with the help of divine grace, they can refrain, and on account of which they are separated from the grace of Christ.
Council of Trent, Canons and Dogmatic Decrees of the Council of Trent Session 6, ch. XV
4 passages · 1 writer · 1500s
Ignatius of Loyola treats the seven deadly sins as a subject for examination, meditation, and instruction.
The first Method of Prayer is on the Ten Commandments, and on the Seven Deadly Sins, on the Three Powers of the Soul and on the Five Bodily Senses. This method of prayer is meant more to give form, method and exercises, how the soul may prepare itself and benefit in them, and that the prayer may be acceptable, rather than to give any form or way of praying.
Ignatius of Loyola, The Spiritual Exercises 6.1
After having finished the discussion already mentioned on all the Commandments, accusing myself on them and asking grace and help to amend hereafter, I am to finish with a Colloquy to God our Lord, according to the subject matter. About the Seven Deadly Sins, after the Addition, let the Preparatory Prayer be made in the way already mentioned, only with the difference that the matter here is of sins that have to be avoided, and before of Commandments that have to be kept: and likewise let the order and rule already mentioned be kept, and the Colloquy.
Ignatius of Loyola, The Spiritual Exercises 6.1
So, to him who wants help to be instructed and to come to a certain degree of contentment of soul, can be given the Particular Examen, p. 21, and then the General Examen, p. 25; also, for a half hour in the morning, the Method of Prayer on the Commandments, the Deadly Sins, etc., p. 125. … Let each of the Commandments be explained to them; and so of the Deadly Sins, Precepts of the Church, Five Senses, and Works of Mercy.
Ignatius of Loyola, The Spiritual Exercises 0.6
It is to be noted that when one comes to think on a Commandment on which he finds he has no habit of sinning, it is not necessary for him to delay so much time, but according as one finds in himself that he stumbles more or less on that Commandment so he ought to keep himself more or less on the consideration and examination of it. And the same is to be observed on the Deadly Sins.
Ignatius of Loyola, The Spiritual Exercises 6.1
3 passages · 3 writers · 300s to 1200s
Gregory of Nyssa calls pride a deadly sin and the seed-root of the thorns of sin, Cassian says pride comes last in the order of the combat but first in origin, and Aquinas names pride the beginning of every sin and covetousness its root.
Now the wish to be before others is the deadly sin of pride, and one would not be far wrong in saying that this is the seed-root of all the thorns of sin; but it is from reasons connected with marriage that this pride mostly begins. To show what I mean, we generally find the grasping man throwing the blame on his nearest kin; the man mad after notoriety and ambition generally makes his family responsible for this sin: “he must not be thought inferior to his forefathers; he must be deemed a great man by the generation to come by leaving his children historic records of himself”: so also the other maladies of the soul, envy, spite, hatred and such-like, are connected with this cause; they are to be found amongst those who are eager about the things of this life.
Gregory of Nyssa, On Virginity 2.5
And so it is most clearly established by instances and testimonies from Scripture that the mischief of pride, although it comes later in the order of the combat, is yet earlier in origin, and is the beginning of all sins and faults: nor is it (like the other vices) simply fatal to the virtue opposite to it (in this case, humility), but it is also at the same time destructive of all virtues: nor does it only tempt ordinary folk and small people, but chiefly those who already stand on the heights of valour.
John Cassian, Institutes 12.6
In the former order, the principle is the end, as we have stated many times before (Q[1], A[1], ad 1; Q[18], A[7], ad 2; Q[15], A[1], ad 2; Q[25], A[2]). Now man's end in acquiring all temporal goods is that, through their means, he may have some perfection and excellence. Therefore, from this point of view, pride, which is the desire to excel, is said to be the "beginning" of every sin. On the other hand, in the order of execution, the first place belongs to that which by furnishing the opportunity of fulfilling all desires of sin, has the character of a root, and such are riches; so that, from this point of view, covetousness is said to be the "root" of all evils, as stated above (A[1]) .
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica I-II.Q84.A2
1 passage · 1 writer · 400s
Cassian says that anger and hatred alone can bring eternal punishment, whatever else a monk has given up.
The remedies by which we can root out anger from our hearts. Wherefore the athlete of Christ who strives lawfully ought thoroughly to root out the feeling of wrath. And it will be a sure remedy for this disease, if in the first place we make up our mind that we ought never to be angry at all, whether for good or bad reasons: as we know that we shall at once lose the light of discernment, and the security of good counsel, and our very uprightness, and the temperate character of righteousness, if the main light of our heart has been darkened by its shadows: next, that the purity of our soul will presently be clouded, and that it cannot possibly be made a temple for the Holy Ghost while the spirit of anger resides in us; lastly, that we should consider that we ought never to pray, nor pour out our prayer to God, while we are angry. And above all, having before our eyes the uncertain condition of mankind, we should realize daily that we are soon to depart from the body, and that our continence and chastity, our renunciation of all our possessions, our contempt of wealth, our efforts in fastings and vigils will not help us at all, if solely on account of anger and hatred eternal punishments are awarded to us by the judge of the world.
John Cassian, Institutes 8.22
1 passage · 1 writer · 400s
Cassian says the first conflict a monk enters is against gluttony, the first of the eight principal faults.
How our first struggle must be against the spirit of gluttony, i.e. the pleasures of the palate. And so the first conflict we must enter upon is that against gluttony, which we have explained as the pleasures of the palate: and in the first place as we are going to speak of the system of fasts, and the quality of food, we must again recur to the traditions and customs of the Egyptians, as everybody knows that they contain a more advanced discipline in the matter of self-control, and a perfect method of discrimination.
John Cassian, Institutes 5.3
4 passages · 3 writers · 400s to 1200s
Jacobus de Voragine calls idleness one of the capital and deadly sins, Cassian describes accidie as the sixth combat, and Aquinas asks whether sloth is a distinct vice and names its daughters.
How our sixth combat is against the spirit of accidie, and what its character is. Our sixth combat is with what the Greeks call ἀκηδία , which we may term weariness or distress of heart. This is akin to dejection, and is especially trying to solitaries, and a dangerous and frequent foe to dwellers in the desert; and especially disturbing to a monk about the sixth hour, like some fever which seizes him at stated times, bringing the burning heat of its attacks on the sick man at usual and regular hours. Lastly, there are some of the elders who declare that this is the “midday demon” spoken of in the ninetieth Psalm.
John Cassian, Institutes 10.1
And because I have seen the authorities that blame and despise so much idleness, and also know well that it is one of the capital and deadly sins, much hateful unto God, therefore I have concluded and firmly purposed in myself no more to be idle, but will apply myself to labour and such occupation as I have been accustomed to do.
Jacobus de Voragine, The Golden Legend 2 (Vol. 1)
On the contrary, Gregory (Moral. xxxi, 45) distinguishes sloth from the other vices. Therefore it is a special vice. I answer that, Since sloth is sorrow for spiritual good, if we take spiritual good in a general way, sloth will not be a special vice, because, as stated above ( FS, Q[71], A[1] ), every vice shuns the spiritual good of its opposite virtue.
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q35.A2
Now spiritual goods which are the object of the sorrow of sloth, are both end and means. Avoidance of the end is the result of "despair," while avoidance of those goods which are the means to the end, in matters of difficulty which come under the counsels, is the effect of "faint-heartedness," and in matters of common righteousness, is the effect of "sluggishness about the commandments." The struggle against spiritual goods that cause sorrow is sometimes with men who lead others to spiritual goods, and this is called "spite"; and sometimes it extends to the spiritual goods themselves, when a man goes so far as to detest them, and this is properly called "malice." In so far as a man has recourse to eternal objects of pleasure, the daughter of sloth is called "wandering after unlawful things."
Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II-II.Q35.A4
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