Clement XI, 1700-1721

philosophers, cannot come except from God; and without grace knowl- edge produces nothing but presumption, vanity, and opposition to God Himself, instead of the affections of adoration, gratitude, and love.

1392. 42. The grace of Christ alone renders a man fit for the sacrifice of faith; without this there is nothing but impurity, nothing but unworthiness.

1393. 43. The first effect of baptismal grace is to make us die to sin so that our spirit, heart, and senses have no more life for sin than a dead man has for the things of the world.

1394. 44. There are but two loves, from which all our volitions and actions arise: love of God, which does all things because of God and which God rewards; and the love with which we love ourselves and the world, which does not refer to God what ought to be referred to Him, and therefore becomes evil.

1395. 45. When love of God no longer reigns in the heart of sinners, it needs must be that carnal desire reign in it and corrupt all of its actions.

1396. 46. Cupidity or charity makes the use of the senses good or evil.

1397. 47. Obedience to the law ought to flow from the source, and this source is charity. When the love of God is the interior principle of obedience and the glory of God is its end, then that is pure which appears externally; otherwise, it is but hypocrisy and false justice.

1398. 48. What else can we be except darkness, except aberration, and except sin, without the light of faith, without Christ, and without charity?

1399. 49. As there is no sin without love of ourselves, so there is no good work without love of God.

1400. 50. In vain we cry out to God: My Father, if it is not the spirit of charity which cries out.

1401. 51. Faith justifies when it operates, but it does not operate except through charity.

1402. 52. All other means of salvation are contained in faith as in their own germ and seed; but this faith does not exist apart from love and confidence.

1403. 53. Only charity in the Christian way makes (Christian actions) through a relation to God and to Jesus Christ.

1404. 54. It is charity alone that speaks to God; it alone that God hears.

1405. 55. God crowns nothing except charity; he who runs through any other incentive or any other motive, runs in vain.

1406. 56. God rewards nothing but charity; for charity alone honors God.

1407. 57. All fails a sinner, when hope fails him; and there is no hope in God, when there is no love of God.

1408. 58. Neither God nor religion exists where there is no charity.

1409. 59. The prayer of the impious is a new sin; and what God grants to them is a new judgment against them.