THE

BOOK OF EXODUS

CHAPTER THE TWENTY-NINTH.

THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY AND FAITH.*

9974. Those who believe that they merit merit The belief that one's own actions or "good works" are sufficient to earn a place in heaven, rather than acknowledging that all good comes from a divine source. heaven by the goods which they do, do goods from themselves, and not from the Lord.

9975. None of the goods which men do from themselves are good, because they are done for the sake of self, being done for the sake of reward; thus from these works they have regard in the first place to themselves; but the goods which men do from the Lord are all good, because they are done for the sake of the Lord and for the sake of the neighbor neighbor In this theology, "neighbor" refers not just to a person nearby, but to the collective good found in individuals, society, and the church.; thus in these goods they have regard in the first place to the Lord and the neighbor.

9976. Therefore those who place merit in works love themselves, and those who love themselves despise the neighbor, and even are angry with God Himself if they do not receive the hoped for reward, for they do the works for the sake of the reward.

9977. From this it is evident that their works are not from heavenly love, thus not from true faith; for the faith which regards good from self, and not from God, is not true faith. Such cannot receive heaven into themselves, for heaven with man is from heavenly love and true faith.

9978. Those who place merit in works cannot fight against the evils which are from the hells, for no one can do this from himself; but the Lord fights and conquers for those who do not place merit in works.

original: "Hic de Merito et Remuneratione" * Here concerning Merit and Reward. [REVISER.]