Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

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39. The will which is not prevented by grace, has no light but
to go astray, no warmth of desire but to precipitate itself, and no
strength but to wound itself : it is capable of all evil, and incapable
of all good. Matt. xx. 3, 4.
40. Without grace we can love nothing but to our condemna-
tion. 2 Thess. iii. 18.
41. All knowledge of God, even that which is natural, even
that in the heathen philosophers, can come only from God ; and
without grace, it produces nothing but presumption, vanity, and
opposition to God himself, instead of affections, of adoration, of
gratitude, and of love. Rom. i. 19.
42. Nothing but the grace of Christ renders man fit for the
sacrifice of faith : without this sacrifice, there is nothing but im-
purity, nothing but unworthiness. Acts xi. 9.
43. The first effect of baptismal grace is, to make us die to
sin ; insomuch that the spirit, the heart, and the senses have no
more life for sin, than a dead man has for the things of the world.
Rom. vi. 2.
44. There are but two sorts of love, from whence the motions
of the will and all our actions proceed : the love of God, which
does all things for God's sake, and which is rewarded by him
and the love of ourselves and of the world, which does not ultimately
refer that to God which ought to be referred to him, and
which for this very reason becomes bad. John v. 29.
45. When the love of God reigns no longer in the heart of
sinners, carnal love or concupiscence must necessarily reign there-
in, and corrupt all its actions. Luke xv. 13.
46. Concupiscence or charity renders the use of the senses
good or evil. Matt. v. 28.
47. Obedience to the law must flow from some source, and
this source is charity. When the love of God is its inward prin-
ciple, and the glory of God its end, then that which appears out-
wardly is clean ; otherwise, it is nothing but hypocrisy or false
righteousness. Matt, xxiii. "26.
48. What else can we possibly be but darkness, wandering,
and sin, without the light of faith, without Christ, and without
charity? Ephes. v. 8.
49. As there is no sin without the love of ourselves, so there
is no good work without the love of God. Mark vii. 21—23.
50. In vain do we cry to God, " My Father," if it be not the
spirit of charity which cries. Rom. viii. 15.
51. Faith justifies, when it works; but it does not work at
all, except by charity or love. Acts xiii. 39.
52. All other means of salvation are contained in faith, as in
their seed and bud ; but this faith is not without love and confidence.
Acts X. 43.
53. Charity alone does Christian actions in a Christian man-
ner, with relation to God and Jesus Christ. Col. iii. 14.
54. It is charity alone which speaks to God, it is this alone
which God hears. 1 Cor. xiii. 1.