NO ONE CAN DO GOOD, WHICH IS GOOD, FROM HIMSELF

At this day scarcely any one knows whether the good which he does is from himself or from God, because the Church has separated faith from charity, and good has relation to charity. A man gives to the poor, assists the needy, endows churches and hospitals, promotes the welfare of the Church, of his country and of his fellow citizens, diligently attends places of worship and then devoutly listens and prays, reads the Word and books of piety, and thinks about salvation; and yet he knows not whether he does such things from himself or from God. It is possible that he may do the same things from God, and he may do them from himself. If he does them from God they are good; if from himself they are not good. Indeed, there are such good deeds done from self which obviously are evil, as hypocritical good deeds which are deceitful and fraudulent.