Chapter 18.—No Gift of God is More Excellent Than Love.

32. There is no gift of God more excellent than this. It alone distinguishes the sons of the eternal kingdom and the sons of eternal perdition. Other gifts, too, are given by the Holy Spirit; but without love they profit nothing. Unless, therefore, the Holy Spirit is so far imparted to each, as to make him one who loves God and his neighbor, he is not removed from the left hand to the right. Nor is the Spirit specially called the Gift, unless on account of love. And he who has not this love, “though he speak with the tongues of men and angels, is sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal; and though he have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and though he have all faith, so that he can remove mountains, he is nothing; and though he bestow all his goods to feed the poor, and though he give his body to be burned, it profiteth him nothing.”1004    1 Cor. xiii. 1–3 How great a good, then, is that without which goods so great bring no one to eternal life! But love or charity itself,—for they are two names for one thing,—if he have it that does not speak with tongues, nor has the gift of prophecy, nor knows all mysteries and all knowledge, nor gives all his goods to the poor, either because he has none to give or because some necessity hinders, nor delivers his body to be burned, if no trial of such a suffering overtakes him, brings that man to the kingdom, so that faith itself is only rendered profitable by love, since faith without love can indeed exist, but cannot profit. And therefore also the Apostle Paul says, “In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith that worketh by love:”1005    Gal. v. 6 so distinguishing it from that faith by which even “the devils believe and tremble.”1006    Jas. ii. 19 Love, therefore, which is of God and is God, is specially the Holy Spirit, by whom the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by which love the whole Trinity dwells in us. And therefore most rightly is the Holy Spirit, although He is God, called also the gift of God.1007    Acts viii. 20 And by that gift what else can properly be understood except love, which brings to God, and without which any other gift of God whatsoever does not bring to God?

CAPUT XVIII.

32. Nullum Dei donum charitate excellentius. Nullum est isto Dei dono excellentius. Solum est quod dividit inter filios regni aeterni et filios perditionis aeternae. Dantur et alia per Spiritum sanctum munera, sed sine charitate nihil prosunt. Nisi ergo tantum impertiatur cuique Spiritus sanctus, ut eum Dei et proximi faciat amatorem, a sinistra non transfertur ad dexteram. Nec Spiritus proprie dicitur 1083 Donum, nisi propter dilectionem: quam qui non habuerit, si linguis hominum loquatur et Angelorum, sonans aeramentum est et cymbalum tinniens: et si habuerit prophetiam, et scierit omnia sacramenta, et omnem scientiam, et si habuerit omnem fidem, ita ut montes transferat, nihil est: et si distribuerit omnem substantiam suam, et si tradiderit corpus suum ut ardeat, nihil ei prodest (I Cor. XIII, 1-3). Quantum ergo bonum est, sine quo ad aeternam vitam neminem bona tanta perducunt? Ipsa vero dilectio sive charitas (nam unius rei est utrumque nomen), si habeat eam qui non loquitur linguis, nec habet prophetiam, nec omnia scit sacramenta omnemque scientiam, nec distribuit omnia sua pauperibus, vel non habendo quod distribuat, vel aliqua necessitate prohibitus, nec tradit corpus suum ut ardeat, si talis passionis nulla tentatio est, perducit ad regnum, ita ut ipsam fidem non faciat utilem nisi charitas. Sine charitate quippe fides potest quidem esse, sed non et prodesse. Propter quod et apostolus Paulus, In Christo, inquit, Jesu neque circumcisio, neque praeputium aliquid valet, sed fides quae per dilectionem operatur (Galat. V, 6): sic eam discernens ab ea fide, qua et daemones credunt et contremiscunt (Jacobi II, 19). Dilectio igitur quae ex Deo est et Deus est, proprie Spiritus sanctus est, per quem diffunditur in cordibus nostris Dei charitas, per quam nos tota inhabitat Trinitas. Quocirca rectissime Spiritus sanctus, cum sit Deus, vocatur etiam Donum Dei (Act. VIII, 20). Quod Donum proprie quid nisi charitas intelligenda est, quae perducit ad Deum, et sine qua quodlibet aliud donum Dei non perducit ad Deum?