of woes as of sins. With these and other evils assailing human nature, with faith lost, hope abandoned, the intellect blinded, the will enslaved,42 no one finds in himself the means of a restoration. Although some tried, guided by their natural reason, to resist vices, the life of decency they led here on earth was sterile. They did not acquire true virtues and attain eternal happiness. Without worship of the true God even what has the appearance of virtue is sin. No one can please God without God.