112. The case is the same with every form of theft or fraud; with every form of murder and revenge; and with every form of false witness and lying. No one can be cleansed and purified of these on his own. For every urge has in it countless elements which seem to a person to constitute one simple unit, while the Lord sees each single element in their whole series.

In a word, a person cannot regenerate himself, that is to say, he cannot form in himself a new heart and new spirit, but only the Lord can, who is the only reformer and regenerator. Consequently, if a person tries to make himself a new person, using his own prudence and intelligence, it is merely like putting makeup on an ugly face, or like spreading cleanser over a body part inwardly infected with disease.