IX. LAW AND SIN Christ summarized the duty of man in the two phrases — “Love God ” -“Love thy neighbour as thyself.” We cannot have the Supernatural Life if we do not love God and our neighbour. But love must express itself in act, and Our Lord left uS not only the summarization, but also a great body of detailed rules concerning things to be done as an expression of the twofold love and things to be avoided as contrary to it. These, then, are the laws established by God for the guidance of man’s actions. The means by which men can learn what the laws are, and certain practical problems to which they give rise, will be examined in the next two chapters. CONSCIENCE Now many will think that this is precisely what conscience is for. And it is absolutely true that a man must in all circumstances follow his conscience. But an investigation of conscience will show that by itself it is not sufficient — that man has not within himself an infallible teacher as to what is right and what is wrong. Conscience is not a faculty or permanent part of man. It is loose speaking to say “I have something on my conscience.” It would 90