The Stoics say, "Retire within yourselves; it is there you will find your rest." And that is not true. Others say, "Go out of yourselves; seek happiness in amusement." And this is not true. Illness comes. Happiness is neither without us nor within us. It is in God, both without us and within us.

Most of man's trouble comes from his inability to be still.

To scorn philosophy is truly to philosophize.

All that tends not to charity is figurative. The sole aim of the Scripture is charity.

Christian piety annihilates the egoism of the heart; worldly politeness veils and represses it.

Passion cannot be beautiful without excess; one either loves too much or not enough.

If we submit everything to reason our religion will be left with nothing mysterious or supernatural. If we offend the principles of reason our religion will be absurd and ridiculous . . . There are two equally dangerous extremes: to exclude reason, to admit nothing but reason.