Nothing, including human suffering, happens by chance.

For, to my mind, this is a certain principle, that nothing is here treated of but the visible form of the world. He who would learn astronomy, and other recondite arts, let him go elsewhere. (on commenting the text of Genesis 1:6)

Prayer unaccompanied by perseverance leads to no result.

Humility is the beginning of true intelligence.

Without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of God Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid Wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other.

If people mean that man has in himself the power to work in partnership with God's grace they are most wretchedly deluding themselves.

Without the fear of God, men do not even observe justice and charity among themselves.