Do not think about or do anything without a spiritual purpose, whereby it is done for God. For If you travel without purpose, you shall labor in vain.

Failure to do the good that is within your power is hard to forgive. But mercy and prayer reclaim the negligent.

When you have been insulted, cursed, or persecuted by someone, do not think of what has happened to you, but of what will come from it, and you will see that your insulter has become the cause of many benefits to you, not only in this age, but in that which is to come.

A man who hates the passion cuts off their causes. But a man who remains among their causes experiences even against his will the conflict from the passions. It is not possible to be mentally inclined toward a passion if one does not love its cause. For who, disdaining shame, is given to vainglory? Or who, loving lowliness, is bothered by dishonor? Who, having a broken and humble heart, accepts fleshly sweetness? Or who, believing in Christ, is concerned about temporal things, or argues about them?

One who has sinned cannot escape retribution in any other way than by repentance corresponding to his sin.

Every sin that is left without repentance is a sin unto death, for which if even a saint shall pray, he shall not be heard.

A man who is enticed by sinful thoughts is blinded by them, and he sees the action of sin in himself, but he can not see the cause of this action.