On Virtues and Graces and their Effect and Contrariwise of Vices

The graces of God and virtues are the ladder and way of ascending into heaven; but vices and sins are the way and the ladder of descending into hell.

Vices and sins are poison, and good works are the antidotes.

Grace draweth grace, and one vice leadeth to another vice.

Grace doth not seek to be praised, and vice doth not wish to be despised. That is, the man of grace doth not wish to be praised nor doth he seek human praise, and the man of vice doth not wish to be despised or reproved which proceedeth from pride.

The mind findeth repose in humility: pa tience is its daughter.

Cleanness of heart seeth God: devotion assimilateth Him.

If thou lovest, thou shalt be loved; if thou fearest, thou shalt be feared; if thou servest, thou shalt be served; if thou behavest well toward others, others will behave well toward thee.

Blessed is he who loveth and doth not therefore desire to be loved; blessed is he who feareth and doth not therefore desire to be feared; blessed is he who serveth and doth not therefore desire to be served; blessed is he who behaveth well toward others and doth not desire that others behave well toward him; and because these are great things the foolish do not rise to them.

There are three things very great and useful which whosoever possesseth cannot fall into evil: the first is, if thou bearest in peace, for God s sake, all tribulation that may befall thee; the second is, if thou humblest thyself the more in all thou dost and receivest; the third is, if thou lovest faithfully those goods that cannot be seen with fleshly eyes.

Those things that are the more despised and neglected by worldly men are honored and valued by God and His saints, and those that are loved and caressed and honored the more by worldly men are still more hated and abandoned and despised by God and His saints. Man hateth all that should be loved and loveth all that should be hated.

Brother Giles once asked a certain Brother, saying: “Is it well with thy soul?” He re plied: “My Brother, I know not.” Brother Giles said: ” Holy contrition, holy humility, holy charity, holy devotion, and holy joy make the soul holy and good.”