Saint Augustine Quotes

The most virtuous are those who content themselves with being virtuous without seeking to appear so.

It is the property of a great and good mind to covet, not the fruit of good deeds, but good deeds themselves, and to seek for a good man even after having met with bad men.

I seem to be incapable of playing that guy that always does the right thing, who always responds well in any circumstance.

Virtue consisted in avoiding scandal and venereal disease.

Good actions ennoble us, and we are the sons of our deeds.

Virtue consists, not in abstaining from vice, but in not desiring it.

No speech can stain what is noble by nature.

Virtue is a habit of the mind, consistent with nature and moderation and reason.

We men are easily prone to sins of thought. Therefore, He who has formed each heart individually, knowing that the impulse received from the intention constitutes the major element in sin, has ordained that purity in the ruling part of our soul be our primary concern.

One cannot possibly understand the teaching of the saints unless one has a pure mind and is trying to imitate their life.

Purity of speech, of the mind, of the senses, and of a compassionate heart are needed by one who desires to rise to the divine platform.

Moral character has now some influence in our elections, but not that place which it deserves. The law of public opinion excludes confirmed sots, and persons judicially convicted of high crimes and misdemeanors against the State; but it ought to render the election of all profane swearers, notorious Sabbath breakers, seducers, slanderers, prodigals and riotous persons, as well as the advocates of dueling, impracticable.

My first wish is to be simple in my actions, truthful in my speech, honest in my opinions, and natural in my behavior. In other words, I want to be clean in mind, heart, and body.

The generous person is always just, and the just who is always generous may, unannounced, approach the throne of heaven.

Conduct is the grand test of character. Words are one great evidence of the condition of the heart.

Blessed is he who has never been tempted; for he knows not the frailty of his rectitude.

Seeking Heaven through righteousness is not seeking righteousness, but something else;--it is not loving goodness for goodness' sake, but for its rewards.

You cannot tempt the hearts of men who are pure.

I venerate the man whose heart is warm, Whose hands are pure, whose doctrine and whose life, Coincident, exhibit lucid proof That he is honest in the sacred cause.

Those who preached faith, or in other words a pure mind, have always produced more popular virtue than those who preached good acts, or the mere regulation of outward works.

A man is not to aim at innocence, any more than he is to aim at hair, but he is to keep it.

In the Way of Heaven, there is no partiality of love; it is always on the side of the good man.

He who wishes to put on the yellow dress without having cleansed himself from sin, who disregards temperance and truth, is unworthy of the yellow dress.

Unless the vessel be pure, everything which is poured into it will turn sour.