Michel de Montaigne Quotes

This idea of the transcendent power of the Supreme Being is essentially connected with that by which the whole duty of man is summed up: obedience to His will.

Much of what the Bible demands can be comprised in one imperative: Remember!

Then are we servants of God, then are we the disciples of Christ, when we do what is commanded us and because it is commanded us.

If I had not obeyed that command of God, concerning plural marriage, I believe that I would have been damned.

My business is to obey when the Lord commands, and this is the duty of all mankind.

... since God commanded me to go, I must do it.

I made this my rule: When the Lord commands, do it.

God will never tell us to do something that gratifies the flesh.

There are no better cosmetics than a severe temperance and purity, modesty and humility, a gracious temper and calmness of spirit; and there is no true beauty without the signatures of these graces in the very countenance.

Obedience to the law of chastity will increase our happiness in mortality and make possible our progress in eternity.

God wants man to fulfill his commands as a human being and with the quality peculiar to human beings.

Doing something because God has said to do it does not make a person moral: it merely tells us that person is a prudential believer, akin to the person who obeys the command of an all-powerful secular king.

To do my duty, I must obey God.

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.

The moral character of the Indians was (if I may be allowed the expression) uncontaminated. Their fidelity was perfect, and became proverbial. They were strictly honest; they despised deception and falsehood; and chastity was held in high 'veneration, and a violation of it was considered sacrilege. They were temperate in their desires, moderate in their passions, and candid and honorable in the expression of their sentiments, on every subject of importance

Give me chastity and continence, but not yet.

So far as I am concerned, I could not be accused of having set eyes, or having wished to set eyes, upon Darius' wife: on the contrary, I have refused even to listen to those who spoke to me of her beauty.

Moral training in Ireland is severe and lasts until marriage. Even in childhood, we are taught by the pious clergy to battle against bad thoughts so that we may preserve our holy purity.

We've led pretty wholesome lives. We haven't lived life to excess like so many groups have done.

If you would be chaste, you must be temperate.

What else should we do with the Word of God but obey?

When God commands, do it!

Modesty and humility are the sobriety of the mind, as temperance and chastity are of the body.

Once we know the Word of God, we have a responsibility to be obedient to it.

Da mihi castitatem et continentiam, sed noli modo (Give me chastity and continence, but not just yet)!