Bind up thy words that they run not riot, and grow wanton, and gather up sins for themselves in too much talking. Let them be rather confined, and held back within their own banks. An overflowing river quickly gathers mud. Saint Ambrose More Quotes by Saint Ambrose More Quotes From Saint Ambrose When you are at Rome live in the Roman style, when you are elsewhere live as they live elsewhere. Saint Ambrose It is not from your own goods that you give to the beggar; it is a portion of his own that you are restoring to him. The Earth belongs to all. So you are paying back a debt and think you are making a gift to which you are not bound. Saint Ambrose gift think you earth Where a man's heart is, there is his treasure also. Saint Ambrose where man treasure heart In some causes silence is dangerous. Saint Ambrose some dangerous causes silence A good youth ought to have a fear of God, to be subject to his parents, to give honor to his elders, to preserve his purity; he ought not to despise humility, but should love forbearance and modesty. All these are an ornament to youthful years. Saint Ambrose good god fear love A kindness received should be returned with a freer hand. Saint Ambrose returned hand should kindness When in Rome, live as the Romans do; when elsewhere, live as they live elsewhere. Saint Ambrose romans live rome elsewhere The best way to use the gold of the Redeemer is for the redemption of those in peril. Saint Ambrose best redemption gold way It is not enough just to wish well; we must also do well. Saint Ambrose well just enough wish No one is good but God alone. What is good is therefore divine, what is divine is therefore good. Saint Ambrose alone good divine god Let us take refuge from this world. You can do this in spirit, even if you are kept here in the body. You can at the same time be here and present to the Lord. Your soul must hold fast to him, you must follow after him in your thoughts, you must tread his ways by faith, not in outward show. Saint Ambrose thoughts you faith time God is not accustomed to refusing a good gift to those who ask for one. Since he is good, and especially to those who are faithful to him, let us hold fast to him with all our soul, our heart, our strength, and so enjoy his light and see his glory and possess the grace of supernatural joy. Saint Ambrose good strength light god Nothing escapes God's knowledge. This is proved by the witness of the Scriptures and the analogy of the sun, which, although created, yet by its light or heat enters into all things. Saint Ambrose light god sun knowledge A duty is to be chosen from what is virtuous, and from what is useful, and also from the comparison of the two, one with the other; but nothing is recognized by Christians as virtuous or useful which is not helpful to the future life. Saint Ambrose nothing future duty life Many a sin has sullied me in body and in soul because I did not restrain my thoughts nor guard my lips: nevertheless it is to Thee, O God of majesty and love, that I turn in my extremity, for Thou art the fount of mercy; to Thee, as quickly as I may, I speed: for Thou alone canst heal me; I take refuge under Thy protection. Saint Ambrose alone me god love God drove Cain out of his presence and sent him into exile far away from his native land, so that he passed from a life of human kindness to one which was more akin to the rude existence of a wild beast. Saint Ambrose far-away god kindness life Let there be a door to thy mouth, that it may be shut when need arises, and let it be carefully barred, that none may rouse thy voice to anger, and thou pay back abuse with abuse. Saint Ambrose door back anger voice God, who preferred the correction rather than the death of a sinner, did not desire that a homicide be punished by the exaction of another act of homicide. Saint Ambrose act god desire death Take away the contests of the martyrs, and you have taken away their crowns. Saint Ambrose martyrs away take you Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. Saint Ambrose caesar render things god