Desert Fathers

Some brothers from Scetis wanted to visit Antony, and set out in a ship to go there. On board they met an old man who also wanted to go to Antony, but he did not belong to their party. During the voyage they talked about the sayings of the fathers, and the Scriptures, and then the manual work that they did, but the old man said nothing at all. When they came to the landing-place, they realized that the old man also was going to see Antony. …

The Desert Fathers, Sayings of the Early Christian Monks ↗

Augustine of Hippo

I know it is written, "In the multitude of speech, thou shalt not escape sin." But O that I might speak only in preaching Thy word, and in praising Thee! Not only should I so flee from sin, but I should earn good desert, however much I so spake. For a man blessed of Thee would not enjoin a sin upon his own true son in the faith, to whom he wrote, "Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season." Are we to say that he has not spoken much, who was not silent about Thy word, O Lord, not only in season, but out of season? …

On The Trinity 15:51 ↗

Ambrose of Milan

Learn what your door is: Place, O Lord, a guard at my mouth, and a door protector around my lips. And Paul asks to be prayed for: That a door may be opened to me, he says, to speak the mystery of Christ. But as he was chosen to preach the Gospel, he rightly desired that the door of the word be opened to him; for from his mouth salvation of the nations went forth, from his mouth came forth the life of the people. But we shut the door, lest fault enter, lest any slip of speech should go out. Fault enters if a slip goes out. …

On Cain and Abel ↗