There is no man in the world without some trouble or affliction, though he be a king or a pope.
Who is there that is most at ease? doubtless he who is willing to suffer something for God's sake.
2. Many unstable and weak men are apt to say: behold how well such a one lives, how rich, how great, how mighty and powerful!
But attend to heavenly goods, and thou wilt see that all these temporal things are nothing, but very uncertain, and rather burdensome: because they are never possessed without care and fear.
The happiness of a man consisteth not in having temporal things in abundance, but a moderate competency sufficeth.
It is truly a misery to live upon earth.
The more a man desireth to be spiritual, the more this present life becomes distasteful to him: because he the better understands, and more clearly sees the defects of human corruption.
For to eat, drink, watch, sleep, rest, labour, and to be subject to other necessities of nature, is truly a great misery and affliction to a devout man, who desires to be released, and free from all sin.