76. Where there is chastity, honesty, and the assembly of all virtues, there the grace of the Holy Spirit is abundantly kindled. The Apostle Paul says: "Have peace, and holiness with all" (Heb. 12:14). Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, let us be sober and vigilant (cf. 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:6).

77. After the meal, it is a time of thanksgiving, not of idle talk, not of sleep, but of prayer.

78. Prepare your deeds for the end, so that you may stand before that dreadful throne without condemning deeds. As long as we are here, we have good hopes, and when we depart, we will no longer have time for repentance.

79. Examine the Scriptures (John 5:39), for how can one be saved without frequent feeding on the reading of the Scriptures? Whoever wishes to please God must not only read His word, but must be skilful in his work, not slothful, and not given over to vanity.

80. Strive to abstain from all (1 Corinthians 9:25): from idle talk, condemnation, foul language, vanity, covetousness, and gluttony, although sometimes it happens that he meets with some temptation in his conscience. Every day he compels himself to fast, to the narrowness of his life, to poverty, for otherwise it is impossible to please God.

81. Do not judge a person by his outward appearance, but first test his inner mood. In the tree, what are you looking at – the leaves or the fruit? So it is in man, lest the wolf be mistaken for a sheep. It is not the external that constitutes man, but the internal. What is the use if you have honor and riches, but have no soul?

82. Marriage is not a sin, but fornication. A wife is a helper, not a libeler[34].

83. Be zealous for the virtues, and you will be saved. Walk in the valley, and dwell in heaven.

84. The fear of God is a great good, an inalienable inheritance, an undependable treasure: it sows and grows, heals and strengthens, cleanses and builds, lays the foundation and completes the building.

85. He who has renounced the world must devote himself with all his soul to spiritual pursuits and abide in them continuously. Whoever works today and sleeps tomorrow will have no time for anything.

86. In the church one should stand with all reverence, so that, instead of diminishing sins, one does not multiply them. With great fear, one should send up songs of praise to God and confess one's sins, in order to persuade God to forgive them. Beware of going from place to place, looking around, talking, for here is the Lord with a host of His angels. The reading and study of the Divinely inspired Scriptures delights the path of zealots of piety and richly provides the means for the easiest way to accomplish it.

87. Whether you speak, do anything, or reason, do everything for God and dedicate everything to Him, Who knows the innermost things of the heart and gives grace to do that which is salvific.

88. One must guard one's heart with all care, pay attention to oneself, have recourse to God's mercy, and always contradict evil and evil thoughts.

89. The true foundation of prayer is to listen soberly to one's thoughts and to pray in great silence and peace.