God never changes. And if sometimes he sends his angels, and sometimes does not send them; if at time he withdraws his grace and at times confers it, if now he punishes sins, and now cloaks them, the change is in creatures, in no way in the Creator. - In short, the changeless of his decrees, in regard to the good and the bad will confirm itself at the last day, when he will give forever to he good a recompense superior to their merits, and will inflict forever on the bad a punishment that is less than the gravity of their faults. Let us strive therefore to acquire stability of spirit, in order that, broken by adversity or tempted by prosperity, we never depart from the right way.  But, alas, how inconstant we are in holy meditations, in lawful affections, in steadfastness of conscience, in a right will. Ah, how suddenly we pass from good to bad, from hope to a groundless fear, from joy to unreasonable grief, and from sadness to vain joy, from silence to loquaciousness, from fervour to tepidity, from humility to vainglory, from gentleness to anger, from joy and spiritual love to carnal pleasure.

In this way we never remain one single instant in the same state, if it be not, alas, that we are constant in inconstancy, in infidelity, in ingratitude, in spiritual defects, in imperfection, in negligence, in frivolity, and in illregulated thoughts and affections. Even the motions that trouble our exterior senses and our limbs reveal our interior instability. Nevertheless we should work without ceasing to acquire constancy of soul, in order to conduct ourselves in all circumstances with equanimity, maturity and sweetness.

Let us keep before us that good is pleasing to God by (its) nature, always and everywhere, whether it be in the angels or in the other creatures: qualities of the body, like beauty, strength; qualities of the soul, such as tenacity of memory, rectitude of the will; natural gifts, such as to read well, to sing well, to preach well, to be eloquent, sober continent, to have well regulated habits; finally, the gifts of grace, which please God above everything, like faith, hope, charity, humility, etc.

Similarly all evil displeases him everywhere and always and in whatever it exists. All that is good should please us also, always and everywhere and in every creature. We should protect and support good with solicitude and resist boldly those who combat it. We should detest evil with all our heart and lay ourselves out to prevent it because it is injurious to God and harmful to one's neighbour; and even more because it endangers man's fate. But, alas, oftener it is the opposite that takes place. For if we feel sad because some one is praised, and is beloved on account of his humility, his piety, his sermons, his devotion etc., and if we try to diminish his merits,―how do we show ourselves if not as beings whom good does not please? And when we are conversing with slanderers and laugh with them, when we delight in these frivolities and other faults of the same order,―what do we do, if not certify that evil things do not displease us? Let us know, everywhere, how to hate evil and love the very being of things.