"Let us set before our eyes the illustrious apostles. Peter, through unrighteous envy, endured not one or two, but numerous labours; and when he had at length suffered martyrdom, departed to the place of glory due to him. Owing to envy, Paul also obtained the reward of patient endurance, after being seven times thrown into captivity, compelled to flee, and stoned. After preaching both in the east and west, he gained the illustrious reputation due to his faith, having taught righteousness to the whole world, and come to the extreme limit of the west, and suffered martyrdom under the prefects. Thus was he removed from the world, and went into the holy place, having proved himself a striking example of patience." - Epistle of St Clement to the Corinthians
"Suppose there arise a dispute relative to some important question among us, should we not have recourse to the most ancient Churches with which the apostles held constant intercourse, and learn from them what is certain and clear in regard to the present question? For how should it be if the apostles themselves had not left us writings? Would it not be necessary, [in that case,] to follow the course of the tradition which they handed down to those to whom they did commit the Churches?" - St. Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses, Bk. III, Ch. 4.
"And account the longsuffering of our Lord, salvation; as also our most dear brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, hath written to you: As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction." 2 Peter 3:15-16.
"It is fitting, then, not only to be called Christians, but to be so in reality: as some indeed give one the title of bishop, but do all things without him. Now such persons seem to me to be not possessed of a good conscience, seeing they are not stedfastly gathered together according to the commandment." - Epistle of Saint Ignatius of Antioch to the Magnesians
"God does not desire such an empty fasting. For fasting to God in this way you will do nothing for a righteous life; but offer to God a fasting of the following kind: Do no evil in your life, and serve the Lord with a pure heart: keep His commandments, walking in His precepts, and let no evil desire arise in your heart; and believe in God. If you do these things, and fear Him, and abstain from every evil thing, you will live unto God; and if you do these things, you will keep a great fast, and one acceptable before God." - The Shepherd of Hermas.
On the Lord's Day of the Lord come together, break bread and hold Eucharist, after confessing your transgressions that your offering may be pure; But let none who has a quarrel with his fellow join in your meeting until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice be not defiled. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord, "In every place and time offer me a pure sacrifice, for I am a great king," saith the Lord, "and my name is wonderful among the heathen." - Didache XIV
"He (Macarius of Egypt) made in the course of time a tunnel running under the ground from his cell for half a stade and finished it off at the end with a cave. And if ever a crowd of people troubled him, he would leave his cell secretly and go away to the cave and no one would find him. Now one of his zealous disciples told us this, and said that he used to pray twenty-four prayers on his way to the cave and twenty-four as he returned." - The Lausiac History
"And reprove one another not in wrath but in peace as you find in the Gospel, and let none speak with any who has done wrong to his neighbour, nor let him hear a word from you until he repents. But your prayers and alms and all your acts perform as ye find in the Gospel of our Lord." - Didache XV
"But every true prophet who wishes to settle among you is "worthy of his food." Likewise a true teacher is himself worthy, like the workman, of his food. Therefore thou shalt take the firstfruit of the produce of the winepress and of the threshing floor and of oxen and sheep, and shalt give them as the firstfruits to the prophets, for they are your high priests. But if you have not a prophet, give to the poor." - Didache XIII
From the Counsels to Lausus:
XVI. The believing mind is a temple of God which it is meet for a man to adorn daily and to burn incense therein, inasmuch as it is God Who dwelleth there.
From the Counsels to Lausus:
XV. Know thou that not even much time will bring oblivion upon one act which thou wouldst hide.
From the Counsels to Lausus:
XIV. Wine maketh warm the body, and the word of God warmeth the soul.
From the Counsels to Lausus:
XIII. Constant prayer is the strength, and the armour, and the wall of the soul.
From the Counsels to Lausus:
XII. The gentle and gracious man is he who treadeth pride under foot; but he who is set upon that which is the contrary of this is one who is governed by arrogance.
From the Counsels to Lausus:
XI. The wise and God-fearing man is he who hateth that which is not right.
From the Counsels to Lausus:
X. It is impossible to divide the sea, and it is also impossible to still the waves thereof, although for them it is always easy to still themselves.
From the Counsels to Lausus:
IX. The excellence of a horse is made apparent in battle, and the disposition of a friend is put to the test in tribulation.
From the Counsels to Lausus:
VIII. It is better to shake a stone vainly than to utter a vain word, and it is better to be under subjection to the Barbarians than to evil passions.
From the Counsels to Lausus:
VII. Speak thou according to what is right, and where it is right, and concerning the things which are right, and hearken not unto that which is not right.
From the Counsels to Lausus:
VI. An evil word is the beginning of evil deeds.
