The Purpose Counts More Than the Deed

In every case, as we said, we must look not at how the work turns out but at the intention of the worker. We must not ask first what a man has done, but with what purpose. Then we will find that some have been condemned for deeds from which good afterward arose, and on the other hand that some have reached the height of righteousness by means of acts that were blameworthy in themselves. In the case of the first, the good result of their actions did them no good, because they undertook the matter with an evil purpose and wanted to bring about, not the good that actually came of it, but something of the opposite kind. Nor did the bad beginning harm the second, because he put up with the necessity of a blameworthy start, not out of disregard for God or with the purpose of doing wrong, but with an eye to a needful and holy end.