Attaining Heaven, Avoiding Hell

Si forte quaeritis quomodo quis ascendat in coelum, vel quis quomodo cadat in infernum? Per mala igitur opera ruit homo ad inferna; per bona vero ascendit ad superna. Mala itaque sunt opera: delectatio carnalis, ambitio saecularis, avaritia, et omnis concupiscentia mala, violentia, rapina, mendacia, luxuria, fornicatio, invidia, homicidia, ebrietates, comessationes, inimicitiae, superbia et perjuria, dicente Apostolo: Qui talia agunt, regnum Dei non possidebunt, nisi confessione et longa poenitentia et eleemosynis multis emendentur. Unumquodque eorum quae enumeravi, regnum Dei claudere poterit, et infernales poenas aperire homini, Vae animae quae ardentes flammas semper sustinere cogitur. Bona vero sunt opera per quae ascendere in coelum possumus; charitas Dei, honor illius et timor, vigiliae et orationes ad Deu, dilectio hominum, et misericordia in homines, et remissio peccantibus in nos; justitia in judiciis, veritas in verbis, patientia in adversitatibus; nemini rederre malum pro malo; eleemosyna in pauperes, benignitas in omnes homines, pietas ad amicos, fides recta in Deum, spes firma in illius bonitatem, modestia in vestimentis, et in omni usu saeculi temperantia, continentia in cibo et potu, in mente humilitas, in moribus honestas, in omni vita aequitas. Hi sunt gradus per quos coelum ascenditur, hi sunt mores qui homines faciunt laude dignos, haec sunt opera quae gaudia merentur sempiterna, haec est sapientia vera, ut homo sibi praevideat quomodo in aeternum feliciter vivat. Alcuinus, Epistola XI, Ad Aedilredum Regem et Principes Populumque Nordanhumborum Gentis Source: Migne PL 100.157d-158b

Do you perhaps seek how one ascends to heaven or how someone falls into hell? It is by evil acts that a man rushes downwards; it is by good deeds that he ascends. Evil acts are doting on the flesh, worldly ambition, avarice, every wicked desire, violence, theft, deceit, luxury, fornication, envy, murder, drunkenness, orgies, enmity, pride and perjury. The Apostle says: 'He who does such things shall not possess the kingdom of God,' 1 unless he is amended by confession and long penance and much alms giving. Any one of things just listed is able to close the kingdom of God to a man and to open the gates of hell. Alas for the soul which is forced to suffer the burning flames forever. But by these good works we are able to ascend to heaven: love of God, honour and fear of Him, vigils and prayers to God, love of man, compassion for men, forgiveness of sins, justice in judgement, truth in speech, endurance in suffering, not to return to anyone evil for evil, alms for the poor, kindness to every man, piety to friends, true faith in God, firm hope in His benevolence, modesty in clothing, temperance in every worldly affair, self control in food and drink, humility of mind, decency in manners, fairness in all things. These are the steps by which one ascends to heaven, these are the deeds which men deem worthy of praise, these are the works which shall merit eternal joy. And this is true wisdom: that a man seeks how he shall go about attaining eternal life. Alcuin of York, from Letter 11, To King Æthelred and the Princes and People of Northumbria. 1 Galat 5.21