William Penn Quotes
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By liberty of conscience, we understand not only a mere liberty of the mind, in believing or disbelieving this or that principle or doctrine; but the exercise of ourselves in a visible way of worship, upon our believing it to be indispensably required at our hands, that if we neglect it for fear of favor of any mortal man, we sin and incur divine wrath.
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Nothing shows our weakness more than to be so sharp-sighted at spying other men's faults, and so purblind about our own.
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All excess is ill, but drunkenness is of the worst sort. It spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans men. It reveals secrets, is quarrelsome, lascivious, impudent, dangerous and mad. In fine, he that is drunk is not a man: because he is so long void of Reason, that distinguishes a Man from a Beast.
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We are inclined to call things by the wrong names. We call prosperity 'happiness', and adversity 'misery' eventhough adversity is the school of wisdom and often the way to eternal happiness.
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If thou wouldn't conquer thy weakness thou must not gratify it.
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Men being born with a title to perfect freedom and uncontrolled enjoyment of all the rights and privileges of the law of nature. No one can be put out of his estate and subjected to the political view of another, without his consent.
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A private Life is to be preferrd; the Honour and Gain of publick Posts, bearing no proportion with the Comfort of it.
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They that soar too high, often fall hard.
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To be furious in religion is to be irreligiously religious.
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That which the people called Quakers lay down as a main fundamental in religion is this- That God, through Christ, hath placed a principle in every man, to inform him of his duty, and to enable him to do it; and that those that live up to this principle are the people of God, and those that live in disobedience to it, are not God's people, whatever name they may bear, or profession they may make of religion. This is their ancient, first, and standing testimony: with this they began, and this they bore, and do bear to the world.
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We are apt to be very pert at censuring others, where we will not endure advice.
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Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it.
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A man, like a watch, is to be valued for his manner of going.
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Rarely promise, but, if lawful, constantly perform.
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The public must and will be served.
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Truth often suffers more by the heat of its defenders than the arguments of its opposers.
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Friendship is the union of spirits.
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I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.
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Those who live to live forever, never fear dying.
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If thou rise with an Appetite, thou art sure never to sit down without one.
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The Country is both the Philosopher's Garden and his Library, in which he Reads and Contemplates the Power, Wisdom and Goodness of God.
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The tallest Trees are most in the Power of the Winds, and Ambitious Men of the Blasts of Fortune.
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If it be an evil to judge rashly or untruly any single man, how much a greater sin it is to condemn a whole people.
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Love grows. Lust wastes by Enjoyment, and the Reason is, that one springs from an Union of Souls, and the other from an Union of Sense.