Quotes from William Penn

Be sure that religion cannot be right that a man is the worse for having.

People are more afraid of the laws of Man than of God, because their punishment seems to be nearest.

He that has more Knowledge than Judgment, is made for another Man's use more than his own.

Men are generally more careful of the breed of their horses and dogs than of their children.

The tallest Trees are most in the Power of the Winds, and Ambitious Men of the Blasts of Fortune.

Nothing shows our weakness more than to be so sharp-sighted at spying other men's faults, and so purblind about our own.

Passion is the mob of the man, that commits a riot upon his reason.

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.

A good End cannot sanctify evil Means; nor must we ever do Evil, that Good may come of it.

Every stroke our fury strikes is sure to hit ourselves at last.

Haste makes work which caution prevents.

Content not thyself that thou art virtuous in the general; for one link being wanting, the chain is defective.

Where thou art Obliged to speak, be sure speak the Truth: For Equivocation is half way to Lying, as Lying, the whole way to Hell.

Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please God; nor can we fear what we do not believe.

Disappointments that aren't a result of our own foolishness are a testing of our faith or a correction from heaven, and it is our own fault if these disappointments don't work for our own good.

But make not more business necessary than is so; and rather lessen than augment work for thyself.

Nor yet be overeager in pursuit of any thing; for the mercurial too often happen to leave judgment behind them, and sometimes make work for repentance.

There is a truth and beauty in rhetoric; but it oftener serves ill turns than good ones.

A man in business must put up many affronts if he loves his own quiet.

Choose a friend as thou dost a wife, till death separate you.

A true friend freely, advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unchangeably.

Death cannot kill that which does not die.

Experience is a safe guide.

Patience and Diligence, like faith, remove mountains.