William Penn Quotes

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.

Men must be governed by God or they will be ruled by tyrants.

Dislike what deserves it, but never hate: for that is of the nature of malice; which is almost ever to persons, not things, and is one of the blackest qualities sin begets in the soul.

Where charity keeps pace with gain, industry is blessed.

Truth never lost ground by enquiry.

Never despise what you don't understand.

Let us see what love can do.

Above all things endeavor to breed them up the love of virtue, and that holy plain way of it which we have lived in, that the world in no part of it get into my family. I had rather they we're homely than finely bred as to outward behavior; yet I love sweetness mixed with gravity, and cheerfulness tempered with sobriety.

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.

Love is the hardest lesson in Christianity; but, for that reason, it should be most our care to learn it.

There can be no friendship where there is no freedom. Friendship loves a free air, and will not be fenced up in straight and narrow enclosures.

They have a right to censure that have a heart to help.

We are apt to be very pert at censuring others, where we will not endure advice.

Inquire often, but judge rarely, and thou wilt not often be mistaken.

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

The truest end of life is to know the life that never ends.

The smaller the drink, the clearer the head, and the cooler the blood.

The country life is to be preferred, for there we see the works of God; but in cities little else but the works of men. And the one makes a better subject for contemplation than the other.

Perfect love casteth out fear.

They must first judge themselves, that presume to censure others: And such will not be apt to overshoot the Mark. We are too ready to retaliate, rather than forgive, or gain by Love and Information. And yet we could hurt no Man that we believe loves us. Let us then try what Love will do: For if Men did once see we Love them, we should soon find they would not harm us. Force may subdue, but Love gains: And he that forgives first, wins the [Laurel]. If I am even with my Enemy, the Debt is paid; but if I forgive it, I oblige him for ever. [From Fruits of Solitude, 1693]

I have sometimes thought that people are, in a sort, happy, that nothing can put out of countenance with themselves, though they neither have nor merit other people's.

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.

It is the difference betwixt lust and love that this is fixed, that volatile. Love grows, lust wastes by enjoyment.

Always remember to bound thy thoughts to the present occasion.

Man, being made reasonable, and so a thinking creature, there is nothing more worthy of his being than the right direction and employment of his thoughts; since upon this depends both his usefulness to the public, and his own present and future benefit in all respects.

It is a severe rebuke upon us, that God makes us so many allowances, and we make so few to our neighbour.

Nor must we always be neutral where our neighbors are concerned: for tho' meddling is a fault, helping is a duty.

Humility and knowledge in poor clothes excel pride and ignorance in costly attire.

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

True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment.

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

Death is only a horizon, and a horizon is only the limit of your sight. Open your eyes to see more clearly ...

Much reading is an oppression of the mind, and extinguishes the natural candle, which is the reason of so many senseless scholars in the world.

He that lives to live forever, never fears dying.

Wherefore, brethren, let us be careful neither to out-go our guide, nor yet loiter behind him; since he that makes haste, may miss his way, and he that stays behind, lose his guide.

You are Englishmen; mind your privileges, give not away your right.

Death cannot kill that which does not die.

Let us try what love will do.

That plenty should produce either covetousness or prodigality is a perversion of providence; and yet the generality of men are the worse for their riches.

We need to stop arguing about Christ and start living like Christ.

Neither great nor good things were ever attained without loss and hardships. Those that would reap and not labour, must faint with the wind, and perish in disappointments; but an hair of my head shall not fall, without the providence of my Father that is over all.

Sense never fails to give them that have it, Words enough to
make them understood. It too often happens in some conversations,
as in Apothecary Shops, that those Pots that are Empty, or have
Things of small Value in them, are as gaudily Dress'd as those that
are full of precious Drugs.
They that soar too high, often fall hard, making a low and level
Dwelling preferable. The tallest Trees are most in the Power of the
Winds, and Ambitious Men of the Blasts of Fortune. Buildings have
need of a good Foundation, that lie so much exposed to the
Weather.

A vain man is a nauseous creature: he is so full of himself that he has no room for anything else, be it never so good or deserving.

He that does good for good's sake seeks neither paradise nor reward, but he is sure of both in the end.

We are too apt to love praise, but not to deserve it.

Avoid flatterers, for they are thieves in disguise.

Charity is ... a universal remedy against discord, and an holy cement for mankind.

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.

For nothing reaches the heart but what is from the heart, or pierces the conscience but what comes from a living conscience

Drunkenness, spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans the man.

He who is taught to live upon little owes more to his father's wisdom than he who has a great deal left to him owes to his father's care.

O Lord, help me not to despise or oppose what I do not understand.

Did we believe a final Reckoning and Judgment; or did we think enough of what we do believe, we would allow more Love in Religion than we do; since Religion it self is nothing else but Love to God and Man. Love is indeed Heaven upon Earth; since Heaven above would not be Heaven without it: For where there is not Love; there is Fear: But perfect Love casts out Fear. Love is above all; and when it prevails in us all, we shall all be Lovely, and in Love with God and one with another.

They that Marry for Money cannot have the true Satisfaction of Marriage; the requisite Means being wanting.

Do what good thou canst unknown, and be not vain of what ought rather to be felt than seen.

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.

Never chide with anger, but instruction.

A wise neuter joins with neither, but uses both as his honest interest leads him.

Some men do as much begrudge others a good name, as they want one themselves: and perhaps that is the reason of it.

Death cannot kill what never dies.

Wit gives an edge to sense, and recommends it extremely.

The wisdom of nations lies in their proverbs, which are brief and pithy. Collect and learn them; they are notable measures of directions for human life; you have much in little; they save time in speaking; and upon occasion may be the fullest and safest answer.

It is not only a troublesome but slavish to be nice [fastidious].

If we would mend the World, we should mend Ourselves; and teach our Children to be, not what we are, but what they should be.

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.

To do evil that good may come of it is for bunglers in politics as well as morals.

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.

Oppression makes a poor country.

Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it.

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

The best recreation is to do good.

Method goes far to prevent trouble in business: for it makes the task easy, hinders confusion, saves abundance of time, and instructs those that have business depending, both what to do and what to hope.

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

Religion is nothing else but love of God and man.

[I]t is impossible that any people of government should ever prosper, where men render not unto God, that which is God's, as well as to Caesar, that which is Caesar's.

Sense shines with a double luster when it is set in humility. An able yet humble man is a jewel worth a kingdom.

It would go a long way to caution and direct people in their use of the world that they would better studied and known in the creation of it. For how could man find the confidence to abuse it, while they should see the Great Creator stare them in the face, in all and every part thereof?

Some are so very studious of learning what was done by the ancients that they know not how to live with the moderns.

Naked Truth needs no shift.

A man, like a watch, is to be valued for his manner of going.

To be innocent is to be not guilty; but to be virtuous is to overcome our evil inclinations.

Passion is a sort of fever in the mind, which ever leaves us weaker than it found us.

Inquiry is human; blind obedience brutal. Truth never loses by the one but often suffers by the other.

Be rather bountiful, than expensive.

Patience and Diligence, like faith, remove mountains.

For we put the power in the people.

For though Death be a dark passage, it leads to immortality, and that is recompence enough for suffering of it.

True Godliness doesn't turn men out of the world, but enables them to live better in it, and excites their endeavors to mend it ... We have nothing that we can call our own; no, not our selves: for we are all but Tenants, and at Will, too, of the great Lord of our selves, and the rest of this great farm, the World that we live upon.

Children, Fear God; that is to say, have an holy awe upon your minds to avoid that which is evil, and a strict care to embrace and do that which is good.

I know no religion that destroys courtesy, civility, and kindness.

If thou wouldst be happy, bring thy mind to thy condition, and have an indifferency for more than what is sufficient.

Clear therefore thy head, and rally, and manage thy thoughts rightly, and thou wilt save time, and see and do thy business well; for thy judgment will be distinct, thy mind free, and the faculties strong and regular.

Haste makes work which caution prevents.

Avoid popularity it has many snares and no real benefit.

Excess in apparel is another costly folly. The very trimming of the vain world would clothe all the naked ones.

We are too careless of posterity; not considering that as they are, so the next generation will be.

To have religion upon authority, and not upon conviction, is like a finger-watch, to be set forwards or backwards, as he pleases that has it in keeping.

The unspoken word never defeats one. What one does not say does not have to be explained.

Let us then try what love can do to mend a broken world.

That all persons living in this province, who confess and acknowledge the one Almighty and eternal God, to be the Creator, Upholder and Ruler of the world; and that hold themselves obliged in conscience to live peaceably and justly in civil society, shall, in no ways, be molested or prejudiced for their religious persuasion, or practice, in manners of faith and worship, nor shall they be compelled, at any time, to frequent or maintain any religious worship, place or ministry whatever.