William Penn Quotes

159 Sourced Quotes

It were Happy if we studied Nature more in natural Things; and acted according to Nature; whose rules are few, plain and most reasonable.

William Penn
Were the superfluities of a nation valued, and made a perpetual tax or benevolence, there would be more alms-houses than poor, schools than scholars, and enough to spare for government besides.

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

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

William Penn
The way, like the cross, is spiritual: that is an inward submission of the soul to the will of God, as it is manifested by the light of Christ in the consciences of men, though it be contrary to their own inclinations.

William Penn
They that censure, should practice. Or else let them have the first stone, and the last too.

William Penn
Tis the glory of a man to vail to truth; as it is the mark of a good nature to be easily entreated.

William Penn
Love labour: for if thou dost not want it for food, thou mayest for physique. It is wholesome for the body, and good for the mind. It prevents the fruits of idleness, which many times come of nothing to do, and leads many to do what is worse than nothing.

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

William Penn
It is profitable wisdom to know when we have done enough: Much time and pains are spared in not flattering ourselves against probabilities.

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

William Penn
Justice is justly represented blind, because she sees no difference in the parties concerned. She has but one scale and weight, for rich and poor, great and small.

William Penn
If we are but sure the end is right, we are too apt to gallop over all bounds to compass it; not considering the lawful ends may be very unlawfully attained.

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

William Penn
If thou wouldst conquer thy weakness, thou must never gratify it. No man is compelled to evil: his consent only makes it his. It is no sin to be tempted, but to be overcome.

William Penn
The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves.

William Penn
Wit is a happy and striking way of expressing a thought.

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

William Penn
Governments, like clocks, go from the motion men give them; and as governments are made and moved by men, so by them they are ruined too. Wherefore governments rather depend upon men, than men upon governments. Let men be good, and the government cannot be bad; if it be ill, they will cure it. But, if men be bad, let the government be never so good, they will endeavor to warp and spoil it to their turn.

William Penn
If thou art clean and warm, it is sufficient, for more doth but rob the poor and please the wanton.

William Penn
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.

William Penn
Hasty resolutions are of the nature of vows, and to be equally avoided.

William Penn
There can be no Friendship where there is no Freedom. Friendship loves a free Air, and will not be penned up in streight and narrow Enclosures. It will speak freely, and act so too; and take nothing ill where no ill is meant; nay, where it is, 'twill easily forgive, and forget too, upon small Acknowledgments.

William Penn
They have a Right to censure, that have a Heart to help: The rest is Cruelty, not Justice.

William Penn
He that criticizes out of Passion raises Revenge sooner than Repentance.

William Penn
The wisdom of nations lies in their proverbs,
which are brief and pithy.

William Penn
A good End cannot sanctifie evil Means; nor must we ever do Evil, that Good may come of it. Some Folks think they may Scold, Rail, Hate, Rob and Kill too; so it be but for God's sake. But nothing in us unlike him, can please him.

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

William Penn
They that love beyond the world cannot be separated by it. Death cannot kill, what never dies. Nor can Spirits ever be divided that love and live in the same Divine Principle; the Root and Record of their Friendship. If Absence be not death, neither is theirs. Death is but Crossing the World, as Friends do the Seas; They live in one another still. For they must needs be present, that love and live in that which is Omnipresent. In this Divine Glass, they see Face to Face; and their Converse is Free, as well as Pure. This is the Comfort of Friends, that though they may be said to Die, yet their Friendship and Society are, in the best Sense, ever present, because Immortal.

William Penn
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.

William Penn