William Penn

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

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.

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.

Do good with what thou hast, or it will do thee no good.

To be a man's own fool is bad enough, but the vain man is everybody's.

Unless virtue guide us our choice must be wrong.

Patience and Diligence, like faith, remove mountains.

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

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.

Speak properly, and in as few words as you can, but always plainly; for the end of speech is not ostentation, but to be understood.

True godliness does not turn men out of the world, but enables them to live better in it and excites their endeavors to mend it.

The humble, meek, merciful, and just are everywhere of one religion; and when death has taken off the mask they will know one another, though the diverse liveries they wear here make them strangers.

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

Justice is the insurance which we have on our lives and property. Obedience is the premium which we pay for it.

It is wise not to seek a secret, and honest not to reveal one.

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

For as men in battle are continually in the way of shot, so we, in this world, are ever within the reach of Temptation.

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 endeavour to warp and spoil it to their turn.

For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity.

There can be no Friendship where there is no Freedom. Friendship loves a free Air, and will not be penned up in straight 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.

If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God, and to do that, thou must be ruled by him. Those who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants.