William Penn Quotes

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

Fidelity has enfranchised slaves, and adopted servants to be sons

There is nothing of which we are apt to be so lavish as of Time, and about which we ought to be more solicitous; since without it we can do nothing in this World. Time is what we want most, but what, alas! we use worst; and for which God will certainly most strictly reckon with us, when Time shall be no more.

When the great and wise God had made the world, of all his creatures, it pleased him to chuse man his Deputy to rule it: and to fit him for so great a charge and trust, he did not only qualify him with skill and power, but with integrity to use them justly. This native goodness was equally his honour and his happiness; and whilst he stood here, all went well; there was no need of coercive or compulsive means; the precept of divine love and truth, in his bosom, was the guide and keeper of his innocency. But lust prevailing against duty, made a lamentable breach upon it; and the law, that before had no power over him, took place upon him, and his disobedient posterity, that such as would not live comformable to the holy law within, should fall under the reproof and correction of the just law without, in a judicial administration.

All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences; no man can of right be compelled to attend, erect, or support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry against his consent; no human authority can, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience, and no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious establishment or modes of worship.

Never marry but for love; but see that thou lovest what is lovely.

The Country is both the Philosopher’s Garden and his Library, in which he Reads and Contemplates the Power, Wisdom and Goodness of God.

Where charity keeps pace with grain, industry is blessed, but to slave to get, and keep it sordidly, is a sin against Providence, a vice in government and an injury to their neighbours.

Not to be provok'd is best: But if mov'd, never correct till the Fume is spent; For every Stroke our Fury strikes, is sure to hit our selves at last.

Nothing does reason more right, than the coolness of those that offer it: For Truth often suffers more by the heat of its defenders, than from the arguments of its opposers.

Smrť, to je len prechod do iného sveta, ako keď nám priatelia odídu za more. Naďalej žijú v srdci toho druhého, lebo v ňom ostávajú tí, čo žijú a milujú vo večnosti. Pri tomto božskom pohľade s nimi stojíme tvárou v tvár a naše rozhovory sú slobodné a čisté. V tom je útecha priateľstva - i keď sú priatelia mŕtvi, ich priateľstvo a spoločnosť nás budú sprevádzať navždy, lebo sú nesmrteľné.

As Puppets are to Men, and Babies to Children, so is Man’s Workmanship to God’s: We are the Picture, he the Reality.

Let us try what love will do.

In all debates, let truth be thy aim, not victory, or an unjust interest.

It were endless to dispute upon everything that is disputable.