23 Francis Quarles Quotes

Heaven finds an ear when sinners find a tongue.

Nothing is more pleasing to God than an open hand, and a closed mouth.

The voice of humility is God's music, and the silence of humility is God's rhetoric.

Let the greatest part of the news thou nearest be the least part of what thou believes; lest the greatest part of what thou believes be the least part of what is true. Where lies are easily admitted, the father of lies will not easily be kept out.

He that is a drunkard is qualified for all vice.

In giving of thine alms inquire not so much into the person, as his necessity. God looks not so much on the merits of him that requires, as to the manner of him that relieves. If the man deserve not, thou hast given to humanity.

What treasures here do Mammon's sons behold! Yet know that all that which glitters is not gold.

There is no such merchant as the charitable man; he gives trifles which he could not keep, to receive treasure which he cannot lose.

That friendship will not continue to the end which is begun for an end.

The way to subject all things to thyself is to subject thyself to reason. Thou shalt govern many if reason govern thee. Wouldst thou be the monarch of a little world? command thyself.

The average person's ear weighs what you are, not what you were.

If thou wouldst be justified, acknowledge thine injustice. He that confesses his sin, begins his journey toward salvation. He that is sorry for it, mends his pace. He that forsakes it, is at his journey's end.

He that hath no cross deserves no crown.

Beware of him that is slow to anger; for when it is long coming, it is the stronger when it comes, and the longer kept. Abused patience turns to fury.

If thou desire the love of God and man, be humble, for the proud heart, as it loves none but itself, is beloved of none but itself.

Beware of drunkenness, lest all good men beware of thee. Where drunkenness reigns, there reason is an exile, virtue a stranger, and God an enemy; blasphemy is wit, oaths are rhetoric, and secrets are proclamations.

Humility enforces where neither virtue nor strength can prevail, nor reason.

Flatter not thyself in thy faith in God if thou hast not charity for thy neighbor.

Let the lips of the poor be the trumpet of thy gift, lest in seeking applause, thou lose thy reward.

He repents in thorns that sleeps in beds of roses.

That action is not warrantable which either fears to ask the divine blessing on its performance, or having succeeded, does not come with thanksgiving to God for its success.

He that gives all, though but little gives much; because God looks not to the quantity of the gift, but to the quality of the givers.

Proportion thy charity to the strength of thine estate, lest God in anger proportion thine estate to the weakness of thy charity.