The Present only has a being in Nature; things Past have a being in the Memory only, but things to come have no being at all; the Future but a fiction of the mind.
The object of man’s desire is not to enjoy once only, and for one instant of time; but to assure for ever, the way of his future desires.
So easy are men to be drawn to believe any thing, from such men as have gotten credit with them; and can with gentleness and dexterity take hold of their fear and ignorance.
The passions of men are commonly more potent than their reason.
Understanding is by the flame of the passions never enlightened, but dazzled.
The oath adds nothing to the obligation. For a covenant, if lawful, binds in the sight of God, without the oath, as much as with it; if unlawful, bindeth not at all, though it be confirmed with an oath.
Whatsoever is the object of any man’s Appetite or Desire; that is it which he for his part calleth Good: and the object of his Hate and Aversion, evil.
The characters of man’s heart, blotted and confounded as they are with dissembling, lying, counterfeiting, and erroneous doctrines, are legible only to him that searcheth hearts.
Men measure not only other men, but all other things, by themselves.
The value of all things contracted for, is measured by the appetite of the contractors, and therefore the just value is that which they be contented to give.
It’s my turn, to take a leap into the darkness!
To say God spake or appeared as he is in his own nature, is to deny his Infiniteness, Invisibility, Incomprehensibility.
A man’s conscience and his judgment is the same thing; and as the judgment, so also the conscience, may be erroneous.
For if all things were equally in all men, nothing would be prized.
A great leap in the dark.
To say that God is an incorporeal substance, is to say in effect there is no God at all. What alleges he against it, but the School-divinity which I have already answered? Scripture he can bring none, because the word incorporeal is not found in Scripture.
I mean by the universe, the aggregate of all things that have being in themselves; and so do all men else. And because God has a being, it follows that he is either the whole universe, or part of it. Nor does his Lordship go about to disprove it, but only seems to wonder at it.
For it is not the shape, but their use, that makes them angels.
Geometry is the only science that it hath pleased God hitherto to bestow on mankind.
He that is taken and put into prison or chains is not conquered, though overcome; for he is still an enemy.