Though a man hath the best eyes in the world, he cannot see any way but that which he turns them.

Compassion is a call, a demand of nature, to relieve the unhappy as hunger is a natural call for food.

Virtue, as such, naturally procures considerable advantages to the virtuous.

Every thing is what it is, and not another thing.

Every man hath a general desire of his own happiness; and likewise a variety of particular affections, passions, and appetites to particular external objects.

That which is the foundation of all our hopes and of all our fears; all our hopes and fears which are of any consideration; I mean a Future Life.

In all common ordinary cases, we see intuitively at first view what is out duty, what is the honest part. This is the ground of the observation, that the first thought is often the best. In these cases, doubt and deliberation is itself dishonesty; as it was in Balaam upon the second message.

Men are impatient, and for precipitating things; but the Author of Nature appears deliberate throughout His operations, accomplishing His natural ends by slow, successive steps. And there is a plan of things beforehand laid out, which, from the nature of it, requires various systems of means, as well as length of time, in order to the carrying on its several parts into execution.

It is not at all incredible, that a book which has been so long in the possession of mankind should contain many truths as yet undiscovered.

The love of liberty that is not a real principle of dutiful behavior to authority is as hypocritical as the religion that is not productive of a good life.