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HALE, Sir Matthew Quotes
(1609-1676), English jurist
The Bible is the only soure of all Christian truth;—the only rule for the Christian life;—the only book that unfolds to us the realities of eternity.
There is no book like the Bible for excellent wisdom and use.
A wise and due consideration of our latter end, is neither to render us sad, melancholy, disconsolate, or unfit for the business and offices of life; but to make us more watchful, vigilant, industrious, sober, cheerful, and thankful to that God who hath been pleased thus to make us serviceable to him, comfortable to ourselves, and profitable to others; and after all this, to take away the bitterness and sting of death, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Run not into debt, either for wares sold, or money borrowed; be content to want things that are not of absolute necessity, rather than to run up the score: such a man pays, at the latter end, a third part more than the principal, and is in perpetual servitude to his creditors; lives uncomfortably; is necessitated to increase his debts to stop his creditors' mouths; and many times falls into desperate courses.
The vanity of loving fine clothes and new fashions, and valuing ourselves by them, is one of the most childish pieces of folly.
Laziness grows on people; it begins in cobwebs and ends in iron chains. The more business a man has to do the more he is able to accomplish, for he learns to economize his time.
The passions are unruly cattle, and therefore you must keep them chained up, and under the government of religion, reason and prudence. If thus kept under discipline, they are useful servants; but if you let them loose and give them head, they will be your masters, and unruly masters, and carry you, like wild and unbridled horses, into a thousand mischiefs and inconveniences, besides the great disturbance, disorder and discomposure they will occasion in your own mind.
I have found, by long and sound experience, that the due observance of the Sabbath day, and of the duties of it, have been of singular comfort and advantage to me. The observance of the day hath ever had joined to it a blessing on the rest of my time; and the week so begun hath been blessed and prosperous to me.
Let your words be few, especially when your betters, or strangers, or men of more experience, or understanding, are in the place, for in so doing you do yourself at once two great mischiefs: first, you betray, and discover your own weakness and folly; and next, you rob yourself of that opportunity which you might otherwise have to gain wisdom and experience, by hearing those that you silence by your impertinent talking.
Be careful that uou believe not hastily strange news and strange stories; and be much more careful that you do not report them, though at the second hand; for if it prove an untruth it brings an imputation of levity upon him that reports it, and possibly some disadvantage to others.
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