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The grave is sooner cloy'd than men's desire.

Francis Quarles

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Francis Quarles
Age: 52 †
Born: 1592
Born: May 8
Died: 1644
Died: September 8
Author
Poet
Writer
Havering
Men
Cloy
Sooner
Grave
Graves
Desire

More quotes by Francis Quarles

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Whosoever obeyeth the devil, casteth himself down: for the devil may suggest, compel he cannot.
Francis Quarles
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For trash and toys, And grief-engend'ring joys, What torment seems too sharp for flesh and blood What bitter pills, Compos'd of real ills, Men swallow down to purchase one false good!
Francis Quarles
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Mark, how the ready hands of Death prepare: His bow is bent, and he hath notch'd his dart He aims, he levels at thy slumb'ring heart: The wound is posting, O be wise, beware.
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Even as the needle that directs the hour, (Touched with the loadstone) by the secret power Of hidden Nature, points upon the pole Even so the wavering powers of my soul, Touch'd by the virtue of Thy spirit, flee From what is earth, and point alone to Thee.
Francis Quarles
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In giving of thy alms, inquire not so much into the person, as his necessity. God looks not so much upon the merits of him that requires, as into the manner of him that relieves if the man deserve not, thou hast given it to humanity.
Francis Quarles
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They who cannot be induced to fear for love will never be enforced to love for fear. Love opens the heart, fear shuts it that encourages, this compels and victory meets encouragement, but flees compulsion.
Francis Quarles
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Is not this lily pure? What fuller can procure A white so perfect, spotless clear As in this flower doth appear?
Francis Quarles
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We sack, we ransack to the utmost sands Of native kingdoms, and of foreign lands: We travel sea and soil we pry, and prowl, We progress, and we prog from pole to pole.
Francis Quarles
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My soul, sit thou a patient looker-on Judge not the play before the play is done: Her plot hath many changes every day Speaks a new scene the last act crowns the play
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Scandal breeds hatred hatred begets division division makes faction, and faction brings ruin.
Francis Quarles
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Meditation is the life of the soul: Action, the soul of meditation and honor the reward of action.
Francis Quarles
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As there is no worldly gain without some loss, so there is no worldly loss without some gain.... Set the allowance against the loss, and thou shalt find no loss great.
Francis Quarles
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Heaven is never deaf but when man's heart is dumb.
Francis Quarles
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Deliberate long before thou consecrate a friend, and when thy impartial justice concludes him worthy of thy bosom, receive him joyfully, and entertain him wisely impart thy secrets boldly, and mingle thy thoughts with his: he is thy very self and use him so if thou firmly think him faithful, thou makest him so.
Francis Quarles
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If thy faith have no doubts, thou has just cause to doubt thy faith and if thy doubts have no hope, thou hast just reason to fear despair when therefore thy doubts shall exercise thy faith, keep thy hopes firm to qualify thy doubts so shall thy faith be secured from doubts so shall thy doubts be preserved from despair.
Francis Quarles
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With a bloody flux of oaths vows deep revenge.
Francis Quarles
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Thy ignorance in unrevealed mysteries is the mother of a saving faith, and thy understanding in revealed truths is the mother of a sacred knowledge understand not therefore that thou mayest believe, but believe that thou mayest understand understanding is the wages of a lively faith and faith is the reward of an humble ignorance.
Francis Quarles
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Too much is a vanity enough is a feast.
Francis Quarles
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He that hath no cross deserves no crown.
Francis Quarles
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Mercy turns her back to the unmerciful.
Francis Quarles