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Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it what custom hath civilized is become decent, till then ridiculous where the eye is the jury thy apparel is the evidence.

Francis Quarles

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Francis Quarles
Age: 52 †
Born: 1592
Born: May 8
Died: 1644
Died: September 8
Author
Poet
Writer
Havering
Ridiculous
Custom
Neither
Jury
Evidence
Customs
Early
Hath
Fashion
Precisely
Eye
Civilized
Become
Decent
Long
Till
Apparel

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To fear death is the way to live long to lie afraid of death is to be long a dying.
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God's pleasure is at the end of our prayers.
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Flatter not thyself in thy faith to God, if thou wantest charity for thy neighbor and think not thou halt charity for thy neighbor, if thou wantest faith to God where they are not both together, they are both wanting they are both dead, if once divided.
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A despairing heart is the true prophet of approaching evil his actions may weave the webs of Fortune, but not break them.
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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. Humility enforces where neither virtue, nor strength, nor reason can prevail.
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Before thou reprehend another, take heed thou art not culpable in what thou goest about to reprehend. He that cleanses a blot with blotted fingers makes a greater blur.
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Let the ground of all thy religious actions be obedience examine not why it is commanded, but observe it because it is commanded. True obedience neither procrastinates nor questions.
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Mercy turns her back to the unmerciful.
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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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Too much is a vanity enough is a feast.
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Wisdom not only gets, but once got, retains.
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Proportion thy charity to the strength of thine estate, lest God proportion thine estate to the weakness of thy charity. Let the lips of the poor be the trumpet of thy gift, lest in seeking applause, thou lose thy reward. Nothing is more pleasing to God than an open hand and a closed mouth.
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Lust is an immoderate wantonness of the flesh, a sweet poison, a cruel pestilence a pernicious poison, which weakeneth the body of man, and effeminateth the strength of the heroic mind.
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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.
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He that hath no cross deserves no crown.
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Temper your enjoyments with prudence, lest there be written on your heart that fearful word 'satiety.'
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Anger may repast with thee for an hour, but not repose for a night the continuance of anger is hatred, the continuance of hatred turns malice.
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Hath fortune dealt thee ill cards? let wisdom make thee a good gamester. In a fair gale, every fool may sail, but wise behavior in a storm commends the wisdom of a pilot to bear adversity with an equal mind is both the sign and glory of a brave spirit.
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