If the sun of God's countenance shine upon me, I may well be content to be wet with the rain of affliction.

The ear and the eye are the mind's receivers; but the tongue is only busy in expending the treasures received. It, therefore, the revenues of the mind be uttered as fast or faster than they are received, it must needs be bare, and can never lay up for purchase.

And, if I were so low that I accounted myself the worst of all, yet some would account themselves in worse case.

Earthly greatness is a nice thing, and requires so much chariness in the managing, as the contentment of it cannot requite.

He is a very humble man, that thinks not himself better than some others.

Heaven hath many tongues to talk of it, more eyes to behold it, but few hearts that rightly affect it.

As the most generous vine, if it is not pruned, runs out into many superfluous stems, and grows at last weak and fruitless; so dote the best man, if he be not cut short of his desires and pruned with afflictions. If it be painful to bleed, it is worse to wither. Let me be pruned, that I may grow, rather than be cut up to burn.