Moral philosophy is nothing else but the science of what is good, and evil, in the conversation, and society of mankind. Good, and evil, are names that signify our appetites, and aversions; which in different tempers, customs, and doctrines of men, are different.

The praise of ancient authors proceeds not from the reverence of the dead, but from the competition and mutual envy of the living.

Wisdom, properly so called, is nothing else but this: the perfect knowledge of the truth in all matters whatsoever.

Seeing then that truth consisteth in the right ordering of names in our affirmations, a man that seeketh precise truth, had need to remember what every name he uses stands for; and to place it accordingly; or else he will find himself entangled in words, as a bird in lime-twigs; the more he struggles, the more belimed.

A Covenant not to defend myself from force, by force, is always void. For... no man can transfer or lay down his Right to save himself from Death.

The Enemy has been here in the night of our natural ignorance, and sown the tares of spiritual errors.

The first author of speech was God himself, that instructed Adam how to name such creatures as He presented to his sight.