John Selden Quotes
An English jurist, scholar of England's ancient laws and constitution and scholar of Jewish law.
(1584 - 1654)
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'Tis much the doctrine of the times that men should not please themselves, but deny themselves everything they take delight in; not look upon beauty, wear no good clothes, eat no good meat, etc., which seems the greatest accusation that can be upon the Maker of all good things. If they are not to be used, why did God make them?
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A king is a thing men have made for their own sakes, for quietness sake. Just as in a family one man is appointed to buy the meat.
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Equity in law is the same that the spirit is in religion, what every one pleases to make it: sometimes they go according to conscience, sometimes according to law, sometimes according to the rule of court.
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Equity is a roguish thing. - For law we have a measure, and know what to trust to; equity is according to the conscience of him that is chancellor, and as that is larger or narrower, so is equity. - It is all one as if they should make the standard for the measure we call a foot, a chancellor's foot. - What an uncertain measure would this be! - One chancellor has a long foot; another, a short foot; a third, an indifferent foot. - It is the same thing with the chancellor's conscience.
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First, in your sermons, use your logic, and then your rhetoric; rhetoric without logic is like a tree with leaves and blossoms, but no root.
[Preaching]
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He that will keep a monkey, should pay for the glasses he breaks.
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Humility is a virtue all preach, none practise, and yet everybody is content to hear. The master thinks it good doctrine for his servant, the laity for the clergy, and the clergy for the laity.
[Humility]
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I have taken much pains to know everything that is esteemed worth knowing amongst men; but with all my reading, nothing now remains to comfort me at the close of this life but this passage of St. Paul: "It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners." To this I cleave, and herein do I find rest.
[Religion]
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Idolatry is in a man's own thought, not in the opinion of another.
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Ignorance of the law excuses no man; not that all men know the law, but because it is an excuse every man will plead, and no man can tell how to confute him.
[Law]
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In quoting of books, quote such authors as are usually read; others you may read for your own satisfaction, but do not name them.
[Quotations]
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It is not juggling that is to be blamed, but much juggling; for the world cannot be governed without it.
[Policy]
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It's not the drinking to be blamed, but the excess.
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Never tell your resolution beforehand.
[Resolution]
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No man is the wiser for his learning; it may administer matter to work in or objects to work upon; but wit and wisdom are bom with a man.
[Wisdom]
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Of all actions of a man's life, his marriage does least concern other people, yet of all actions of our life tis most meddled with by other people.
[Marriage]
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Old friends are best. King James used to call for his old shoes; they were the easiest for his feet.
[Family]
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Philosophy is nothing but discretion.
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Pleasure is nothing else but the intermission of pain.
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Prayer should be short, without giving God Almighty reasons why He should grant this or that; He knows best what is good for us.
[Prayer]
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