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Joseph Hall Quotes

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Joseph Hall, a renowned English writer, was born on July 1, 1574, and died on September 8, 1656. Known for his satirical works, Hall's influence has been profound on subsequent literature and thought.

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All Men Ifs May Wells Evil Christian Affliction Eye Blessing Dies Knows Rich Should Accounts Care Death Earth Ends Firsts Fool

Famous Joseph Hall Quotes

“Surely the mischief of hypocrisy can never be enough inveighed against. When religion is in request, it is the chief malady of the church, and numbers die of it; though because it is a subtle and inward evil, it be little perceived. It is to be feared there are many sick of it, that look well and comely in God's outward worship, and they may pass well in good weather, in times of peace; but days of adversity are days of trial.”

Wells Looks May Littles Enough Dies Evil Church Numbers Worship Sick Adversity Trials Weather Chiefs Hypocrisy Subtle Inward Request Mischief Malady Good Weather

Author:Joseph Hall

“Neutrality in things good or evil is both odious and prejudicial; but in matters of an indifferent nature is safe and commendable. Herein taking of parts maketh sides, and breaketh unity. In an unjust cause of separation, he that favoreth both parts may perhaps have least love of either side, but hath most charity in himself.”

May Matter Evil Causes Sides Safe Unity Charity Separation Indifferent Unjust Neutrality Commendable

Author:Joseph Hall

“The idle man is the Devil's cushion, on which he taketh his free ease: who, as he is uncapable of any good, so he is fitly disposed for all evil motions.”

Men Evil Devil Ease Laziness Idle Cushions

Book:The Works: Now First Collected : with Some Account of His Life and Sufferings. Devotional works

Source: The Works: Now First Collected : with Some Account of His Life and Sufferings. Devotional works

“Even the best things ill used become evils; and, contrarily, the worst things used well prove good.”

Wells Used Evil Worst Prove Ill Best Things Worst Things

Book:The Works of Joseph Hall: Devotional works; Miscellaneous theology

Source: The Works of Joseph Hall: Devotional works; Miscellaneous theology

“There is no word or action but may be taken with two hands,--either with the right hand of charitable construction, or the sinister interpretation of malice and suspicion; and all things do succeed as they are taken. To construe an evil, action well is but a pleasing and profitable deceit to myself; but to misconstrue a good thing is a treble wrong,--to myself, the action, and the author.”

Source: The Works of Joseph Hall: Devotional works; Miscellaneous theology

“That which the French proverb hath of sickness is true of all evils, that they come on horseback, and go away on foot; we have often seen a sudden fall or one meal's surfeit hath stuck by many to their graves; whereas pleasures come like oxen, slow, and heavily, and go away like post-horses, upon the spur.”

Fall Evil Pleasure Feet Horse Stuck Graves Posts Meals Sickness Going Away Spurs Horseback Oxen

Author:Joseph Hall

“Christian society is like a bundle of sticks laid together, whereof one kindles another. Solitary men have fewest provocations to evil, but, again, fewest incitations to good. So much as doing good is better than not doing evil will I account Christian good-fellowship better than an hermitish and melancholy solitariness.”

Men Christian Together Evil Society Accounts Sticks Melancholy Solitary Fellowship Doing Good Kindles Bundles Provocation Solitary Man

Book:The Works: Now First Collected : with Some Account of His Life and Sufferings. Devotional works

Source: The Works: Now First Collected : with Some Account of His Life and Sufferings. Devotional works

“Infidelity and faith look both through the perspective glass, but at contrary ends. Infidelity looks through the wrong end of the glass; and, therefore, sees those objects near which are afar off, and makes great things little,-diminishing the greatest spiritual blessings, and removing far from us threatened evils. Faith looks at the right end, and brings the blessings that are far off in time close to our eye, and multiplies God's mercies, which, in a distance, lost their greatness.”

Source: Works: With Some Account of His Life and Sufferings