John Locke

The business of laws is not to provide for the truth of opinions, but for the safety and security of the commonwealth, and of every particular man's goods and person.

Truth, like gold, is not less so for being found in the dirt.

Nobody can be forced to be rich or healthy whether he will or no.

The discipline of the church, whether it be excommunication or any other censure, is directed only to the amendment of the offender, and to deter others from like offences.

All men are liable to error, and most men are in many points erroneous.

The power of the legislative, being derived from the people by a positive voluntary grant and institution, can be no other than what that positive grant conveyed.

The use of force in matters of religion is contrary to the spirit of the Gospel.

I think it is a great mistake for any one to take his children to task for every little trivial fault.

There cannot be a more dangerous thing to a man, than to be a slave to his own passions.

The variety of opinions and controversies in religion cannot be removed by the sword.

Custom is the great guide of human life.

The commonwealth ought to determine what punishments shall be inflicted on those who transgress the laws.

The only fences against the world are a thorough knowledge of it, into which a man should be entered by degrees as he can bear it; and a perfect ignorance of it, which is a state of innocence.

The greatest part of mankind are more disposed to suffer, whilst evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

It is not the business of the law to make men good, but to keep them from being bad.