Let us not make the poor our friends by our alms, not our enemies by our scorns. We had better have the ears of God full of their prayers, than heaps of money in our own coffers with their curses.
Thomas AdamsRead
The hypocrite, certainly, is a secret atheist; for if he did believe there was a God, he durst not be so bold as to deceive Him to His face.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that a hypocrite cannot truly believe in God, as their deceitfulness implies a lack of faith.
In this quote, Thomas Adams argues that hypocrisy stems from a lack of genuine belief in a higher power. A true believer would fear the consequences of deceiving God, indicating that those who are hypocritical in their actions likely do not possess a real conviction in their faith. This highlights the dissonance between one's professed beliefs and actual behavior, indicating that true belief is incompatible with deceit.
Themes
HypocrisyFaithDeceitBeliefGod
In practice
Example use cases
During a sermon about integrity, one could use this quote to emphasize the importance of true faith.
More from Thomas Adams
All quotes →No man more truly loves God than he that is most fearful to offend Him.
Thomas AdamsRead
Plan the town, if you like; but in doing it do not forget that you have got to spread the people. Make wider roads, but do not narrow the tenements behind. Dignify the city by all means, but not at the expense of the health of the home and the family life and the comfort of the average workman and citizen.
Thomas AdamsRead
Both in thy private sessions, and the universal assizes, thou shalt be sure of the same Judge, the same jury, the same witnesses, the same verdict. How certain thou art to die, thou knowest; how soon to die, thou knowest not. Measure not thy life with the longest; that were to piece it out with flattery. Thou canst name no living man, not the sickest, which thou art sure shall die before thee.
Thomas AdamsRead
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