--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And nothing is more common than for men…" description: "\"“And nothing is more common than for men to be mistaken concerning their own state: many that are abominable to God, and the children of his wrath, thi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eee/jonathan-edwards-770_children_and-nothing-is-more-common-than-for-men_429920.jpg" --- # And nothing is more common than for men to be mistaken… ![“And nothing is more common than for men to be mistaken concerning their own state: many that are abominable to God, and the children of his wrath, think highly of themselves, as his precious saints and dear children. Yea, there is reason to think that often some that are most bold in their…” quote by Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eee/jonathan-edwards-770_children_and-nothing-is-more-common-than-for-men_429920.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eee/jonathan-edwards-770_children_and-nothing-is-more-common-than-for-men_429920.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eee/jonathan-edwards-770_children_and-nothing-is-more-common-than-for-men_429920.jpg) > ““And nothing is more common than for men to be mistaken concerning their own state: many that are abominable to God, and the children of his wrath, think highly of themselves, as his precious saints and dear children. Yea, there is reason to think that often some that are most bold in their confidence of their safe and happy state, and think themselves not only true saints, but the most eminent saints in the congregation, are in a peculiar manner a smoke in God’s nose.”” [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human pride often masks spiritual blindness, leading people to overestimate their righteousness while ignoring moral flaws. **In simple terms:** Pride hides true spiritual state. Key Takeaway Check humility against self‑deception. Themes pride spirituality humility self‑deception morality Mood solemn introspective serious Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - church sermons - personal reflection - ethical counseling - spiritual retreats Key Concepts theology psychology moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What signs reveal hidden pride? - How can humility be cultivated daily? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on self‑assessment can cause anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Eminent Saints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eminent-saints-3791595/) [Precious Saints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precious-saints-3791596/) [Saints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saints/) [Saints Eminent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saints-eminent-3791594/) [True Saints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-saints-1458987/) ## Related quotes > [The Spirit of God is given to the true saints to dwell in them as his proper lasting abode to dwell in them and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/the-spirit-of-god-is-given-to-the-true-saints-to-dwell-in-them-as-his/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [Although we tend to think about saints as holy and pious, and picture them with halos above their heads and ecstatic gazes, true saints…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/although-we-tend-to-think-about-saints-as-holy-and-pious-and-picture/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Few spirits are made better by the pain and languor of sickness; as few great pilgrims become eminent saints.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/few-spirits-are-made-better-by-the-pain-and-languor-of-sickness-as/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [“There were thieves and hypocrites among us, to be sure, and true saints sprinkled here and there, but most were simply good, honest people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-chapman-gilbert/there-were-thieves-and-hypocrites-among-us-to-be-sure-and-true-saints/) [Donna Chapman Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-chapman-gilbert/) > [“True saints," Edwards observed with typical God-centeredness, are "inexpressibly pleased and delighted with ... the things of God." Hypocrites, by contrast, revel in themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-m-marsden/true-saints-edwards-observed-with-typical-god-centeredness-are/) [George M. Marsden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-m-marsden/) > [Those who keep speaking about the sun while walking under a cloudy sky are messengers of hope, the true saints of our day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/those-who-keep-speaking-about-the-sun-while-walking-under-a-cloudy/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Sinners often speak the truth. And saints have led people astray. Examine what is said, not the one who says it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/sinners-often-speak-the-truth-and-saints-have-led-people-astray/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Saints are sinners who kept on going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/saints-are-sinners-who-kept-on-going/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“It is no sign of benediction to have been obsessed with the lives of saints, for it is an obsession intertwined with a taste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/it-is-no-sign-of-benediction-to-have-been-obsessed-with-the-lives-of/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [We are all called to be great saints, don't miss the opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-angelica/we-are-all-called-to-be-great-saints-don-t-miss-the-opportunity/) [Mother Angelica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-angelica/) > [“You may of course ask whether we really need to refer to "saints". Wouldn't it suffice just to refer to decent people? It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-emil-frankl/you-may-of-course-ask-whether-we-really-need-to-refer-to-saints/) [Viktor Emil Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-emil-frankl/) > [The saints differ from us in their exuberance, the excess of our human talents. Moderation is not their secret. It is in the wildness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/the-saints-differ-from-us-in-their-exuberance-the-excess-of-our-human/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [If we look to the saints, this great luminous wake with which God has passed through history, we truly see that here is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/if-we-look-to-the-saints-this-great-luminous-wake-with-which-god-has/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [It takes all sorts to make a world - saints as well as soldiers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-anderson/it-takes-all-sorts-to-make-a-world-saints-as-well-as-soldiers/) [Anthony Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-anderson/) > [“Serve in the grace of strength within thy soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/serve-in-the-grace-of-strength-within-thy-soul/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) ## More by Jonathan Edwards > [The foundation of the Christian's peace is everlasting; it is what no time, no change can destroy. It will remain when the body dies;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/the-foundation-of-the-christian-s-peace-is-everlasting-it-is-what-no/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Every saint in heaven is as a flower in that garden of God, and holy love is the fragrance and sweet odor that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/every-saint-in-heaven-is-as-a-flower-in-that-garden-of-god-and-holy/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [God is glorified not only by His glory being seen, but by its being rejoiced in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/god-is-glorified-not-only-by-his-glory-being-seen-but-by-its-being/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [There is no way that Christians, in a private capacity, can do so much to promote the work of God and advance the kingdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/there-is-no-way-that-christians-in-a-private-capacity-can-do-so-much/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [Godliness is more easily feigned in words than in actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/godliness-is-more-easily-feigned-in-words-than-in-actions/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Let the main thing that we prize in God’s house be, not the outward ornaments of it, or a high seat in it, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/let-the-main-thing-that-we-prize-in-god-s-house-be-not-the-outward/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“But that is the nature of true grace and spiritual light, that it opens to a person's view the infinite reason there is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/but-that-is-the-nature-of-true-grace-and-spiritual-light-that-it/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“The most determining external influence on his style was unquestionably the old, so-called King James version of the English Bible. His language is saturated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/the-most-determining-external-influence-on-his-style-was/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Edwards sought to impose a new test of qualification. He required, namely, that the candidate for full communion should give evidence of being converted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/edwards-sought-to-impose-a-new-test-of-qualification-he-required/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [ “But it is doubtless true, and evident from \[the\] Scriptures, that the essence of all true religion lies in holy love; and that in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/but-it-is-doubtless-true-and-evident-from-the-scriptures-that-the/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Evangelical faith has the gospel of Christ for its foundation;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/evangelical-faith-has-the-gospel-of-christ-for-its-foundation/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Prop. II. There are many mansions in the house of God. By many mansions is meant many seats or places of abode.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/prop-ii-there-are-many-mansions-in-the-house-of-god-by-many-mansions/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [I resolve to live with all my might while I do live. I resolve never to lose one moment of time and to improve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/i-resolve-to-live-with-all-my-might-while-i-do-live-i-resolve-never/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open, and stands in the door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/and-now-you-have-an-extraordinary-opportunity-a-day-wherein-christ/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [Christ gives peace to the most sinful and miserable that come to Him. He heals the broken in heart and binds up their wounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/christ-gives-peace-to-the-most-sinful-and-miserable-that-come-to-him/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) [Explore all 375 Jonathan Edwards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. 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