--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He is wretched indeed, who goes up and…" description: "\"“He is wretched indeed, who goes up and down in the world, without a God to take care of him, to be his guide and protector, and to bless him in his af..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf3/jonathan-edwards-770_false-hope_he-is-wretched-indeed-who-goes-up-and-do_2759717.png" --- # He is wretched indeed, who goes up and down in the world… ![“He is wretched indeed, who goes up and down in the world, without a God to take care of him, to be his guide and protector, and to bless him in his affairs [. . .] That unconverted men are without God shows that they are liable to all manner of evil [. . .] liable to the power of the devil, to the…” quote by Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf3/jonathan-edwards-770_false-hope_he-is-wretched-indeed-who-goes-up-and-do_2759717.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf3/jonathan-edwards-770_false-hope_he-is-wretched-indeed-who-goes-up-and-do_2759717.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf3/jonathan-edwards-770_false-hope_he-is-wretched-indeed-who-goes-up-and-do_2759717.png) > ““He is wretched indeed, who goes up and down in the world, without a God to take care of him, to be his guide and protector, and to bless him in his affairs \[. . .\] That unconverted men are without God shows that they are liable to all manner of evil \[. . .\] liable to the power of the devil, to the power of all manner of temptation \[. . .\] to be deceived and seduced into erroneous opinions \[. . .\] to embrace damnable doctrines \[. . .\] to be given up of God to judicial hardness of heart \[. . .\] to commit all manner of sin, and even the unpardonable sin itself. They cannot be sure they shall not commit that sin. They are liable to build up a false hope of heaven, and so to go hoping to hell \[. . .\] to die senseless and stupid, as many have died \[. . .\] to die in such a case as Saul and Judas did, fearless of hell. They have no security from it. They are liable to all manner of mischief, since they are without God. They cannot tell what shall befall them, nor when they are secure from anything. They are not safe one moment. Ten thousand fatal mischiefs may befall them, that may make them miserable forever. They, who have God for their God, are safe from all such evils. It is not possible that they should befall them. God is their covenant God, and they have his faithful promise to be their refuge.”” [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. Warns that without divine guidance, people are vulnerable to moral failings and spiritual peril. **In simple terms:** Without God, people are exposed to evil. Key Takeaway Seek spiritual grounding and moral vigilance. Themes faith morality vulnerability Mood cautionary serious Type theological ethical When to use this quote - religious practice - ethical decision making - community support Key Concepts theodicy spiritual security Questions to Reflect On - What role does personal conscience play? - How can community reinforce moral behavior? A Different Perspective Faith alone may not prevent all harm; personal responsibility matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [False hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-hope/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Peril](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peril/) [Without god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/without-god/) ## Related quotes > [“It is experience of ourselves, and finding what we are, that God commonly makes use of as the means of bringing us off from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/it-is-experience-of-ourselves-and-finding-what-we-are-that-god/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [The sin which is unpardonable is knowingly and wilfully to reject truth, to fear knowledge lest that knowledge pander not to thy prejudices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-crowley/the-sin-which-is-unpardonable-is-knowingly-and-wilfully-to-reject/) [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) > [Unhappily, no man exists who has not in his own person become, to some amount, a stockholder in the sin, and so made himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/unhappily-no-man-exists-who-has-not-in-his-own-person-become-to-some/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I still think sincere pessimism the unpardonable sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-still-think-sincere-pessimism-the-unpardonable-sin/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The real secret of happiness is simply this: to be willing to live and let live, and to know very clearly in one's own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galen-starr-ross/the-real-secret-of-happiness-is-simply-this-to-be-willing-to-live-and/) Galen Starr Ross > [Success is the one unpardonable sin against our fellows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/success-is-the-one-unpardonable-sin-against-our-fellows/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Forgiveness is the one unpardonable sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/forgiveness-is-the-one-unpardonable-sin/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I grew up thinking there was one unpardonable sin – to be boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/i-grew-up-thinking-there-was-one-unpardonable-sin-to-be-boring/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [there is only one unpardonable sin--deliberate cruelty. All else can be forgiven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/there-is-only-one-unpardonable-sin-deliberate-cruelty-all-else-can-be/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [... the prevalent custom of educating young women only for marriage, and not for the duties and responsibilities consequent on marriage--only for appendages and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriot-kezia-hunt/the-prevalent-custom-of-educating-young-women-only-for-marriage-and/) [Harriot Kezia Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriot-kezia-hunt/) > [Skepticism is the highest duty and blind faith the one unpardonable sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/skepticism-is-the-highest-duty-and-blind-faith-the-one-unpardonable/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Cowardice in a race, as in an individual, is the unpardonable sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/cowardice-in-a-race-as-in-an-individual-is-the-unpardonable-sin/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [cruelty is the only thing that strikes me as completely unforgivable. The unpardonable sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-foley/cruelty-is-the-only-thing-that-strikes-me-as-completely-unforgivable/) [Rae Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-foley/) > [“The unpardonable sin is the sin of inadvertence, of not being alert, not quite awake. —Joseph Campbell”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-tricarico/the-unpardonable-sin-is-the-sin-of-inadvertence-of-not-being-alert/) Dan Tricarico > [“In the very recent past, we have seen the Church of Rome befouled by its complicity with the unpardonable sin of child rape, or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-the-very-recent-past-we-have-seen-the-church-of-rome-befouled-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## 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 False hope quotes > [I have a theory about marriage, Monsieur Boustouler. And it's that nearly always you will know within two weeks if it's going to work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-have-a-theory-about-marriage-monsieur-boustouler-and-it-s-that/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Don't lead me on with false hope, if you're going to push me down again, and let me fall without catching me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-lead-me-on-with-false-hope-if-you-re-going-to-push-me-down/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never have false hope for granted wishes, but always have true faith in answered prayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-have-false-hope-for-granted-wishes-but-always-have-true-faith/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sugar coating things makes people feel better, but it also gives them false hope, and it keeps them holding onto the wrong people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/sugar-coating-things-makes-people-feel-better-but-it-also-gives-them/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Don't text, don't call, don't ask for me. It's not because I hate you or don't want to talk to you, but because every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-text-don-t-call-don-t-ask-for-me-it-s-not-because-i-hate-you-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I Deserve So Much More Than Broken Promises, Lies, And False Hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-baybiee/i-deserve-so-much-more-than-broken-promises-lies-and-false-hope/) [Diana Baybiee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-baybiee/) > [“The moment you killed something – a living creature or a false hope – was the moment you came of age. Loss of innocence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-miller/the-moment-you-killed-something-a-living-creature-or-a-false-hope-was/) Jennifer Miller > [“If war is the health of the state, despair is the health of religion. Until African workers and peasants find belief systems that provides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-war-is-the-health-of-the-state-despair-is-the-health-of-religion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Dont make promises you cant keep. Dont give others false hope. Dont break hearts. DONT HURT MY FRIEND. Is that so hard for you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-make-promises-you-cant-keep-dont-give-others-false-hope-dont/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone has read about or knows someone who has gone through fertility treatments. It is an emotional nightmare, fueled by false hope and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-hood/everyone-has-read-about-or-knows-someone-who-has-gone-through/) [Ann Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-hood/) > [“Abundance is not the money you have in your bank account, the trophies on your shelf, the letters after your name, the list of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foster/abundance-is-not-the-money-you-have-in-your-bank-account-the-trophies/) [Jeff Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foster/) > [There is nothing more selfish than giving someone false hope and leading them on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-nothing-more-selfish-than-giving-someone-false-hope-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Will you let me go for Christ's sake? Will you take that phony dream and burn it before something happens?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/will-you-let-me-go-for-christ-s-sake-will-you-take-that-phony-dream/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [Parents shouldn't tell their kids to dream big if they're stupid. Don't give them false hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/parents-shouldn-t-tell-their-kids-to-dream-big-if-they-re-stupid-don/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [It was better to be honest than to give people false hope, even if it hurts them, it was for their good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/it-was-better-to-be-honest-than-to-give-people-false-hope-even-if-it/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) [Browse all 184 False hope quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-hope/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He is wretched indeed, who goes up and down in the world, without a God to take care of him, to be his guide and protector, and to bless him in his affairs [. . .] That unconverted men are without God shows that they are liable to all manner of evil [. . .] liable to the power of the devil, to the power of all manner of temptation [. . .] to be deceived and seduced into erroneous opinions [. . .] to embrace damnable doctrines [. . .] to be given up of God to judicial hardness of heart [. . .] to commit all manner of sin, and even the unpardonable sin itself. They cannot be sure they shall not commit that sin. They are liable to build up a false hope of heaven, and so to go hoping to hell [. . .] to die senseless and stupid, as many have died [. . .] to die in such a case as Saul and Judas did, fearless of hell. They have no security from it. They are liable to all manner of mischief, since they are without God. They cannot tell what shall befall them, nor when they are secure from anything. They are not safe one moment. Ten thousand fatal mischiefs may befall them, that may make them miserable forever. They, who have God for their God, are safe from all such evils. It is not possible that they should befall them. 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