--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man that is endued with the powers of…" description: "\"A man that is endued with the powers of reason, by which he is capable of knowing, serving, glorifying, and enjoying his Maker, and yet lives without G..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/matthew-henry-903_animal_a-man-that-is-endued-with-the-powers-of_2044167.jpg" --- # A man that is endued with the powers of reason, by which… ![“A man that is endued with the powers of reason, by which he is capable of knowing, serving, glorifying, and enjoying his Maker, and yet lives without God in the world, is certainly the most despicable and the most miserable animal under the sun.” quote by Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/matthew-henry-903_animal_a-man-that-is-endued-with-the-powers-of_2044167.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/matthew-henry-903_animal_a-man-that-is-endued-with-the-powers-of_2044167.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/matthew-henry-903_animal_a-man-that-is-endued-with-the-powers-of_2044167.jpg) > “A man that is endued with the powers of reason, by which he is capable of knowing, serving, glorifying, and enjoying his Maker, and yet lives without God in the world, is certainly the most despicable and the most miserable animal under the sun.” [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A rational being who denies God is morally and existentially degraded. **In simple terms:** Reason without belief in God leads to misery. Key Takeaway Consider the role of faith in moral life. Themes faith morality reason Mood reflective serious Type theological ethical When to use this quote - ethical debates - personal belief systems - philosophical discussions Key Concepts theology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - Can morality exist without belief in a deity? - What defines a 'despicable' life? A Different Perspective Faith may not be the only source of morality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheist/) [Capable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capable/) [Certainly Despicable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainly-despicable-3819426/) [Despicable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despicable/) [Despicable Miserable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despicable-miserable-3819425/) [Enjoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoy/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing/) [Makers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makers/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Miserable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miserable/) [Miserable Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miserable-animal-3819424/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Serving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serving/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Without god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/without-god/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“He has no doubts, there is nothing you can say to sway him, to give him hope or trust. He is a miserable animal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/he-has-no-doubts-there-is-nothing-you-can-say-to-sway-him-to-give-him/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [None shall be saved by Christ but those only who work out their own salvation while God is working in them by His truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/none-shall-be-saved-by-christ-but-those-only-who-work-out-their-own/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [The nature of men and women - their essential nature - is so vile and despicable that if you were to portray a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-nature-of-men-and-women-their-essential-nature-is-so-vile-and/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Nothing is more despicable than a professional talker who uses his words as a quack uses his remedies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/nothing-is-more-despicable-than-a-professional-talker-who-uses-his/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [I guess there's nothing I don't like about Merlin, in this presentation. I love everything, even the things I find despicable and abhorrent in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-fiennes/i-guess-there-s-nothing-i-don-t-like-about-merlin-in-this/) [Joseph Fiennes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-fiennes/) > [Despair makes a despicable figure, and descends from a mean original. 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Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [ The American experiment, the United States in the past eight years \[2008-2016\] was not considered worthy of leading, because we had committed too many… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-american-experiment-the-united-states-in-the-past-eight-years/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I can play a man who's despicable. But I'll still look inside him to find a point of connection. If I can find that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-can-play-a-man-who-s-despicable-but-i-ll-still-look-inside-him-to/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [Lies hold civilization together. If people ever seriously begin telling each other what they really think, there'd be no peace. Good-bye to tact. Good-bye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/lies-hold-civilization-together-if-people-ever-seriously-begin/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [I'm not saying that all women are blameless - all women are not. There are women with despicable characters who are cruel and terrible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-m-not-saying-that-all-women-are-blameless-all-women-are-not-there/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Poverty, when it is voluntary, is never despicable, but takes an heroical aspect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/poverty-when-it-is-voluntary-is-never-despicable-but-takes-an/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [I admire certain priests and nuns who go off on their own and do God's work on their own, who help in the ghettos,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/i-admire-certain-priests-and-nuns-who-go-off-on-their-own-and-do-god/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [I would of course like to think I've never done a truly despicable thing, but then again you don't always know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-andrews/i-would-of-course-like-to-think-i-ve-never-done-a-truly-despicable/) [Finn Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-andrews/) ## More by Matthew Henry > [Our duty as Christians is always to keep heaven in our eye and earth under our feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/our-duty-as-christians-is-always-to-keep-heaven-in-our-eye-and-earth/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [Christ is our temple, in whom by faith all believers meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/christ-is-our-temple-in-whom-by-faith-all-believers-meet/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“Those that truly love God will make it their constant care and endeavour to keep his commandments, particularly those that relate to his worship.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/those-that-truly-love-god-will-make-it-their-constant-care-and/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [In order to the attaining of all useful knowledge this is most necessary, that we fear God; we are not qualified to profit by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/in-order-to-the-attaining-of-all-useful-knowledge-this-is-most/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“When men drive God's word from them he justly permits their delusions, and answers them according to the multitude of their idols.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/when-men-drive-god-s-word-from-them-he-justly-permits-their-delusions/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [Christ died. He left a will in which He gave His soul to His Father, His body to Joseph of Arimathea, His clothes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/christ-died-he-left-a-will-in-which-he-gave-his-soul-to-his-father/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“God's word will stand, and we shall get nothing by disputing it, or delaying to submit to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/god-s-word-will-stand-and-we-shall-get-nothing-by-disputing-it-or/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [We must believe that He is able to do what He will, wise to do what is best, and good, according to His promise,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/we-must-believe-that-he-is-able-to-do-what-he-will-wise-to-do-what-is/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“When God gives law to us, we must give honour to him; when he speaks, we must bow our heads and worship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/when-god-gives-law-to-us-we-must-give-honour-to-him-when-he-speaks-we/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“The first that dies is a martyr, and dies for his religion; and of such it may more truly be said than of soldiers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/the-first-that-dies-is-a-martyr-and-dies-for-his-religion-and-of-such/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [They that pray in the family do well; they that pray and read the Scriptures do better; but they that pray, and read, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/they-that-pray-in-the-family-do-well-they-that-pray-and-read-the/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“Let no man go beyond or defraud his brother, for, though it be hidden from man, it will be found that God is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/let-no-man-go-beyond-or-defraud-his-brother-for-though-it-be-hidden/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“Those who are unconcerned in the affairs of their brethren, and take no care, when they have opportunity, to prevent their hurt in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/those-who-are-unconcerned-in-the-affairs-of-their-brethren-and-take/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [Some people do not like to hear much of repentance; but I think it is so necessary that if I should die in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/some-people-do-not-like-to-hear-much-of-repentance-but-i-think-it-is/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [Love is the root; obedience is the fruit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/love-is-the-root-obedience-is-the-fruit/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) [Explore all 332 Matthew Henry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. 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Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A man that is endued with the powers of reason, by which he is capable of knowing, serving, glorifying, and enjoying his Maker, and yet lives without God in the world, is certainly the most despicable and the most miserable animal under the sun.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Matthew Henry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/a-man-that-is-endued-with-the-powers-of-reason-by-which-he-is-capable/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/a-man-that-is-endued-with-the-powers-of-reason-by-which-he-is-capable/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/matthew-henry-903_animal_a-man-that-is-endued-with-the-powers-of_2044167.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/matthew-henry-903_animal_a-man-that-is-endued-with-the-powers-of_2044167.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/matthew-henry-903_animal_a-man-that-is-endued-with-the-powers-of_2044167.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A man that is endued with the powers of reason, by which he is capable of knowing, serving, glorifying, and…” — Matthew Henry", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Matthew Henry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A man that is endued with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/a-man-that-is-endued-with-the-powers-of-reason-by-which-he-is-capable/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/a-man-that-is-endued-with-the-powers-of-reason-by-which-he-is-capable/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```