Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it.
He that falls into sin is a man; that grieves at it, is a saint; that boasteth of it, is a devil.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote explores the nature of sin and the varying responses people have to it, categorizing them as human, saintly, or devilish.
In this quote, Thomas Fuller reflects on the different human responses to sin. It suggests that falling into sin is a universal human experience, but how one reacts to it defines their character; those who recognize and grieve their sins are considered saintly, while those who take pride in their wrongdoing embody a devilish nature. This highlights the moral spectrum of human behavior in relation to ethical conduct and remorse.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a sermon discussing moral integrity, one could quote this to emphasize the importance of recognizing one's faults.
More from Thomas Fuller
All quotes βMemory is the treasure house of the mind wherein the monuments thereof are kept and preserved.
Zeal without knowledge is fire without light.
He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has need to be forgiven.
He is poor indeed that can promise nothing.
'Tis better to suffer wrong than do it.
Similar quotes
I am at home everywhere, and nowhere. I am never a stranger and I never quite belong.
Total peace after death, becoming someone else, is the best hope I've got.
Sympathy is what you have for someone after they die, pity you have for someone when they don't have a date to the biggest dance of the year. Empathy is what I do to you when you judge me. Envy is having pity on yourself. Can you discern the rest for yourself?
So, is there an afterlife, and if so, what will it be like? I don't have a clue. But I am confident that the one who has buoyed us up in life will also buoy us up through death. We die into God. What more that means, I do not know. But that is all I need to know.
If there is one realm in which it is essential to be sublime, it is in wickedness. You spit on a petty thief, but you can't deny a kind of respect for the great criminal.
The tyranny of relativism is the spiritual poverty of our time