Flatter not thyself in thy faith in God if thou hast not charity for thy neighbor.

The saying warns against a self-satisfied, purely doctrinal piety. Quarles contrasts “faith in God” with “charity for thy neighbor,” insisting that genuine religion must be evidenced in active love and benevolence toward others. The admonition echoes New Testament teaching (especially 1 Corinthians 13 and the Epistle of James) that faith without love or works is hollow. Its moral force lies in turning the believer’s gaze outward: devotion is not validated by private conviction alone but by the practical, social ethic of care. The phrase “flatter not thyself” underscores the danger of spiritual pride—using belief as a badge while neglecting the obligations of compassion.