In this sermon,
Edwards likens sinners to spiders and to other types of insects:
"That God holds you over the Pit of Hell, as one holds a Spider or some loathsome
Insect."
In addition, Edwards also likens political
figures, rulers and monarchs ("Potentates") to a worm:
"...are but feeble, despicable Worms of the Dust."
By imagining sinners in this way, Edwards expresses his disgust for
those who sin: they are little more than an insect, of little or no importance, and waiting to
be trampled upon by God. Moreover, this image of insects suggests that sinners are inferior to
other, God-abiding people. In other words, he dehumanises sinners.
Moreover,
in creating this comparison, Edwards creates a powerful call to action to his parishioners. He
wants them to turn their back on sin and to realise that only God can save them from spending
the rest of eternity in Hell.
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