1First, He is a moth in the very spirits of people. There is a secret way of God• wrath upon a people in their spirits which is not perceived in the world. As thus: When the spirits of men in a Nation grow weak and cowardly. The weakness and cowardliness of mens spirits shows a judgment of God upon them that is a a• moth to them: And so it was in Israel, as you may find it in that 2 King. 15 and so on, There their Governors did what they list, one killed another, and another killed him, and the people laid down quietly and dared not to appear in the least way to find fault with any thing done. And then a base sloth of spirit that seizeth upon the hearts of people,2 a dullness, a sordidness of spirit, minding low things, not regarding any worthy and honourable achievement; when men are thus then God is as a moth and rottennes• to them. When there is raising of jealousies one against another in their spirits,3 envying one another, and divisions in the spirits one of another, then God is a• a moth and rottenness: as we know a moth in a garment doth make the thread that it doth not hang firm together, and rottenness makes the wood that one part doth not unite together so firmly as it did: b•• yet in a secret way; so though open wars indeed devour in a public way, but secret jealousies in the hearts of people that one dare not trust another, and secret divisions that there are in their hearts, this is like to a moth and rottennes•. As a moth in a garment and rottenness in wood, so secret jealousies and secret divisions in the spirits of men in a Kingdom consume and destroy them.4 And then base compliance for their own ends. And lastly, falseness of spirit in the trust committed to them. When you see this prevail in the spirits of men, ⟨p. 479⟩especially of those that are put in public trust, then is God a moth and rottenness unto that people. And that is the first, A moth and rottenness in the spirits of men.
1First, He is a moth in the very spirits of people. There is a secret way of God• wrath upon a people in their spirits which is not perceived in the world. As thus: When the spirits of men in a Nation grow weak and cowardly. The weakness and cowardlines of mens spirits shews a judgment of God upon them that is a a• moth to them: And so it was in Israel, as you may find it in that 2 King. 15 and so on, There their Governors did what they list, one kild another, and another kild him, and the people laid down quietly and dared not to appear in the least way to find fault with any thing done. And then a base sloth of spirit that seiseth upon the hearts of people,2 a dulness, a sordidness of spirit, minding low things, not regarding any worthy and honorable achievement; when men are thus then God is as a moth and rottennes• to them. When there is raising of jealousies one against another in their spirits,3 envying one another, and divisions in the spirits one of another, then God is a• a moth and rottenness: as we know a moth in a garment doth make the thread that it doth not hang firm together, and rot•enness makes the wood that one part doth not unite together so firmly as it did: b•• yet in a secret way; so though open wars indeed devour in a publick way, but secret jealousies in the hearts of people that one dare not trust another, and secret divisions that there are in their hearts, this is like to a moth and rottennes•. As a moth in a garment and rottetnness in wood, so secret jealousies and secret divisions in the spirits of men in a Kingdom consume and destroy them.4 And then base compliance for their own ends. And lastly, falseness of spirit in the trust committed to them. When you see this prevail in the spirits of men, ⟨p. 479⟩especially of those that are put in publick trust, then is God a moth and rottenness unto that people. And that is the first, A moth and rottenness in the spirits of men.
- 11. in the spirits of men. 1. weakness.
- 22. sloth.2. sloath.
- 33. jealousies and divisions.
- 44. self-ends. 5. falseness in public trust.4. self-ends. 5. f•lsness in publick trust.
