“We find it easy to tread on and crush a Worm that we see crawling on the Earth; so ’tis easy for us to cut or singe a slender Thread that any Thing hangs by; thus easy is it for God when he pleases to cast his Enemies down to Hell,” (Edwards 5). In this context, Jonathan Edwards, a minister who wrote Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, is putting a fiery image into the minds of the Puritans who attended his sermon on the day of July 8th, 1741. At the time of the Great Awakening, there was a loss of faith directly related to the widespread use of science and theories. Edwards uses a fear-inducing tone to refuel a fire in the believers and turn them back into the arms of God. By using intense metaphors and other rhetorical devices, such as
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As stated, Edwards wants his audience to understand that by being unconverted and turning away from God, they are making God angry. Using horribly vivid images such as “that Lake of burning Brimstone is extended abroad under you,” and “there is a dreadful Pit of the glowing Flames of the Wrath of God; there is Hell’s wide gaping Mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, not any Thing to take hold of: there is nothing between you and Hell but the Air…” (Edwards 12). In the previous quote, Edwards uses imagery as his rhetorical device and it was one quote that stuck out. Edwards is making sure his congregation knows if they do not repent or convert to the ways of God, the “Pit of glowing Flames” awaits everyone. Edwards’ use of metaphors throughout the narrative adds to his fiery tone, “The Wrath of God is like great Waters…” (Edwards 13), with this use of a metaphor, the image of waves are compared to God’s great powers but Edwards makes sure to paint a picture of a God who is more than a force of nature (“Jonathan” Edwardsnotes). The sins of the unconverted continually make God angry and increase his wrath and as the wrath of God increases so does the damage that will be done. By definition, Edwards heavily appeals to his congregation through pathos by using strong imagery and extreme metaphors to rekindle the fiery passion for …show more content…
The tone takes on a more hopeful outlook at the end of Edwards’ sermon. The very last paragraph states, “Therefore let every one that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the Wrath to come” where there lies a hopeful undertone that believers can find refuge in (Edwards 25). What exactly did Edwards want his audience to take from his sermon? He directly addresses different groups within the audience and states that they each have a chance for salvation (“Jonathan” Edwardsnotes). To young men and young women, “You especially have now an extraordinary Opportunity; but if you neglect it, it will soon be with you as it is with those Persons that spent away all the precious Days of Youth in Sin, and are now come to such a dreadful pass in blindness and hardness” (Edwards 24). To children even, “And you Children that are unconverted, don’t you know that you are going down to Hell, to bear the dreadful wrath of that God that is now angry with you every Day, and every Night?” (Edwards 24). By offering these alarming
As stated, Edwards wants his audience to understand that by being unconverted and turning away from God, they are making God angry. Using horribly vivid images such as “that Lake of burning Brimstone is extended abroad under you,” and “there is a dreadful Pit of the glowing Flames of the Wrath of God; there is Hell’s wide gaping Mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, not any Thing to take hold of: there is nothing between you and Hell but the Air…” (Edwards 12). In the previous quote, Edwards uses imagery as his rhetorical device and it was one quote that stuck out. Edwards is making sure his congregation knows if they do not repent or convert to the ways of God, the “Pit of glowing Flames” awaits everyone. Edwards’ use of metaphors throughout the narrative adds to his fiery tone, “The Wrath of God is like great Waters…” (Edwards 13), with this use of a metaphor, the image of waves are compared to God’s great powers but Edwards makes sure to paint a picture of a God who is more than a force of nature (“Jonathan” Edwardsnotes). The sins of the unconverted continually make God angry and increase his wrath and as the wrath of God increases so does the damage that will be done. By definition, Edwards heavily appeals to his congregation through pathos by using strong imagery and extreme metaphors to rekindle the fiery passion for …show more content…
The tone takes on a more hopeful outlook at the end of Edwards’ sermon. The very last paragraph states, “Therefore let every one that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the Wrath to come” where there lies a hopeful undertone that believers can find refuge in (Edwards 25). What exactly did Edwards want his audience to take from his sermon? He directly addresses different groups within the audience and states that they each have a chance for salvation (“Jonathan” Edwardsnotes). To young men and young women, “You especially have now an extraordinary Opportunity; but if you neglect it, it will soon be with you as it is with those Persons that spent away all the precious Days of Youth in Sin, and are now come to such a dreadful pass in blindness and hardness” (Edwards 24). To children even, “And you Children that are unconverted, don’t you know that you are going down to Hell, to bear the dreadful wrath of that God that is now angry with you every Day, and every Night?” (Edwards 24). By offering these alarming