Sinners in the Eyes of a Prote
Jonathan Edwards was a major agitator of the Great Awakening, the rebirth of Protestant faith in North America in the middle of the 18th century. His sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", was delivered before a congregation of Protestants, as well as unconverted persons. The timeliness of Edwards's sermon was impeccable: It was delivered when the fear of hell was predominant in the minds of Christians. Edwards acknowledged this vulnerability, which is why he chose to play the 'hell' card and focus his sermon on the threat of eternal damnation. Early in his sermon, Edwards establishes that God is supreme, and that the actions of men are nothing compared to God's will. "If God should let you go...all your righteousness would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider's web would have to stop a fallen rock,"he said. In essence, the audience is given a terrifying image of a sovereign God who will not forgive those who have sinned, but will cast those sinners down into the pits of hell without regret. The theme of God's supreme will seemed to emanate throughout
Edwards's central assertion is his philosophy that no mortal can control his or her own judgement. He proclaims that confessions and good deeds will not guard the sinner from the fires of hell. He also warns that those ''natural men'' who aren't necessarily wicked, but unconverted, are not safe. "Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he will escape it; he depends upon himself for his own security," said Edwards. "The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked." Emphasizing how sinners are powerless to prevent their own damnation is a vital scare tactic and an integral part of Edwards's scheme to exploit the congregation's fears. God is ostensibly depicted as a villainous and indifferent entity. Edwards takes every opportunity to induce the fear that one might already have been judged, and damned - a fear that Edwards depends on to achieve his goals. the sermon, as did the theme of God's anger. Edwards's objectives become evident as his sermon draws to a close; he st
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 746
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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