English Essay, "Sinners In The Hands of An Angry God"

Question: If you had heard both these sermons, would you have thought you were the target?
If I was in the congregation, I would definitely think I was the recipient of anger and rage. Mr. Edwards and Mr. Whitfield had the keen ability to to cast a spell over everyone and make them all feel guilty. It doesn't matter how holy or righteous they see themselves, in his eyes they are evil and done for. This is the overall message of the sermon, which is reinstated over and over again. Gloom and doom seem to be the prevalent themes that Jonathan writes on. It gets to a rather ridiculous, annoying point and is very repetitious to say the least. The sermon leaves little, if any room for hope or mercy whatsoever. The writers don't paint a happy picture and leaves a terrifying imprint on anyone who listens to/reads it.


The sermons both echo a feeling of despair and hopelessness, with impending doom ready to descend on one and all. These Great Awakening preachers both firmly believed that if you thought you were saved from hell, you were more than likely going there! It's stated thoroughly that more than a few will be shocked on the day of judgment, when their works are deemed filthy rags. Any goodness or morality you have is disgusting in the eyes of the omnipotent one.According to Edwards and Whitfield, he won't hesitate to cast your soul into hell for eternity. No one is safe from his wrath, as he is almighty and all-powerful, capable of doing anything he pleases.


There is no peace or mercy, once someone has been sentenced to this fiery abyss. It is only be God's grace, that this eternal misery is not yet our fate.  Just because we are not in a physical hell yet doesn't mean that God isn't angry with us. We are no better off here on earth, than the millions of lost souls already separate from God. The goal of the ministers was to invoke an overwhelming sense of fear and despair on their congregations; so they'd realize the pitiful condition of their souls. They wanted people to repent and admit their worthlessness without God. True salvation came when they turned from their evil,sinful ways, renouncing them and surrendering their lives.

The illusion of of their so-called" salvation" need to be shattered, held under the microscope of the truth. If they were to be rescued, they needed to reexamine themselves and recommit themselves to an intimate relationship with God. Their fake piety and outward devoutness to religion was nothing, without a real, manifest love for their maker.
The point of these discourses was for people to conclude that they were all transgressors,and bow
in humble admission of their guilt. Their regret should be a stepping stone to push them to let go of their pride and give everything to God.

note: originally due November 15th