Jonathan Edwards

Edwards opens his sermon by expressing the idea that men are subject to the whims of God and that those who refuse to welcome God are held out of hell by nothing more than the simple pleasure and mercy of God’s hand. He appeals to the pathos of his listeners

One of the pictures that Edwards intensely conveyed to make individuals turn from their wicked ways is the correlation of God's fierceness to "awesome waters," which in the wake of being consistently contained, ascent up and have the capability of pulverizing the general population with an incredible rage; that is, if God opens the conduit. Another especially striking picture analyzes God's fury to a "bow" that is bowed, with the bolt prepared to pierce the heart of the delinquent. Edwards utilized both of these pictures to pass on the force of God to the general population, large portions of whom were ignorant, and couldn't comprehend complex words. The general population, whose

His use of imagery to influence was, Paragraph 4 “O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in; it is a great furnace of the wrath, a wide and bottomless pit full of fire of wrath , that you are held over in the hands of that God.” Edwards is getting an emotional(pathos) reaction from society itself and his congregation that he is talking down to, because of their sinful ways it has now gotten them in the hands of God over a pit of fire and nothing can be done except that he won't let you fall because of his patience is being held within. Persuading them with fear of being thrown into fire to get them to change not only for living a righteous life but for God, so he won't have to leave you and hell also for you and your change of heart

Jonathan Edwards Sermon “ Sinners in the Hands of an angry god” contributed into the Great Awakening, showing that Hell was real, and whoever defied god was put down. Edwards used dark imagery to get his our heads, the meaning that everyone is predestined and anyone can be sent to hell. Edwards says in his sermon that “ God's enemies are easily broken into pieces, they are a heap of light chaff before the whirlwind”(2). Edwards hoped that the imagery and language of his sermon would awaken audiences to the horrific reality that he believed awaited them, should they continue life without their devotion to Christ? This made many people horrified and help start the great Awakening, making Christians more aware of the power of Christ, and increase their devotion to Christ.

In the sermon “Sinners in the Hand of An Angry God”, Reverend Edwards uses the rhetorical appeals ethos, pathos, and logos to convince unbelievers to become born again in Christ. Reverend Edwards was known for capturing people’s attention with his intense sermons on hell and eternal damnation. His sermons contributed to “The Great Awakening” which was a religious movement in the 1700’s. He used rhetorical appeals in his sermons to reach out to unbelievers. These rhetorical appeals are what helped him to be so persuasive in his sermons. This sermon is one of the many he gave to his congregation.

Often in Sermans writers persuade their audience to behave in a spiritual or more fashion. Such is the case in Jonathan Edward’s “Sinner’s in the Hand of an Angry God” where he believes that sinners should change their ways and follow the Lord if they want happiness. Edwards wanted to impact his audience by appealing to their fears and pity. Edwards had a great impact on his Puritan audience because of his cautionary tone, dreadful imagery, and symbolic figurative language.

Edwards' creative choice of words that he uses describes the power of God and the terrible Hell awaiting sinners. These words easily infiltrate into the minds of his congregation and frighten them beyond belief. These choices of words and his use of such vivid images are mostly successful in their intent, to scare and put fear into his audience. Edwards held his audience locked up with his promises of eternal damnation if proper steps were not taken. The congregation felt the intense impact of his rhetorical strategies and lived on the fear of the power of God. In this way, he was able to keep his followers from sin and away from the fiery pits of Hell.

Jonathan Edwards was one of the most famed evangelical preachers in the Age of the Great Awakening. He is best known for his most impactful sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Edwards preached with fury and conviction of the All Great our God. He preached for the wanderers; those lost in their spiritual belief. Edwards uses a wide variety of figurative language and rhetorical techniques to urge unregenerate Christians to sanctify their lives and walk devoutly before God, using fear. During this time of recognition, renewal and self-reliance in one’s connection with God, Edwards’ sermon did nothing but illustrate the exact conception of the age of the Great Awakening.

Edwards’ had a completely opposite way of conveying his message. His use of imagery, restatement, repetition, and biblical allusions helped him explain to his readers why they needed to be saved. His tone during his sermon was monotone and calm even though he was describing hell. Many people were terrified of his vivid descriptions of hell. In paragraph one, Edwards’ describes hell as “that lake of burning brimstone.” This is just one of his many descriptions of hell.

The tone throughout the sermon indicates that Edwards is extremely angry toward the congregation, who is in turn very fearful of Edwards and the idea he is preaching. This fear is developed from Edwards tactics of repetition used in his sermon. As listeners hear the same information over and over again that information begins to sink into their minds subconsciously.

Often in sermons, minister pastors persuade their audience to behave in a spiritual or moral fashion. Such in the case in Jonathan Edwards, sinners in the hands of an angry god where he feels sinners should repent for the sins they committed. Edwards wanted to impact his audience by appealing to their fears, pity, and vanity. Edwards had an influential impact on his puritan because of his use of cautionary tone, complex imagery, and constructive figurative language.

The priest of a Puritan church in 1744, Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, motivates his congregation to fully convert to Puritanism through the use of fear. Edwards’s purpose is to persuade his audience to change their ways and to commit to the Puritan way of life in order to achieve salvation. He adopts an accusatory tone in order to forewarn his congregation of the wrath of God they will face for their sins if they do not repent. Edwards begins by establishing that “natural men,” or those who have not been reborn religiously, are no better in the eyes of God than those already in Hell, and have the same fate awaiting them (Edwards, 46).

Jonathan Edwards, the speaker in “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, details God’s wrath and eternal damnation. Set in 1700s Enfield, Connecticut, in Puritan America during the beginnings of the Great Awakening, Edwards delivers a sermon to his audience of parishioners at his church as well as anybody in the future who would like to explore the Great Awakening. The speaker's’ tone is accusatory and condemning in nature in order to express the insignificance of mortals and the power of God. Thus, the rhetoric Jonathan Edwards utilizes conveys this attitude to his parishioners as well as instilling the fear of God and to not disobey him.

In the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards, Edwards delivers an intense six hour speech in a very calm demeanor. The message he gives is so powerful that he is able to capture his audience's attention without showing any enthusiasm. Edwards uses powerful diction and pathos to scare his audience into becoming faithful puritans.

Edwards’s use of pathos is expressed throughout his sermon through his use of fear. Edwards exclaims, “Their foot shall slide in due time,