Personal Narrative By Jonathan Edwards

In order to fully understand why Jonathan Edwards expresses concern among the other Puritans, one must first fathom what an extreme Puritan is. During the American Revolution in the 1750’s, Jonathan Edwards, an extreme Puritan, believed that no matter what anyone did, they were still considered sinners who will eventually end up in hell. He went on to tell every Puritan that their path is straight to hell unless they join him and become an extreme Puritan. Although people attended church on Sundays, Edwards still expressed anger towards the Puritans. Obviously, an extreme Puritan like Edwards, imperative the rest of the population to follow the rules of the government in order to receive the gift of going to heaven.

In the works of Jonathan Edwards “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” uses numerous persuasive techniques and biblical allusions. Edwards’ sermon lectures Puritans, people who strictly pursue to live by the bible, on how they are straying from the path of the bible. During his sermon, the Puritans were terrified of what he had said ,because every little sin each Puritan had committed they thought they were going to go to Hell. Edwards’ play on words, as well as his use of persuasive techniques, and biblical allusion convinced the Puritans that they were severely in trouble of going to Hell.

In his sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” (1741), Jonathan Edwards claims that anyone who is not “born again” is a sinner and is waiting to be thrust down to hell in a state of endless misery and the only way to be saved from this is to become a Puritan. Edwards supports his claim of the Puritan religion being the only saving thing from damnation by explaining how hell is being prepared for those who are not “born again,” that any unconverted are in the hands of an angry God, and then concluding by saying to the people that they have the chance to be saved and live in a happy state, of they are “born again.” His purpose is to illustrate the woe that awaits for those who are not “born again” in order to persuade them to want to be

It reflects on the Puritans’’ ideals and beliefs. Such as, they believed in salvation and that the fate of individual soul was predetermined by God. Also, that salvation was a private choice among God and the 'Elect'. Elects or Saints were the ones who were saved and the ones who weren't were 'wicked’.

Puritans believe God has an influence on humans in our daily life. Edwards asserts, “His mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction” (81). This quote explains to us that God’s forgiveness holds us from, at any second, dropping down into the deep depths of hell. God observes our life and helps us every step of the way by pushing us as much as he can in the right direction. Edwards believes, “And yet it is nothing but His hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment” (81). Edwards for the second time says something relatively about God’s hand and how He is the one who holds us and keeps us out of the fiery pits. This quote shows us how God’s pleasure keeps us from falling into a

William Bradford’s Of Plymouth Plantation gives insight to typical seventeenth century Puritanical thought. The Puritans believed that God’s will directs and guides all aspects of the universe. Puritans further believed the Bible could help them understand God’s will in their personal lives. Bradford’s writing was meant to express an understanding of God in everyday life and to teach future Puritans how to see God in their lives.

b. Thesis – Jonathan Edwards’s sermon portrayed Puritans as sinners of their religion through the use of rhetorical strategies such as ethos, pathos, and logos.

Edwards’s intense, persuasive technique was very effective in guiding non-believers back into religion. It also helped the Puritans that were not swayed by the reform advancements to stay engaged in God and willing to spread His word. His persuasive technique proves to be effective when his audience, authority and reason are considered. Puritans were “member[s] of a group of Protestants that arose in the sixteenth century within the Church of England, demanding the simplification of doctrine and worship, and greater strictness in religious discipline” (Collins English Dictionary). Because of their adamancy about reforms, Puritans were more likely to be open to new ideas. Subsequently, Edwards’ directed the sermon

The Puritans were people who had a deeply strong belief in the Lord. The Puritans believed that God comes first in everything, and that their purpose in life was to magnify their Lord. This essay will be covering the beliefs of the Puritans and how they practice their religion.

During the 1630’s, there was a group known as, the Puritans. The Puritans immigrated from England to America, for the sole purpose of religious freedom and their belief that the church of England needed reform. Puritan author’s, Anne Bradstreet and Jonathan Edwards, conveyed their messages and beliefs in their writing . For these two authors, they were working around the same foundation, Puritanism, for the intended messages. Admittedly, there is a disconnection in belief between the two. Edward’s writings take Puritanism to the extreme whilst Bradstreet’s works show a more traditional view in the religion while staying true to it.

Jonathan Edwards, a Congregationalist minister in western Massachusetts, who was shocked at the dissipating religious spirit, believing that people were giving up to sinful pleasures. He worked against the secularization of the Enlightenment and focus on pushing the emotional side of religion by expressing the wonderful nature of Heaven and the horror of Hell, helping to renew intensity behind religion. This idea of Heaven and Hell was stated in his sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, intended to scare people into looking for salvation, with descriptions of people being held over a fire in Hell. This is expressive of the change of social norms in Puritan New England, where going to the Minister’s house as opposed to the Tavern was acceptable. This also shows the more individualized ideals people had, for they were presented with the option of achieving their own salvation and take responsibility for their lives, having the option of maintaining a personal connection with God. (ch 3 txtbk)

Jonathan Edwards, a famous Puritan preacher describes God’s wrath in his sermon entitled “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”. “There is no fortress that is any defense from the power of God. Though hand join in hand, and vast multitudes of God's enemies combine and associate themselves, they are easily broken in pieces. They are as great heaps of light chaff before the whirlwind; or large quantities of dry stubble before devouring flames. We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth; so it is 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. What are we, that we should think to stand before him, at whose rebuke the earth trembles, and before whom the rocks are thrown down?" The most memorable writers and speakers during the puritan era were ones who conveyed important religious messages. Edwards’ message was perhaps the most memorable Puritan work because of its outstanding rhetorical effectiveness. The image of an angry, wrathful God instilled more fear in his already God-fearing audience. Popular and influential literature during this time was mainly centered around

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) is widely recognized as one of America’s most profound Theologians. Some might even consider him the master of Puritan revival, since he was the leader of the Great Awakening. During his time he was a devout Calvinist who had the power of single-handedly keeping the Puritan faith strong for over twenty-five years, by using vivid imagery to provoke his audience. Edward's dialect was exquisitely influential and yet wielded with class and ease. This essay argues that Edwards was a prestigious theologian in his time that helped shape modern religious culture.

Taylor use the ideal of perfectionism and the denial of sin to exaggerate his view of having a loving relationship with God in order to reach heaven. Moreover, Edward Taylor uses his abilities to make conceits to which he constantly refers to in his poems and makes them interesting and mentally appealing literary works. Nevertheless, Taylor never shared his work with publishers because his main purpose was to genuinely express his feeling to towards the valuable relationships he procreated. Equally important, Jonathan Edwards wrote most of his work during the time period of the Great Awakening. Edward’s writing was meant to preach about everlasting life in order to help lost Puritans establish a loving relationship with God. He did so by often depicting God as a stern, harsh, and sometimes furious character who wanted to bring them back to his glory but was also not shy from condemning the Puritans to hell. Edward’s audience was broad in spectrum and he had to appeal to a growing populations of Puritans while still being effective and motivating. Today, the Puritan religion is completely extinct from religious practice. Although its’ member have completely diminished, the legacy left behind by many of it’s

She also thanks God during situations that could seem like nothing to be thankful about like, “yet the Lord by his almighty power, preserved a number of us from death” (Rowlandson 10). Through both the narratives of the lives of Equiano and Rowlandson, the Puritan literature is influence by religious ideologies and philosophies.