Jonathan Edwards Essay

Jonathan Edwards uses an potent method c to each oneed the fire and brimst one(a) approach, which basicall(a)y used s shell out tactic to keep people from straying away from the church. Jonathan Edwards was a master at using literary devices, which horrified but intrigued his audience. He (Edwards) wrote in second gear individual to make each individual feel responsible for their suffer sins, this strategy allowed Edwards to speak to large groups. Edwards also used extended metaphors to helper his audience realize the full extent of their sins. An example of this vision is, The angriness of God is like big(p) waters that are dammed for the present they improver more and more, and rise higher and higher till an out allow is tending(p) and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty the course, when once it is let loose. (Sinners 1). This metaphor shows the extent that Edwards goes to show parishioners of what God is capable of doing to the Hu slice line o f achievement if they do non influencek salvation.Edwards uses bandwagon appeal to keep people from loss the church. He believed that if he could convince enough people that the church is the completely way to receive the grace of god that it would lead to a troop movement if enough people went that the rest would follow in their footsteps. Edwards tries to diverge people to return to church by stating that those who attend are happy, To see so many former(a)s feasting, while you are pinning and perishing To see so many rejoicing and singing for joy of heart, while you throw away set out to mourn for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit (Sinners 1). This method turn up to be effective because people returned to the church, they feared for the outcome of their life and sought forbearance just as their neighbors did. Jonathan Edwardss beliefs and ideas began to affect peoples day-by-day lives and restore the church to its former glory.Jonathan Edwards believes t hat it is mans duty to serve up God in all aspects. He expresses his view that any man has the will to decide what is right from wrong, good from evil and what God would enquire from a devout believer in his intelligence Freedom of the Will. This book essentially breaks down what man desires and the choices man can make, he exposes how all these actions are relevant to the after life. Edwards tries to show that earthly matters will non a provide eternal happiness and that a mans life on Earthis a time to prove his virtuousness for judgment day by proclaiming but look at other things, as the good state of your bodily constitution, your care of your own life, and the pith you use for your own preservation. But indeed these things are zippo (sinners 1).Jonathan Edwards is cognize for his vivid depictions of what Gods wrath would be like. This dark imagery gave the public an idea of what their eternal punishment would be like if they did not conform to the holy life of the chu rch. The imagery horrified people because it do people believe that God could damn each and every individual to Hell for their sins. An example of the dark imagery is The bow of Gods wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice flex the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an violent God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood. (Sinners 1). By maxim this Edwards strikes fear into the listener.Edwards often uses repetition to emphasize his condemnation on purchase order for their lack of faith in the church. For example You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder and you have no matter to in any Mediator, and nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing of your own, nothing that you e ver have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment (sinners 1). He stresses the word nothing to show that all are helpless and to hike belittle each individual. Edwards also repeats the word you to make each person feel responsible for their actions and to single out each individual. Edwards also ensures that each line in his sermons are threatening to create a mother wit of an ultimatum conform to the church or burn in Hell for all eternity.Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell and if God should let you go, you would immediately go and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care andprudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to instigate you and keep you out of hell, than a spiders web would have to stop a falling rock (sinners 1). This quote shows how Edwards creates a thought of hope for the parishioners but when further analyzed it has a very prohibit and damning connotation. Edwards tries to portray his belief that God only lets you live because it pleasures him. This provides false hope but in reality he is saying that in that respect is no way for anyone to be saved.