Michael Lopez Lopez 1

Ms. Storer

English 3 Honors American Literature

September 4, 2019

Religious Extremists

In the modern world, people often have set beliefs that are full of God’s love. In the

poems “Upon the Burning of our House” and “To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne

Bradstreet and the sermon “From Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards,

the authors express their different religious beliefs. In the 1600’s and 1700’s, the Puritan’s

valued their God because they hoped for the future, loved each other, yet they also were very

strict when it came to living their faith.

Many look to God after a tragedy so that they can receive help to move on. When

Bradstreet’s house was burning down, she looks to God and says to the reader “And to my God

my heart did cry to strengthen me in my distress And not leave me succor less” (“Upon the

Burning of our House” 8-10). She is looking to God so that she can receive help. To her, God is

allowing her to become stronger and to comfort her so that she is not alone and so that she can

look forward to the future. After God helps her, she states “The world no longer let me love, My

hope and treasure lies above” (“Upon the Burning of Our House” 53-54). While she did not lose

her life or the bare essentials, she is looking to the afterlife. God left her with the things she

needed to survive and while he did comfort her, she comes to the realization that it is all part of a

plan and put’s her hope toward heaven. God may love and be there for everyone, but he also

calls them to love and be there for each other.

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God always teaches us to love one another and treat each other in the best way possible.

While writing about her husband, Bradstreet says “I prize thy love more than the whole mines of

gold or all the riches that the East doth hold” (“To My Dear and Loving Husband” 5-6). She is

confessing how strongly she feels for her husband. Many enjoy having nice things, but for

Bradstreet, she loves her husband more than she would love being rich and living a lavish

lifestyle. While talking about the feelings and emotions she has for her husband, she states “The

heavens reward thee manifold, I pray” (“To My Dear and Loving Husband” 10). She is telling

the reader that she wishes the best for him. She loves him so much that she is praying that he will

go to heaven since the Puritan view was that only a select few will go. While many were more

lenient, there were some took their faith to a new level.

Many Puritans lived a very modest, restricted lives. While talking about sinners, the

author states “So that thus it is, that natural men are held in the hand of God over the pit of hell”

(“From Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God” 1-2). The author is describing what it is like for

the average person. To him, if a person does not live a pristine life, they will anger God and they

will instantly be banished to hell. While telling the reader what the sermon can be used for, the

author says, “The use may be of awakening to unconverted persons in this congregation” (“From

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” 22-23). The author is attempting to instantly catch the

reader’s attention and to cause them to think about the sins that they have committed. He is

calling that the unconverted people change their ways or else they will be held in the wrath of

God. It was believed during the Puritan times that one must be a person that is nearly perfect to

go to heaven even though, it was thought that only a few people would go.
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Puritan beliefs are both accepting and extreme. Puritans deeply values their God in the

1600’s and 1700’s because they hoped for the future, loved each other, yet they also though that

the slightest mistake would send you to hell. That begs one to thing why they thought if him as

such a judgmental person.

 Works Cited

-Bradstreet, Anne. “To My Dear and Loving Husband.” Glencoe American Literature, by Jeffrey

D. Wilhelm et al., Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2009, pp. 92.

-Bradstreet, Anne. “Upon the Burning of Our House.” Glencoe American Literature, by Jeffrey

D. Wilhelm et al., Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2009, pp. 91.

-Edwards, Jonathan. “from Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Glencoe American

Literature, by Jeffrey D. Wilhelm et al., Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2009, pp. 97-99.