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David Brown

Mrs. Storer

English 3 Honors American Literature

August 28, 2019

Fear of the Lord

In the worlds and works of literature, the author educates the reader with a lesson. In

“from Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” written by Johnathan Edwards, Edwards gives a

speech to indict fear and terror into the congregation to save them from hell. Jonathan Edwards

successfully conveys his intended purpose of scaring people about hell and saving them through

symbolism, accusations, and a limited opportunity for freedom.

Edwards scares his congregation to turn to the good through symbolism. Edwards

exclaims, “the bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice

spends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of

God, and that of an angry God” (Edwards 98). Edwards scares the audience about how easy it is

for God to send them to hell. The releasing of a bow and the arrow hitting the intended monk is

satisfying, so the audience understands how much God wants to release this string. this thought

of the most powerful an omnipotent being hating you this much motivates the audience to

change. also, when Edwards says, “but the mere pleasure of God” the audience would have

instantly thought of how to get on his good side. Additionally, Edwards strikes fear with another

symbol. Edwards haunts, “the lower that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a

spider, or some loathsome insect, over the fire, abhors you” (Edwards 98). Edwards compares

the relationship between the crowd and God to be of disgust. As Edwards compares then to a

spider, the crowd would become disgusted with themselves and fearful that God would drop
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them into the Lake of fire. Again, God is described as enjoying the crowd’s demise. Edwards

delivers his purpose of necessary change through symbolism, but also an accusation of a single

person.

Edwards frightens the crowd through accusations. Edwards threatens, “there is reason to

think, that there are many in this congregation now hearing this discourse, that will actually be

subjects of this very misery to all eternity” (Edwards 99). Edwards accuses someone in his

church who will be sent to the place of agony and the gnashing of teeth. The preacher says that

one of the people in the crowd at ease right now will be sent to hell. The audience responds by

thinking hell can they be good for their entire life. Edwards accuses, “those of you that finally

continue in a natural condition, that shall keep out of hell longest, will be there in a little time!

Your damnation does not slumber” (Edwards 99). Edwards is saying that if the crowd continues

like everything is fine, how will be your inevitability. This strikes fear to change not only

instantly, but for the rest of their lives. This accusation method is effective because it isn't the

general body of people who have to change. It is personal an induces the thought of reflection.

Finally, Edwards conveys his purpose of conversion through a limited time offer.

Edwards effectively closes with giving his crowd a limited time opportunity. Edwards

excites, “but here you are in the land of the living, and in the House of God, and have an

opportunity to obtain Salvation” (Edwards 99). Once everyone's head is tilted down in despair,

Edwards draws them back in with a solution. The people feel lucky that they are the only ones

who know this extraordinary deal. Just like a TV salesman throwing in “special offers”, Edwards

captures their attention to accept Salvation. Edwards solves the puzzle of eternal damnation: “a

now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day where Christ says flung the door of mercy

wide open” (Edwards 99). Edwards shares this secret deal called Salvation with the population.
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The people are thinking of God. They also feel indebted to him and will continue to praise his

name. Edwards finally reels them in with a limited-time opportunity.

Jonathan Edwards utilizes symbolism, accusations, and a limited-time opportunity to

effectively convey his purpose of striking fear into their hearts to ultimately save them. The

symbols that Edwards uses were the bending of God’s Bow and the disgusting, hanging spider.

Edwards accuses everyone in the Church of going to hell, which makes it personal. Finally, he

gives them a limited time offer called Salvation. This strategy of scaring people into change

could work in other situations like climate change.

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Work Cited

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.