"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

     Written and preached by Jonathan Edwards, "Sinner in the Hands of an Angry God" is more or a less a sermon given mainly for the purpose to persuade the colonists into being better Christians. It can also be said that this was a speech that took about six hours in a small tent, crowded with colonists. Although, the tone of the speech was meant to be persuasive, Jonathan Edwards gave his speech in a calm tone and rarely made eye contact with the audience. He distanced himself purposely from the speech and that way the colonist's attention was on the imagery of God's wrath. Throughout the entire speech, Edwards focused only on the consequences of not being a good Christian, rather than the positive aspects of being one. The main reason Edwards did this was because he believed that the best way to persuade the colonists was to overcome them with fear. In his speech, Edwards was able to achieve this by using persuasive techniques, such as emotional also known as ethos and imagery. One of the many examples he preached is that we are all hung on a string over a pit of Hell and the only reason we are alive is because of the mere pleasure of God holding us up. 

     Other images of wrath in which he uses is the picture that if we were to fall, there will be nothing to hold us back up and God decides when He is going let go of the string. Jonathan Edwards also explains that all our sins are a metaphor to the "great waters" and the more we sin, the greater the amount of water becomes and eventually there will be nothing holding back the flood gates. He also uses the rhetorical device, which is repetition by emphasizing on the fact that we are all nothing which Edwards also used to purposely frighten the colonists. At one point during the speech, Edwards has a shift in tone and preaches a little bit about the positive aspect of being a good Christian, but then he immediately he goes back to explaining that there is no mercy and those who are considered sinners will suffer in their own vessel of wrath. Basically, what Edwards did was that he gave the colonists a little bit of hope but then he took it away. One other imagery he uses is that we are bent arrows and on a bow and that we get exactly what we deserve. The purpose of this speech was to persuade the colonist and to also inspire the listeners. One major positive aspect he explains is that those who are listening to his sermon are given a second chance. Edwards gave this entire speech in a calm and boring tone.