Examples Of Figurative Language In Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards, in 1741, preaches at Enfield Connecticut, to the congregation with a desire of converting men who thought too highly of themselves to Christianity. Edwards establishes points by using different strategies of figurative language with the intention of capturing the emotional side of his audience. By using a variety of styles to scare his audience, Edwards’ sermon, with powerful diction, had a great outcome of repenters. Obviously, men depend on God to keep them out of hell, “Your wickedness makes you, as it were, heavy as lead, and to rend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell, and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf.” Following Edwards’

“The devils watch them; they are ever by them, at their right hand; they starred waiting for them, like greedy hungry lions, that are for the present kept back.” The entire congregation is on the edge of their seats. He repeatedly shushes the congregation because their cries are interrupting his sermon. Everyone was rapidly trembling with fear. He went on to say, “If God should withdraw his hand, by which they are restrained, they would in one moment fly upon their poor souls. The old serpent is gaping for them; hell opens its mouth wide to receive them; and if God should permit it, they would be hastily swallowed up and lost.” Edwards lets them know how it is easy for God to cast sinners into hell. They literally are “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” being held over the entrance to hell The only thing keeping God’s hand from letting them fall into hell is God’s grace and mere pleasure. Also, he tells them they all deserve to go to hell. They do not deserve the very air they breathe. When he paints the picture of them in God’s hands hanging over the burning pit and hell waiting to swallow them up, they could imagine the extraordinary pain involved in going to the pit of

He uses those distinct words to show the audience how weak they are and how powerful God is. He wants them to realize that they are in God’s hands. His wrath could destroy them at any second, but His mercy would save them if they repent. True, he does also talk about “the mere pleasure of God” repeatedly. By discussing how it is God’s choice for what their eternal afterlife will look like, Edwards is adding emphasis to individual salvation. Around this time period the idea of individual salvation instead of predestination becomes more popular. To cause fear in everyone’s heart by God’s wrath and wondering if God is pleased with them are some of the things revivalist preachers, like Jonathan Edwards, try to do. Obviously, the tone for most of this sermon is meant to inject fear into the congregation. Men are powerless and weak, so naturally they should fear God. Many statements like comparing humans to worms help the congregation realize how small they are. After they are scared to death, Edwards offers hope for them if they are willing to have an emotional relationship with God. So, the tone goes from fear to the hope of