Gabriela Hernandez
Mrs. Pope
English 5-6 Honors Period 2
21 October 2015
God’s Wrath toward sinners
Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon “Sinners in the hands of an angry God”, uses literary devices such as metaphors and powerful imagery to inform his audience what God can do if He releases His anger. Edwards as well uses rhetorical devices such as pathos to create an emotional appeal to his audience.
In the beginning of his sermon Edwards uses the literary device metaphor. He states that “ The bow of Gods wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bands the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and its nothing but the more pleasure of God…” (25). The metaphor compares Gods anger to a bow and arrow. Jonathan Edwards informs his audience about God’s anger being held back, but in this case God is ready to release his anger upon the sinners just like how a bow needs an arrow to be shot from. Edwards also applies imagery to allow his audience picture “If God should let the [sinners] go [they] would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf” (24). Edwards states this so his audience can picture themselves dropping into hell and suffering if God chooses not to have mercy upon each one of them. Edwards explains the wrath of God and what will happen to the sinners if God does not have mercy upon them.
Jonathan Edwards also adds rhetorical devices such as pathos to notify his congregation about how great God’s anger is toward them. He makes biblical connections to illustrate His wrath. He refers to “ His anger is great towards them as those that are actually suffering the execution of the fierceness of his wrath in hell” (23). Edwards gives notice about God being furious with all the sinners as those who are already in hell. Edwards tries to encompass his audiences emotions too create fear in them. He also demonstrates pathos when he explains, “The wrath of God is like great water that are dammed for the present…” (24). Edwards clarifies what the capacity of Gods powers can do to the sinners. He makes a biblical connection to when Noah built the ark because His wrath was so strong toward the sinners he release the Great Flood upon them because their sinning was too much. He states what God can do to the sinners if they do not regret all their sins.