Jonathan Edwards “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” Page 130, #1-8 Page 131, #1-10

Question 1: All humans suffer the threat of being snatched out of life and cast into hell at any moment. Question 2: Sinners must have “a great change of heart” and be “born again.” (go from “natural men” to “Covenanted Christians”) Question 3: Edwards uses the image of fire—in particular, fire over which someone holds a fragile spider.

Question 4: The language helps Edwards’ listeners to feel God’s wrath and to imagine what it might be like to suffer the torments of hell. Question 5: Edwards felt that his listeners had grown complacent in their Puritan heritage. The terror in his message probably reflects his deep concern for them and his desire to grab their attention.

Question 6: God: all powerful, holy, and angry (lines 8-11 and 52-55) Christ: merciful, and humanity’s only hope for salvation (lines 93-100) Humanity: miserable creatures who, unconverted, are worth no more in God’s eyes than loathsome spiders (lines 50-51)

Jonathan Edwards, Minister Question 7: Jonathan Edwards, Minister Anne Bradstreet, Poet Eternal Life: terrifying vision of hell (lines 14-18) and welcoming vision of the kingdom of God (lines 93-100) God’s Relation to People: God is angry at sinners, who have rebelled against Him (lines 50-57), but offers salvation through Christ (lines 93-96) Religious Beliefs: God is all-powerful and central to human life and endeavor Human Frailty: Humans are at God’s mercy, are inherently sinful, and cannot save themselves (lines 42-49) Eternal Life: a heavenly home, provided by God (“House” lines 43-50) God’s Relation to People: God supplies people’s needs (lines 19-20 and 51-54) Religious Beliefs: God is all-powerful and central to human life and endeavor Human Frailty: Every human possession belongs to God, who gives or take according to divine purposes (lines 13-18) and humans should avoid materialistic concerns

Question 8 Edwards’ imagery of immediate danger and impending doom probably would have found fertile ground among people for whom death was a common occurrence. Write vocabulary words, definitions in your notes: abhor, abominable, appease, ascribe, deliverance, discern, incense, induce, mitigation, whet