Reflection Of A True Puritans By Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards lived in a time where God was the utmost importance in daily activities and lives. Puritans could understand the suffering their ancestors endured and why they fled from Great Britain in hope of serving God without interruptions or persecutions. As America grew, the concern that the population was becoming more secular was in the minds of Puritans. Jonathan Edwards was in a time where fear that the population has turned away from God and his sermons was the reflection of this outcome. The hope to bring America back to God. He was described as a “fire and brimstone” preacher, but he spoke quietly and many turned away from their sins and back to God. The impact he has on a true Puritan while speaking quietly can be related to their personal feelings they hold on God. And to an untrue Puritan, the impact Edward has can be related to their guilt or dissatisfaction to how they are living their lives which will have consequences of a burning hell.
A true Puritan who read this excerpt will understand the importance of biblical scriptures and would believe that biblical scriptures are God’s words.
This will impact a true Puritan greatly because of the words Jonathan Edwards is quoting from or speaking about. Jonathan Edwards gives reference to the bible and the Puritan’s who fled from prosecution from Britain would be able to relate because they hold the bible to such high esteem and as the true words of God. It can be described as their source to why they come so far and why they’ve chosen to settle in America. Verses such as “… for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched…” (Edwards) to a true Puritan would bring conviction and the conviction would bring fear that will drive them to a personal conviction of changing their lives. Especially if those words are written in the bible and many Puritans hold the bible to highest
esteem.

To an untrue Puritan, Edward describes and paints an image of the consequences for not accepting in Christ. Edward brought conviction that was never seen before and he used imagery to his advantage so that many Puritans would be able to see within their own minds the consequences. This conviction can cause many untrue Puritans to understand their current sinful behavior and with the imagery combined can bring fear and cause a hysterical outbreak; especially if the Puritans can relate to the words of Jonathan Edwards on a more personal feeling.

For a Puritan, God was everything and a way of life. Jonathan Edwards bringing conviction through his sermon quietly and the audience going hysterical only proves that a true Puritan would place God above all else. Edwards sermon would impact a true Puritan by God’s words and by imagery to describe God’s words. In this passage, he vividly describes what would happen to those who does not trust in Jesus, “You shall be tormented in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb…” (Edwards). Edwards not only brought God’s words for a true Puritan to relate too, he also brought imagery to the minds of a true Puritan so they can picture what would happen if one would turn away from God “… they will fall down and adore that great power and majesty” (Edwards). This combination of conviction, fear, feelings, and imagery can bring about a hysterical outbreak.