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Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

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Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
Sinners in the hands of an Angry God

Jonathan Edwards shows great anger in this sermon through the use of metaphors, personification, and diction. He uses a variety of metaphors to show the dark tone of this sermon. "would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider's web would have to stop a falling rock.". This explains how nothing is holding you from hell; that if you make a mistake, you will fall to hell like a rock through a spider web. "keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood." Make one mistake and an arrow may absorb the blood inside you; this is what that metaphor is showing. Within the sermon Edwards shows a great use of personification to create a live feeling of terror. "and justice bends the arrow at your heart". He is showing that justice will get you, no matter what, if you do something wrong. "the world would spew you out". It gives the world a human like reflex to vomit you off earth if you comit a sin or crime.

Jonathan uses many similes to explode his anger in this sermon. "your destruction would come like a whirlwind". Edwards is showing that if you were to do something wrong you will be destroyed like a whirlwind destroys towns. "Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead". This explains how you will be as heavy as lead and fall to the pits of fiery

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