Analysis Of Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God By Jonathan Edwards

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Everyone has someone in their life that they know to be very strict and rule oriented, or Puritanical. Many of the legalistic aspects of our American culture have their genesis in the Puritans. In the sermon of “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, written by Jonathan Edwards, a famous preacher for this sermon, and the “Speech to the General Court in 1645,” by John Winthrop, a Massachusetts Bay governor for 20 years, it is highly illustrated that Puritan society had wanted order. Their society had revolved around being very strict and legalistic about religion. This is based on giving God one’s free will, trusting that he will bring them salvation and ultimately converting to the Puritan protestant belief system.
By submitting to God one’s free will, one shall have a chance to go to heaven. Jonathan Edwards opens his sermon with “Their Foot shall slide in due Time” (Edwards) This is Jonathan Edwards’ way of saying that unconverted people are bound to sin. These people would not be caught by the hands of God. Their own downfall is represented by the "Foot" sliding. Winthrop replies back: “It is a liberty to do evil… this liberty is maintained and exercised in a way of subjection to authority.” (Winthrop) He also means that without choosing to be under God, and then one will also sin, eventually casting oneself to …show more content…

Mr. WInthrop brings up why this is.“[It is] the woman’s own choice makes such a man her husband; yet, being so chooses, he is her lord, and she is to be subject to him… she is free in her subjection to her husband’s authority.” (Winthrop) Winthrop argues that people are free, which makes them evil. However, they can choose to be under God to be good, but they would not be entirely free willed. This goodness will ultimately bring them to heaven. This is formed by one having the trust in God to give God that one’s free will in exchange for limited will but an afterlife in

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