"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is a sermon written by the American theologian Jonathan Edwards, preached to his own congregation in Northampton, Massachusetts, to profound effect,[1] and again on July 8, 1741 in Enfield, Connecticut. The preaching of this sermon was the catalyst for the First Great Awakening.[2] Like Edwards' other works, it combines vivid imagery of sinners' everlasting torment in the burning fires of Hell with observations of the world and citations of Biblical scripture. It is Edwards' most famous written work, and a fitting representation of his preaching style.[3] It is widely studied by Christians and historians, providing a glimpse into the theology of the First Great Awakening of c.1730-1755.
"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.God may cast wicked men into Hell at any given moment.
The wicked deserve to be cast into Hell. Divine justice does not prevent God from destroying the wicked at any moment.
The wicked, at this moment, suffer under God's condemnation to Hell.
The wicked, on earth-at this very moment-suffer a sample of the torments of Hell. The wicked must not think, simply because they are not physically in Hell, that God (in whose hand the wicked now reside) is not-at this very moment-as angry with them as he is with those he is now tormenting in Hell, and who-at this very moment-feel and bear the fierceness of his wrath.
At any moment God shall permit him, Satan stands ready to fall upon the wicked and seize them as his own.
If it were not for God's restraints, there are, in the souls of wicked men, hellish principles reigning which, presently, would kindle and flame out into hellfire.
Simply because there are not visible means of death before them at any given moment, the wicked should not feel secure.
Simply because it is natural to care for oneself or to think that others may care for them, men should not think themselves safe from God's wrath.
"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.God may cast wicked men into Hell at any given moment.
The wicked deserve to be cast into Hell. Divine justice does not prevent God from destroying the wicked at any moment.
The wicked, at this moment, suffer under God's condemnation to Hell.
The wicked, on earth-at this very moment-suffer a sample of the torments of Hell. The wicked must not think, simply because they are not physically in Hell, that God (in whose hand the wicked now reside) is not-at this very moment-as angry with them as he is with those he is now tormenting in Hell, and who-at this very moment-feel and bear the fierceness of his wrath.
At any moment God shall permit him, Satan stands ready to fall upon the wicked and seize them as his own.
If it were not for God's restraints, there are, in the souls of wicked men, hellish principles reigning which, presently, would kindle and flame out into hellfire.
Simply because there are not visible means of death before them at any given moment, the wicked should not feel secure.
Simply because it is natural to care for oneself or to think that others may care for them, men should not think themselves safe from God's wrath.
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