Jonathan Edwards

and the Puritans

Puritans • Called themselves “the godly”, but other people called them

“Puritans.”

• If they lived this way, Puritan people thought it would help

them get into Heaven.

Puritans wanted to live quiet, simple lives, spending a lot of their time praying, reading the

Bible, and listening to sermons.

Puritans• Wore plain clothes & lived in plain houses.

• Went to church a lot (all day on Sundays and often on other days too)

• They thought that God wanted them to work very hard & be very serious.

Puritans (continued)

• Did not listen to music, party, or dance.

• Believed that the Bible was God’s true law, and that it provided a plan for living.

• Since God was at the forefront of their minds, He was to motivate all of their actions.

Beliefs• The devil was behind

every evil deed.

• Words of hell fire and brimstone flowed from the mouths of eloquent ministers as they warned of the persuasiveness of the devil’s power.

1703-1758

Jonathan Edwards• Puritan Minister

• The delivery of the sermons became an art form.

• Sermons were elegant, well formed, interpretive renditions of scripture, with a healthy dose of fear woven throughout the fabric of the literary construction

Vocabulary used in Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

• Fire & brimstone: the torments suffered by sinners in hell

• Wrath: strong vengeful anger• Prudence: the ability to govern &

discipline oneself by the use of reason

• Contrivance: the act of planning• Sovereign (adj): the most exalted

kind; superlative in quality

• Vengeance: punishment inflicted in retaliation for an injury or offense

• Omnipotent: all-powerful• Loathsome: disgusting• Abhors: to regard with extreme dislike• Abominable: worthy of or causing disgust• Incensed: to arouse the extreme anger or

indignation of • Asunder: into parts• Induce: to persuade or cause• Ineffable: inexpressible; unable to be spoken• Lamentable: mournful; expressing grief• Dolorous: sad; mournful• Pining: to lose vigor, health, or flesh• Vexation: the quality or state of being troubled