A Comparison Of Solomon Stoddard And Jonathan Edwards

During the eighteenth century, an “immense religious revival swept across the Protestant world” (Murrin, p. 131), led by men such as George Whitefield, Solomon Stoddard, and Jonathan Edwards. These men as well as many others used new preaching styles in order to stir up the emotions of those listening. Their sermons used very specific detail regarding one’s salvation and unity with God. For some, the intense imagery would prompt a revelation, but for others it would generate fear. The sermons “replaced old, prepared homily with a spontaneous exhortation delivered by an untrained preacher, who now employed a mode of persuasion” (Cortes, Sept 21). Jonathan Edwards, in particular, used methods such as these in his sermons. The intensity of his

He had always been extremely religious, even as a young boy, however he questioned his faith a lot then also. Edwards said he was, “…very much affected for many months, and concerned about the things of religion, and my soul’s salvation…” (Edwards, p. 312). Even still, Edwards loved learning about God and participating in events relating to his faith, saying, ““…I seemed to be in my element, when engaged in religious duties” (Edwards, p. 312). From this young age, religion and seeking salvation consumed his life and everyday thoughts. The strict view he had of his faith when he was younger truly foreshadowed the strict view of faith he would preach about later on during the First Great

It was this perception of God that would strike fear in those listening to his sermons during the First Great Awakening. His most famous sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, is the perfect example of this intense and strict view that Edwards had of what could happen to people when they wronged God. In Personal Narrative, he hints many times of this strict view. For example, Edwards said after one of his revelations he “…returned like a dog to his vomit, and went on in the ways of sin” (Edwards, p. 312). By comparing himself to a dog finding his way back to his own vomit, he demonstrates the disgust he has for sin and of himself for sinning. Also in Personal Narrative, Jonathan Edwards writes about how he feels that since he moved to Northampton, he is even more aware of his own wickedness. He states, “I have had a vastly greater sense of my own wickedness, and the badness of my heart, than ever I had before my conversion” (Edwards, p. 318). Similarly, Edwards said, “When I look into my heart, and take a view of my wickedness, it looks like an abyss, infinitely deeper than hell” (Edwards, p. 318). It was views like these ones that had such a great impact on those listening to his sermons. He struck fear in his attendees and created a revival of thought that would change the Protestant