Contrasting Views of Devotion in Puritanism, Faith and Fate. When you die, will you get what you deserve? What is it that you deserve? According to Puritanism, if you do not fully hand yourself over to the Lord, the horrors experienced would be so great that they are unable to be expressed. However, if you do, you will be granted a beautiful rest of eternity with everything you could ever dream of. In the days of early colonialism, man's fear and acceptance of god was a popular topic and was the most generally accepted concept to write and speak about. Two popular examples of this are Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God by Jonathan Edwards and Upon the Burning of Our House by Anne Bradstreet. Both of these pieces are contrasting ways to look …show more content…
Bradstreet believes that a humble and religious life on earth will lead to an extravagant life in heaven. In her most famous poem, she describes the events of her house burning down and her reaction to it. She mourns her belongings, stating “Under thy roof no guest shall sit, Nor at thy table eat a bit. No pleasant tale shall ever be told,”(Bradstreet, Lines 29-31) but realizes that this is all useless, as mourning won’t do anything for her. “Adieu, Adieu, all’s vanity Then straight I ’gin my heart to chide, And did thy wealth on earth abide? Didst fix thy hope on mold’ring dust?”(Bradstreet, Lines 36-39). She questions if mourning her loss of possessions will do her any good, saying “adieu,” meaning “until god.” This phrase is often used when you believe you won't see something or someone until the afterlife since she believes that she will get all of her belongings back but better later. She reflects that none of that stuff belonged to her anyway, as she belongs to God, and that she was grateful for whatever God did for her. She simply says, “It’s purchased and paid for too by Him who hath enough to do. A price so vast as is unknown Yet by His gift is made thine own; There’s wealth enough, I need no more.”(Bradstreet, Lines 47-51) Anne Bradstreet is mourning the loss of her house by simply saying that it doesn't matter and that it will all turn out for the better