Jonathan Edwards Figurative Language Analysis

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Jonathan Edwards uses figurative language to reveal God is all powerful. Edwards compares man to a worm, showing how weak people are compared to God. In Edwards’ view people are pathetic creatures and are always at the mercy of God. Edwards associates the correlation between men and God by reminding his listeners how it is, “easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth” (210) and how it is much the same for God when he views people. When Edwards compares humans with worms he stresses the degree of God’s mercy, as well as encouraging his churchgoers to aim to be greater and more worthy in the view of God. Edwards wants the audience to know they are no better than insects to God. This reminds everyone that all …show more content…
Another discussion of God’s power is Edwards preaching to the congregation that they have “nothing to stand upon, nor any thing to take hold of “ (214), but it is the “mere pleasure of God that holds you up” (214) and stops man from being annihilated. This sermon explains it is the “the mere will of God” that stops sinners from being consumed in eternal destruction “at any moment” (212). This confirms the doctrine of the sermon that “There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of Hell, but the mere pleasure of God” (210). The personification of God’s hand reveals God’s power over man. The addressing of man walking on God’s thin hand, which is all that holds the man above the fiery lakes of Hell, shows God’s power over man. Another use of the hand analogy is “the hand of arbitrary mercy” that holds the sharp edge of equity from man’s head. God’s hand holds back the floodgate and “if God should only withdraw His hand from the floodgate” then man would be consumed by “the fiery floods of the fierceness and wrath of God” (215). God’s hand revealing power over man is also mentioned about the serpent hungry for them and “if God should withdraw his Hand, by which they are restrained” (211) then “hell would open its mouth” to
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