Jonathon Edwards was a Puritan minister who preached hellfire and brimstone during a period in history known as The Great Awakening.
During this time, there was a waning interest in religion and Edwards took a part in making his congregation understand that all mankind stands at the mouth of hell. He was particularly known for his references to hell and how each day, every person must fight the battle to keep his soul from being drawn into temptation, and from the mouth of hell itself.
"His sermons were intended as a wake-up call for those who underplayed the majesty of a holy God and overemphasized their own worthiness as decent, hard-working, successful citizens."
"He begins his sermon by pointing out four features of walking on a slippery slope: The threat of destruction is constant, that destruction is imminent and it is self-generated, and the delay of that destruction is due to God’s restraining hand. He is clearly establishing here the foolhardiness of those who choose to walk in such slippery places and that a fatal slide into the yawning abyss is an inescapable certainty."
He emphasizes that the day of repentance is at hand, seek forgiveness now, the time has come, you do not want to be caught after the opportunity for God's mercy has past. He injects a great urgency into his appeal, feeling like he had to save his flock from damnation.
He believes that Christianity is the one true religion. Therefore your salvation depends on your belief in Jesus Christ as your savior.
"For the unconverted, therefore, and for the unredeemed sinner and those who have not embraced Christ as savior, perdition is but a breath away. Only faith in Christ will bear them up. That may not save their life, for they are mortal still, but it will save their soul."
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