Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God!

All wicked men's pains and contrivande which they use to escape hell, while they continue to reject Christ, and so remain wicked men, do not secure them from hell one moment. Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it; he depends upon himself for his own security; he flatters himself in what he has done, in what he is now doing, or what he intends to do. Every one lays out matters in his own mind how he shall avoid damnation, and flatters himself that he contrives well for himself, and that his schemes will not fail. They hear indeed that there are but few saved, and that the greater part of men that have died heretofore are gone to hell; but each one imagines that he lays out matters better for his own escape than others have done. He does not intend to come to that place of torment; he says within himself, that he intends to take effectual care, and to order matters so for himself as not to fail.
But the foolish children of men miserably delude themselves in their own schemes, and in confidence in their own strength and wisdom; they trust to nothing but a shadow. The greater part of those who heretofore have lived under the same means of grace, and are now dead, are undoubtedly gone to hell; and it was not because they were not as wise as those who are now alive: it was not because they did not lay out matters as well for themselves to secure their own escape. If we could speak with them, and inquire of them, one by one, whether they expected, when alive, and when they used to hear about hell, ever to be the subjects of misery: we doubtless, should hear one and another reply, "No, I never intended to come here: I had laid out matters otherwise in my mind; I thought I should contrive well for myself -- I thought my scheme good. I intended to take effectual care; but it came upon me unexpected; I did not look for it at that time, and in that manner; it came as a thief -- Death outwitted me: God's wrath was too quick for me. Oh, my cursed foolishness! I was flattering myself, and pleasing myself with vain dreams of what I would do hereafter; and when I was saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction came upon me."

Edwards, Jonathan. "Sinners in the hands of an Angry God!". July 8, 1741. March 2008 <http://www.piney.com/JonEdwSinHands.html>.

Reflection: No wonder the Puritans during this time praised God for every other thing! They were trying to stay out of hell. If most of the teachings of the time were similar to Edwards harangue then it is to be expected that they would do anything to try to keep themselves out of hell. Edwards in this passage focuses his attention on those who do not think that they will end up in hell, those who think that they are safe and will be one of the few who are kept from the flames. Edwards wakes them up from their dream shouting that they are not safe and they are in even more danger because they do not percieve a threat and so when death comes unexpectedly they will go to hell because they were not focusing on God through their life.
Edwards could not stand those who thought that they were morally superior to those around them and so he addressed this issue by saying that they were only lying to themselves and other people like them who had ended in hell hadn't predicted their fate either.
With this type of preaching it is understandable how the Puritans would be strict in their faith and not question any event for it could be God's will. Their lives focused on working for God and praising God so that they may avoid hell.

Dear Diary,

During today's mass the minister preached quite harshly to us. He threatened us with Hell and said that we better shape up or else we will end up burning in Hell's fire for eternity. He told us that those who thought they would make it into heaven were fooling themselves and that God was angry with us and would not hesitate to punish us. Not a single soul in that church that day was restfull. People fidgited in their seats with looks of worry on their brows, hoping that they were not one of those who would not recieve God's grace.
It struck me to think of God as a vengeful and angry God. I've always been God fearing but God is supposed to be forgiving and benevolent so I was very frightened to hear the idea that God would need very little to cast me into Hell for eternity. Many people, me included, left that mass shaking with fear and started to praise God and do our best to live his word for fear of being smighted on the spot. I just hope that I may be able to recieve God's grace.
God's peace be with you,
Matthew