A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God
After recent events in town referred to as "The Springfield Contention" in which the law was involved with the removal of a local pastor, Edwards delivers this sermon to attest to how he has observed God working in the incident. As people raised contentions against one another, they all, as individuals, sought out biblical support and divine justice for the affair. In their devout seeking they all seem to have experienced dramatic spiritual conversions. This prompts Edwards to explore the nature of conversion which, to him, is centered around a fearful recognition of divine judgement. He offers thanks for how God has used a seemingly terrible situation to further enlighten his people and to bring about conversions which seemingly appeared impossible before.
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
Based upon the text of Deuteronomy 32:25, Edwards observes the perilous state of human salvation. He outlines the constant threat of damnation which appears to haunt all men, since they are subject to the will of a sovereign God. Since God cannot be contained or controlled in any form, He is therefore someone to be feared. In this recognition, Edwards urges anyone in the congregation not already converted to convert, lest in this very moment they be damned because of their arrogance in hearing but not doing.
God Glorified in Man's Dependence
In his profession, Edwards believes that all of man's inherent and redeemed good derives from God alone. He credits man with absolutely nothing, illustrating a systematic debtor to God and his generosity to mankind after the Fall. In this line of reasoning, Edwards continues to ascribe glory to God for having placed man in a completely dependent position so as to illustrate his sovereignty and grace.
Personal Narrative
Growing up, Edwards was a deeply religious boy, spending most of his time with friends in discussion about God. In his interior life, he became increasingly consumed with contemplations about God and about his own inferior nature. Edwards decided he wanted to be a holy man. After college, he managed to escape self-loathing for sometime in his pursuit of the church. His first parish was a challenge which only reinforced Edwards' conviction of total dependence upon God. When he suffered a lengthy illness one time, he was forced to settle his own beliefs concerning God's sovereignty and goodness and concluded for himself that he would remain faithful to God always and to consider any seeming suffering as a punishment for his own evil. He devotes his time to meditation and prayer at length, frequently outdoors.
