In s sermon , the concept of divine Justice
is personified. Edwards is rather insistent on this point, representing Justice doing and saying
various things. Not only is Justice capitalized (this is done to emphasize various words which
are not personified, as was common in the eighteenth century), but it is described as calling
aloud for the punishment of sins, quoting the Bible, discussing the tree that brings forth the
grapes of Sodom, refusing to object as the guilty are cast into Hell, and brandishing its sword
over the heads of sinners.
Mercy is also personified and the hand of Mercy is
represented holding back Justice from striking the sinners with the sword. Later in the sermon,
Justice is represented as aiming an arrow directly at the hearts of Edwardss congregation, but
this time, as theintensifies, there is no restraining hand of Mercy, nothing but the mere
pleasure of God, and an angry God at that.
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