Throughout his sermon, Jonathan Edwards discusses peoples relationship with God. How does Edwards change or refine the idea of God and peoples...

The majority
of Edwards's sermon details the depth of God's disgust with sinners. The eternal repercussions
of God's wrath are made exquisitely clear: 

"'Tis
everlasting Wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this Fierceness and Wrath of Almighty God one
Moment; but you must suffer it to all Eternity: there will be no End to this exquisite horrible
Misery..."

Moreover, Edwards uses compellingto
describe the tortuous nature of eternal damnation:

"Damnation dont slumber, the Pit is prepared, the Fire is made ready, the Furnace
is now hot, ready to receive them, the Flames do now rage and glow"

Edwards disabuses the congregation's notion that they will somehow
sidestep damnation through the strengths that they assume they have:

"Natural Mens Prudence and Care to preserve their own Lives, or
the Care of others to preserve them, dont secure €˜em a Moment."

But because the purpose of the sermon was to reinvigorate religious
commitment and bring people back to the church, Edwards had to do more than browbeat and
demoralize the people who gathered to hear him preach that day.  Toward the end of the sermon,
Edwards changes his tone and alters his message.  He describes the joy and feasting the
"elect" are able to enjoy and contrasts it with the "pining and perishing"
of those who will be left behind.  He offers the hope of salvation to those who are willing to
act quickly to secure it:

"And now you have an
extraordinary Opportunity, a Day wherein Christ has flung the Door of Mercy wide
open."