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Ben Ramirez

Mrs. Storer

English 3 Honors American Literature

27 August 2019

Through Their Eyes

People’s perceptions of others are based on their personal experiences or how that person

has acted in the past. In both Anne Bradstreet’s poems and Jonathan Edwards’ sermon, God’s

actions are described for the reader to form an image of God. Bradstreet describes a loving God

who gives to humanity while Edwards describes a loving God who redeems humanity from hell,

but also punishes and casts men into the flames of Hell.

Bradstreet believes in a God who gives with seemingly unlimited generosity. In her poem,

“Upon the Burning of Our House”, she describes the Heavenly afterlife with God: “It’s purchased

and paid for too by Him who hath enough to do” (Bradstreet 47-48). The words “by Him who hath

enough to do” are key in that they prove the true generosity of God because He keeps on giving

despite having countless responsibilities as Lord of all creation. Bradstreet’s statement allows the

reader to form his or her own mental image of God, who is so generous that He gives and gives to

humanity. God’s giving actions create a clearer image of His generous nature in the reader’s mind.

Yet in another poem, “To My Dear and Loving Husband”, she again mentions her unpayable debt:

“Thy love is such I can no way repay” (Bradstreet 9). The love given to her is “no way repayable.”

Her statement refers not only to her husband, but also her God. God has given her an amount of

love that she can not possibly reciprocate. Her description of her debt as “no way repayable”

demonstrates her belief in a generous God who gives so much in return for so little. Her carefully
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chosen words tell the reader about her view towards her generous God. However, Edwards also

has a similar view towards God’s good side.

Edwards believes in a merciful God who is the shepherd of mankind. In his sermon,

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, Edwards talks about the mortal peril of man: “it is nothing

but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being swallowed up in everlasting destruction”

(Edwards 2). God alone stands between man and hell as a shepherd stands between a lion and his

sheep. God is the merciful shield of mankind, the saving grace. Edwards’ description of God

redeeming man forms the picture of a loving God in the listener’s mind. In his same sermon, he

also talks of how God cleans away sin: “…with their hearts filled with love to Him that has loved

them and washed them from their sins in His own blood,” (Edwards 3). He recognizes God’s

merciful actions toward the sinful. Edwards describes God as using his own blood specifically to

prove the point that God is so merciful that he would sacrifice his own blood and health for man,

which he did. God came down to earth and lived among man for 30 years until He was killed by

the very men He had created. God did all of this to save man and redeem him. As Edwards

continues to describe God’s whole series of saving actions, the reader sees an image of a savior

come to earth who has done so much for mankind. However, in this same sermon, he also

recognizes the punishing actions of God towards mankind.

Unlike Bradstreet, Edwards perceives God’s righteous punishing actions to give his

listeners a different image of God. In his sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”,

Edwards says that God has his wrath pointed at mankind: “…and the arrow made ready on the

string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart” (Edwards 2). Edwards makes the point of using

the imagery of the bow to give a clearer image of God as the destroyer of man. The choice of the

bow is that God will literally shoot the hearts of man to punish their sins. Edwards’ description of
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God literally waiting to kill mankind clarifies the picture of God the punisher for his listeners.

Later in the sermon, he makes a reference to ancient city of Sodom, the city of Sin: “Let everyone

fly out of Sodom! Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain,

lest you be consumed” (Edwards 3) Edwards’ references the destruction of the ancient city of vice,

that belonged to the sinners. His reference is an acknowledgement to God’s punishing actions in

the past. Rather than allow a city of sin to exist, God destroyed it. The entire city was razed and

the people who once lived were punished. His use of the reference cements the understanding that

God is a punisher and a destroyer. Edwards’ recognition of God’s punishing and destructive

actions helps to refine his mental image of God.

Both Bradstreet and Edwards offered legitimate views of an infinitely natured God. Both

Bradstreet and Edwards similarly believed in a good-natured and kind God who gives life and love

to Bradstreet and forgives and saves Edwards; however, Edwards also recognizes God’s punishing

actions towards mankind. While Bradstreet recognizes one nature of God’s actions, Edwards

manages to identify two natures to his actions. One must wonder whether this is from different

levels of faith or perhaps what each author wanted to see in his or her God.
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Works Cited

Bradstreet, Anne. “To My Dear and Loving Husband.” Glencoe American Literature, by Jeffrey

D. Wilhelm et al., Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2009, pp. 92.

Bradstreet, Anne. “Upon the Burning of Our House.” Glencoe American Literature, by Jeffrey

D. Wilhelm et al., Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2009, pp. 91.

Edwards, Jonathan. “from Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Glencoe American

Literature, by Jeffrey D. Wilhelm et al., Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2009, pp. 97-99.