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The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours.

Jonathan Edwards#12

ReligionDivinityFearHistoryMoralitySin

About this quote

What does it mean?
Describes God's wrath as intense and humanity as unworthy.
In plain terms
God hates sinners and wants to punish them severely.
What can you take from it?
Fear of divine punishment was a common religious theme.

Where it applies

  • preaching
  • religious study
  • historical text

Putting it to work

  • study religious texts
  • understand historical views
  • reflect on morality

Questions to consider

  • How does this passage influence your view of divinity?
  • What emotions does this text evoke in you?

Another view

This view emphasizes fear over love or compassion.

More from Jonathan Edwards

  1. The wrath of God burns against them, their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive th…

    Permalink to quote #11
  2. Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you would …

    Permalink to quote #13
  3. The soul of a true christian, as I then wrote my meditations, appeared like such a little white flower as we see in the spring of the year; low and humble on t…

    Permalink to quote #10

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