Tuesday 18 November 2008

How does Edwards use repetition at the end to heighten the effect of his sermon?

Near the end of his
sermon, Edwards says,

And now you have an extraordinary
opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide
open, and stands in calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners; a day
wherein
many are flocking to him, and pressing into the kingdom of God.
Many are daily coming from the east,
west, north and south; many that were very lately in the same
miserable condition that you are in, are now in a happy state, with their hearts filled with
love to him who has loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing
in hope of the glory of God. How awful is it to be left behind at such a
day! To see so many others feasting,
while you are pining and perishing! To see so many rejoicing
and singing for joy of heart, while you have cause to mourn for sorrow of heart,
and howl for vexation of spirit!
How can you rest one moment in such a condition?
Are not your souls as precious as the souls of the people at Suffield, where they are flocking
from day to day to Christ? (all emphases are mine)


He repeats the phrase "a day wherein" twice near the
beginning of this excerpt, as though to emphasize the tremendous import of this
day
, this day when his listeners have the opportunity to join with Christ, and to
imply that there may not be another such day for them to make this
choice.

The words "daily" and "day" are repeated several
more times throughout the paragraph, presumably in order to draw attention to the passage of
time and the wasting of one's chances with each day that passes: he says, in other words,
days keep passing and other people keep taking Jesus up on this deal, and yet YOU
still have not. How many more days will YOU let go by, while others flock to him, and you remain
distant and apart? How many more chances do you think you will get?


Edwards then repeats certain phrases and even uses parallel sentence structures to
emphasize the fact that these others will be feasting and rejoicing while YOU are yearning and
wishing and howling because you will have missed your chanceunlike these other happy
believers.

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