In "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," what is the writer's main purpose?

s main goal
in writing and delivering his sermon was to persuade people to love God and give their hearts
to him.  If they do this, Edwards believes they can be saved.

Before the
Great Awakening (of which Edwards was a part), many religious Americans believed in
predestination. They believed God had already decided whether they were going to Heaven or Hell
and that there was nothing they could do to change their fate. Preachers of the Great Awakening
disagreed. They believed people deserved to be damned but could save themselves by accepting
Gods love and loving God in return. 

The main purpose of Edwardss sermon is
to convince the people who are listening that this is true. He warns them about how they are in
danger of going to Hell, and claims they would completely deserve that fate. He says, there is
an opportunity for them, though; they can accept God and improve their chances for salvation.
Edwards tells his listeners that God has given them

an
extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open, and
stands in the door calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners.

He tells them that many other people have already accepted Gods
love and that their

hearts [are] filled with love to him
that has loved them and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of
the glory of God.

He urges them to do the same so they
might be saved as well and be able to live with God in Heaven. His main goal in this sermon is
to get people to accept Gods love and to love him back so they can be saved from
damnation.