Page 10

bodies on the pile and set 'em on fire."

Further, the great flames of a house fire give

"something of an idea of the fierceness of God's wrath."

The fire of hell is a "sea of fire that will always be in a tempest, in which the

wicked shall be tossed to and fro, having no rest day nor night, with vast waves and

billows of fire continually rolling over their heads."

In this description, Edwards seems

to emphasize both the fire and sea metaphors, combining them into a picture of hell as a

"literal" lake of fire. The difficulties with interpreting this language as indicating that the

nature of hell is an actual or real lake of fire seem obvious. Fire and water, although

overlapping metaphors, have significantly different characteristics and seem to be

mutually exclusive, unless this is a special kind of fire or water, which would mean that

either the fire or the water are not to be taken literally. Perhaps it is the horror of the

punishment that awaits the sinner more than the nature of that punishment which

Edwards is emphasizing. This seems to be consistent with the point that follows in the

sermon.

The description of hell is the penultimate emphasis for Edwards. Hell itself is

but an image of the dreadful fire of the wrath of God, which the wicked shall at
the same time suffer in their souls. We read in Rev. 19:15 of "the fierceness and
wrath of almighty God." 'Tis an extraordinary express, carrying a terrible idea of
the future misery of the wicked. If it had been only said, "the wrath of God," that
would [have] expressed what is dreadful. If the wrath of a king is as the roaring of
a lion, what is the wrath of God? But 'tis not only said, "the wrath of God," but
"the fierceness and wrath of God," or the rage of his wrath; and not only so, but
"the fierceness and wrath of almighty God." O what is that! The fierceness and
rage and fury of Omnipotence, a Being of infinite strength! What an idea does
that give of the state of those worms that do suffer that fierceness and wrath of
such an almighty Being! And is it any wonder that fearfulness surprises their
hearts when they see this going to be executed upon 'em.

"Sinners in Zion," 275.

"Sinners in Zion," 276.