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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Edwards' claim, the the Doctrine section of his sermon, that "Unconverted men walk over the pit of hell on a rotten covering" (408), is what type of argument?

2. What is the only thing, according to Edwards, that stops God from sending the wicked to hell?

3. In the Doctrine section of his sermon, what does Edwards say is a typical way for sinners to think?

4. In the Doctrine section of his sermon, what point does Edwards make about those who are in hell?

5. In the Doctrine section, what Biblical story does the "serpent" allude to?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Edwards say, in the Doctrine section of the sermon, that those who think that they are protecting themselves from hell are fooling themselves?

2. According to the Doctrine section of Edwards' sermon, what different promises has God made to the converted and the unconverted?

3. In the Doctrine section of his sermon, what does Edwards mean when he says that the "mere pleasure of God" (406) is all that keeps sinners out of hell?

4. In the Doctrine section of his sermon, Edwards compares God's power to the power of a human to crush a worm. Explain the meaning and significance of this analogy.

5. What reasons does Edwards give, in the Doctrine section of his sermon, for divine justice not stopping God from casting sinners into hell?

6. Why, in the Doctrine section of his sermon, does Edwards say that sinners should not be comforted by the fact that there is no "visible means of death at hand" (408)?

7. Explain what Edwards is saying, in the Doctrine section of the sermon, about the nature of the souls of sinners when he says "There are in the souls of wicked men those hellish principles reigning, that would presently kindle and flame out into hell fire, if it were not for God's restraints" (408).

8. When, in the Doctrine section of his speech, Edwards says that "The Scripture represents them as his 'goods'" (407), to whom does he refer when he says "them" and "his," and what point is he making about these people?

9. According to the Doctrine section of Edwards' sermon, what is God's attitude toward the sinners who are not yet in hell?

10. Explain why, in the Doctrine section of his sermon, Edwards says that God is not like an earthly prince.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Great Awakening is considered to be the birth of American Evangelical Christianity. Explain what Evangelical Christianity is and discuss how its key tenets can be traced to the Great Awakening.

Essay Topic 2

Within the syllogistic logic of his sermon, Edwards also uses other types of argument. One of these is argument by analogy. What this means is that Edwards claims that the situation of the sinner is like another situation, and therefore what happens in the second situation will also happen to the sinner. Find an argument by analogy in this sermon, and write an essay in which you both explain and critique Edwards' analogy.

Essay Topic 3

The theology of Edwards' sermon relies on both the idea of free will and the idea of divine providence. After some brief research, make and defend a claim about whether these two ideas are compatible.

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