Crucible act 4

Sinners in the hands of and angry God is a very riveting sermon. In the sermon Edwards gives us such an emotional account of the way we have been living. To most people it sounds like the sermon is about how angry God is or about the wrath he is going to take out on us. In reality the sermon is so much more beautiful than that. There is such a deeper meaning, Edwards is trying to show the grace of God, and the love God has for us. In the beginning of the sermon Edwards talks about how God holds us over the hell in his hand. “natural men are held in the hand of God over the pit of hell (Edwards 97).” This is a very unnerving thought. We are held above the pit of hell with only God’s hand in our way. By now we are all wondering why God is still holding us? What is binding him to hold on to us longer? Nothing! There is no contract that God is bound by to keep us from falling into hell, however there is this, “uncovenanted, unobliged forbearance of an incensed God (Edwards 97).” The only thing that is keeping us from being in hell right now is the grace of God. The grace of God is a very Puritan thing to say, and is perfect for that time period when Edwards was preaching.

How does all of that tie into The Crucible? In Act 4, and the rest of the play, the men (court) are acting as if they were God. They were controlling who was to die and who would be safe. I do not think that there should ever be a time when it comes down to man to decide who should live and who should not. They are deciding who would get a chance to be saved and who would not. “Which of them do you have hope for (Miller 128)?” Here Danforth is asking Parris who he thinks will confess their sins and have their life spared. They will give a select few the chance to repent and be saved. I think it is wrong to decide who will have a second chance at life and whose lives will be taken. Contrary to Sinners in the hands of an angry God and the way God is described. The court, who is acting as God, has no grace. Danforth says, “There will be no postponement (Miller 128).” Unlike the way God behaves with patients and kindness Danforth has no compassion, no patients and will not give anyone any extra time to think about what they are doing. The only compassion he has is if they confess before they are hanged. He is too worried about what others will think of him, whereas God literally has all the time in the world to wait. There is also a similarity in the two works. In his sermon Edwards writes, “And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open (Edwards 99)” In the book the court gives all of the convicted a chance to repent of their sins and have another chance at life. It is such a beautiful thing when forgiveness is offered and accepted.