Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

As I read this reading, by Jonathan Edwards, I couldn't help but acknowledge the truth in the convicting words that he was saying.  God is soverign.  He can choose to do whatever he pleases with us and we would deserve it. He makes a point to say that we deserve to go to Hell.  He continues in this statement by informing his congregation that there is nothing that they can do to change that.  I couldn't help but feel as I was reading this that his message seemed more hopeless than hopeful.  He talks about God's grace but briefly.  If I was in his congregation I probably would have really been freaking out about about the fact that I am terrible, and when his emphasis relys so heavily on that point it is hard to hear the tidbits of Edwards revealing God's grace. In a way it shows the difference of the church now and then. Today we put such an emphasis on God as a loving, caring God.  Then it was more driven by the fear and power of God.  I don't believe that is how we should come to salvation.  We shouldn't love God solely on the fact that if we don't and if we don't accept Jesus then we will be in complete misery.  We should love God because of his greatness and his love for us.  Whether this sermon is usual for then I can't say, but if it was the usual Sunday morning sermon I would be terrified daily by the power of God.  I don't think that it would be a healthy fear either.