The works of Jonathan Edwards and Patrick Henry use significant literary devices. Each of the speeches mentioned here had a definitive purpose and main idea. The authors also used rhetorical questions and repitition to sway thier audiences. The individual characteristics of these works are sometimes found to be alike and somtimes found to be different. "Speech to the Virginia Convention" had a very distinct purpose. That purpose was to persuade the members of the Virginia …showed first 75 words of 625 total…

…showed last 75 words of 625 total…is driven home again by the words "...this is the dismal case of every soul in this congregation that has not been born again..." (Edwards 39) which display the consequences of not following the will of God. Edwards believed that no matter how many good deeds you have performed you would still be cast into hell if you were not born again. This sermon is an extremely potent example of Edwards' ideas on religion and God.