An Impressive Set of Resolutions
How many resolutions did you set this year? How many have you set in your life?
Jonathan Edwards is probably most famous for his sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God (listen to a modern day reading here), which was instrumental to spurring on the Great Awakening of early American History. Before he went onto become a respected theologian though, he came up with about 80 resolutions for himself.
The most stunning thing about these resolutions are that they were all made before he was 21!
Here are a few interesting ones:
- 8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.
21. Resolved, never to do anything, which if I should see in another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for, or to think any way the more meanly of him.
22. Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power; might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.
38. Resolved, never to speak anything that is ridiculous, sportive, or matter of laughter on the Lord’s day.
52. I frequently hear persons in old age say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age.
67. Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.
Read them all over at Into Thy Word.
