Hello All,
Jonathan Edwards was an American preacher who lived in the 1700's and was instrumental in the revival movement known as "The Great Awakening." I happened upon his New Year's Resolutions on another site and thought that they spoke volumes of the man at the time that he wrote these. Here they are:
1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God's glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriad's of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and how great soever.
2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new invention and contrivance to promote the aforementioned things.
3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.
4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.
5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
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.
9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.
10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.
Happy New Years!
Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez
3 comments:
Wow...this makes my resolution to quit popping my knuckles seem pretty paltry.
Aimee,
Mine was to learn to pop my knuckles more often...is that a bad habit!? :)
Most anything written by guys who are long dead, make the stuff that is written today seem pretty paltry. I imagine it's due in part to having resolutions like this.
Jonathan Edwards, huh? I've been pretty stand offish about him ever since I read "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"
talk about fearing the Lord
Post a Comment