By Jonathan Edwards
I've been present on the earth for 30 years now, walking with the Lord for half of that, and I'd like to say that I will not be manufacturing any more of my own resolutions going forward. It seems peculiarly wise to adopt Jonathan Edwards' resolutions which are absolutely supportive of Godly living, behavior, and relationship.
The following 70 resolutions are taken from Desiring God's web page, and categorized with subheadings and categorization are suggested by Matt Perman to increase the readability. These resolutions offer daily and practical ways to walk circumspect according to the Lord's will and pleasure (Eph 5:15). Let us make the most of our time and energy.
Overall Life Mission
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.
6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while
I do live.
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.
62. Resolved, never to do anything but duty;
and then according to Eph. 6:6-8,
do it willingly and cheerfully as unto the Lord, and not to man; “knowing that
whatever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord.” June
25 and July 13, 1723.
Good Works
11. Resolved, when I think of any theorem in
divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if
circumstances don’t hinder.
13. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out
fit objects of charity and liberality.
69. Resolved, always to do that, which I shall
wish I had done when I see others do it. Aug. 11, 1723.
Time Management
5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time;
but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I
should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
17. Resolved, that I will live so as I shall
wish I had done when I come to die.
18. Resolved, to live so at all times, as I
think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things
of the gospel, and another world.
19. Resolved, never to do anything, which I
should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I
should hear the last trump.
37. Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am
going to bed, wherein I have been negligent, what sin I have committed, and
wherein I have denied myself: also at the end of every week, month and
year. Dec. 22 and 26, 1722.
40. Resolved, to inquire every night, before I
go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect
to eating and drinking. Jan. 7, 1723.
41. Resolved, to ask myself at the end of
every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly in any respect have
done better. Jan. 11, 1723.
50.Resolved, I will act so as I think I shall
judge would have been best, and most prudent, when I come into the future
world. July 5, 1723.
51.Resolved, that I will act so, in every
respect, as I think I shall wish I had done, if I should at last be
damned. July 8, 1723.
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. July 8, 1723.
55. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act
as I can think I should do, if I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and
hell torments. July 8, 1723.
61. Resolved, that I will not give way to that
listlessness which I find unbends and relaxes my mind from being fully and
fixedly set on religion, whatever excuse I may have for it-that what my
listlessness inclines me to do, is best to be done, etc. May 21, and July
13, 1723.
Relationships
14. Resolved, never to do anything out of
revenge.
15. Resolved, never to suffer the least
motions of anger to irrational beings.
16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone,
so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for
some real good.
31. Resolved, never to say anything at all
against anybody, but when it is perfectly agreeable to the highest degree of
Christian honor, and of love to mankind, agreeable to the lowest humility, and
sense of my own faults and failings, and agreeable to the golden rule; often,
when I have said anything against anyone, to bring it to, and try it strictly
by the test of this Resolution.
33. Resolved, always to do what I can towards
making, maintaining, establishing and preserving peace, when it can be without
over-balancing detriment in other respects. Dec. 26, 1722.
34. Resolved, in narration’s never to speak
anything but the pure and simple verity.
36. Resolved, never to speak evil of any,
except I have some particular good call for it. Dec. 19, 1722.
46. Resolved, never to allow the least measure
of any fretting uneasiness at my father or mother. Resolved to suffer no effects
of it, so much as in the least alteration of speech, or motion of my eve: and
to be especially careful of it, with respect to any of our family.
58. Resolved, not only to refrain from an air
of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of
love, cheerfulness and benignity. May 27, and July 13, 1723.
59. Resolved, when I am most conscious of
provocations to ill nature and anger, that I will strive most to feel and act
good-naturedly; yea, at such times, to manifest good nature, though I think
that in other respects it would be disadvantageous, and so as would be
imprudent at other times. May 12, July 2, and July 13.
66. Resolved, that I will endeavor always to
keep a benign aspect, and air of acting and speaking in all places, and in all
companies, except it should so happen that duty requires otherwise.
70. Let there be something of
benevolence, in all that I speak.
Suffering
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.
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.
57. Resolved, when I fear misfortunes and
adversities, to examine whether ~ have done my duty, and resolve to do it; and
let it be just as providence orders it, I will as far as I can, be concerned
about nothing but my duty and my sin. June 9, and July 13, 1723.
Character
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.
12. Resolved, if I take delight in it as a
gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw
it by.
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.
32. Resolved, to be strictly and firmly
faithful to my trust, that that in Prov. 20:6, “A faithful
man who can find?” may not be partly fulfilled in me.
47. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to deny
whatever is not most agreeable to a good, and universally sweet and benevolent,
quiet, peaceable, contented, easy, compassionate, generous, humble, meek,
modest, submissive, obliging, diligent and industrious, charitable, even,
patient, moderate, forgiving, sincere temper; and to do at all times what such
a temper would lead me to. Examine strictly every week, whether I have done
so. Sabbath morning. May 5, 1723.
54. Whenever I hear anything spoken in
conversation of any person, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, Resolved
to endeavor to imitate it. July 8, 1723.
63. On the supposition, that there never was
to be but one individual in the world, at any one time, who was properly a
complete Christian, in all respects of a right stamp, having Christianity
always shining in its true luster, and appearing excellent and lovely, from
whatever part and under whatever character viewed: Resolved, to act just as I
would do, if I strove with all my might to be that one, who should live in my
time. Jan. 14 and July 3, 1723.
27. Resolved, never willfully to omit
anything, except the omission be for the glory of God; and frequently to
examine my omissions.
39. Resolved, never to do
anything that I so much question the lawfulness of, as that I intend, at the
same time, to consider and examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or no;
except I as much question the lawfulness of the omission.
20. Resolved, to maintain the strictest
temperance in eating and drinking.
Spiritual Life
Assurance
25. Resolved, to examine carefully, and
constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt
of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.
26. Resolved, to cast away such things, as I
find do abate my assurance.
48. Resolved, constantly, with the utmost
niceness and diligence, and the strictest scrutiny, to be looking into the
state of my soul, that I may know whether I have truly an interest in Christ or
no; that when I come to die, I may not have any negligence respecting this to
repent of. May 26, 1723.
49. Resolved, that this never shall be, if I
can help it.
The Scriptures
28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so
steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive
myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.
Prayer
29. Resolved, never to count that a prayer,
nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is
so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession,
which I cannot hope God will accept.
64. Resolved, when I find those “groanings
which cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26),
of which the Apostle speaks, and those “breakings of soul for the longing it
hath,” of which the Psalmist speaks, Psalm 119:20, that
I will promote them to the utmost of my power, and that I will not be wear’, of
earnestly endeavoring to vent my desires, nor of the repetitions of such earnestness. July
23, and August 10, 1723.
The Lord’s Day
38. Resolved, never to speak anything that is
ridiculous, sportive, or matter of laughter on the Lord’s day. Sabbath
evening, Dec. 23, 1722.
Vivification of Righteousness
30. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every
week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than
I was the week before.
42. Resolved, frequently to renew the
dedication of myself to God, which was made at my baptism; which I solemnly
renewed, when I was received into the communion of the church; and which I have
solemnly re-made this twelfth day of January, 1722-23.
43. Resolved, never henceforward, till I die,
to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God’s,
agreeable to what is to be found in Saturday, January 12, 1723.
44- Resolved, that no other end but religion,
shall have any influence at all on any of my actions; and that no action shall
be, in the least circumstance, any otherwise than the religious end will carry
it. Jan.12, 1723.
45. Resolved, never to allow any pleasure or
grief, joy or sorrow, nor any affection at all, nor any degree of affection,
nor any circumstance relating to it, but what helps religion. Jan.
12-13, 1723.
Mortification of Sin and Self Examination
23. Resolved, frequently to take some
deliberate action, which seems most unlikely to be done, for the glory of God,
and trace it back to the original intention, designs and ends of it; and if I
find it not to be for God’s glory, to repute it as a breach of the 4th
Resolution.
24. Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously
evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then both
carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might
against the original of it.
35. Resolved, whenever I so much question
whether I have done my duty, as that my quiet and calm is thereby disturbed, to
set it down, and also how the question was resolved. Dec. 18, 1722.
60. Resolved, whenever my feelings begin to
appear in the least out of order, when I am conscious of the least uneasiness
within, or the least irregularity without, I will then subject myself to the
strictest examination. July 4 and 13, 1723.
68. Resolved, to confess frankly to myself all
that which I find in myself, either infirmity or sin; and, if it be what
concerns religion, also to confess the whole case to God, and implore needed
help. July 23 and August 10, 1723.
56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the
least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.
Communion with God
53. Resolved, to improve every opportunity,
when I am in the best and happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul
on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself
wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I
confide in my Redeemer. July 8, 1723.
65. Resolved, very much to exercise myself in
this all my life long, viz. with the greatest openness I am capable of, to
declare my ways to God, and lay open my soul to him: all my sins, temptations,
difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and every thing, and every
circumstance; according to Dr. Manton’s 27th Sermon on Psalm 119. July
26 and Aug. 10, 1723.
Aug. 17, 1723
Source: http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/articles/the-resolutions-of-jonathan-edwards#_ftn1
