New Year's Resolutions

Every year we make Resolutions and every year we break them. I am not big at setting myself up for failure. There is enough failure in my life without setting myself up for more. But, with that said, as I get older I do like goals (I haven’t always) so, I have been thinking what can I aim at this year? Maybe you want to call it a “resolution.” That is fine. Whatever we call it, I don’t want them to be trite, like “Resolved, to get in shape or eat less. etc…” I want it to be something to guide me this year. Then I stumbled upon these. They are not mine. They are not new. But they are significant. I will post only the first 10, there are 70! maybe you’d like to join me. Tell me what you think. You can fine the full list here.

The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

By Jonathan Edwards

The following list is from volume one of The Works of Jonathan Edwards. This two volume set can be purchased or read online for free.

Being sensible that I am unable to do any thing without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him, by his grace, to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake.

Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.

1. Resolved, That I will do whatsoever I think to be most to the glory of God, 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 myriads 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, so to do, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.

2. Resolved, To be continually endeavouring to find out some new contrivance and invention to promote the forementioned 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 possibly avoid it.

5. Resolved, Never to lose one moment of time, but to improve it in the most profitable way I possibly can.

6. Resolved, To live with all my might, while I do live.

7. Resolved, , Never to do any thing, 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. Vid. July 30.

9. Resolved, To think much, on all occasions, of my 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.

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