Solparvus
Puritan Board Senior
I had listened to lectures on Jonathan Edwards by Matthew Everhard, and the resolutions were central. The resolutions themselves are for the most part excellent aspirations. What amazed me is the untold story of those resolutions--namely, that Edwards gave up on them. He penned the first ones in December 1721, but was possibly done with them by August 1723.
Edwards kept a diary, which he began at the same time, to track his own spiritual progress according to those resolutions.
A month later in January 1722, Edwards writes:
“The last week I was sunk so low, that I fear it will be a long time before I am recovered. I fell exceedingly low in the weekly account. I find my heart so deceitful, that I am almost discouraged from making any more resolutions. — Wherein have I been negligent in the week past; and how could I have done better, to help the dreadful low estate in which I am sunk?”
There is nothing about his resolutions in Edwards' journal after August 1723, and even that project began to taper off, until in 1735 he wrote his last entry. Even before then, there were gaps of months and years between entries.
In 1740, Edwards writes to another minister with a clear allusion to his resolutions:
“I had an eager thirsting after progress in these things; which put me upon pursuing and pressing after them. It was my continual strife, day and night, and constant inquiry, how I should be more holy, and live more holily, and more becoming a child of God, and a disciple of Christ. I now sought an increase of grace and holiness, and a holy life, with much more earnestness than ever I sought grace before I had it. I used to be continually examining myself, and studying and contriving for likely ways and means how I should live holily, with far greater diligence and earnestness than ever I pursued any thing in my life; but yet with too great a dependence on my own strength; which afterwards proved a great damage to me. My experience had not then taught me, as it has done since, my extreme feebleness and impotence, every manner of way; and the bottomless depths of secret corruption and deceit there was in my heart. However, I went on with my eager pursuit after more holiness and conformity to Christ.”
The resolutions are in the most part excellent and high aspirations; but it helps to remember that men like Edwards were made of dust and ashes, and to remember they may have a much different view on their own acts and strivings and attainments than we or the biographers do.
Edwards kept a diary, which he began at the same time, to track his own spiritual progress according to those resolutions.
A month later in January 1722, Edwards writes:
“The last week I was sunk so low, that I fear it will be a long time before I am recovered. I fell exceedingly low in the weekly account. I find my heart so deceitful, that I am almost discouraged from making any more resolutions. — Wherein have I been negligent in the week past; and how could I have done better, to help the dreadful low estate in which I am sunk?”
There is nothing about his resolutions in Edwards' journal after August 1723, and even that project began to taper off, until in 1735 he wrote his last entry. Even before then, there were gaps of months and years between entries.
In 1740, Edwards writes to another minister with a clear allusion to his resolutions:
“I had an eager thirsting after progress in these things; which put me upon pursuing and pressing after them. It was my continual strife, day and night, and constant inquiry, how I should be more holy, and live more holily, and more becoming a child of God, and a disciple of Christ. I now sought an increase of grace and holiness, and a holy life, with much more earnestness than ever I sought grace before I had it. I used to be continually examining myself, and studying and contriving for likely ways and means how I should live holily, with far greater diligence and earnestness than ever I pursued any thing in my life; but yet with too great a dependence on my own strength; which afterwards proved a great damage to me. My experience had not then taught me, as it has done since, my extreme feebleness and impotence, every manner of way; and the bottomless depths of secret corruption and deceit there was in my heart. However, I went on with my eager pursuit after more holiness and conformity to Christ.”
The resolutions are in the most part excellent and high aspirations; but it helps to remember that men like Edwards were made of dust and ashes, and to remember they may have a much different view on their own acts and strivings and attainments than we or the biographers do.