Do you notice how his motivation was always to try do what he thought would "glorify God" (right or wrong)?
Any "judging" he exhibits is against himself. He wants to have nothing but charitable and compassionate thoughts about others, and is anquished in his spirit when he can't do it.
This *motivation* shows a very emotionally and spiritually mature mentality.
Those (professing Christians or otherwise) who think *it's all about them*, and have no such motivations toward God or others, hate his example because it makes them *feel* judged and condemned merely when they see or hear about it.
Edwards strove only to be hard on himself, not others. Yet the emotion-driven "others" love to accuse him of just the opposite. :D
Regrettably, Col. Burr spread his seed all over America and Europe. His one legitimate child, a daughter, died in a shipwreck with her new husband before she could leave an heir.
However, if Gore Vidal's theory about Martin van Buren's parentage is correct, then Jonathan Edwards is the great-grandfather of President Van Buren.
To "glorify" God has taken on an unfortunate twist in understanding in our time. For many Christians, to "glorify God" means that we do our best, put our best foot foward, spare no expense, etc., in regard to our work for God.
However, in the Bible I see a different idea. Whenever God's "glory" is mentioned, it relates to a physical, visible, sometimes audible manifestation of God Himself; e.g., God's glory was manifested in the column of smoke by day, fire by night, which led the nation of Israel through the wilderness; "the glory of the Lord" appeared in the temple to Isaiah, and was seen by Isaiah.
Essentially, man does not glorify God; God glorifies Himself. Or, to put it another way: a person glorifies God only when that person allows God to show Himself through him or her, so, what people see is not the person's best efforts on God's behalf, but they see God Himself, living out through the life and actions of the person. One glorifies God by denying oneself, which is what I believe Edwards is talking about. It's a subtle difference, but it's the difference between self-righteous behavior, and "death to self" which allows the life of Christ to shine through a person -- one is a "pretend" glory, and the other is the actual glory of God.
What a wonderful antidote to pride...
-penny
Actually, in my simple state I could simply state my resolution as follows:
1 Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
In answer to the question: right!
I can not keep one resolution. this man of God kept all of his I believe.
I couldn't help but note that he didn't resolve one thing that was not God directed...no attempt to be better through his own effort or works.Reminds me of the OT where we are told to keep the word of God on our forhead,on our lips and on our hands....live a fully God directed life...
He was a great man.
P.S. Would someone please forward this list to William Jefferson Clinton?
Edward's list brings to my mind this from Job, "Things too wonderful for me . . . " (Job 42:3). All of the Puritans' writings are the source of much motivation to me.
I am struck by the emphasis of duty in the list of resolutions. I counted 6 references to duty, 0 references to rights.
It is a facile lie to say that one government is a theocracy and another ain't. All governments are theocracies, no law exists without a spiritual reason for it.
Practically there can be no separation of church and state, and yet the Founders did the right thing with the First Admenment -- they kept the tent of America open on all four sides. Too often harsh theocracies create great evils and distance themselves from G-d by saying only one door is open, and no others. It is usually a too narrow door detested by G-d.
The worst, I think, are the tyrants, facists and eliists who close all doors to their goverments.
May the plague of "self-esteem" be gone from our popular vocabulary, and be replaced by service, duty, and sacrifice. And may many more saints confused by the drivel of the "gospel" according to television preachers, find the rich streams of the faith that still flows from pastors like Edwards, Spurgeon, Whitfield, Owens, Watson, Pink, and others who handled the scriptures with reverence and grace.