In his thirteenth resolution, Mather states, “When the children are of a fit age for it, I will sometimes closet them; have them with me alone; talk with them about the state of their souls; their experiences, their proficiencies, their temptations; obtain their declared consent unto every jot and tittle of the gospel; and then pray with them, and weep unto the Lord for His grace, to be bestowed upon them, and make them witnesses of the agony with which I am travailing to see the image of Christ formed in them. Certainly, they’ll never forget such actions!”

Modern Resolutions

As the year comes to a close, many will take time to reflect on the past twelve months. This time of reflection is often one of disappointment; a feeling of falling short of that which could have been. In light of this feeling and a foresight of a new beginning, people endeavor to set for themselves resolutions they may stick to, in order that the new year may be better than the current. But what is the typical nature of these resolutions? Normally, it is some form of self-improvement, be it daily meditation, sticking with a workout routine, reading more, improving spending habits, or a host of other personal goals. While many Christians may set resolutions which involve a Bible reading plan or a better prayer rule, a majority of resolutions involve the self for the ultimate benefit of the self. This differs in nature historically from how resolutions were put together, especially among men of faith in 18th-century America. While similar in that an individual would make a resolution to which they bind themselves, the telos of this resolution did not culminate in the self but chiefly to the glory of God. Two helpful resolutions to look at which help illustrate this point are The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards and Cotton Mather’s A Father’s Resolutions.

Jonathan Edwards’s Resolutions

At the age of nineteen, Jonathan Edwards penned about seventy resolutions, the first twenty-two of which were penned in one sitting (1). These resolutions can be put in various categories concerning his overall life mission, good works, time management, relationships, suffering, character, and the spiritual life (2). Among those who are Reformed, these are likely the most famous of all resolution lists and come from a figure whom many view as a spiritual giant in the faith. Of note is the age at which Edwards recorded these. He was not an aged man with experience in the ministry, counseling congregants through tragic loss or complicated situations involving a heavy degree of immorality. Rather, this was a young man who strived to enjoy God in all his glory and live a virtuous life. In his third resolution, Edwards states, “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.” (3) The nature of Edwards’s resolutions is not just setting general goals for himself which he can discard at the drop of a hat, rather, he is seriously and thoughtfully penning down wisdom which he binds himself to before God and himself. 

The end of these resolutions is not just self-improvement for the sake of self-improvement, but a striving toward virtue for the sake of participating in the glory of God. Edwards opens his first resolution stating, “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 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 to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.” (4) Note the ends in mind which Edwards lays out: God’s glory and the good of mankind in general.

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