"21. Resolved, never to do any thing, 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. "

In today's venacular, one could sum this up in the idea of assigning positive intent. It goes a long way towards peaceful living with our brothers and neighbors.
TulipGirl | Homepage | 03.03.06 - 6:11 pm | #

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.

I am not entirely sure that I understand this one, forgive my stupidity. :)

Does he mean that we ought not to ask God for anything foolish? I can understand this if he means that we should only ask what is within biblical bounds.
Gracie | Homepage | 03.04.06 - 7:41 am | #

Perhaps #29 means that we are not to pray for something that we already know is not God's will. We are to be sincere and searching for God's perfect will when praying. Does anyone else have further thoughts on it?
Elizabeth | Homepage | 03.04.06 - 8:20 am | #

Gracie & Elizabeth: It seems to me that #29 is more a matter of the heart. Edwards didn't want to be half-heartedly praying.

I've found that there are times when I am asking God to wean me from some "distraction" but my heart isn't in it -- I don't really want Him to answer the request. Or I'm confessing sin, but I'm not really sorry.

Edwards is challenging himself not to do this. Though he doesn't go into the solution to these half-hearted prayers, I find (and this might sound silly to you) that sometimes the only thing I can pray and mean is that God would make me want to care. And I've found that God seems to delight in answering that prayer.

Does anyone else have some insight into #29? Does anyone else have questions?
Brett Harris | Homepage | 03.04.06 - 1:07 pm | #

No, that doesn't sound silly, it sounds very real. :)

I think I am understanding it more now. Thanks.
Gracie | Homepage | 03.04.06 - 1:31 pm | #

Just FYI, Alex and Brett, you've been tagged.
Pieter Friedrich | Homepage | 03.04.06 - 10:44 pm | #

Pieter: Haha... Yes, we noticed. I'm afraid we've made it policy not to do tags here on The Rebelution, so we'll have to pass.
Alex Jordan Harris | Homepage | 03.05.06 - 2:36 pm | #

I'm sorry for my ignorance but I'm a bit puzzled by this one:

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.

From what I understand he is saying he will do anything in his power to get to heaven. That makes sense; I agree with it. But what I don't get is when he says "...yea violence,..." He doesn't mean to do any physical harm to anyone if they are causing him to falter? The best way to fix that would be just go away from that person. I know that God's forgiveness is great but I do doubt that if we lived our lives doing violence to people who stopped us from getting as spiritual as we could, that we would probably have a pretty slim chance on judgement day.

Well, there's what I was puzzles about; please feel free to un-puzzle me :)
JennyAnyDots | Homepage | 03.06.06 - 6:09 am | #

Hi Jenny,

I really don't think he was referring to physical harm to other people. It was the way of these old Puritans to write with very strong language - and I think "violence" refers to violence with his sin and the flesh.

Just as we are to be Christian Hedonists - so too must we be "violent" Christians -- if you take my meaning :D

Dave
David Peyton | Homepage | 03.07.06 - 5:31 am | #

Mr. Peyton,

Well..... I understand what said in your first sentance, that makes sense. Thank you.
But I don't know what a "Christian Hedonists" is. A Hedonists is someone who looks only for pleasure, is it not?
JennyAnyDots | Homepage | 03.07.06 - 9:20 am | #

Read "Desiring God" for more information about Hedonists. Don't worry, it's not a bad thing, Jenny. :) Essentially it's someone who lives to find their pleasure in God.
Carley | Homepage | 03.07.06 - 10:14 am | #

In clarification...make that "Christian Hedonists" in the first sentence, not just "hedonists". Sorry about that!
Carley | Homepage | 03.07.06 - 10:15 am | #

Jenny, we posted about Christian Hedonism a while back (you can read about it here). I believe the violence Edwards speaks of refers to the same kind of ruthlessness with sin as Jesus speaks of in Matthew 5:29-30:

"If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell."

In Edward's time, the word 'violence' did not necessarily mean physical harm (to others), but rather physical force or strength of action.
Alex Jordan Harris | Homepage | 03.07.06 - 10:20 am | #

Oh! Now I understand. Thanks :)
JennyAnyDots | Homepage | 03.09.06 - 5:34 pm | #