could be by any plausible arguments or objections. His conver sation with his friends was always savoury and profitable: in this he was remarkable, and almost singular. He was not used to spend his time with them in scandal, evil speaking, and backbiting, or in foolish jesting, idle chat, and telling stories: but his mouth was that of the just, which bringeth forth wisdom, and his lips dispersed knowledge. His tongue was as the pen of a ready writer, while he conversed about important, heavenly, divine things, which his heart was so full of, in such a natural and free manner, as to be most entertaining and instructive: so that none of his friends could enjoy his company without instruction and profit, unless it was by their own fault. He kept himself quite free from worldly cares. He gave himself wholly to the work of the ministry, and entangled not himself with the affairs of this life. He left the particular oversight and direction of the temporal concern of his family, almost entirely to Mrs. Edwards; who was better able than most of her sex to take the whole care of them on her hands. He was less acquainted with most of his temporal affairs than many of his neighbours; and seldom knew when and by whom his forage for winter was gathered in, or how many milk kine he had, whence his table was furnished, &c.

EXTRACTS FROM HIS PRIVATE WRITINGS, &c.
His Resolutions.

Being sensible that I am unable to do any thing without God's help, I do humbly intreat 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 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 and how great soever.

2. Resolved, To be continually endeavouring to find out some new invention and contrivance to promote the fore-mentioned things.

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 avoid it.

5. Resolved, Never to lose one moment of time; but improve it 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.

9. Resolved, To think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

11. Resolved, When I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances do not hinder.

13. Resolved to be endeavouring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.

14. Resolved, Never to do any thing out of revenge.

15. Resolved, Never to suffer the least motions of anger to irrational beings.

17. Resolved, That I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

18. Resolved, To live so at all times, as I think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the gospel, and another world.

20. Resolved, To maintain the strictest temperance in eating. and drinking.

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.

24. Resolved, Whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then both carefully endeavour to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.

28. Resolved, To study the scriptures so steadily, constantly, and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

30. Resolved, To strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.

32. Resolved, To be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, that that in Prov. xx. 6, a faithful man who can find? may not be partly fulfilled in me.

33. Resolved, Always to do what I can towards making, maintaining and establishing peace, when it can be without over-balancing detriment in other respects.

34. Resolved, In narrations never to speak any thing but the pure and simple verity.

36. Resolved, Never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call for it.

37. Resolved, To inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent, what sin I have committed, and wherein I have denied myself; also at the end of every week, month, and year.

38. Resolved, Never to speak any thing that is ridiculous, or matter of laughter on the Lord's day.

39. Resolved, Never to do any thing that I so much question the lawfulness of, as that I intend, at the same time, to consider and examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or not: except I as much question the lawfulness of the omission.

41. Resolved, To ask myself at the end of every day, week, month, and year, wherein I could possibly in any respect have done better.

42. Resolved, Frequently to renew the dedication of myself to God, which was made at my baptism; which I solemnly renewed when I was received into the communion of the church; and which I have solemnly re-made this 12th day of January 1722-3.

43. Resolved, Never hence-forward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God's: agreeable to what is to be found in Saturday January 12.

46. Resolved, Never to allow the least measure of any fretting uneasiness at my father or mother. Resolved to suffer no effects of it, so much as in the least alteration of speech, or motion of my eye: and to be especially careful of it, with respect to any of our family.

47. Resolved, To endeavour to my utmost to deny whatever is not most agreeable to a good, and universally, sweet and benevolent, quiet, peaceable, contented, easy, compassionate, generous, humble, meek, modest, submissive, obliging, diligent and industrious, charitable, even, patient, moderate, forgiving, sincere temper; and to do at all times what such a temper would lead me to: examine strictly every week, whether I have done so.

48. Resolved, Constantly, with the utmost niceness and diligence, and the strictest scrutiny, to be looking into the state of my soul, that I may know whether I have truly an interest in Christ or not; that when I come to die, I may not have any negligence respecting this to repent of.

50. Resolved, I will act so as I think I shall judge would have been best, and most prudent, when I come into the future world. 52. I frequently hear persons in old age say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age.

54. Whenever I hear any thing spoken in conversation of any person, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, Resolved to endeavour to imitate it.

55. Resolved, To endeavour to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments.

56. Resolved, Never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.

57. Resolved, When I fear misfortunes and adversities, to examine whether I have done my duty, and resolve to do it; and let it be just as Providence orders it, I will as far as I can, be concerned about nothing but my duty, and my sin.

62. Resolved, Never to do any thing but duty; and then according to Eph. vi. 6, 7, 8, do it willingly and cheerfully as unto the Lord, and not to man; knowing that whatever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord.

65. Resolved, Very much to exercise myself in this all my life long, viz. with the greatest openness I am capable of, to declare my ways to God, and lay open my soul to him: all my sins, temptations, difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and every thing, and every circumstance, according to Dr. Manton's 27th sermon on the 119th Psalm.

67. Resolved, After afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.†

EXTRACTS FROM HIS PRIVATE DIARY.

Saturday, Dec. 22, 1722. This day revived by God's Spirit. Affected with the sense of the excellency of holiness. Felt more exercise of love to Christ than usual. Have also felt sensible repentance of sin, because it was committed against so merciful and good a God. This night made the 37th Resolution.

Sabbath-day night, Dec. 23. Made the 38th Resolution. Monday, Dec. 24. Higher thoughts than usual of the excellency of Jesus Christ and his kingdom.

Wednesday, Jan. 2, 1722-3. Dull. I find by experience, that let me make resolutions, and do what I will, with never so many inventions, it is all nothing, and to no purpose at all, without the

†The Resolutions are seventy in number. But part of them are here transcribed, as a specimen of the whole. The number here affixed to them is that by which they are numbered in the original manuscript; and retained here for the sake of the references made to some of them in the Diary, as the reader will presently see.

motions of the Spirit of God: for if the Spirit of God should be as much withdrawn from me always, as for the week past, notwithstanding all I do, I should not grow; but should languish, and miserably fade away.-There is no dependence upon myself. It is to no purpose to resolve, except we depend on the grace of God; for if it were not for his mere grace, one might be a very good man one day, and a very wicked one the next.

Sabbath-day, Jan. 6, at night. Much concerned about the improvement of precious time. Intend to live in continual mortification, without ceasing, as long as in this world.

Tuesday, Jan. 8. in the morning. Higher thoughts than usual, of the excellency of Christ, and felt an unusual repentance of sin therefrom.

Wednesday, Jan. 9. at night. Decayed. I am sometimes apt to think, I have a great deal more of holiness than I have. I find now and then, that abominable corruption which is directly contrary to what I read of eminent Christians.-How deceitful is my heart! I take up a strong resolution, but how soon does it weaken!

Thursday, Jan. 10. about noon. Reviving. 'Tis a great dishonour to Christ, in whom I hope I have an interest, to be uneasy at my worldly state and condition. When I see the prosperity of others, and that all things go easy with them; the world is smooth to them, and they are happy in many respects, and very prosperous, or are advanced to much honour, &c. to grudge and envy them, or be the least uneasy at it; to wish or long for the same prosperity, and that it would ever be so with me. Wherefore

concluded always to rejoice in every one's prosperity, and to expect for myself no happiness of that nature as long as I live; but depend upon afflictions, and betake myself entirely to another happiness.

I think I find myself much more sprightly and healthy, both in body and mind, for my self-denial in eating, drinking and sleeping.

I think it would be advantageous every morning to consider my business and temptations: and what sins I shall be exposed to that day: and to make a resolution how to improve the day, and to avoid those sins. And so at the beginning of every week, month, and year.

I never knew before what was meant by not setting our hearts upon these things. 'Tis not to care about them, to depend upon them, to afflict ourselves much with fears of losing them, nor please ourselves with expectation of obtaining them, or hope of the continuance of them. At night made the 41st Resolution.

Saturday, Jan. 12. in the morning. I have this day solemnly renewed my baptismal covenant and self-dedication, which I re