Required reading
Miscellaneous Discourses in Vol 2 of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read 'Procrastination'.
My summary
Today's text is "Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." (Prov. 27:1)
Firstly Edwards warns against misunderstanding the doctrine and thinking that we should in every respect behave as though we knew that we should not live another day.
Then Edwards explains:
(i) the precept about boasting about tomorrow;
(ii) what it looks like when men act as though they depend on another day;
(iii) why we ought not to boast of tomorrow;
(iv) ways to inquire whether the reader boasts of tomorrow;
(v) how to spend every day.
What grabbed me
I really liked Edwards point about the meaninglessness of quarreling in light of death: 'If you were so sensible of your continual liableness to death, that every day was the last you depended upon, these things certainly would not be so. For let us but consider what are the effects of death with respect to such things. It puts an end to party-quarrels. Many men hold these quarrels as long as they live. They begin young, and hold on through many great and sore afflictions and chastisements of Providence. The old sore remains, when the supporters of nature bow, and the eyes grow dim, and the hands tremble with age. But death, when that comes, puts an end to all their quarrelling in this world. Death silences the most clamorous, and censorious, and backbiting tongue. When men are dead, they cease to lay schemes against those of another party; death dashes all their schemes, so for as they have any concern in them. Psal. cxlvi. 4. “His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.”'
Why bother quarreling when the quarrel will end one day regardless!
Next week's reading
Read 'The Christian Pilgrim'.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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