Jonathan Edwards, Resolution 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 possibly avoid it.”
This is a powerful resolution that is along the lines of I Corinthians 10:31, I Peter 4:11, and the Great Commandment. The wording of this resolution is intended to stress a universal statement that all things are to be done to the glory of God and that all that a person should do is to that end as well. This is truly a magnificent statement of a precise man in what he desires to do for that rest of his life. This is a statement that reflects a heart that has been captured and enraptured by the majesty and glory of God. This is not just a logical statement intended to produce an exhaustive statement, it is the statement of a glowing heart that does not want to leave any stone unturned in the pursuit of its love.
“Never to do any manner of thing” begins a statement that is the language of a precise man with a burning heart. Nothing is to be done in any way that is not to the glory of God. Some might want to limit what is done to the outward acts of the body, but not Edwards. He is including the soul as well. He knows that love for God must come from the inner man and can’t be limited to the actions of the body. He wants the intents of his heart and the motives for what he does to be done out of love for God’s glory. He wants those things that flow from his inner man to be desires and longings after the glory of God. The Great Commandment is certainly seen here in that he wants to love God with all of his heart, mind, soul, and strength. Precision is here, yes, but also the longings of a heart that burns with love for the glory of God. It longs to be given over to Him and His glory and nothing else.
The next part of the statement is “less or more.” This is a rather fascinating aspect of this statement. In one sense it seems rather superfluous, but in another it shows how precise and loving the heart was that this statement came from. What can it mean to do nothing but that which tends to the glory of God, and be satisfied with neither less nor more? We can understand what it means to settle for less than the glory of God. It might mean to settle for the appearances of things rather than to truly desire His glory. It might mean to settle for something that does not really glorify God though it might be honorable and moral in the sight of men. Edwards did not want to settle for anything that was less than the glory of God. But what did he mean by more? I think that he is being exhaustive and realistic. There are many things in the world that people think that are far more important than the glory of God. There are times that things may seem to be moral and good, yet those things cannot be done if the glory of God is first and foremost. I conclude that the “more” part of the statement is really a reminder to himself that there is nothing better than the glory of God. Nothing can be done apart from the glory of God that is anything but sin. All that is done that is not to the glory of God is sin. By definition sin is a falling short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). How easy it is to get trapped into something that has the appearance of good but is not to the glory of God.
In reference to doing all to the glory of God, Edwards adds another little puzzle: “nor be, nor suffer it, if I can possibly avoid it.” What does the “nor be” add to this? I think that what he is saying here is an addition to what he said that he wanted to do. The first part of this resolution is that he did not want to do anything that was not to the glory of God. Now he does not want to be anything that is not to the glory of God. One can say that all that they do is to the glory of God, but what of what they are? Whatever one is in terms of their stature before others, work in life, or how they are in their heart must also be taken into consideration. Edwards did and he wanted all that he was to be to the glory of God as well.
He also did not want to suffer anything that was not to the glory of God (“nor suffer it”). This most likely refers to those around him. He wanted to see the glory of God in himself and others. He wanted to influence those around him that he would not have to suffer anything to be done that was not to the glory of God. All must be done to honor God if he could at all do it, be it, or influence others to it. This is a heart that breathed after God. It searched for language to be better able to express what it felt and loved. This may appear extreme to many, but not to those who have had a taste of the goodness of God. There is something in tasting of the glory of God that gives the realization that language cannot begin to express what the soul feels and knows. But the soul also knows that it must stretch itself and try so that it can pursue after God for His glory in that way.
God Loves... Himself 
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