"SO EVERY THOUGHT" - Thomas Goodwin
The vanity and sinfulness of the mind appears in the godly, that though they entertain good thoughts, yet the mind is not, will not, be long intent on them. Some things there are which we are and can be intent upon, and accordingly dwell long upon them; and therefore, in Job 17:11, the thoughts are called the 'possessions of the heart,'—
Such thoughts as are pleasing, the heart dwells on them; yea, so intent are we often, that they hinder our sleep: as it is said of wicked men, 'They cannot sleep for multitude of thoughts,' Eccles. 5:12; so, 'to devise froward things,' Solomon says, Prov. 16:30, that 'a man shuts his eyes,' that is, is exceeding attentive, poreth upon his plots; for so a man doth use to do, to shut his eyes when he would be intent, and therefore it is so expressed.
But now let the mind be occupied and busied about good things, and things belonging to our peace, how unsteady is it! Which things should yet draw out the intention of the mind; for the more excellent the object is, the stronger our intention should be.
God is the most glorious object our minds can fasten on, the most alluring: the thoughts of whom therefore should swallow up all other, as not worthy to be seen the same day with him. But I appeal to all your experiences, if your thoughts of him be not most unsteady, and are, that I may so compare it, as when we look upon a star through an optic glass, held with a palsy- shaking hand. It is long ere we can bring our minds to have taken of him, to place our eyes upon him; and when we have, how do our hands shake, and be lose sight ever and anon! So whilst we are in never so serious talk with him, when all things else should stand without, and not dare to offer entrance till we have done with him, yet how many chinks are there in the heart at which other, thoughts come in! and our minds leave God, and follow them, and 'go after our covetousness,' as the prophet's phrase is, Ezek. 33:31.
So when we are hearing the word, how do our minds ever and anon run out of the church, and come in again, and so do not hear half what is said! So when we are at our callings, which God bids us to be conversant about with all our might, Eccles. 9:10; yet our minds, like idle truants, or negligent servants, though sent about never so serious a business, yet go out of the way to see any sport, run after the hares that cross the way, follow after butterflies that buzz about us.
And so when we come to pray, Christ bids 'watch to prayer,' Mark 13:33; that is, as if we were at every door to place a guard, that none come in and disturb and knock us off. But how oft doth the heart nod, and fall asleep, and run into another world, as men in dreams do!
And though indeed the mind of man is nimble and able thus to run from one end of the earth to another, which is its strength and excellence, yet God would not have this strength, and nimbleness, and mettle spirit in curvetting and trembling, as I may call it, but in steady directing all our thoughts straight on to his glory, our own salvation, and the good of others; he gave it this nimbleness to turn away from evil, and the first appearance of it.
As we are to walk in God's ways he calls us to, so every thought, as well as every action, is a step, and therefore ought to be steady; 'Make straight steps to your feet,' says the Apostle, Heb. 12:13, turning not to the right hand nor to the left, until we come to the journey's end...
Thomas Goodwin. Excerpts from The Vanity of Thoughts
Such thoughts as are pleasing, the heart dwells on them; yea, so intent are we often, that they hinder our sleep: as it is said of wicked men, 'They cannot sleep for multitude of thoughts,' Eccles. 5:12; so, 'to devise froward things,' Solomon says, Prov. 16:30, that 'a man shuts his eyes,' that is, is exceeding attentive, poreth upon his plots; for so a man doth use to do, to shut his eyes when he would be intent, and therefore it is so expressed.
But now let the mind be occupied and busied about good things, and things belonging to our peace, how unsteady is it! Which things should yet draw out the intention of the mind; for the more excellent the object is, the stronger our intention should be.
God is the most glorious object our minds can fasten on, the most alluring: the thoughts of whom therefore should swallow up all other, as not worthy to be seen the same day with him. But I appeal to all your experiences, if your thoughts of him be not most unsteady, and are, that I may so compare it, as when we look upon a star through an optic glass, held with a palsy- shaking hand. It is long ere we can bring our minds to have taken of him, to place our eyes upon him; and when we have, how do our hands shake, and be lose sight ever and anon! So whilst we are in never so serious talk with him, when all things else should stand without, and not dare to offer entrance till we have done with him, yet how many chinks are there in the heart at which other, thoughts come in! and our minds leave God, and follow them, and 'go after our covetousness,' as the prophet's phrase is, Ezek. 33:31.
So when we are hearing the word, how do our minds ever and anon run out of the church, and come in again, and so do not hear half what is said! So when we are at our callings, which God bids us to be conversant about with all our might, Eccles. 9:10; yet our minds, like idle truants, or negligent servants, though sent about never so serious a business, yet go out of the way to see any sport, run after the hares that cross the way, follow after butterflies that buzz about us.
And so when we come to pray, Christ bids 'watch to prayer,' Mark 13:33; that is, as if we were at every door to place a guard, that none come in and disturb and knock us off. But how oft doth the heart nod, and fall asleep, and run into another world, as men in dreams do!
And though indeed the mind of man is nimble and able thus to run from one end of the earth to another, which is its strength and excellence, yet God would not have this strength, and nimbleness, and mettle spirit in curvetting and trembling, as I may call it, but in steady directing all our thoughts straight on to his glory, our own salvation, and the good of others; he gave it this nimbleness to turn away from evil, and the first appearance of it.
As we are to walk in God's ways he calls us to, so every thought, as well as every action, is a step, and therefore ought to be steady; 'Make straight steps to your feet,' says the Apostle, Heb. 12:13, turning not to the right hand nor to the left, until we come to the journey's end...
Thomas Goodwin. Excerpts from The Vanity of Thoughts
