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IMPORTANCE OF SUPPRESSING VAIN THOUGHTS
THE displeasure of God is never raised to such a height, but that he is willing to pardon his offending creatures, and longs for their repentance on purpose that he may exercise his mercy towards them. The denunciations of his wrath do indeed frequently appear as if they could not be reversed: but they always, even when most positive, imply a condition, and leave room for hope. The approaching destruction of Nineveh was foretold by the prophet in terms which seemed to preclude a possibility of their escape: but their penitence averted the impending storm. Thus, in the chapter before us, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans is spoken of as hastening with the velocity of an eagle, insomuch that the prophet complains of it as already accomplished: “Woe unto us! for we are spoiled:” yet in the very next words he introduces, as in a parenthesis, a brief and pathetic exhortation to repentance, as the sure and only means of staying the Divine judgments.
It should seem that, in the midst of all their wickedness, the Jews buoyed up themselves with expectations that the threatened calamities would never come. In reference to these vain hopes the prophet addresses them in the words which we have just read. In these words we see that God notices the “vain thoughts,” as well as the sinful actions, of men; and that he requires “the heart” to be purified from those, as well as the life from these.
We shall take occasion therefore from the text to shew,
I. What are those vain thoughts which are apt to lodge within us—
Of course it will not be possible to notice all the vain thoughts that rush into the minds of men; (we might as well attempt to number the sands upon the sea shore:) we must content ourselves with mentioning a few, which deserve more particular attention.
St. Paul speaks of a “filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit:” agreeably to which distinction we may arrange our thoughts under two heads;
1. Spiritual—
[There are many “vain thoughts,” which, on account of their having their seat and empire in the mind only, may be called spiritual; but which are peculiarly hateful to God.
What proud thoughts are apt to infest the mind! It is no small complacency which people feel in the beauty of their persons, the elegance of their dress, the dignity of their titles, or the extent and variety of their intellectual acquirements. Even in reference to religion itself, how common is it to behold men puffed up with vain conceit, imagining themselves wise, when they are “born like a wild ass’s colt;” and good, when they are “enemies to God by wicked works!”
Unbelieving thoughts also are ever ready to arise. Indeed, these almost universally prevail. Whence is it that men are so secure, so easy in their sins? Whence is it that all the promises and threatenings of the Gospel have so little weight? Is it not from the secret thought that God’s word shall never be fulfilled, and that, however they may live, they shall have peace at the last? And are not such thoughts peculiarly displeasing to God [Note: Deu_29:19-20.]?
Amongst the most sinful thoughts that can occupy the mind, are those which are vindictive: yet how apt are they to rankle in the breast! What a tumult will they excite within us, agitating our frame, and instigating us to the most bitter invectives, hasty purposes, and violent proceedings! It is well for mankind that all are not equally susceptible of these impressions; but there are few, if any, who have not found them, on some occasions, disturbing their own peace, and operating to the destruction of Christian charity. Nothing can more strongly mark the impiety of such thoughts than God’s express declaration, that he himself will never forgive any person that entertains them in his heart [Note: Mat_18:35.].]
2. Carnal—
[Amongst carnal thoughts we number those which relate either to the world or to the flesh.
The world tempts us principally to anxious, covetous, or ambitious thoughts. To these all are more or less exposed: the statesman, the warrior, the merchant, the mechanic, yea, all orders and degrees of men, are impelled or distracted by them. Doubtless, it is the duty of every man to attend to the proper business of his calling: but when his mind is so occupied with earthly things as that he can find no delight in those which are heavenly, he is sinning against God, who would have him without carefulness [Note: 1Co_7:32. Php_4:6. Mat_6:25-34.], and commands him to “set his affections on things above, and not on things below [Note: Col_3:2.].”
It is scarcely needful to mention, that amongst the vainest thoughts which find a lodgment within us, are those which are impure. It is surprising with what violence these will sometimes assault the soul; how they will haunt it by night and by day; how they will intrude even into the holiest places, and interrupt our holiest services. Nor can we doubt in what light they are to be regarded, when God himself has declared an unchaste look to be the same in his sight as actual adultery [Note: Mat_5:28.].]
Not to enumerate any more vain thoughts, we shall rather proceed to shew,
II. The necessity of cleansing ourselves from them—
We cannot cleanse ourselves from the guilt which we have already contracted, unless we wash in “the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness.” Nor can we purify ourselves from the pollution of sin, unless the Holy Ghost work effectually in us [Note: To this effect we pray that “God would cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit.”]. Yet this does not supersede the use of means; for when the text exhorts us to “wash our hearts from wickedness,” it implies that,
1. It may be done—
[Though the power is certainly of God, yet there is much to be done by us: we should maintain a sense of God’s presence with us. If the eye of a fellow-creature, even of a child, were upon us, we should be deterred by it from the commission of many sins: how then should we be restrained from evil thoughts, if we felt a consciousness that God was privy to every imagination of our hearts!
We should guard against the occasions of sin. All our senses and faculties are inlets to sin, or instruments whereby we commit it. All our intercourse with each other gives occasion to evil, if we be not much on our guard against it. We may, by flattering, or worldly, or light conversation, or even by imparting to each other the workings of our hearts, stir up unhallowed passions, and suggest thoughts that may be exceedingly injurious to the soul. We should “set a watch before the door of our mouths,” and even “make a covenant with our eyes,” in order to shut out evil from our own hearts, and keep from exciting it in the hearts of others.
We should frequently meditate upon the Holy Scriptures. David found this a good antidote to evil thoughts [Note: Psa_119:113.]. The Scriptures have in themselves an efficacy to purity the heart, when they are applied to us by the powerful energy of the Holy Ghost [Note: 2Co_10:4-5.]: besides which, the more we are filled with holy thoughts, the less room will be left for the intrusion of evil [Note: See Luk_11:24-26.]. Being intent on the promises of God, we shall more easily cleanse ourselves from all filthiness, both of flesh and spirit [Note: 2Co_7:1.].
Lastly, we should “diligently keep our hearts [Note: Pro_4:23.].” The heart is the womb in which all evils are generated [Note: Mat_15:19.]; and we must watch all its motions, if we would keep it pure. The very instant any evil arises there, we must expel it: if we cannot prevent its entrance, we must take care it do not “lodge within us.”]
2. It must be done—
[God notices our thoughts as much as he does our actions [Note: Psa_50:21. Eze_11:5.]; and he considers them as characterizing our state before him. “As we think in our hearts, so are we [Note: Pro_23:7. with Mat_12:35.];” we are either hypocritical and vile, or pure and holy, according as we indulge, or abhor, the hidden abominations of our hearts.
Thoughts as really lead to death as actions themselves do [Note: Jam_1:15.]: and they may be so evil in the sight of God as to render it doubtful whether they shall ever be forgiven [Note: Act_8:22.]. They must therefore be repented of as much as actions [Note: Act_8:22.]: and, if they be not repented of, they will inevitably exclude us from the kingdom of heaven. This is strongly intimated in the text, since the mortifying of them is declared to be necessary to saltation: and the same awful truth is taught by our Lord himself, who represents the pure in heart “as the only persons who shall see God [Note: Mat_5:8.].”
The very manner in which God addresses us in the text, is a very striking proof of the necessity which lies upon us to subdue the evil workings of our hearts. Wherefore is all this tenderness in the exhortation, but because God, who willeth not the death of a sinner, sees the fatal tendency of our evil thoughts? And wherefore this kind impatience in the reproof, but because he sees that the evil, if indulged, will grow upon us; and that, if not speedily suppressed, it will terminate in our ruin?
Tenderly then would we exhort you all to mark the secret motions of your hearts. In respect of actions, many of you, no doubt, are virtuous, and, to a certain degree, blameless, But if you will call to mind the “vain thoughts” that have lodged within you, you will find abundant reason to blush, and be confounded before God in dust and ashes [Note: Psa_19:12. Pro_20:9.]. You will see that you need the blood of Christ to cleanse you from guilt, and the Spirit of Christ to create in you a new heart, as much as the most abandoned wretch on earth: and that, unless you set yourselves in earnest to “cleanse your hands, and purify your hearts [Note: Jam_4:8.],” there can be no salvation for you.
Say, Beloved, when will you begin this necessary work? With a holy impatience we would urge you to begin it instantly; lest, while you are purposing amendment, you be summoned unprepared to meet your God in judgment [Note: Isa_55:7.].]