Jeremiah 4:14 O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long shall your vain thoughts lodge within you? "You have seen," said Spurgeon, "the great reservoirs provided by our water companies, in which the water to supply thousands of houses is kept. Now the heart is the reservoir of man, and our life is allowed to flow in its proper season. That life may flow through different pipes — the mouth, the hand, the eye; but still all the issues of hand, of eye, of lip derive their source from the great fountain and central reservoir, the heart; and hence there is great necessity for keeping this reservoir in a proper state and condition, since otherwise that which flows through the pipes must be tainted and corrupt." How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? — Vain thoughts: — I. CHARACTERISTICS. Those thoughts are vain — 1. From which we do not and cannot reap any good. 2. Which cannot associate in any agreement with useful and valuable ones. 3. Which have to be kept out in order for the mind to attend to any serious or good purpose. 4. Which dwell largely and habitually on trifling things. 5. Which trifle with important things. 6. Which are fickle, not remaining with any continuance on a subject. 7. When the mind has some specially favourite trifle, some cherished, idolised toy. 8. Which continually return to things justly claiming a measure of attention, when the thinking of them can be no advantage. 9. When the mind dwells on fancies of how things might be or might have been, when the reality of how they are is before us. 10. Which men indulge concerning notions and schemings of worldly felicity. II. CORRECTIVE. 1. Have specified subjects of serious interest to turn to when thought reverts to these vanities. 2. Make a sudden charge of guilt on your mind when vain thoughts prevail. 3. Have recourse to the direct act of devotion. 4. Interrupt and stop them by the question, What is just now my most pressing duty? 5. Have recourse to some practical occupation, matter of business, or a visit to some house of mourning. 6. Constrain your habitual thinking to go along with the thoughts of those who have thought the best, by reading the most valuable books. 7. Think to a certain purpose — towards a purposed end. 8. Reflect on how many things we have to do with which vain thoughts interfere; and also, what would have been the result of good thoughts instead of so many vain. 9. Discipline of the thoughts greatly depends on the company a man keeps (Proverbs 13:20). 10. If the complaint be urged, that this discipline involves much that is hard and difficult, we answer, It is just as hard as to do justice to a rational and immortal spirit placed here a little while by God for its improvement, and then to go where appoints. Hard, but indispensable. (John Foster.) Parallel Verses KJV: O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? |
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