The Government O the Thoughts
A. R. Beard. Psalm 119:113 I hate vain thoughts: but your law do I love. I. WHAT ARE VAIN THOUGHTS? Not only all such as are in themselves useless and frivolous, but all such as, though not without their importance at their proper times, are allowed to encroach upon the time and attention due to others of equal or greater importance — all such as, by their connection with improper and hurtful inclinations, tend, when encouraged, to fix and strengthen them — all such as indicate the existence of unkind and unchristian feelings — all such as indispose us to the labours and duties of our stations — and lastly, all such as tend to make us undervalue the principles of a pure morality, or distrust the foundation of religious faith and obedience. II. HOW MAY THEY BE AVOIDED OR CONTROLLED? 1. The mind must have its attention directed, and its interest awakened to instructive and important subjects, 2. We must acquire a habit of confining our attention to the subjects and employments which we think deserving of our choice. 3. We should make a diligent use of all our opportunities for storing our minds with sound and practical knowledge. 4. We must avoid the sources of all impure or immoral fancies, whether we have reason to apprehend their existence in our usual books or our usual companions. 5. We should acquaint ourselves with the writings, and seek the society of those whom we may consider either as masters, or, at least, as anxious and successful learners, of the same art. 6. "The words of the pure," and "the lips of knowledge," if it be that knowledge which "maketh wise unto salvation," will second with powerful persuasion another direction that may be given for guarding against the influence of "vain thoughts." It is this — to rest on firm and deep foundations, and to build up for ourselves, with good and durable materials, a real conviction of religious truths. 7. A well-grounded and hearty belief in Christian truths, beside the awful consideration which it opposes to the encouragement of "vain thoughts," disposes the mind to an employment, the recommendation of which is another direction of the right government of the thoughts. That employment is, frequent meditation on the duties and interests which owe a principal part of their sanctions and importance to the doctrines and principles of religion. 8. Frequent, humble, and earnest prayer for deliverance from the evils which we wish to avoid, and assistance to persevere in the pursuit of those things which are "pure, lovely, and of good report" — prayer for that spirit of wisdom and godly fear, which will keep both our hate and our love directed to their proper objects. (A. R. Beard.) Parallel Verses KJV: SAMECH. I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love. WEB: I hate double-minded men, but I love your law.