RESOLUTION V.

I am resolved, by the grace of God, so to marshal my thoughts, that they may not justly one another, nor any of them prejudice the business I am about.

MY soul being by nature swift and nimble, and by corruption inordinate and irregular in its operations, I can never set myself to think upon one thing, but presently another presses in, and another after that, and so on, till by thinking of so many things at once, I can think upon nothing to any purpose. And hence it is that I throw away thousands of 136thoughts each day for nothing, which, if well managed, might prove very profitable and advantageous to me. To prevent, therefore, this tumultuous, desultory, and useless working of my thoughts, as I have already resolved to fix my heart upon necessary, and useful and good objects, so to prevent my thoughts rolling from one thing to another, or leaping from the top of one to the height of another object, I must now endeavour to rank and digest them into order and method, that they may for the future be more steady and regular in their pursuits. I know the devil and my own corrupt nature will labour to break the ranks, and confound the order of them; what stratagem, therefore, shall I use to prevent this confusion I shall endeavour, by the grace of God, whensoever I find any idle thoughts begin to frisk and rove out of the way, to call them in again, and set them to work upon one or other of those objects before mentioned, and to keep them, for some time, fixed and intent upon it; and, considering the relations and dependencies of one thing upon another, not to suffer any foreign ideas, such I mean, as are impertinent to the chain of thoughts I am upon, to justle them out, or divert my mind another way. No, not though they be otherwise good thoughts; for thoughts in themselves good, when they crowd in unseasonably, are sometimes attended with very ill effects, by interrupting and preventing some good purposes and resolutions, which might prove more effectual for promoting God’s glory, the good of others, and the comfort of our own souls.

These, and such like, are the methods by which I design and resolve to regulate my thoughts: and, 137since I can do nothing without the divine assistance, I earnestly beg of God to give me such a measure of his grace, as may enable me effectually to put these resolutions in practice, that I may not think and resolve in vain.