II. What Is Vanity?
the child. Then, they are our thoughts. Or when the heart broods over those eggs, then they are our thoughts, even if they originate from outside.
It should be noted that even those thoughts in which the soul is passive, and which are cast in by Satan, thoughts that we in no way embrace, where he violates the heart rather than begets them within us (if there is no consent on our part, then it is akin to rape, as the law describes it), I concede that these thoughts are often punishments for neglecting our own thoughts and allowing them to wander. Just as Dinah, because she ventured out cunningly to "see the daughters of the land," was taken and violated—though against her will, it was a consequence of her curiosity. Alternatively, they may be the consequence of neglecting the good promptings of the Spirit, which, when resisted, grieve Him. And so, He deals with us as we do with our children, allowing us to be frightened by imaginary threats and troubled by Satan, so that we may learn the consequences of neglecting Him and embracing vanity. Finally, I add, "which the mind, by itself or with the aid of imagination, produces and entertains," because there are no thoughts or images of things in our imagination without those same thoughts being simultaneously reflected in the understanding as well. It is like when two mirrors are placed opposite and close to each other; whatever image appears in one is also seen in the other.
What is Vanity?
2. Secondly, let us explore the meaning of vanity. In all its connotations, it holds true that our thoughts are vain.
(1.) Vanity is understood as unprofitableness. As stated in Ecclesiastes 1:2-3, "All is vain" because "there is no profit in them under the sun." By nature, our thoughts are unhelpful; even the wisest among them will not provide assistance in times of need, temptation, distress of conscience, or on the day of death or judgment. As stated in 1 Corinthians 2:6, "All the wisdom of the wise comes to nought." Proverbs 10:20 says, "The heart of the wicked is of little value," not worth a penny for all their thoughts. In contrast, the thoughts of a godly person are their treasure. They bring them forth from the good treasure of their heart, minting them as their riches.
As expressed in Psalm 139:17, "How precious are they!" The psalmist speaks specifically about thoughts of God as the object of those thoughts, saying, "Your thoughts [referring to thoughts about God] are precious."
(2.) Vanity is also understood as lightness. The phrase "lighter than vanity" is used in Psalm 62:9, and it refers to people. If anything in them is lighter than anything else, it is their thoughts, which float in the uppermost parts, skimming the surface like scum. When all the best, wisest, deepest, and most profound thoughts of Belshazzar, a prince, were weighed, they were found to be too light (Daniel 5:27).
(3.) Vanity is synonymous with folly. In Proverbs 12:11, "vain men" is equated with men "void of understanding." This is the nature of our thoughts. Among the various evils that are said to "come out of the heart" (Mark 7:22), foolishness is listed. This refers to thoughts that resemble those of madmen and fools—thoughts that serve no purpose, which cannot be utilized, and that seem to arise and wander without reason or purpose.
(4.) Vanity denotes inconstancy and fragility. Thus, vanity and a shadow are used interchangeably in Psalm 144:4. Such are our