Help understanding Goodwin on the concept of thoughts?

[clawrence9008]

Reading through the republished version of “The Vanity of Thoughts” that RHB put out a little bit ago, and I’m having some trouble understanding what aspect of our thought life Goodwin is specifically discussing here.

First, as it reads in this version of Goodwin’s treatise:

Instead, I must confine myself to the vanity of that which is more properly called the thinking, meditating, considering power of man, which is in his understanding or spirit. This is the subject at hand: thoughts not only in contrast to works but also in contrast to purposes and intentions. For just as the soul is distinguished from spirit in Hebrews 4:12, so also are thoughts distinguished from intentions. … For there is a reasoning, deliberating, determining faculty by which we reason and discuss things and continually ask ourselves, “What shall we do?” This is like an inner chamber, the private council of the heart. But there is also a more outward lodging, a chamber which entertains all who come. This is the thinking, musing, meditating faculty, which suggests the raw material for deliberations, consultations, and reasonings, and holds objects up for our consideration and entertains all that come to speak with any of our affections.

Supplemented by the original, non-modernized version:

I must confine myself, as strictly as may be, to the vanity of that which is more properly called the thinking, meditating, considering power of man, which is in his understanding and spirit, that being the subject I have in hand; thoughts not being in this sense opposed only to your works, but unto purposes and intents. … For besides that reasoning power, deliberating power, whereby we ask ourselves continually, What shall we do?, and whereby we reason and discuss things, which is a more inward closet, the cabinet and privy council of the heart, there is a more outward lodging, that presence-chamber, which entertains all comers, which is the thinking, meditating, musing power in man, which suggesteth matter for deliberations, and consultations, and reasonings, which holds the object till we view them, which entertaineth all that come to speak with any of our affections.

The distinction that Goodwin is making here is going over my head and somewhat inhibiting me from understanding the rest of his discourse. Any help?

 

[CasualWestminsterEnjoyer]

Reading through the republished version of “The Vanity of Thoughts” that RHB put out a little bit ago, and I’m having some trouble understanding what aspect of our thought life Goodwin is specifically discussing here.

First, as it reads in this version of Goodwin’s treatise:


Supplemented by the original, non-modernized version:

The distinction that Goodwin is making here is going over my head and somewhat inhibiting me from understanding the rest of his discourse. Any help?

He's saying that man has an understanding, that understanding thinks and meditates, and it doesn't just think in order to purpose and do. Sometimes it thinks about things it has no intention of doing, or intends not to do.