Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Book 2 · Chapter 15 · Doctrines
4. Places of doctrine.
1. Doct. All proceedeth of Gods mercy.
Vers. 13. THou wilt by thy mercy carry this people. Whatsoever the Lord doth for his people, proceedeth of his love only, and merciemercy, not of any merit or desert in them. Simler. As Iacob confesseth, he was not worthy of the mercy and truth, which the Lord had shewed him.
2. Doct. All both men and women, must set forth Gods praise.
Vers. 20. ANd all the wom…n came out after her. In that not only the men, but women also here did s…ng, and set forth Gods praise: it sheweth that all in generall, both men and women, should …ee exercised in singing to the praise of God, as the Prophet David exhorteth all people to praise the Lord, Psalm. 147. both young men and maids, old men and children, Psal. 148. Ferus.
3. Doct. Of the lawfull use of Church Musike, and how it ought to be limited.
THey came out with timbrels. As hence it may be gathered, that there is a commendable use of Musike, both in voice and Instrument, in the publike service of God: So here certaine rules are prescribed, which serve for the moderation and limitation of Church Musike. 1. That according to the Apostles rule, all things are to be done to edifying: as here Miriam and the rest so sing, as they are understood, for the women answered the men, and the women answered themselves in singing. So he that singeth in the Church, should so sing, as that hee both edifie himselfe and others: Augustine saith concerning the hearer, Si sonum non sensum libido audiendi desideret, improbatur: If he that heareth, regard the sound more than the sense, it is to be reproved. Cont. Iulian. lib. 4. cap. 14. And touching the Singer, Bernard thus confesseth, Saepe ad sacrum mysterium vocem … fregi ut dulcius cantar…m; magis delecta…ar in vocis modulatione, quàm in cordis compunctione: Oftentimes in the sacred mystery, I did marble with my voice, to sing more sweetly; I delighted more in tuning the voice, than in turning my heart. Hee acknowledgeth this to have beene a fault in himselfe, and so is it in all such singers as use the like. 2. Another rule is, that all things should bee done in the Church foreign, decently, and with a comely grace, 1. Cor. 14.40. Miriam being a prophetesse with the rest, did sing after a sober manner, as it became a grave Matrone or Prophetesse: so should Church Musike, expressed by voice or Instrument, bee grave and sober, not with divisions, and running catches, and curious warbling, and breaking of the voice: As Augustine well saith, Sobri… psal… in ecclesia divin… … Prophetarum: Wee doe sing soberly in the Church, the divine songs of the Prophets, Epist…l. 119. cap. 19.3. The Apostle addeth a third rule, that all things should bee done foreign, according to order. And this is agreeable to order, that things most necessary in the service of God, should have the first and the chiefest place: Musike then should bee used and ordered in the Church, as that it hinder not the preaching of the Word, neither take up that time, which should bee spent in spirituall instruction, and in edifying of mens soules. There is no comparison betweene preaching and singing in the Church, like as S. Paul preferreth five words, spoke with understanding to the instruction of others, before ten thousand words utt…red in a strange tongue, 1. Cor. 14.19. such oddes there is betweene lively and edifying preaching, and dumbe tunes, and unedifying songes. This abuse hath beene espied, even in the popish Church, when other necessary parts of Gods service, as prayers and thankesgiving, were many times omitted, because of the Organe play, and tedious Church-musike: and it is censured in these words, Illud non rectè fit in quibusdam eccles…: This is not well done in certaine Churches, &c. Coloniens. part. 2. chap. 12.
4. Doct. Of the lawfulnesse of Physike, and the abuses thereof.
Vers. 27. I The Lord am thy hea…er, or Physician. By this, that the Lord giveth himselfe this title, the honourable science of Physike is commended: The Physician is to bee honoured in the time of health, against the day of sicknesse. Luke is called the beloved Physician, Colos. 4.10. He would not, being called to be an Evangelist, retaine a calling either unlawfull, or dishonourable to his profession: Ecclesiasticus well adviseth, foreign, honour thy Physician: not the science of Physike, but the abuse of Physicians is to be condemned. And there are two generall faults in that calling, one is in the professors, and practicioners themselves, if they be not faithfull, but make long cures, to inrich themselves, and impoverish their patients, as that poore woman was handled, which had beene troubled with a bloudy issu… twelve yeeres, and had spent all she had: the text saith, Shee had suffered many things of the Physicians and had spent all she had, and it availed her nothing, but she became much worse, Mark. 5.26. where foure inconveniences are set downe, that came by the fraud of the Physicians, the prolonging of the disease, the putting of her body to paine, the wasting of her substance, the increasing of her disease. The other fault is in patients, when they trust to Physicians, and forget God, (as Asa did, 2. Chron. 15.13.) who can worke without Physicians, but they can doe nothing without him.
5. Doct. That is only right, which the Lord commandeth.
Vers. 26. IF thou wilt doe that which is right in his sight, and give care to his commandement. Tunc rectum est opus homini…, cum eo modo fit quo Deus jubet: Then a mans worke is right, when it is done as the Lord biddeth. Pellican. For that is not right, which seemeth good in a mans owne eyes, but what is approved of God: as the Lord by his Prophet saith, They worship mee in vaine, teaching for doctrines the commandements of men, as our Saviour citeth the Prophet, Ma…k ….7.