The Treasure of the Church, Lecture 12
The twelfth Lecture.
Vers. 16. They are not of the world, as I am not of the world.]
THis verse was repeated before vers. 14. that which was there obserued shall not need to be rehearsed againe: only this shall be now considered: that the Scriptures are so tempered, that to our capacitie, and for our profite some speciall matters and sentences are againe remembred.
1. So Saint Paule saith: It grieueth me not to write the same things vntounto you, and for you it is a sure thing, Philip. 3. 1.
2 Sometime repetitions are vsed as ornaments and graces to the spiritual songs, as Psalm. 136. this clause (for his merciemercy endureth for euer) is repeated in eueryevery verse, as the ground of that Psalme, and well setting foorth the heauenly melodie thereof.Why the Scripture vseth repetitions. Sometime repetitions are vsed for the stirring and lifting vp of the affections: as Psal. 135. vers. 1. Praise the name of the Lord, praise him: vers. 3. praise the Lord. These exhortations are againe vttered, that our affections should be more vehemently touched with a desite to praise God. Sometime for doctrine sake, and our better instruction and vnderstanding some hard matters, and sentences are often opened, and for our better remembrance iterated: as our Sauiour repeateth and expoundeth to his Apostles the parable of the seed, Mat. 13.
3 Therefore the words of the wise are compared to nailes, that are sure fastened, and driuen vp to the head, Eccles. 12. 11. So is it, when doctrine is throughly applyed: The word of God is as siluer seuen times purified in the fornace, Psal. 12. 7. The foroace is our heart, where the word of God by fruitfull meditation must be tried, till it become siluer, and be made profitable to vsus. And as the cleane beasts did chew the cudde, that is, they did againe eate and minse the meate receiued: so by often rehearsing and meditating, the word of (God as our spirituall food) must perfectly be digested.
4. The reason hereof is, our dulnesse of hearing, and weaknesse of vnderstanding, as the Apostle sheweth to the Hebrewes: Whereas concerning the time ye ought to be teachers, ye hauehave need againe that we teach you the first principles of the word of God. Heb. 5. 12. whom the Prophet compareth to sucking babes, that had need to be taught precept vponupon precept, line after line, Isa. 28. 10.
5 First, though the spirit of God, that best knoweth how to sit our affections, vseth repetitions:Of vaine and idle repetitions. yet this is no warrant for men to vse vaine tautologies and rehearsals of the same things, either in prayers or preachings: which are of three sorts; either of negligence proceeding from loosnesse, when men tosse and tumble vp and downe the same things often in their indigested prayers. Such were the long and irkesome prayers of the Pharises, Mat. 23. 14. Either they are for ostentation, such as were the tedious acclamations of Baals Priests, who did cut also and launch themselues with knifes▪ hauing nothing in their mouthes from morning to noone, but these wordes: Baal heare vsus. Such were the tedious Church songs vsed in popery, full of long and vaine repetitions, and dismembred sentences: which vse (I feare me) is not altogether left in the seruice and songs of some Cathedral churches to this day. Some vaine rehearsals do shew superstition: as the heathen did thinke to be heard for their much babling, Mat. 6. 7. So were people taught in poperie to say ouer vponupon their beades so many Pater nosters, Aue Maries, so many Creedes, as though the often saying of them had a more holinesse, and added a greater efficacie vntounto them. Wherfore all these kinds of fruitlesse repetitions are held to be vain and not at all grounded vponupon Christs example.
Secondly, we are taught, that where the Spirit of God especially commendeth vntounto vsus any doctrine or sentence in Scripture, it should so much the more of vsus be carefully remembred. Hereof it is, that so often in the Psalmes do we find this word Selah, foreign:Of the word Selah vsed in the Psalmes. which is deriued of a word, that signifieth to lift vp: which was a note of singular attention to marke what was contained in the verses so marked, and that the voice should be exalted and lifted vp in the singing. Hierome out of Origen reporteth diuerse acceptions and takings of this word: the Septuagint, Theodotian and Symmachus, interpret it Diapsalma, the chaunge of the tune or song: Aquila and the fift edition, semper, alwaies: the sixt edition, iugiter, infinem, continually, or to the end.Hierom. Whereupon Hierome giueth this note:Marcella▪ Ex quo animaduertimus, hoc verbum docere, Tom. 4.sempiterna esse quae dicta sunt: whereby we marke, that this word sheweth, that the things vttered are eternal, that is, for euer to be remembred. So should we continually remember the holy instructions so carefully cōmended in Scripture: as this here twice beaten vponupon by Christ, that we should not be of the world, as Christ is not of the world. That these and the like holy precepts and counsels, we should, as the wise man saith: bind them to the necke, and write them vponupon the table of our heart, Prou. 3. 3. that is, keepe them most diligently, as precious and costly iewels.