2. This Repetition is not to be disproved, when there is a special Emphasis, and spiritual Elegance in it, as Psal. 136. you have it twenty six times repeated, [For his Mercy endureth for ever,] because there was a speci•• •eason in it, his purpose there being to she••• Unweariedness, and the unexhausted Riches of God's free Grace; that notwithstanding all the former Experiences they had had, God is where he was at first. We waste by giving, our Drop is soon spent; but God is not wasted by bestowing, but hath the same Mercy to do good to his Creatures, as before. Tho he had done all those Wonders for them, yet his Mercy was as ready to do good to them still. All along God saved and blessed his People; For his Mercy endureth for ever. But as there are Repetitions which have their Use; so there are useless Tautologies, and vain Repetitions: And such they are, when they neither come from the Heart, nor go to the Heart; when they come not from the abundance of the Heart, but rather the emptiness of the Heart, because we know not how to enlarge our selves to God, ⟨p. 46⟩therefore fall upon idle and useless Repetitions of the same Words and Requests. As a Man that hath small Skill in Music, doth only play over the same Note; so when Men have not a full spiritual Abundance, they waste themselves in Prayer in these idle Repetitions. And then they go not to the Heart, they do not conduce to warm the Affections. A vain clamorous ingeminating the same thing without Faith, and without Wisdom, merely to fill up the Tale of Words, or to wear out a little time in a religious Exercise; that's it which is here condemned under the notion of vain Repetitions.
2. This Repetition is not to be disproved, when there is a special Emphasis, and spiritual Elegancy in it, as Psal. 136. you have it twenty six times repeated, [For his Mercy endureth for ever,] because there was a speci•• •eason in it, his purpose there being to she••• Unweariedness, and the unexhausted Riches of God's free Grace; that notwithstanding all the former Experiences they had had, God is where he was at first. We waste by giving, our Drop is soon spent; but God is not wasted by bestowing, but hath the same Mercy to do good to his Creatures, as before. Tho he had done all those Wonders for them, yet his Mercy was as ready to do good to them still. All along God saved and blessed his People; For his Mercy endureth for ever. But as there are Repetitions which have their Use; so there are useless Tautologies, and vain Repetitions: And such they are, when they neither come from the Heart, nor go to the Heart; when they come not from the abundance of the Heart, but rather the emptiness of the Heart, because we know not how to inlarge our selves to God, ⟨p. 46⟩therefore fall upon idle and useless Repetitions of the same Words and Requests. As a Man that hath small Skill in Musick, doth only play over the same Note; so when Men have not a full spiritual Abundance, they waste themselves in Prayer in these idle Repetitions. And then they go not to the Heart, they do not conduce to warm the Affections. A vain clamorous ingeminating the same thing without Faith, and without Wisdom, meerly to fill up the Tale of Words, or to wear out a little time in a religious Exercise; that's it which is here condemned under the notion of vain Repetitions.
