CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

And 1. When the matter is so exceeding necessary that our hearts are deeply sensible of it; As when a burdened soul lieth under the guilt of sin, sin is like a Mountain upon him, it gnaweth and devoureth within, then to beg for pardon over and over again, the soul cannot but do it; The necessity of it is so great, that be cannot let it go, as Psa. 51. a Prayer made by David when overwhelmed in his Spirit by the guilt of sin; How often doth he repeat though ⟨p. 134⟩in different words a Petition for pardon, That God would have mercy on him; That he would wash him, purge him, and blot out his sins: This he nameth twice, for till he had obtained this pardon, there was no living for him; He could take no pleasure in houses, friends, yea; in his kingdom and all outward prosperity, so that the necessity of it makes him again and again repeat his prayer for it, and thus our Saviour when he was upon those agonies and extremities, he prayeth, Father, if it be possible let this cup pass away, and the Text saith, he went thrice and said the same words, Mat. 26.44. Here the necessity of that Prayer he prayed for made him say the same words, for as the same earth or the same Sun we are not weary of, because of the necessity of it; Thus neither is it to be accounted a vain tautology when again and again we pray for that without which we cannot be.

And 1. When the matter is so exceeding necessary that our hearts are deeply sensible of it; As when a burthened soul lieth under the guilt of sinne, sinne is like a Mountain upon him, it gnaweth and devoureth within, then to beg for pardon over and over again, the soul cannot but do it; The necessity of it is so great, that be cannot let it go, as Psa. 51. a Praier made by David when overwhelmed in his Spirit by the guilt of sinne; How often doth he repeat though ⟨p. 134⟩in different words a Petition for pardon, That God would have mercy on him; That he would wash him, purge him, and blot out his sinnes: This he nameth twice, for till he had obtained this pardon, there was no living for him; He could take no pleasure in houses, friends, yea; in his kingdom and all outward prosperity, so that the necessity of it makes him again and again repeat his praier for it, and thus our Saviour when he was upon those agonies and extremities, he praieth, Father, if it be possible let this cup passe away, and the Text saith, he went thrice and said the same words,