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

Lastly, There may be a repetition of some Petitions especially in public Prayer, when the matter doth greatly concern us; and so it's such as we ought to be deeply affected with, for as it is with Preaching, that matter which doth greatly concern the hearer, it's lawful to mention it over and over again, as the Apostle ⟨p. 135⟩Peter did think fit to write the very same things which he had formerly delivered, as also the Apostle Jude in his Epistle did; So it is in public prayer, such sins as we would have the Congregation sensible of in their confessions, such duties as we would have them diligently perform, it's useful in prayer to mention these more then once, for how dull and distracted are our thoughts, how hard and senseless are they? So that like Moses his rock, till we be stricken over and over again, water cannot come forth, like the Shunamites dead child; Till we be often rubbed over there cannot come any spiritual heat into us; Do not then always look for new matter, but rather desire thy heart may be affected with that which is old sometimes; It's a great sin in all, that they endeavour not to have their hearts affected in public prayer, in our Congregations, we should all be like so many Jacobs wrestling with God, We should be like so many Hezekiahs or Jonahs crying out of the Whales belly, but oh how few when God takes notice doth he find that have spiritual mourning hearts, some sleeping, some roving, some weary and wishing it over.

Lastly, There may be a repetition of some Petitions especially in publique Praier, when the matter doth greatly concern us; and so it's such as we ought to be deeply affected with, for as it is with Preaching, that matter which doth greatly concern the hearer, it's lawful to mention it over and over again, as the Apostle ⟨p. 135⟩Peter did think fit to write the very same things which he had formerly delivered, as also the Apostle Jude in his Epistle did; So it is in publique praier, such sinnes as we would have the Congregation sensible of in their confessions, such duties as we would have them diligently perform, it's useful in praier to mention these more then once, for how dull and distracted are our thoughts, how hard and sencelesse are they? So that like Moses his rock, till we be stricken over and over again, water cannot come forth, like the Shunamites dead childe; Till we be often rubbed over there cannot come any spiritual heat into us; Do not then alwaies look for new matter, but rather desire thy heart may be affected with that which is old sometimes; It's a great sinne in all, that they endeavour not to have their hearts affected in publique praier, in our Congregations, we should all be like so many Jacobs wrastling with God, We should be like so many Hezekiahs or Jonahs crying out of the Whales belly, but oh how few when God takes notice doth he finde that have spiritual mourning hearts, some sleeping, some roving, some weary and wishing it over.