220 SERMONS upòn Serm.25. SERMON XXV. JOHN XVII. 16. They are not of the World, even as 7 am not of the World. IN this Verfe Chrift repeateth the Argument ufed in the 'oh Verfe. This Re- petition is not idle, and of no ufe, it is Chrift that fpeaketh. The Reafon of the Repitition may be conceived, either with refpeft to the Difciples, the Per - fons for whom, and in whole hearing he prayed; and fo it is to inculcate their Duty : Or with refpeft to God, the Perlon to whom he prayed ; and fo he urgeth their Danger. For in the t 4th Verfe, he (hewed this was the Caufe why the World hated them; now he maketh it the Reafon why he prayeth for them, that they may be kept; Keep them from the Evil : They are not of the World, even ao I am not of the World. . ..- t. In the general Obferve, That Repetitions of the fame Point are fometime.r nece /ry. Phil. 3. t. To write the fame things to you, to me it is not grievous, but for you it is fate. Repetition ache fame things is tedious and irkfome to Nature, but profitable to Grace. It is tedious to Nature, partly out of an itch of Novelty. Molt Men have but an adulterous love to Truth, they love it while it is new and frefh, there is a fatiety that groweth by acquaintednefa ; the Ifraelites grew weary of Manna, - tho Angels Food : Partly, out of the impatiency of Guilt : Sores cannot endure to be rubbed again and again; frequency of Reproof and Admonition, is like, the rubbing of a Sore, grie- vous to a galled.Confcience. John 21. 17. Peter was grieved, that he fhould fay to him the third time, Lovell thou me? as reviving his Apoftacy, bringing to remembrance his three -fold denying of Chrift, questioning his Fidelity. Sinners do not love to be fu- fpeQed or urged much ; it revtveth.Guilt, and maketh it fly in the Face of Confci- ence; none are weary, but they that cannot endure to be remembred of their Duty. But it is profitable to Grace ; Firfl, To cure Weaknefs. Secondly, To further Duties. Firfl, To cure Weaknefs. Our Knowledg is little, our Affe &ions changeable, our Memories -weak, our Attention flight. i. Our Knowledg is little; narrow mouth'd Veffels take in Liquor by drops, fo do wé Divine Truths, and therefore yod have need to hear the fame things often, that your Underftandings may grow familiar and acquainted with thefe Notions. !fa. 28. to. For Precept muff be upon Precept, Precept upon Precept, Line upon Line, Line upon Line, here a little and there a little; they mull be taught as little Children are wont to be taught, when they learn to read or write, to know Letter after Letter, and to draw Line after Line; we mutt go over it again and again, that you may underhand it more. Frequent inculcation maketh us to obferve every Part and Point; you take it in by. degrees. - 2. Our Attention is 1mall ; we do not confider it, when we underhand it.. Since the Fall, we have loft our Ceded and lolemn Thoughts ; the roving vanity of our Minds needeth this outward Cure. When Truth is again brought into the view of . the Underitanding, the Mind is let awork ; firft we learn, and then we meditate. If Chriftians would obferve their Hearts, they would find it hard to go along with the Preacher at firft hearing ; but when they go over it in their Thoughts, then it worketh fpiritually,
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