A30158:142
I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also,…
I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also, or, A discourse touching prayer, from I Cor. 14.15 wherein is briefly discovered 1. What prayer is, 2. What it is to pray with the spirit, 3. What it is to pray with the spirit and with the understanding also / by John Bunyan.
London : Printed for the author, 1663
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Men without understanding, may say the same words in prayer as others do, but if there be an understanding in the one, and none in the other; there is, Oh there is a mighty difference in speaking the very same words! The ⟨p. 62⟩one speaking it from a spiritual understanding of those things, that he in words desires; and the other words it only, and there is all.
Secondly, Spiritual understanding, Espieth in the heart of God, a readiness and willingness to give those things to the soul, that it stands in need of.
David by this could guess at the very thoughts of God towards him, Psal. 40. 5.
And thus it was with the woman of Canaan (Mat. 15. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.) she did by Faith and a right Understanding, discern (beyond all the rough carriage of Christ) tenderness and willingness in his heart to save, which caused her to be vehement and earnest, yea, restless, until she did enjoy the mercy she stood in need of.