The zealous Christian taking heavenThe zealovs Christian taking heaven

6. We are commanded to pray earnestly, and fervently, and importunately; So David did, Psal. 55. 17. I will pray and ¹cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice. A full place to this purpose is Rom. 15. 30. Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus ²Christs sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me. The word in the Greek is very ⟨p. 45⟩emphatical, it is the same word that is applied to Christ, when he was in an agony, when he sweat drops of blood. He beseecheth them to contend and strive in their prayers; we are to be as it were in an agony, when we are in prayer. Prayer is not a little book labour, it is not a lip labour only, but it is a raising up and putting forth the heart and affections in the work. So Rom. 12. 12. Be continuing ³instant in prayer. It is a metaphor taken from dogs. A dog of all creatures is the best able to endure hunger, he will run from place to place, and never leave till he hath got his prey: so you are to hunger after God, and after mercy, and not to rest satisfied, till God doth grant the mercy you stand in need of, pray, and pray, and pray again, and fight till you overcome, pray till you get an answer. Another place is, Jam. 5. 16. The effectual fervent ⁴prayer of a righteous man availeth much. The word in the original is significant. Some expound it a working prayer; It may be interpreted a prayer well wrought in the heart, and so a prayer that comes from the heart,—A prayer wrought in us by the Spirit, and carried on by faith. Another place to the same purpose is,