3. Ardency, or fervency of spirit; this gives wings to our prayers, and causeth them to ascend before God; this sets on work all the graces of Gods Spirit, and the more fervent the prayer is, the more they are intended, actuated, increased: I ⟨p. 313⟩mean not thus of every fervency; there is a fervency of faith, and a fervency of mere natural desires: In this latter, there is no holiness, no fire of the Spirit, but in the former there is: When Christ lived upon earth, many came to him, and some were exceedingly importunate to be healed, or to have Devils cast out, &c. now if he answered their requests, his usual phrase was, Be it unto thee (not according to thy importunity and fervency, but) according to thy faith; q.d. I heed not, I regard not this clamour and earnestness, if it be only out of mere natural desires, but if it be out of Faith; if besides sense of need, you have in you a true hope of mercy, then be it unto thee according to that: This fervency is set out in the Word by divers significant phrases; sometimes it is called A crying unto the Lord, thus Moses cried unto the Lord, and Samuel cried unto the Lord, 1and Elijah cried unto the Lord, and Isaiah cried unto the Lord; sometimes a crying mightily: Let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: sometimes a lifting up of our prayers; wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left, said Hezekiah to Isaiah: sometimes a pouring forth our souls before the Lord like water; O wall of the daughter of Zion,— pour out thy heart like water before the face of the Lord: Thus the Israelites drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord: sometimes a groaning in spirit, or groans of the spirit; 2The Spirit it self maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered: sometimes a praying exceedingly; sometimes a praying fervently, sometimes a striving with God: 3Now I beseech you brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christs sake, and for the love of the Spirit, 4that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me: sometimes a wrestling with God: Thus Jacob wrestled with a man (i.) with God in form of a man, until the breaking of the day: —All these ••rases do set forth the excellency, the necessity of this ardency, fervency of prayer, required in the text.
3. Ardency, or fervency of spirit; this gives wings to our prayers, and causeth them to ascend before God; this sets on work all the graces of Gods Spirit, and the more fervent the prayer is, the more they are intended, actuated, increased: I ⟨p. 313⟩mean not thus of every fervency; there is a fervency of faith, and a fervency of meer natural desires: In this latter, there is no holiness, no fire of the Spirit, but in the former there is: When Christ lived upon earth, many came to him, and some were exceedingly importunate to be healed, or to have Devils cast out, &c. now if he answered their requests, his usual phrase was, Be it unto thee (not according to thy importunity and fervency, but) according to thy faith; q.d. I heed not, I regard not this clamor and earnestness, if it be onely out of meer natural desires, but if it be out of Faith; if besides sence of need, you have in you a true hope of mercy, then be it unto thee according to that: This fervency is set out in the Word by divers significant phrases; sometimes it is called A crying unto the Lord, thus Moses cryed unto the Lord, and Samuel cryed unto the Lord, 1and Eliah cryed unto the Lord, and Isaiah cryed unto the Lord; sometimes a crying mightily: Let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: sometimes a lifting up of our prayers; wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left, said Hezekiah to Isaiah: sometimes a pouring forth our souls before the Lord like water; O wall of the daughter of Zion,— pour out thy heart like water before the face of the Lord: Thus the Israelites drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord: sometimes a groaning in spirit, or groans of the spirit; 2The Spirit it self maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered: sometimes a praying exceedingly; sometimes a praying fervently, sometimes a striving with God: 3Now I beseech you brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christs sake, and for the love of the Spirit, 4that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me: sometimes a wrestling with God: Thus Jacob wrestled with a man (i.) with God in form of a man, until the breaking of the day: —All these ••rases do set forth the excellency, the necessity of this ardency, fervency of prayer, required in the text.
- 1Exod 8.12. 1 Sam 7.9. 1 King. 17.20, 21. 2 Kings 20.11. Jonah 3.8. Isa. 37.4. Lam. 2.19. 1 Sam. 7.6.Exod 8.12. 1 Sam 7.9. 1 King. 17.20, 21. 2 Kings 20.11. Ionah 3.8. Isa. 37.4. Lam. 2.19. 1 Sam. 7.6.
- 2Rom. 8.26. 1 Thess. 3.10. Col. 4.12.
- 3Rom. 15.30.
- 4Gen. 32.24.
