5. We may observe the manner of prayer agreed on, or the manner in which they agree to engage in and perform the duty. "Let us go speedily to pray" [Zechariah 8:21]; or as it is in the margin, "Let us go continually." The words literally translated are, "Let us go in going."3
Such an ingemination4 or doubling of words is very common in the Hebrew language, when it is intended that a thing shall be very strongly expressed; it generally implies the superlative degree of a thing; as the "Holy of Holies" signifies the most holy: but it commonly denotes, not only the utmost degree of a thing, but also the utmost certainty; as when God said to Abraham, "In multiplying, I will multiply thy seed" (Genesis 22:17), it implies both that God would certainly multiply his seed, and also multiply it exceedingly.
So when God said to Adam, "In the day that thou eatest thereof, in dying thou shalt die" [Genesis 2:17] (as the words are in the original),5 it implies, both that he should surely die, and also that he should die most terribly, should utterly perish, and be destroyed to the utmost degree.
Yea, sometimes it seems to imply something else still: and in short, as this ingemination of words in the Hebrew, in general denotes the strength of expression, so it is used to signify almost all those things that are wont to be signified by the various forms
of strong speech in other languages: sometimes it signifies the utmost degree of a thing; sometimes certainty; sometimes the peremptoriness and terribleness of a threatening, or the greatness and positiveness of a promise, the strictness of a command, and the earnestness of a request.
When God says to Adam, "Dying thou shalt die," it is equivalent to such strong expressions in English, as, "Thou shalt die indeed," or, "Thou shalt die with a witness." So when it is said in the text, "Let us go in going, and pray before the Lord," the strength of the expression represents the earnestness of those that make the proposal, their great engagedness in the affair; and with respect to the duty proposed, it may be understood to signify, that they should be speedy, fervent, and constant in it; or, in one word, that it should be thoroughly performed.
6. We may learn from the tenor of this prophecy, together with the context, that this union in such prayer is foretold as a becoming and happy thing, and that which would be acceptable to God, and attended with glorious success.
From the whole we may infer, that it is a very suitable thing, and well-pleasing to God, for many people, in different parts of the world, by express agreement, to come into a visible union, in extraordinary, speedy, fervent and constant prayer, for those great effusions of the Holy Spirit, which shall bring on that advancement of Christ's church and kingdom, that God has so often promised shall be in the latter ages of the world.
And so from hence I would infer the duty of God's people, with regard to the Memorial lately sent over into America, from Scotland, by a number of ministers there, proposing a method for such an union as has been spoken of, in extraordinary prayer for this great mercy.
And it being the special design of this discourse, to persuade such as are friends to the interests of Christ's kingdom, to a compliance with the proposal and request made in that Memorial, I shall first give a short historical account of the affair it relates to, from letters, papers and pamphlets, that have come over from Scotland; to which I shall annex the Memorial itself: and then I shall offer some arguments and motives, tending to induce the friends of religion to fall in with what is proposed: and lastly, make answer to some objections that may possibly be made against it.
1808 Edition, Kindle, at 23447
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