Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, Chapter · Verse 8
vers. 8.
For whosoeuer asketh, receiueth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
Here Christ confirmeth the former reason …t was included in the former verse with the commandement to pray. In effect and substance they are all one; onelyonly here the reason is … more generally, without limitation to Christs hearers, thus; Whosoeuer asketh, receiueth; whoseuer seeketh, findeth, &c. that is, obseruing the due conditions of prayer, which Gods word requireth.
I. Ob. Here some may see, that God oft hears those that pray withoutHow God hear…th the wicked. faith; as the crie of the poore, when they curse their oppressors, Exod. 22. 23. And so the Lord heard the Israelites when they asked Quailes in their lust, Psal. 78. 18. 27. Answ. True it is, God sometimes graunts the requests of those that pray without faith, but his hearing is not in merciemercy, but in anger and wrath, and is a meanes to execute his iudgement vponupon them. Thus hee gaue the Israelites a King in his wrath, Hos. 13. 11. and so hee gaue them Quailes, for while the meate was in their mouthes, the wrath of God came vponupon them, Psalm. 78. 30, 31. Thus the deuils had their request graunted, to enter into the heard of swine, Matth. 8. 31, 32. and so God permitted him to afflict Iob, Iob. 1. 12. but all was to his owne shame, to manifest his absolute subiection vntounto God, that beyond his wil he cannot goe, no not to hurt the basest of Gods creatures.
II. Obiect. Ahab praied & humbled himselfe & was heard, though he did it onelyonly hypocritically, for feare of punishment, 1. Kings 21. 29. Answ. That was a graunt of a temporall benefit onelyonly, which God oft giues to the hypocrites; but for spirituall blessings, which pertaine to saluation in Christ, whereof this text is principally to bee vnderstood, they are not granted to the wicked.
III. Obiect. Abraham praied directly against the will of God, forC…n. 18. the sauing of Sodom, which God was purposed to destroy. Answ. Abraham no doubt had in him a speciall motion to make that prayer, & withall he asked leaue of God to pray for them; neither did he pray absolutely, but with submission to Gods wil, and so he sinned not, though he obtained not his desire: otherwise, without these cautions hee had done amisse: and we must not make the extrordinarie practises of the faithfull, ordinarie rules for our imitation. So that Gods promise here is firme, whosoeuer asketh those blessings of God which he hath promised to giuegive, in that manner which God approoueth, shall be sure to receiue.
The Use. In this reason we learne, that God is most ready and willingGods readinesse to heare. to heare his children when they pray: Isay, 65. 1. I was found of thē that sought me not, I said behold me, behold me, to a nation that called not vponupon my name: and v. 24. Before they call I will answer, and while they speake I will heare.
This then is first …ne proofe that the Lord whome we worship, is the true God; bec… he is so able to helpe, and so readie and willingVse. Our God the onelyonly true God. to heare, beeing neere to all that call vponupon him in truth. Thus Moses reasoneth with his people to prooue that they only had the true God for their God: Deut. 4. 7. What nation is so great vntounto whome the gods come so neare vntounto them, as the Lord our God is neare vntounto vsus in all that we call vntounto him for.
Secondly, this must perswade vsus to louelove God vnfaignedly and heartely who is so readie and willing to graunt our requests in praier,A moriue to louelove God. specially considering we are by nature his enemies. A rare thing it is to see any resemblance of it in the world; and indeede among m…n this dealing is able to draw louelove from an enemie when we shew our selues willing to doe him any good we can: this heapes coles of fire vponupon his head, to consume his malice and kindle in him louelove to vsus: oh then how should Gods gratious bountie and readinesse to heare vsus, draw our hearts to God in all louelove and thankfulnes!
Thirdly, this serues to be a notable stay and comfort to all thoseComfort to the afflicted. that are cast downe in soule with the sight and burden of their sinnes: for behold if they aske merciemercy at Gods hands, they shall hauehave it; if they can call, he will heare; and if they will but knocke at the doore of his merciemercy, he is readie to open vntounto them. Here they vse to plead that they hauehave long called, and cried, and knocked, but they finde no comfort. Ans. O consider the vsuall dealing of God with his owne children, for a time he will hide his face, and seeme to locke vp his merciemercy and compassion from them, as we may see by Dauids complaint, Psal. 77. 7. Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer, and will he shew no more fauour? v. 8. Is his merciemercy cleane gone for euer? doth his promise faile for euermore? v. 9. Hath God forgotten to be mercifull? &c. But his intent herein is to humble them deeper, to make them knocke more earnestly, that they may be more thankfull for Gods merciemercy when they finde it; and more carefull to keepe themselues from sinne whereby they may loose againe that assurance. Indeede it is a most heauie crosse▪ and the deepest griefe that can be fall a man, to hauehave the conscience apprehend the wrath of God without any feeling of his fauour: yet in this case here is comfort, let this poore soule out of the depth of his horror cri… vntounto God with Dauid, and out of the bellie of this whale of desperation with Ionas, endeauouring against all feeling to lay hold vponupon the promise of merciemercy in Christ, and he shall finde the Lord in due time readie to heare and to sende comfort, yea the sweetnesse of his louelove shall distill most ioyfully into his poore soule.