Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 1 · Chapter 7 · Verse 7 – Verse 8
Verse 7. Ask and it shall be given you, &c.]
Whereas it might be objected, These are hard lessons, neither know we how to quit our selves in the discharge of them. Our Saviour answers, as Esay did before him, Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, …. 55. 6.call ye upon him whiles he is neer: and as S James adviseth after him:Jam. 1 5. If any man want wisdom, let him ask … of God. Ask saith he, and it shall be given you. Run to the great Doctour of the …, as Agur did to Ithiel and Ucal, Prov. 30. 1. and he will teach you: seek his face and favour, and ye shall surely finde it; Knock at the beautifull gate of Heaven with the hand of faith, and itAct. 12. shall open unto you (as the Iron gate did to Peter,) of its one accord. Elishaes staffe was laid (by his appointment) upon the dead childes face, but … was neither voice nor hearing. He went therefore himself, and shut the door upon them twain, and 2 King. 4 31, 33.praied unto the Lord. This staffe he knew was long enough to reach up to heaven, to knock at those gates, yea to wrench them open. Ask therefore that your joy may be full. Hitherto ye have asked me nothing, saith Christ, disliking our dulnesse to this duty. Quidest cur nihil petis? pete … privatus, de me queraris; said…. in …. Severus the Emperour to his Courtiers, What meanest thou to ask nothing of me? Ask, that thou maiest have no cause of complaint against me. And Pope Nicolas the fifth (a great favourer of learning) When he was told of some in Rome that made good verses: They cannot be good Poets, said he, and I not know them. Why come they not to me, if good, Qui Poetis etiam … … in ….pateo, Who am a friend to Poets, though not so good? … so iciteth sutours, and the Father seeketh such to worship him, Joh. 4. 23. not for any thing he gets by it, but meerly for our benefit: as the Sun draws up vapours from the earth, not for it self, but to moisten and fatten the earth therewith. And although he come not ever at first call, yet be not discouraged with silence or sad answers. He is neerest to such sutours as with Mary, cannot see him for their teats and griefs: if, with her, they continue to seek him in humility, If they rest not rapping and bouncing at his gates, he will open unto them, for their importunity, Luk. 18. 5, 7. The Saints … have present audience, as Eleazer, Gen. 24. 15. Daniel, Chap. 9. 23. The Disciples, Act. 4. 31. And …, who came leaping out of his …, with Vicimus, Vicimus in his …. But what if they have not? far be it from them, to think that God is asleep, or gone a journey, as the Prophet jeareth at Baal: or that he wanteth ears, as the Image of Jupiter did… imago. auribus carens. Plut. at Creet. … he that bids us ask, meaneth to give: as when we bid our children say. I pray you father give me such a thing: We doe it not but when we mean to give it them. If he deferre help, let it humble us, as it did David, Psal. 22. I cry in … day time, but … hearest not, &c. But thou art holy, &c. Others have praied and sped, Our fathers trusted in thee, they cryed unto Psal. 22. …. 3, 4, 5, 6.… and were delivered: But I am a worme and no man, yet will I call upon him (not onelyonly in my sinking, but) from the bottom of the deeps. Let it also quicken us to further fervency, as it did2 Cor. 12. S. Paul, and the Church, Psal. 80. 3, 7, 19. never giving over theLuk. 18. 11. fuit (with the importunate widdow,) till we have obtained it. He that prayeth, moveth God, not as an … moveth hearers, but as a childe, his father. The end of oratory, is to speak perswasively, not alwaies to perswade: but the end of prayer is to prevail, and speed; Ye which are Gods remembrancers, giveIsa. 62. 7. … no rest, till ye have what ye beg. Ask, scek, knock: use anIt shews instantissimam necessitatem. unwearied importunity: slip not any opportunity, pray without …, pray continually: set aside all for prayer, wait upon it,Aug. (as the word signifieth) Col. 4. 2. with Act. 10. 7. But must weforeign Colol. 4. 2. never leave praying? (may some say) till we have our request granted? there are other things to be done? True: and you must give over the words of prayer for a season, but never the suit ofRom. 12. 12. praier. A begger (for example) comes to a rich mans gate, and triesOb. Sol.for an alms, but none there answers him. He being a poor man, hath something else to doe, then to beg: and therefore he sits him down, and knits or knocks, or patcheth, &c. and betwixt whiles, beggs and works, works and beggs. So should we, follow our necessary businesse, and yet continue our suit for grace. And the rather, because beggers hold out to ask, where yet, they have no promise it shall be given them: nay when (many times) they are frowned upon, threatned, punished for begging. And whereas beggers come no neerer house, then the porch or entry, and so know not whether the master of the house be providing for them an alms or a cud gell. All Gods petitioners, that call upon him in truth, are admitted into the parlour, as I may so say, into Gods speciall presence. An hypocrite shall not … before him, Job 13. 16. Bat the upright shall dwell in his presence, Psal. 140. 13. He hideth not his face from such, but when they cry, he …, Psal. …. 24.
And it shall be given you]
It is not said what shall be given, because the gift is above all name, saith Austin. Like as Amos 4. 12. Thus will I doe unto thee: Thus? how? Non nominat mala, ut omnia timeant, saith … out of Hierom: No evil is named, that they may fear all.
Verse 8. For every one that asketh receiveth, &c.]
And he is worthily miserable, that will not be happy for asking. Praier (saith Lambert the Martyr) is in Scripture much commended, and many great and unmeasurable benefits are shewed to …:…. … …. thereupon, that men should the more lustily give themselves thereunto. Thus Jacob wrestling with God, both by might andforeign …, (as the word signifieth) both by the strength of his body, and force of his faith, he grounded his praier upon Gods gracious …; which he rolls as sugar in his …, and repeats it again…. …. …, …. and again. See the same course taken, 2 Sam. 7. 25. 1 King. 8. 25. &c. Dan. 9. 2, 3, Psal. 12. 5, 6, 7. Act. 4. 25, &c. Cast … of hope in the darkest desertion, wait for day, and pray, as those in the shipwrack, Act. 27. pleading that precious …, Isa. 50. 10. This help if we use not, we shall either pray …, … without fire: or, as the Pharisee, proudly, or as the Thessalonians, as men without hope: which is to deny our own praiers. He cannot possibly be poor, that can pray in faith: because God is rich to all such, Rom. 10. 12. and giveth … to such as so ask, Jam. 1. 5. Never did the hand of faithforeign. knock in vain at Gods gate. The AEdiles (or Chamberlains) amongst the Romans, had ever their doors standing open, for all that had occasion of request or complaint, to have free accesse to …. Gods mercy-doors are wide open to the praiers of his … people. The Persian Kings held it a … of their silly glory, to deny an easy accesse to their greatest Subjects. It was death to sollicite them uncalled. … her self was afraid. But the King of heaven manifesteth himself to his people, Joh. 14. 21. calls to his spouse, with, Let me see thy face, let me hear thy voice, … 1. 14.&c. and assigneth her negligence herein, as the cause of her …, The door of the Tabernacle was not of any hard or debarring matter, but a veil; which is easily …. And whereas in the Temple none came neer to worship, but onelyonly the high-Priest, others stood without in the outer-Court; Gods … are now a … of …, and are … to worship in the …, and … the Alter, Rev. 11. 1. Let us therefore draw neer with a true heart, in full assurance of faith; Let us comeHeb. 10. 22. boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, andHeb. 4 16. finde grace to help in time of need.