Chapter XXI.

71. Since, therefore, a command had been given that what is holy should not be given to dogs, and pearls should not be cast before swine, a hearer might object and say, conscious of his own ignorance and weakness, and hearing a command addressed to him, that he should not give what he felt that he himself had not yet received,—might (I say) object and say, What holy thing do you forbid me to give to the dogs, and what pearls do you forbid me to cast before swine, while as yet I do not see that I possess such things? Most opportunely He has added the statement: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” The asking refers to the obtaining by request soundness and strength of mind, so that we may be able to discharge those duties which are commanded; the seeking, on the other hand, refers to the finding of the truth. For inasmuch as the blessed life is summed up in action and knowledge, action wishes for itself a supply of strength, contemplation desiderates that matters should be made clear: of these therefore the first is to be asked, the second is to be sought; so that the one may be given, the other found. But knowledge in this life belongs rather to the way than to the possession itself: but whoever has found the true way, will arrive at the possession itself which, however, is opened to him that knocks.

72. In order, therefore, that these three things—viz. asking, seeking, knocking—may be made clear, let us suppose, for example, the case of one weak in his limbs, who cannot walk: in the first place, he is to be healed and strengthened so as to be able to walk; and to this refers the expression He has used, “Ask.” But what advantage is it that he is now able to walk, or even run, if he should go astray by devious paths? A second thing therefore is, that he should find the road that leads to the place at which he wishes to arrive; and when he has kept that road, and arrived at the very place where he wishes to dwell, if he find it closed, it will be of no use either that he has been able to walk, or that he has walked and arrived, unless it be opened to him; to this, therefore, the expression refers which has been used, “Knock.”

73. Moreover, great hope has been given, and is given, by Him who does not deceive when He promises: for He says, “Every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.” Hence there is need of perseverance, in order that we may receive what we ask, and find what we seek, and that what we knock at may be opened.447    The conditions of effective prayer are, that it should be made in the name of Christ (John xv. 16), with faith, and according to God’s will (1 John v. 14). Now, just as He talked of the fowls of heaven and of the lilies of the field, that we might not despair of food and clothing being provided for us, so that our hopes might rise from lesser things to greater; so also in this passage, “Or what man is there of you,” says He, “whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?” How do the evil give good things? Now, He has called those evil448    This has been regarded as a strong proof-text for the doctrine of original sin. Bengel calls it “a shining testimony for original sin.” Stier says it is “the strongest proof-text for original sin in the whole of the Holy Scriptures.” Meyer says the reference is to actual sin; while Plumptre declares that “the words at once recognise the fact of man’s depravity, and assert that it is not total.” who are as yet the lovers of this world and sinners. And, in fact, the good things are to be called good according to their feeling, because they reckon these to be good things. Although in the nature of things also such things are good, but temporal, and pertaining to this feeble life: and whoever that is evil gives them, does not give of his own; for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof,449    Ps. xxiv. 1. who made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is.450    Ps. cxlvi. 6. How much reason, therefore, there is for the hope that God will give us good things when we ask Him, and that we cannot be deceived, so that we should get one thing instead of another, when we ask Him; since we even, although we are evil, know how to give that for which we are asked? For we do not deceive our children; and whatever good things we give are not given of our own, but of what is His.

CAPUT XXI.---71. Cum igitur praeceptum esset ne sanctum detur canibus, et margaritae ante porcos mittantur, potuit auditor occurrere et dicere, conscius ignorantiae atque infirmitatis suae, et audiens praecipi sibi ne daret, quod scipsum nondum accepisse sentiebat: potuit ergo occurrere ac dicere, Quod sanctum me dare canibus, et quas margaritas me mittere ante porcos vetas, cum adhuc ea me habere non videam? opportunissime subjecit, dicens, «Petite, et dabitur vobis; quaerite, et invenietis; pulsate, et aperietur vobis. Omnis enim qui petit, accipit; et qui quaerit, invenit; et pulsanti aperietur.» Petitio pertinet ad impetrandam sanitatem firmitatemque animi, ut ea quae praecipiuntur, implere possimus: inquisitio autem, ad inveniendam veritatem. Cum enim beata vita actione et cognitione compleatur, actio facultatem virium, contemplatio manifestationem rerum desiderat: horum ergo primum petendum, secundum quaerendum est; ut illud detur, hoc inveniatur. Sed cognitio in hac vita, viae prius quam ipsius possessionis est: sed cum quisque veram viam invenerit, perveniet ad ipsam possessionem; quae tamen pulsanti aperitur.

72. Ut ergo tria ista, id est, petitio, inquisitio, pulsatio, manifesta fiant, sub aliquo exemplo ponamus aliquem infirmis pedibus ambulare non posse: prius ergo sanandus et firmandus est ad ambulandum; et ad hoc pertinet, quod dixit, Petite. Quid autem prodest quod ambulare jam, vel etiam currere potest, si per devia itinera erraverit? secundum est ergo, ut inveniat viam quae ducit eo quo vult pervenire: quam cum tenuerit, et pervenerit ad cum ipsum locum ubi habitare vult, si clausum invenerit; neque ambulare potuisse, neque ambulasse ac pervenisse profuerit, nisi aperiatur: ad hoc ergo pertinet quod dictum est, Pulsate .

73. Magnam autem spem dedit et dat ille qui promittendo non decipit: ait enim, Omnis qui petit, accipit; et qui quaerit, invenit; et pulsanti aperietur. Ergo perseverantia opus est, ut accipiamus quod petimus, et inveniamus quod quaerimus, et quod pulsamus aperiatur. Quemadmodum autem egit de volatilibus coeli et de liliis agri, ne victum nobis vestitumque desperaremus adfuturum, ut spes a minoribus ad 1303 majora consurgeret; ita et hoc loco, «Aut quis erit, ex vobis, inquit, homo, quem si petierit filius ejus panem, numquid lapidem porriget ei? aut si piscem petierit, numquid serpentem porriget ei? Si ergo vos, cum sitis mali, nostis bona data dare filiis vestris; quanto magis Pater vester qui in coelis est, dabit bona petentibus se?» Quomodo mali dant bona? Sed malos appellavit dilectores adhuc saeculi hujus et peccatores. Bona vero quae dant, secundum eorum sensum bona dicenda sunt, quia haec pro bonis habent. Quanquam et in rerum natura ista bona sint, sed temporalia et ad istam vitam infirmam pertinentia: et quisquis ea malus dat, non de suo dat; Domini est enim terra et plenitudo ejus (Psal. XXIII, 1) qui fecit coelum et terram, mare et omnia quae in eis sunt (Psal CXLV, 6). Quantum ergo sperandum est daturum Deum nobis bona petentibus, nec nos posse decipi, ut accipiamus aliud pro alio, cum ab ipso petimus; quando etiam nos, cum simus mali, novimus id dare quod petimur? non enim decipimus filios nostros; et qualiacumque bona damus, non de nostro, sed de ipsius damus.