I pass over the several most blessed things which the Lord Jesus here treats of, as being in themselves so plain, and by Him so beautifully expressed, as to render all explanation unnecessary. But I detain the Reader at the close of the passage, to beg his special, and particular attention to that unequalled argument the LORD JESUS condescends to make use of, in representing the great predisposing grace of our heavenly Father to bless his children, under the figure of the solicitude of an earthly parent. It is as if JESUS had said; is a poor worm of the earth, one of the fallen sinful sons of Adam, so prompt to listen to the cries of his children because he is a father, as to give them the best things the moment they ask them; think then how earnest the Great Father of mercies must be to give his Holy Spirit to his children, and who hath already given the greatest of all blessings, and unasked as it was, when giving them his only begotten Son. John 14:16-17.
Matthew 7:1-11
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 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?