Sermon XCV.
[CXLV. Ben.]
On the words of the Gospel, John xvi. 24, “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name;”
and on the words of Luke x. 17, “Lord, even the demons are subject unto us in thy name.”
1. When the Holy Gospel was being read, we heard what in truth ought at once to put
every earnest soul in motion to seek, not to faint. For whoso is not moved, is not changed.
But there is a dangerous movement, of which it is written, “Suffer not my feet to be
moved.”4278 But there is another movement of him who seeketh, knocketh, asketh. What
then has been read we have all heard; but I suppose we have not all understood. It makes
mention of that which together with me ye should seek, with me ask, for the receiving of
which ye should with me knock. For as I hope the grace of the Lord will be with us, that
whereas I wish to minister to you, I too may be thought4279 worthy to receive. What is it, I
pray you, that we have just heard that the Lord said to His disciples? “Hitherto have ye asked
nothing in My Name.”4280 Is He not speaking to those disciples, who, after He had sent
them, having given them power to preach the Gospel, and to do mighty works, returned
with joy, and said to Him, “Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through Thy Name”?4281
Ye recognise, ye recollect this which I have quoted from the Gospel, which in every passage
and every sentence speaketh truth, nowhere false, nowhere deceiveth. How then is it true,
“Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My Name”? and, “Lord, even the devils are subject unto
us through Thy name”? Of a surety this puts the mind in motion to ascertain the secret of
this difficulty. Therefore ask we, seek, knock. Be there in us faithful godliness, not a restless-
ness of the flesh, but a submission of the mind, that He who seeth us knocking may open
unto us.
2. What the Lord then may give to be ministered unto you, do ye with earnest attention,
that is, with hunger, receive; and when I shall have spoken it, ye will doubtless with sound
taste4282 approve what is placed before you out of the Lord’s store. The Lord Jesus knew
whereby the soul of man, that is, the rational mind, made after the image of God, could be
satisfied: only, that is, by Himself. This He knew, and knew that it was as yet without that
fulness. He knew that He was manifest, and He knew that He was hidden. He knew what
in Him was exhibited, what concealed. He knew all this. “How great,” says the Psalm, “is
the multitude of Thy sweetness, O Lord, which Thou hast hidden to them that fear Thee;
which Thou hast wrought for them that hope in Thee!”4283 “Thy sweetness” both great and
4278 Ps. lxvi. 9.
4279 Merear.
4280 John xvi. 24.
4281 Luke x. 17.
4282 Faucibus.
4283 Ps. xxx. 20, Sept. (xxxi. 19, English version).
On the words of the Gospel, John xvi. 24, ‘Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name;’ and on the words of Luke x. 17, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject unto us in thy name.’
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On the words of the Gospel, John xvi. 24, ‘Hitherto have ye asked nothing…