396 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. XI. untilwe receivewhat we are seeking. Hence He says,And 1 say unto you, Ask, and it shallbe given you. CYRIL. The words,/ say unto you,have the forceof an oath. For God doth not lie,but whenever He makes known anything to His hearerswith an oath,He manifeststhe inexcusablelittleness Chrys. of our faith. CHRYS. Now by asking,He means prayer,but m°Mait ^7 seeking,zeal and anxiety,as He adds, Seek, and ye shallfind. For those thingswhich are sought requiregreat care. And thisisparticularlythe casewith God. For there are many things which block up our senses. As then we searchforlostgold,so let us anxiouslyseek afterGod. He shews also,thatthough He does not forthwithopen the gates, we must yet wait. Hence He adds,Knock, and itshallbe openeduntoyou ; forifyou continueseeking,you shallsurely receive. For thisreason,and as the door shut makes you knock, thereforeHe did not at once consentthat you might Severus entreat. GREEK Ex. Or by the word knock perhaps He Amiocb. means seekingeffectually,forone knocks with the hand, hut the hand isthe signof a good work. Or thesethreemay be distinguishedin another way. For it is the beginning of virtueto ask to know the way of truth. But the second step is to seek how we must go by that way. The third stepiswhen a man has reached the virtueto knock at the door,that he may enter upon the wide fieldof knowledge. All thesethingsa man acquiresby prayer. Or to ask indeed isto pray,but to seek is by good works to do thingsbecom ing our prayers. And to knock is to continue in prayer Aiiir. withoutceasing. AUG. But He would not so encourage userm.105.^Q ^^ were jie not willingto give. Let human slothfulness blush,He ismore willingto givethan we to receive. AMBROSE. Now he who promises anything ought to convey a hope of the thing promised,that obedience may followcommands, faith,promises. And thereforeHe adds, For every one that asketh receiveth.ORIGEN. But some one may seek to know, how it comes that they who pray are not heard? To which we must answer, that whoso sets about seeking in the right way, omitting none of those things which availto the obtainingof our requests, shallreallyreceivewhat he has prayed to be given,him. But ifa man turnsaway from the objectof a rightpetition,