And whatsoever we ask we receive of him
According to his promise, ( Matthew 7:7 ) ; that
is, whatever is asked according to the will of God, in the name
of Christ, and for his sake, and in faith, nothing wavering, but
believing in God, in his covenant and promises, for these are
provisos in the case; and such as ask in this way may exercise an
holy confidence that they shall receive; and indeed they do
receive what they ask for; see ( 1 John 5:14 ) (
John 14:13
John 14:14 ) (
Matthew
21:22 ) ;
because we keep his commandments;
not that keeping the commands of God is the meritorious cause of
receiving anything from him; for when men have done all they can,
or are assisted to do, they are but unprofitable servants in
point of merit: whatever is received from God, as it is in
consequence of asking, so it is entirely owing to his own grace
and favour, and for the sake of Christ; but keeping the commands
of God is a necessary adjunct, or, as Calvin on the text calls
it, an inseparable accident, or what necessarily belongs unto,
and enters into the character of such, who are heard and answered
by God, and receive at his hands; for there is a great deal of
truth in what the Jews say to the blind man, ( John 9:31 ) ; and which
may serve as a comment on these words:
and do those things that are pleasing in his
sight;
as keeping of his commandments is; not that these things
ingratiate into the love and favour of God, or are the causes and
conditions of it, for the love of God is prior to anything of
this kind; nor are they the causes of men's acceptance with God,
for the acceptance both of persons and services is only in Christ
the beloved; but these things are what God approves of, when done
in faith, from a principle of love, and with a view to his glory:
and since he hears such persons that are worshippers of him, and
do his will, and has promised good things to them; this is
therefore a reason strengthening their confidence in him, that
what they ask they shall receive.