The first portion of these verses is one of those passages of Scripture, which we must be careful not to strain beyond its proper meaning. It is frequently abused and misapplied by the enemies of true religion. It is possible to press the words of the Bible so far that they yield not medicine, but poison.

Our Lord does not mean that it is wrong, under any circumstances, to pass an unfavorable judgment on the conduct and opinions of others. We ought to have decided opinions . We are to "prove all things." We are to "test the spirits." Nor yet does He mean that it is wrong to reprove the sins and faults of others, until we are perfect and faultless ourselves. Such an interpretation would contradict other parts of Scripture. It would make it impossible to condemn error and false doctrine. It would debar any one from attempting the office of a minister or a judge. The earth would be "given into the hands of the wicked." (Job 9:24.) Heresy would flourish—and wrong-doing would abound.

Verses 1-5. What our Lord means to condemn, is a censorious and fault-finding spirit.

This is a lesson which it is peculiarly difficult to use in the proper way. The right application of it needs great wisdom. We are most of us far more likely to err on the side of over-caution —than of over-zeal . We are generally far more disposed to remember the "time to be silent "—than "the time to speak ." It is a lesson, however, which ought to stir up a spirit of self-inquiry in all our hearts. By our moroseness and irritability of temper—do we ourselves ever check our friends from giving us good advice? By our pride and impatient contempt of counsel—have we ever obliged others to say nothing? Have we ever turned against our kind advisers, and silenced them by our angry passion? Alas! we may well fear that we have erred in this matter.

Let us take special notice of these words of our Lord about prayer. Few of His sayings, perhaps, are so well known and so often repeated as this. The poorest and most unlearned can tell you, that "if we do not seek—then we shall not find." But what is the good of knowing it, if we do not use it? Knowledge which is not improved and well employed — will only increase our condemnation at the last day.

Do we know anything of this asking, seeking, and knocking? Why should we not? There is nothing so simple and plain as praying--if a man really has a desire to pray. Sadly, there is nothing which men are so slow to do—as sincere secret prayer. They will use many of the forms of religion, attend many ordinances, do many things that are right—before they will do this. And yet without this, no soul can be saved.

Do we ever really pray? If not, we shall at last be without excuse before God—unless we repent. We shall not be condemned for not doing what we could not have done—or not knowing what we could not have known. But we shall find that one main reason why we are lost is this—that we never asked that we might be saved.

Do we indeed pray? Then let us pray on, and not faint. It is not lost labor. It is not useless. It will bear fruit after many days. That promise has never yet failed, "Everyone who asks, receives."