24. He reply'd, that

the Benefit of his Mira

cles and Doctrine was

23. But be answered ber not a word.

And his dif

ciples came and befought him, saying, fend her away, for fie crieth after us.

24. But be answered and said, I am not fent, but unto the left Sheep of the boufe of Ifrael.

a Privilege at prefent intended for Jezus only; not for Gentiles, fuch as this Woman was. (See Mark vii. 26. and Margin there.)

28. This faying shews thee qualified for the Mercy thou haft fo importunately begged. (Mark vii. 29.)

25. Then came fhe and worshipped him, faying, Lord belp me.

26. But be anfvered and faid, It is not meet to take the Children's bread, and caft it to degs.

27. And he said, Truth Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs bich fall from their Mafler's table.

28. Then Jefus answered and faid unto her, O quoman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And ber Daughter was made whole from that

very bour.

T1

COMMENT.

HAT Prayer is a Duty more especially to be attended upon at this Seafon, the very Nature of it infers. The joining it fo often with Fafting in Scripture, the Helps it hath been proved

Afb-Wednesday.

to receive from such Abftinence, and the neceffity of applying to God, for fome Graces out of our own Power, puts it beyond a Doubt. Such in particular, I have faid, is that Purity, fo earneftly recommended in the Epiftle for the Day. But, in regard it does not always happen, that our Petitions are granted fo foon, either as we make them, or as we expect a return to them: Nothing could be more proper and methodical, than, for the Church on this occafion, to encourage our Importunity, and Continuance in Prayer. Nothing could more encourage this, than fo fuccefsful an Inftance of it, as the Miracle related in the Gofpel now before us, when confidered in all its parts, will appear plainly to contain.

I

An

An afflicted Mother here implores Chrift's Help, with all the tender Concern, becoming that Relation; with all the Vehemence, that we can fuppofe her excited to, by a Calamity fo terrible, as a Daughter grievously vexed with a Devil. Her Cries are filently paffed over, though fo loud and troublefome, that our Lord's Difciples, either in compaffion to the fadness of her Cafe, or defirous to be eased of fo clamorous an Importunity, turn Advocates for her. The Anfwer they received was very discouraging, and feem'd to imply a Refolution, not to grant a Favour, which was irregular, and befide both the Methods, and the Design, of his present Miffion. This notwithstanding, fhe purfues her Request. But, inftead of any Signs of relenting, is answered with a Proverb, upbraiding her Unworthiness, feemingly chiding her Prefumption in conceiving any Hopes of it; and indeed carrying fuch an appearance of hardheartedness and fcorn, as one would rather have expected out of the Mouth of a haughty Pharifee, than from the meek and merciful Jefus. Still fhe defifts not, is content to be reckoned as a Dog, in comparifon of the Jews, who had the Honour of being treated as Children. But from hence fhe forms an Argument, to put in for a Dog's Portion at least. Öne Miracle in Her behalf, bearing but the Proportion of a Dog's fhare, to the numberlefs Mercies of that kind, wrought for and among the Jews: The Crumbs that fall, compared to Their full Table. And then our Lord at laft does, not only gratify that Application, which before he in appearance difallowed, but even commend, and do it fignal Honour. For it was in appearance only, that he difallowed it before, and those Repulses were all for the Petitioner's Advantage. This is the Subftance of the Scripture in hand, defcribing a Managery very ufual with Almighty God, who is often thought to hide his Face from us,

and

fucceed at all, will fuffice, either to difcourage the making of new, or to difcontinue our old, Addreffes of this kind.

Now, whence is all this, but from the Eagerness of our Defires, and the Value we fondly hold thofe Advantages in, which we so induftriously court, so obstinately purfue? And, whence that Haftinefs and Impatience, that Wearinefs and Fainting, that fitting down in Despair, and quickly concluding our Petitions rejected and unprofitable, fo ufual in our Applications to Almighty God; but from a Difefteem of the Mercies we fue for, want of a due Senfe of their Confequence, of their Neceffity, to us, and thereupon an Indifference, whether they come or no? But efpecially, Why this falfe, this blameable Modesty in One Cafe, Why that indefatigable Confidence in the Other; where the Perfons addrefs'd to are of Difpofitions fo very different? Why that never giving over to hope and to beg, where we are frequently deceived, and forced Dependencies are troublefome? And why this defifting fo quickly, with One, who never did or can deceive us; with One, to whom our Truft is always pleafing, and our Importunity it felf serves more effeEtually to recommend us?

That thus it is with Men, our own Experience, that thus with God, the Scriptures already produc'd on this occafion, may abundantly convince us. And the difference, fo remarkable between them, may without any great Difficulty be accounted for. In God, we know, there is no end of Goodnefs, no end of Power; In Men, both these are shut up within very narrow bounds. To prefs Them is therefore fhocking, because this is, by a fide Wind, to upbraid them, either with want of Ability, or of Sincerity, or of Inclination to do good. And these are Qualities, which every one is defirous either to have, or at least to be thought to have. So that, whatever implicitely denies,

dedies, or, by natural Construction, calls these into queftion, carries with it a Reproach, not easy to be born. But God, who is Power, and Truth, and Love it felf is above all fuch Reflections. Our Neceffities cannot exhauft him, and therefore our Requests for the fupply of them cannot offend him. He that made us, needs not be changed, by any Arguments we can ufe, to draw his Kindnefs and Affection to us: And therefore his very Withholdings and Delays are kindly meant. And the continuing to afk is a Demonftration of our being fatisfied, that they are fo. For letting alone any farther Application is a natural confequence of taking our former Ufage ill. But repeating the fame with Confidence argues a Spirit eafy and refign'd, confeffes his Goodnefs, and our own Unworthinefs; clears us of any unbecoming Refentments, and fpeaks us contented to wait his good leifure, for the fatisfying our moft earnest and important Defires, and even, as we may think, most reasonable Expectations. For fuch without queftion they are, if granted at laft. Which makes it neceffary therefore to confider, in the

II. Second place, What account may be given of God's delaying to answer those Prayers, which he never intended abfolutely to deny. Now this may be done,

1. With a defign to increase our Virtue, to render it more confpicuous, and fo to prove us more fit for, and worthy of, the Bleffings we apply to him for. Thus it was plainly in the Subject of this Day's Gofpel. Had the Canaanitish Woman been gratified upon her firft Suit: She had not made fo noble a Figure in the Hiftory of our Saviour's Miracles. And the eafinefs of obtaining a Favour, to which, as a Stranger to Ifrael, She had no manner of Claim, had been Matter of Offence to the Jews. But the frequent Repulfes She fo bravely fuftained, took off all ground

ground of Exception, juftified our Lord in going out of his common Method, and made this Greek a Pattern even to Chriftians of all future Ages. In like manner, does our heavenly Father deal with his Children upon all occafions. He tries thofe Tempers by fufpending his Mercies, which Indulgence, and Readiness to give, are apt to spoil. He makes us feel our dependance, and trains us up to Patience and Refignation, to Truft and Conftancy. For indeed we are not fit to receive, till perfectly fatisfied, that He is the propereft Judge, when, as well as how, and what, to give; and that, in all these regards, he proceeds upon Reasons, not only wife in themselves, but beneficial to Us.

2. These Delays are very useful, in order to keep up the Value of the Good things we afk. Of which, though that very Act of afking teftify fome Efteem, yet will this naturally rife, by continuing longer without them. In thefe Bodies we live fo much by Sense, that nothing affects us ftrongly, which does not make fome confiderable change in our Condition: Nor are we moved by Objects from without, according as they are in themfelves, but according as We apprehend of them. So that it is not only the Want, but the feeling we have of that Want more especially, that recommends the Bleffing of a Supply to us. Hence, without doubt, it is, that we refent in fo very different a manner, the Mercy of a conftant State of Health, and that of Recovery from a dangerous Fit of Sickness; Eafe, and Safety, and uninterrupted Profperity on one Hand; and Deliverance from exquifite Pain, imminent Destruction, or fome very afflicting Calamity, on the other. No Man in his Reafon will fay, that the former are not better and more defirable in themselves: and yet every Man must allow, that the latter are more welcome, and Matter of greater Joy, to Us. Infomuch, that even the Sweets