temptation with which St. Paul was harassed ; since whatever our trials be, we may consider ourselves as in his situation, and obtain relief in the same way that he did.]
The reason for which that affliction was sent him, it is of great importance to observe —
[The Apostle was not yet perfect: and though he had been caught up into the third heavens, he was yet liable to sin : the seeds of pride were yet in his heart ; and they would derive life and vigour even from those very mercies, which, to human appearance, should have had a tendency to destroy them. To counteract this evil of his heart, God sent him a heavy triaH. And, if we were more attentive to the ends of God's dispensations towards ourselves, we might always find some good reason for them within our own hearts. Pride is a hateful and accursed evil ; and, if suffered to reign within us, will bring us " into the condemnation of the devil :" nor, however severe the remedy may be, should we be averse to endure it, if only it may be instrumental to the extirpating of this deeply-rooted propensity. In this case, though Satan may be the agent that inflicts the stroke, God is the kind friend that "gives" it: and though Satan intends us nothing but evil, God overrules it for our good.]
The conduct of the Apostle under his trial will be instructive to us, if we consider, II. The means by which he obtained deliverance from it —
He carried his trouble to a throne of grace —
[Paul well knew the efficacy of fervent prayer, and how vain it was to contend with Satan in his own strength. He therefore besought the Lord to extract this thorn, and to relieve him from his distress. The Lord not immediately vouchsafing him an answer, he renewed his petitions with yet greater fervour : and when still no answer came, he became more and more urgent, determining, like Jacob of old, that he would not go without a blessing. This was a certain mean of obtaining deliverance. It was the mean which our Lord himself used under the pressure of that wrath that was due to our sins : He prayed " thrice " that the cup might pass from him. Nor is such urgent prayer at all expressive of a want of resig- nation to the will of God : it is our privilege and our duty to " call upon God in the time of trouble;" and troubles are often sent for this very purpose, to bring us nearer to God ; and are continued for a time, to discover to us more abundantly the condescension of God in the removal of them.]
^ This is twice mentioned in ver. 7.