The person, whom he immediately addressed, was the Lord Jesus —
[Paul had heard Stephen in the hour of martyrdom calling on the Lord Jesus ; and had seen what support was admini- stered to him on that trying occasion ^. And whither should he himself fly but to that same adorable Friend, who is " touched with the feeling of our infirmities," and, " having been in all points tempted like us, is able and willing to succour his tempted people^." That his petitions were immediately ad- dressed to Christ, is certain ; for we are told in the text, that it was Christ who answered him, and on whose promised aid the Apostle was enabled to rely.]
In due time he received an answer to his petitions —
[At last the suppliant was informed, that the grace of Christ which had already been so abundant in his first conver- sion, should be " sufficient for him " under every subsequent trial : and that however disheartened the Apostle might be on account of his great and manifold infirmities, he should expe- rience no real evil from them : on the contrary, they should be a source of much good, inasmuch as they should be the means of displaying, and magnifying, the strength of Christ. Thus all cause of complaint was taken away from him, because Satan was sure to be defeated by him, and the work of Christ to be advanced both in his own heart, and by his ministrations in the world. This answer, though not precisely agreeable to the letter of the Apostle's petition, fully corresponded with the spirit of it. Our blessed Lord himself, when " supplicatino- with strong crying and tears " for the removal of the cup, did not obtain the precise object of his request ; yet we are told that he " was heard," because he was strengthened, and enabled to drink it^. Thus the Apostle's petitions also were crowned with success. The trial was indeed continued : but the end for which God sent it, was accomplished. Had God removed the thorn, it is possible that the Apostle might have been " exalted above measure," and might thereby have suffered irreparable loss in his soul: but by sanctifying the trouble, God confirmed him in his humility, and rendered him a distin- guished instrument of good to his Church.]
That the Apostle considered his petition as com- pletely answered, will appear from,
IIL The effect which this answer produced upon him — From this moment all his sorrows were turned into
joy—
e Acts vii. 58, 59. f Heb. ii. 18. and iv. 15. e Heb. v. 7.
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