2. Her humility —
[Nothing could express more unfeigned humility than her demeanour did on this occasion. She addressed our Lord in terms of most profound respect, and prostrated herself before him with the deepest reverence : and, when he, by insinuation at least, compared her to a dog, she, instead of deeming it an insult, acquiesced in the appellation given her, and, with an ingenuity which nothing but the most unfeigned humility could have dictated, turned into a plea the name which seemed to convey nothing but discouragement ; " Truth, Lord, I am a dog ; yet as the dogs eat of the crumbs that fal) from the master's table, without being considered as robbing the children, so, if thou grant me this one favour, it need not be any diminution of the mercy which thou hast treasured up for the Jews, in comparison of whom I am worthily esteemed
a dog.'
Thus should we also conduct ourselves in all our addresses at the throne of grace ; our posture should be humble, our spirit contrite, and our acknowledgments full of selt-lothing and self-abhorrence.]
3. Her faith—
[This, as being the root of all, our Lord more especially commended. Indeed her faith was exceeding great : she be- held him as " the Lord, the Son of David," the true Messiah. She believed him able to effect a cure, Vv^hen it far surpassed all human power ; yea, she believed tliat he could effect it at a distance, and by a woi'd only. She was no less persuaded of his ivillingness to grant her petition ; and therefore she per- severed in her request in despite of all her discouragements. And, when our Lord declared that her request was granted, she departed with as full a persuasion that her daughter was delivered from the unclean spirit, as if she had seen the change accomplished before her eyes.
What an admirable pattern was she in this respect I It is thus that we also should approach him, not doubting either his ability or willingness to help us ; and, when we hear his gracious declarations, we should trust in them with the fullest assurance that they shall be accomplished to us.]
4. Her patience —
[When first she besought our Lord, he took no notice of her. When she followed him with her entreaties, insomuch that the disciples, merely to get rid of her, became her advo- cates, he refused to hear her intercessions, and assigned to them a reason which to them appeared unanswerable. When she still, with increasing humility and fervour, urged her request, she also was repulsed, and that too in terms which