might have been interpreted as reproachful and injurious. Now persons in bitter anguish of mind are peculiarly suscep- tible of neglect, and much more of insult, especially from those of whom they had entertained a high opinion, and from whom they had expected a very different treatment. But, instead of being irritated, she endured all with the meekest submission % and determined to persevere till she should obtain her request. Thus, when answers to prayers are delayed, we should con- tinue urging our petitions, saying, " I will not let thee go except thou bless me''." Nor should any thing ever induce us to entertain hard thoughts of God, or to murmur at his dis- pensations towards us, seeing that we deserve nothing at his hands but shame and contempt.]
While we admire the conduct of this woman, let us also contemplate,
II. The behaviour of the Lord Jesus towards her —
For some time he seemed to act in a manner unworthy of himself —
[Towards all others he shewed himself kind and conde- scending, and ready to administer the relief they solicited. Yea, he frequently almost obtruded himself upon the notice of men, and urged them, as it were, to ask for blessings at his hands. Even to the most abandoned of all characters he dis- played this readiness to impart mei'cy '^ ; but towards this dis- tressed suppliant he seemed destitute of all sympathy or compassion. He had indeed reasons abundantly sufficient to justify his conduct : he chose to draw forth the grace that was in her heart, and thereby to reprove the indifference of those who called themselves exclusively the children of God. By the delay too he I'endered the benefit more acceptable to the woman, and the woman herself a brighter pattern unto us.
In a similar way, and for similar reasons, he sometimes hides his face from us, and turns, as it were, a deaf ear to our com- plaints ; and, if we listened to the dictates of impatience and unbelief, we should be ready to exclaim, " What profit is there that we should call upon him?"]
But at last he answered her most sanguine expec- tations—
[He who had appeared so regardless of her cry, at last bare testimony to the greatness of her faith. How cheering must his commendations have been to her disconsolate spirit !
^ How different was her conduct, though a heathen, from David's under a far less disappointment ! 1 Sam. xxv. 21, 22. ^ Gen. xxxii. 26. •= John iv. 10.