continues unchangeably faithful and true, not to trust in him would be a sin. Often, no doubt, storms in our passions are raised by the adversary against us; let us take heed that they do not drive us on the rocks of despair, and make shipwreck of our faith. They who sin through infirmity, have always an advocate with the Father, whose prayer is, Father, forgive them.

In avoiding one error, be cautious also, not to fall into another. Some cherish melancholy, when they have occasion, and when they ought to rejoice; they reject the voice of the charmer, charm he ever so wisely." They seem to make a merit of sadness; to suppose that if they "go mourning all the day long," it is a sacrifice with which God is well pleased. But this God has no where promised, nor has he required this at your hands. He would rather that you should rejoice in his comfort, and enjoy his peace; for this we ought to strive.

Let it be considered too, that our want of religious comfort, is sometimes owing to our remaining sins, and it is generally the most safe to consider that such is our own case; that God forsakes us, because we have forsaken him. And remember also, that truly to put your trust in God, you must faithfully do his will. Let your heart, like the dial, be true to the Sun of Righteousness, whether or not he shine upon you. Let his loving kindness which has ever been of old, be the pledge of his future mercies, and your assurance, that he who endureth unto the end, shall certainly be saved. Nothing can separate you from the love of God; let nothing divert you from his fear and service.

SERMON XII.

THE WATERS OF ISRAEL, OR MEANS OF GRACE.

2 Kings, v. 12.

Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them and be clean?

"THE natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God," nor is it without reluctance and opposition, that human pride submits to his righteousness. And he has shown his wisdom, and exposed our folly, in "choosing the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and weak things to confound the things which are mighty; yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things which are, that no flesh should glory in his presence."

In the portion of sacred history, with which this text is connected, we have a lively and impressive view of the nature and efficacy of the means of grace; and there are few passages in the holy scriptures which are better calculated to strengthen our faith

in the word of God, and the use of religious ordi

nances.

"Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and honourable." Such a character high in authority, extensively known, and much respected, was the rather chosen, that the Lord's work wrought upon him, might be the more conspicuous; the light was thus hung on high, that it might shine in a wider circle. As our Lord observes to the Jews, "many lepers were in Israel, in the time of Eliseus (or Elisha) the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian." Not all his honours and terrestrial magnificence, can secure him or any one from the evils of life, nor make him the less dependent upon God. This man, so great and honourable, was a leper; he was afflicted with a malady the most loathsome and incurable.

But the Lord, to whom belong mercies and forgiveness, conducts the blind, by a way they know not, into marvellous light. "The Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel, a little maid, and she waited on Naaman's wife. And she said unto her mistress, would God, my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria; for he would recover him of his leprosy." This confidence of the young damsel, in the power of the prophet Elisha, and several instances which perhaps she related of the wonders which in God's name he had wrought, induced Naaman to make the experiment.

But the attempt, as we might expect, was accompanied with much human pride and a vain show.

He first applied to the king of Israel, who was quite disconcerted, and forced to acknowledge his inability to perform such a work; but was soon relieved from his embarrassment, by the goodness of Elisha, "who sent to the king, saying, wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel."

Naaman went with his chariot in great style, "and stood before the house of Elisha," expecting that the prophet would salute him with accustomed reverence and respect. But to correct his error, and teach him how worthless in God's sight is all the pomp of human pride, Elisha did not even go out of his house to salute or to meet him; but simply "sent a messenger unto him, saying, go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean."

These were certainly good tidings, and he ought to have received them with great joy. But on the contrary, he received this message with indignation. Forgetting that he had come, not to be flattered, but to be healed; not to dictate, but obey, his pride was incensed by this seeming disrespect. Wash seven times in Jordan! What benefit could he expect from such simple means? Or, what virtue is there in the number seven, that once washing may not suffice; or what excellence in the waters of Jordan, that it should be thus distinguished from other streams? What followed was very natural; "he was wroth, and went away, and said, I thought surely he will come out to me, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana, and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of

Israel? May I not wash in them and be clean?" No, proud man, the rivers of Damascus will profit you nothing. You must submit to God's righteousness; you must wash in Jordan, or remain a leper. To this his pride at first would not submit. He had determined in his own mind, how the prophet ought to conduct this business, and effect the cure; and when the man of God took a different course, and proposed means which appeared so contemptible, "he turned and went away in a rage."

It was happy for this man, that he had servants, whose views of this matter were more correct and reasonable. "My father," said they, "if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith unto thee, wash and be clean!" He was so wise as to hearken to this good advice; "he went down and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, and his flesh came again, like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." This astonishing result, filled him with gratitude and admiration; he returned to the man of God, with expressions of the utmost reverence for the Lord Jehovah; he now acknowledges his full belief, that the God of Israel is the only true God, and declares his determination for the future, to worship no other deity.

But how critical, and how perilous was his situation at that awful moment, when with such indignation and rage, he turned away from the Lord's prophet! Suppose his servants had not ventured to advise him; or, (what many would have done,) that he had treated their suggestion with contempt; suppose that he had returned in that temper to his