promises-where the execution of your resolutions? Have they assumed any substantial form since then; or have they been broken and forgotten? If this latter has been your case, then you have learnt like Pharaoh to trifle with God, which is one of the last stages of a man's heart being hardened. But remember the Lord will not always be chiding, neither keepeth He His anger for ever. You cannot trifle with God's dealings and do it with impunity. You cannot do this, and yet not suffer for it. Be assured that if you continue to trifle with God, you will perish in your folly.

May God grant, when God calls us to repentance, faith, and obedience, by any means, we may have grace to yield submission!

SERMON IV.

'So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha; and Elisha 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."-2 Kings, v., 9, 10.

NAAMAN was captain of the armies of Syria, a kingdom lying next to that of Israel, on the North. Naaman was held in great repute by the King of Syria, because of his great valour, and because by his hand the Lord had given deliverance to Syria; but, unhappily, Naaman was a leper, suffering under one of the most painful and loathsome diseases to which it was possible for man to be exposed; a disease which was utterly incurable by any human skill. It so happened that in one of the many wars or predatory excursions which the Syrians at that time were making against the Israelites, a little Israelitish maid had been taken prisoner, and was made to wait on the wife of Naaman. At the same time in Israel the great prophet Elisha was living; and this little maiden slave, having heard of the prophet's wondrous works, with kind, disinterested love for her master, spake to her mistress of the prophet, and lamented

that Naaman, her master, was not with Elisha, because that Elisha might be induced to heal him of his leprosy. The report which the little maid gave of Elisha's wondrous power was brought to Naaman's ears; whereupon the King of Syria sent Naaman with a letter to the King of Israel. The King of Syria said, " Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the King of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. And he brought the letter to the King of Israel, saying, Now, when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy." Naaman then goes in state to the house of the prophet Elisha; and Elisha sends a message telling him how his cure may be effected. The whole history of Naaman is very remarkable, and full of interest. There are a great many points in it upon which we might spend much time and much reflection. There are one or two which I wish especially to bring before your attention.

In the first place, we cannot help being struck by the remarkable way in which Naaman was first led to go to the prophet. It was, as it were, by accident, by a few stray words on the part of a maid, who had been taken captive in war. Had it not been for this little captive maid, perhaps Naaman would have remained a leper until the day

of his death; and we should learn from this never to think too lightly of any one, however humble; never to think too lightly of the words which are said to us, come from whatever quarter they may. We may hear something which may be to our greatest good from the very meanest of our brethren. Sometimes we should do well to take reproof from them, both from their words and actions. Warning or advice may sometimes be given us in this way, which, had we hearkened to it in earlier years, would have prevented years of iniquity and

sorrow.

Then, we cannot but admire the great kindness and warmth of heart, the disinterested affection of this little girl, in thus anxiously considering the health and happiness of one who had probably torn her from all her friends and separated her from her parents' home. This is ever the way to bear the hard treatment which we receive, if such should be our lot. It is the best and surest way of softening and breaking down the hard hearts which we have to deal with. It is the safest way of delivering ourselves from the injuries of cruel men, especially of those who have the mastery over us; for if by our unaffected piety in these cases we can but maintain God's favour, we need not fear what man can do unto us. The Lord will then be at our right hand, He will be our helper and defender. The behaviour of this little captive servant

affords a beautiful lesson and example to servants of the present day. It should bring to their minds those words of St. Paul, "Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye service, as men pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God; and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." It should remind them, too, of the words of St. Peter, "Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward; for this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully."

But the most important part of Naaman's history, and that which claims our chief attention, is that connected with the cure of Naaman. It reminds us very much of the nature of many of the SAVIOUR'S miraculous cures, and of the Lord's saving providence in the church generally. In reading the New Testament, and the accounts there given of the miracles which the Saviour wrought, we cannot fail to observe how in many if not in most cases He wrought them by the use of some outward means; means most trifling and useless in themselves; yet often made essentially necessary to the performance of the miracle. Oftentimes, it is very true, the Lord thought fit to work these