fore the king. It was not proper indeed for him to leave his duties in Damascus, and perform & journey to the land of Israel, without consulting the king. Benhadad took a very generous interest in the welfare of Naaman, and at once consented that he should go and visit the prophet. But as he supposed Elisha was entirely at the disposal of the king of Israel, he wrote a letter to him. It was directed to Jehoram, king of Israel, and read thus :-"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."

When the king of Israel read this letter he was greatly surprised. He knew the leprosy was an incurable disease, and rending his garment, as was usual when persons heard words which they considered blasphemous, or when they were in distress, he said, "Am I a god to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? Wherefore consider, I pray you, see how he seeketh a quarrel against me." He supposed the king of Syria contemplated hostilities, and so had sent him to perform an impossibility, that he might have a pretext for declaring war against him.

Elisha was probably in Samaria at this time. Hearing of the arrival of the Syrian general, and the alarm of King Jehoram, he sent a messenger to say to him, "Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? Send Naaman to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel."

This was a cutting reproof to the wicked king. It was as much as to say, "Where are your idol gods? Why do you not call on them to heal the Syrian general? Where are your idol prophets? You prefer them to the prophets of Jehovah. Can none of them help you out of your difficulty? Where is the Lord God of Elijah? Hast thou provoked him by thy wickedness until thou darest not apply to him in thy distress? But as even the Syrians seek the

God whom thou hast rejected, send him to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel."

So Naaman came with his attendants, his horses and chariot, and stood before the door of Elisha.

Elisha did not go out to meet him, or even see him, but simply sent his servant to say to him, " Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean."

Naaman had been accustomed to be treated with great respect. Flattery to great men is carried to a very great extent in eastern countries, and withal, Naaman was a very haughty man. And as the prophet had refused to treat him with that respect which he thought was due to his rank, he was very angry, and said, “Behold, I thought he would surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, 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 ?" So he drove off in his chariot in a rage.

As he drove away, and after his anger had had a little time to cool, his servants, who, on this occasion, were much wiser than their master, ventured to remonstrate. One of them very respectfully said to him, "My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it? How much rather then when he saith to thee, 'Wash and be clean.'" There was no painful operation to pass through, no long and severe course of medicine necessary: the method prescribed by the prophet would cost him nothing; he had come a great way; it could do no harm to try; and there would be time enough to be angry if the prescription failed. This was very excellent reasoning, and Naaman was convinced he had acted rashly. He therefore bent his way to the Jordan, and went down and bathed seven times, as the prophet had

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directed. When he came up out of the water his body, which before was filled with disease, was perfectly healed. The whole mass of his blood and fluids was purified, and his skin was fair and smooth like that of a little child. What a wonderful cure! But what a dangerous sin is pride! Naaman had well nigh returned to Syria as bad as he came. This pride was very near preventing his cure, and keeping him a leper until the day of his death. Still there was something, after all, in the conduct of Naaman, worthy of imitation. First, he listened to the advice of a little servant-maid, who, of course, was not in a situation to be considered a very important person. Secondly, he listened to the counsels of his servants, and, suppressing his anger, went and did as they advised. Thirdly, he humbled his pride and prejudice, and went and washed in Jordan, although he at first thought it beneath him to do so, seeing he considered Abana and Pharpar better streams than any to be found in Israel.

This case may also teach us never to neglect any direction from God, even though we can see no reason why he should give it. Naaman could not see the reason why he should be sent to Jordan. Cold water did not usually benefit a person who had the leprosy, but rather injured him. He could not tell why the prophet told him to bathe seven times. He might have washed four or five times, and then have examined his flesh to see if there was any improvement. But seeing none, he might have said, It is of no service. If these waters were likely to heal me, there would be some change by this time. Now I suppose if Naaman had bathed six times, and no more, that he would have returned home a leper as bad as he came. He washed seven times, and was healed. This should teach us to do just as God commands, whether we see the reason for the command or not. There are some persons who say, "It is of no use to pray for any thing, because

God knows what we need before we ask him just as well as he does afterward." Now we may reply to those persons, that God could have cured Naaman just as well without washing in Jordan as with. But he did not, and would not. Neither will he give us those blessings without prayer which he has promised only in answer to prayer. God could give us corn and wheat without ploughing and sowing, but the sluggard who folds his hands in seed-time, saying, “A little more sleep, and a little more slumber," shall beg in harvest, and have nothing.

We may also learn from the means employed to heal Naaman, not to despise any means which God uses to do us good, because they are plain and simple. Washing in Jordan was very plain and easy. Naaman thought no good could come from such means. But simple as they

were, he was healed by making use of them. So God often employs simple means on purpose to humble the pride of the sinful heart.

If people would become Christians, if they would have their sins forgiven, and new hearts given them, they must be humbled. There are some proud men who, like Naaman, wish to be treated with great respect. They would have the Lord come out to them, and treat them like gentlemen. But God converts the prince in the same way he converts the beggar. He has not prepared two heavens-one for the rich and the other for the poor. Neither has he any more pompous way of saving one than the other. Both must pray the humble prayer of the publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner."

PRAISE.

Those who are most ardently solicitous of obtaining praise, and make the greatest efforts to attain it, are generally less successful than those who give themselves no trouble about it.

WEEK'S JOURNAL OF A COUNTRY CURATE.

To give to the poor is to lend to the Lord.

Monday. Received ten pounds from my rector, Mr. S--, being one half year's salary-obliged to wait a long time before my admittance to the rector, and even when admitted, was never once asked to sit down and refresh myself, though I had eleven miles to walk. Item--The doctor hinted he could have the curacy filled for fifteen pounds

a year.

Tuesday. Paid nine pounds to seven different people; but could not buy the second hand pair of offered me as a great bargain by the tailor; my wife wanted a gown very much, and neither Betsey nor Polly have a shoe to go to church.

Wednesday. My wife bought a gown for herself, and shoes for her two daughters; but unluckily, in coming home, dropped a guinea through a hole, which she had never before perceived, in her pocket, and all our cash in the world was gone, except half a crown. Item-Chid my poor woman for being afflicted at the misfortune, and tenderly advised her to rely on the goodness of God.

Thursday. Received a note from at the top of the hill, informing me that a gentleman begged to speak with me on pressing business; went, and found it was an unfortunate member of a strolling company of players, who was pledged for sevenpence halfpenny-in a struggle what to do. The baker, though we had paid him on Tuesday, quarrelled with us to avoid giving any credit in future and George : the butcher, sent us word that

he had heard it whispered how the rector intended to have a curate who would do the parish duty at an inferior price : and though he would do any thing to serve me, advised me to deal with Peter at the upper end of town. But, in my opinion, a want

Mortifying reflections these.