XLIN

NAAMAN.

GREATNESS can fecure no man from calamity. Naaman was a great warrior, an honourable courtier, the distinguished favourite of his fovereignbut he was a leper: and under the preffure of this loathfome fickness all his valour, dignity, renown, victories, feem only an aggravation of his forrow. The GOD of Ifrael looked on this Syrian with an eye of pity, and his divine providence pointed out the means of deliverance.

THE captivity of a poor Hebrew female effects this aftonishing work. How good is it to acquaint our children with the mercy of GOD! Many fhall hear it, and.

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and fear; and shall put their trust in the LORD. Removed from the land of her nativity, reduced to fervitude, a ftranger in a strange country, this daughter of Ifrael forgets not JEHOVAH, or his fervant. "Would GOD my LORD "were with the prophet in Ifrael-for " he would heal him of his leprofy."

THE word was not spoken in vain. The king of Syria delays not to fend his favourite, with letters to the king of Ifrael, requiring the cure from his hands. The Syrian imagined, that what a fubject could do, a fovereign might command: proudly does he fignify his wifhes, without deigning to point out the means whereby they may be effected. "Now when this letter is come

unto thee, behold I have herewith "fent Naaman my fervant to thee, that "thou mayft recover him of his leprofy."

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JEHORAM rends his clothes in terrour and amazement-" Am I GOD," faith he," to kill, and to make alive?" To require that of a mortal which is proper only to the Almighty, is a manifeft derogation from that power, which belongeth unto God. Had Jehoram been truly religious, the injury done to his Maker would have more affected him, than his own perfonal danger. He was not unacquainted with the virtue of Elifha's prayers-he had himself experienced their efficacy-yet must that fervice be proffered, which ought to have been ftudiously required. "Wherefore "haft thou rent thy clothes? Let him sc come now to me, and he fhall know "that there is a prophet in Ifrael!"

WE must not fet too great a value on our own dignity, where we expect a benefit. Naaman comes, richly attended, with his troop of fervants and horfes, and waits in his chariot at the door of Elifha..

The prophet receives him not under his roof, nor does he even go forth to do honour to this illuftrious ftranger. He will make trial both of his faith, and his humility." Go, wash in Jordan feven "times, and thou fhalt be clean."

NAAMAN departs in tranfports of fury-he confiders the word as uttered in fcorn. "Can water cleanfe from leprofy? Is Jordan more medicinal " than other ftreams? Am I come "thus far, to be infulted by an Ifrae"lite? Is this the event of my jour

ney, and the letters of my king? "Could this prophet find none but "Naaman to treat with indignity? "Had he meant feriously, why did he "not condefcend to come forth to me?

Why did he not touch me with his " hand, and bless me with his prayers, " and heal me with his bleffing? Is my ac mifery fit for his derifion? If water "could remove it, why did I leave my

"native

"native country? Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damafcus, better " than all the waters of Ifrael?" Folly and pride strive for mastery in the carnal heart, and it is hard to fay which is most predominant. The natural man is altogether led by his outward fenfes-judges of all objects by the mere appearance→→→→ acquaints not himself with GOD-adheres obftinately to his own falfe principles-difdains the fuppofed inferiority of others-upbraids them with proud and infulting boafts of his imagined excellence. To fuch a man the doctrine, the fervices, the facraments of CHRIST are objects of contempt and ridicule. He looks on Jordan with Syrian eyes—one drop of which, fet apart by divine ordination, has more real virtue, more faving efficacy, than all the streams of Abana, and Pharpar.

HAPPY are they, who, whatever be the station of the adviser, difdain not to liften to wholefome admonition. The fervants