fervants of Naaman prove his best and most valuable friends. They fear not to approach him, in the height of his indignation. "My father, if the prophet "had bid thee do fome great thing, "wouldst thou not have done it? How "much rather then, when he faith to "thee, Wash, and be clean ?" Thefe men confulted not the paffion, but the welfare of their lord-they would rather advise than flatter-rather exhort him to good, than follow him to evil. Since it was a prophet from whom he received the injunction, they entreat him not to despise it. They allege, that the fimplicity of the proposed remedy was no argument against its efficacy, while the power of him who prefcribed it was fupernatural. They tell him, that the virtue of the cure depended on his own faithand obedience, not on the outward means. fuggefted by Elifha. They perfuade, and prevail. Naaman goes down, at

their earnest persuasion, and dips himself feven times in Jordan. Next to God and the prophet, he may thank his attendants that he is no longer a leper. His unjust fury has not prevented his recovery-the word of JEHOVAH, and of his confecrated fervant, ftand fure, in fpite of mortal petulance and prefumption. Long might Naaman have washed there in vain, if Elifha had not fent him many a leper had bathed in those waters, and remained unclean. It is the ordinance of GOD which gives effect to what in itself is weak, and inadequate to its purpose. It is His bleffing, which, in the facrament of baptifm, fanctifieth water to the myftical washing away of fin. It is through His goodness, that the Christian partakes at his altar of the bread of life, the cup of everlasting fal

vation.

NAAMAN departed in rage-he returns filled with humility and gratitude.

His heart is no lefs purified from turbulent paffions, than his body from ficknefs. He returns not to the royal court either of Benhadad or Jehoram-he will not even make his family partakers of his joy, till he has presented himself before that holy prophet, once the object of indignation, now of reverential love. The man of GOD admits the recovered Syrian, though he refused to see the leper. Purposely did he decline the former interview, that he might share no part of the praise with his Maker-that he might hear this noble confeffion in its full force-" Behold, now I know that "there is no GOD in all the earth, but " in Ifrael!"

BUT while Naaman thus does homage to the Author of his cure, he will not forget the inftrument. Richly furnished with filver, and gold, and raiment, he will not confine himself to barren acknowlegements. Some teftimony

of

of his thankfulness he is anxious to leave behind him, though all earthly recompence fall fhort of the benefit received. pray thee, take a bleffing of thy fervant."

"I

THE holy prophet, with a degree of honeft vehemence, refufes to accept thefe free-will offerings of gratitude-not that he deemed it unlawful, but in the prefent inftance inexpedient. He would have his new convert fee cause to be more enamoured of true piety, which teaches her children to contemn thofe riches and honours that are adored by worldlingsand would impress upon his mind, that the gifts of GOD are neither to be purshafed, nor rewarded, with money.

NAAMAN acquiefces, and departs. He goes, refolved to profefs himself an Ifraelite in religion. All the court of Syria fhall know, that he facrifices on confecrated earth to the GOD of Ifrael they shall hear him proteft, that he has neither

neither heart nor knee for Rimmon. If he must go into the house of that idol, it fhall be of neceffity, not of choice-his duty to his master fhall carry him, not his devotion to his mafter's god. Yet had not Naaman deemed this a fault, he would not have requested pardon. His heart told him, that a perfect convert fhould have abhorred the temple, the fight of Rimmon-that his obedience to an earthly master should not draw him to any fecondary obfervance of idolatry— that a fincere deteftation of fin was utterly inconfiftent with this temporizing fubmiffion.

FAR, therefore, is Naaman from being an example, fave of weakness-he is yet more than half a Syrian-he is a babe, unskilful in the word of righteousnefs. The prophet, who would have rebuked an Ifraelite, will not obscure the dawn of an heathen's converfion. He difmiffes