and the conversion of his soul; or the prophet, in having displayed the generosity of his own heart and the power of his God. No doubt, too, the servants of Naaman had their share of pleasure in secing their master return back to his country and expecting friends, free from that nauseous disorder which had rendered life a burden to him.

Amidst this general joy, Gehazi was the only discontented person. He had seen the treasures of Naaman, and, what was still more mortifying, he had seen them, too, refused by his disinterested master. This was too much, therefore, for his mercenary soul to bear. The venom of avarice rankled at his heart, and soon shewed itself in his actions. He coveted, and, therefore, he determined to obtain, some part of that wealth, which the grateful Syrian had brought to reward the prophet.

And here let us stop to observe, that there is no place, however sacred, which the devil will not enter, to lay his snares for the destruction of men. He entered into paradise to seduce our first parents, even when they were just come out of the hands of their Maker. He entered into Judas, when he was at supper with his heavenly Master. He overthrew the faith of

Peter,

Peter, when he had even resolved to die with his Saviour. And, in the instance before us, he entered into the heart of Gehazi, when he was in the house of a prophet, and almost still in sight of the miraculous power of the God of Israel; who, he might well have supposed, was as mighty to destroy as to save.

How great need, therefore, have the children of God to be watchful, even in their best employments and most sacred retirements! The sanctuary of God himself is not always safe from impure thoughts, nor the closet of the saint secure from dangerous temptations. How much need, therefore, have we all to keep in mind the exhortation of the Apostle, "Watch and pray, my brethren, lest ye enter into temptation."

No sooner had Gehazi formed this design, than he began to put it in execution." Behold," says he, " my master hath spared "Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his "hands that which he brought; but as the "Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take "somewhat of him.-So Gehazi followed after "Naaman.'

Naaman seeing Gehazi thus running after him, did not stay till he came up to him, but, to shew

shew his respect to the prophet, alights from his chariot to meet him, and greets him with this question, "Is all well?" To which Gehazi as readily answers, "All is well."

And was, indeed, all well? Did thy heart tell thee, thou faithless servant, that all was well, when thou wast deceiving the honest Syrian, and injuring thy kind master? Couldst thou fancy that all was well, because no human eye was witness to thy villany? Was not the eye of Providence looking down upon thee?-Say not, then, thou who imitatest the crimes of Gehazi, -All is well; because thou escapest the vengeance of man. Ask thy heart first, if all be well within.-Ask thy conscience, if all be well above. Thou mayest be safe here, indeed; but so long as the bleeding tears of injured innocence can witness against thee,--so long as the cries of the orphan and the fatherless can reach the throne of God,-be assured, that all is not well.

The rest of Gehazi's discourse is all a compound of fiction and falsehood, to cover his villany. He knew that the request he was going to make in the name of the prophet must appear somewhat strange to Naaman, after what had just before passed between them; and, therefore,

to

to give a little colour of probability to it, he dresses up a fictitious story of the unexpected arrival of two young men of the sons of the prophets from mount Ephraim, to whom his master wished to pay a compliment by making them a present of a talent of silver and two changes of garments. And, to give the greater credit to his imposture, he pretends to make a conscience of exceeding his master's orders: so that Naaman is forced to urge him, before he can prevail upon his affected delicacy of honour, to accept of two talents.—“ And he said, My master "hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there "be come to me from mount Ephraim two

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young men of the sons of the prophets; give "them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two "changes of garments. And Naaman said, Be " content; take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments.”

፡፡

You see that lying, then, was the great instrument of his avarice. And is it not still the same fatal instrument in the hands of all, who, like Gehazi, make haste to be rich ?—It is painful to speak severe truths, but it would be criminal in a minister of the Gospel of truth to dissemble them. Let me say, therefore, that no serious mind can look upon the various arts which are

practised

practised in almost every branch of trade and commerce, without just indignation and concern. -Let me ask, and I ask it with a real sorrow, whether in this land of Christianity, for one that keeps within the bounds of truth in buying and selling, there be not thousands that have recourse to lies, frauds, and even perjuries-Not that they had not rather grow rich by fair and honest methods but the misfortune is, such methods are too slow to keep pace with their avaricious desires and immoderate expences; and, therefore, the buyer and seller are equally prompted by the same motives to circumvent and deceive. And so it unavoidably must happen:--for, so long as men are actuated by the base principles of Gehazi, they will also pursue the base arts of Gehazi.

Gehazi, having thus fraudulently obtained what he wished, his next care was to secure it. The sacred historian tells us, therefore, "when "he came to the tower, he took the two talents "of silver, and the changes of raiment, and "bestowed them in the house, and let the men go, and they departed."

And now, his crime being compleated, his fears and anxieties begin. He had deceived Naaman, but he had still the dread of detection

from