danger of turning what is holy into meaningless phrases; or using it as cant, which means words coming from the lips but not issuing from the heart. Thus, for example, even the use of such terms as "if the Lord willeth," has become a mere form, or degenerated, till sometimes the words are employed to cover the very opposite. And so from one offence to the other, till a Gehazi will lie and deceive, and not heed what terrible havoc and ruin his offence may cause, so far as the spiritual interests of a Naaman are concerned. But the Lord will take care of His own people. All the more deeply touching, in contrast to the hypocrisy of Gehazi, appears the unfeigned humility of Naaman, as he alighted from his chariot to meet the prophet's servant; and, with an affectionate earnestness which might have moved any but a covetous man, urged upon his apparent reluctance the double of the miserable demand which he had made.

God preserveth the simple; and Naaman, speedily rejoined by the servants, who had carried to the city-gate the illgotten treasure of Gehazi, pursued his homeward journey, no doubt, all the more joyously for the service which he had been allowed to render. The reward of what we may do for the Lord shall not be lost, because of the misapplication and deception of any Gehazi to whom we may entrust our offerings. If we have offered our gifts as unto the Lord, He will own and receive them. But the discovery of the hatefulness of sin shall not be long delayed. The boldness with which Gehazi tried to turn aside his master's searching look and question was foiled. No doubt Elisha had followed in prayer his departing convert, when, to his mind, divinely enlightened, the whole scene of Gehazi's sin and degradation presented itself. It needed no elaborate reasoning to put aside Gehazi's self-deception and sectarianism, and to show him that his real motives had been self and covetous

ness.

But was all that is highest and holiest to be used as the means for gratifying the lowest, meanest, and most sordid kind of selfishness? The work of God, the soul of Naaman, the truth of religion: were all these to be made only the occasion for a Gehazi to acquire wealth? Oh, terrible discovery, which left him no excuse; oh, still more terrible discovery, which will burst upon men when the great Judge shall sweep away all self-deceiving pretexts, and show to men their real motives! And so, as he had sought what was Naaman's, he should have it; but with it also would Naaman's curse of leprosy cleave to him for ever. God be merciful to us-and in nothing more than in keeping within us a holy dread and awe of His work, that we may never touch His Ark with unhallowed hands, and ever beware of making godliness a gain, remembering that our God is a jealous God!

"And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye. And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it."-2 KINGS vi. 1-7.

NEXT to the assurance of our salvation, the conviction most necessary to our comfort is that of God's continual Presence with us. Without it we would feel as orphans in this world, exposed to numberless unknown dangers, yet unable to meet them. But the object of the Incarnation of our Saviour, and the fact that our Great Advocate was "in all things made like unto His brethren," convey to us the assurance that He is "a merciful and faithful High Priest." Having "suffered, being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted." The Son of God in heaven still wears our human nature. He is with us even unto the end of the world. Afflicted in all our affliction, saving us by His Presence, having redeemed us in His love and in His pity, He bears us and carries us all the days of our lives. Still, in our weakness we too often doubt and distrust, and feel as if it needed ocular demonstration to convince us of these facts. How much more

must this have been the case under the Old Testament dispensation, which was pre-eminently one of faith and hope. We can scarcely realise how precious to them would be those records of God's dealings, which proved so clearly that Jehovah was "a very present help in trouble."

And certainly, if in any circumstances, there could not be failure, loss, impossibility, nor defeat where the prophet of the Lord was. He appeared as the representative of the Lord. His failure would have been failure on the part of God. If the prophet could not be absolutely relied upon, neither could the message which he brought be implicitly trusted. A messenger direct from heaven requires to bring credentials direct from heaven. If our Saviour could not have procured the tax-money for which Peter had rashly engaged, the confidence of His disciples might have been rudely shaken. If Elisha had failed in any emergency, the whole character of his mission would have been changed. It was intended to show that Jehovah is the Living and the True God; that if He claimed homage and service, His thoughts were all of mercy and of love; and that never, nor for anything, could any one apply to Him in vain. In short, it was designed to prefigure the blessed truths which now in Christ are exhibited in all their fulness. And thus we also say and believe, that no application to our Prophet can be made in vain, and that to believing prayer there can be neither failure, loss, impossibility, nor defeat.

The labours of Elisha had not been in vain. Indeed, labour in the service of the Lord, however humble, can never be in vain. Wherever the Gospel is faithfully preached some will gather around to bear testimony to its power, and though the patience of His people may be long-tried, in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. We must learn to work,

as well as to live, in faith. Sometimes God enlarges our opportunities. Such increase should be received, not in a spirit of self-congratulation, but with gratitude, with meekness, and with fear. In the present instance, God had evidently blessed the work. The number of disciples around Elisha had grown till the place was too strait for them. The proposal made for meeting this emergency was sensible and modest. Contented with humble accommodation so long as they had Elisha in their midst, the "sons of the prophets" suggested that each man should do his own part in the work, and that, availing themselves of the material so abundant in the neighbourhood, they should "take every man a beam," and "make a place there," where they might dwell. The presence of the true and faithful word with them would richly compensate for any discomforts connected with their new mode of living. Let us have the Gospel in its purity, no matter what outward drawback may be connected with it. Rather the Gospel among the most illiterate people and in the least attractive form, than well-bred, faultless indifference, or worse than that, Antichristian error. It is strange self-delusion to imagine that we can escape damage or guilt, if we take part in other men's sins.

It is wonderful how much can be accomplished by hearty, cheerful labourers, where each is ready to undertake his own share, and all are content with humble appearances, provided the great object be attained. There is much undeveloped power in the Church and in each of us, if we were not so starched up in conventionalities, and would rather attend to present necessities than to worn-out precedents. It was a healthy sign of healthy religion, when, as the place became too strait for them, each set himself not to beg, but to labour as best he could. Is there work to be done in our neighbourhood? Then, do not let us wait for eventualities, which