at once conclude that GoD's Minister is wrong; and the consequence is that they reap no profit from what they hear, but rather, I am afraid, the reverse.

Then, about the other Sacrament; men cannot believe that Grace is conveyed by it, and that to every sincere and faithful communicant it is the Body and Blood of CHRIST. They cannot believe that it is a means by which GoD invisibly works in the soul, as by an instrument, and conveys to all faithful communicants "Mercy and Grace to help in time of need." They cannot believe, and cannot understand you, when you tell them that the spiritual life given them in Baptism, is fed, refreshed, and increased, by that other Sacrament, just as the body is fed, refreshed, and increased by corporal aliment of bread and wine. And why cannot they believe and understand this? Not because it is not in Scripture; for our LORD expressly says, "This is My Body and Blood;" and "except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His Blood, ye have no life in you:"" and he that eateth ME, the same shall live by ME." Which words are truly and properly, though not, perhaps, exclusively, to be understood of the faithful participation of the LORD's Supper: why, then, cannot men believe this truth, which the Scripture, and the Church from Scripture, has laid down in words not to be misunderstood? Because they have some preconceived notions; because some popular teachers, deserting the teaching of the Church, have told them that they can go to Heaven by Repentance and Faith, and have insisted on Repentance and Faith exclusively; and men have, therefore, concluded that these only are necessary, and that they can go to Heaven without Sacraments. God forbid that I should seem

to undervalue either Repentance or Faith, which are the first and vital requisites; but if any man pins his hope upon these alone, and neglects CHRIST's two great Ordinances, the Church of CHRIST does not venture to assure that man of safety.

But Naaman had another fault: he despised the means offered him because he thought them unlikely and ineffectual; for indeed cold water, as we are told, was considered more likely to aggravate than to cure the complaint he laboured under. This too is a great snare to many persons; they cannot believe in the efficacy of CHRIST's own clearly appointed ordinances, because they cannot think them likely to be effectual; when people say, "how can a little water wash away sin?" are they not arguing in the spirit of Naaman? When they say, "How can partaking of a little bread and wine secure our interest in CHRIST?" are they not arguing in the same spirit of unbelief? But how very foolish and wrong such arguments are! Are God's ways our ways? Is it dutiful, humble, reverent, to argue, or even to think, about GOD's appointments thus ? When JESUS CHRIST anointed the blind man's eyes with clay, was it likely that that would clear his eyes, or aggravate his blindness? Are we so wise that we can tell how GOD Almighty is likely to act; or what instruments HE may please to make effectual? The truth is that GOD usually acts by unlikely means; that is, by means which to man's apprehension appear unlikely. Who would have thought that God should come upon earth and be made a man? Was this a likely thing, think you? Who would have thought that death was to be destroyed by the death of death's Destroyer? Was this, again, likely? Who would have thought that that mighty tyrant, the Prince of

Darkness, who has enslaved the world, and destroyed kingdoms, and persecuted the saints, and fought against angels, and confronted and killed the PRINCE of Life HIMSELF, who would have thought he should be destroyed by a breath, and quelled by the spirit of the mouth, and that, too, of babes and sucklings? "Without doubt," as says St. Paul, "great is the mystery of Godliness," and, in such a world of mysteries, shall man presume to become a judge, and say, I will not believe because I think this thing or that impossible? Where would be the trial of faith-where the test of obedience, if not in matters such as these? Let us, then, silence all doubts and questionings with that consideration wherewith Mary was convinced by the angel," with GOD nothing shall be impossible."

Lastly, I will observe that all Naaman's scruples, and doubts, and anger, vanished before the remonstrance of his servants; " My father," they said, addressing him by a term of respect and reverence, usual in their country, "my father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather, then, when he saith unto thee, Wash and be clean?" Naaman was of a hasty and impetuous character; but he was open to reason. He received this just admonishment, and the event turned out according to his utmost hopes. He went and washed; and his flesh was restored, and became as clean and healthy as "the flesh of a little child”—nay it" came again," new flesh was created to take the place of that which had been eaten away by his disease, and he was clean. Where now were all Naaman's arguings about the manner of his cleansing-where now all his confidences in Abana and Pharpar? The waters of Jordan were not, indeed, in themselves better than the waters

of any other river; but God's blessing and Naaman's faith and obedience, gave them a virtue which caused them to be, for him, better than all the waters in the world.

Where, then, shall the sinner, defiled by the horrible and incurable leprosy of sin, go to find a healing? Shall he not go to the great Physician, that "Prophet" whom "GOD has raised up," and commanded us to "hearken unto HIM"? And when we have gone to the LORD JESUs, and sought salvation at his hands, will it become us then to turn a deaf ear to His commandments? Shall we not listen to, and punctually obey that which He tells us to do? He tells us to be baptised; He speaks, almost in the words of Elisha, "Go, and wash, and be clean." He tells us to receive His Body and Blood that we may live. How can we, then, turn, as Naaman did, and "go away"?

Suffer me, your servant, to

Naaman's servants spoke to him.

speak to you, as And oh ! that God

would give you Naaman's heart to answer to the appeal! My father, my brethren, my sisters, and whosoever among you feareth GOD, if the LORD JESUS "had bid you do some great matter, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather, then, when HE saith unto you, Wash and be clean"?

J. F.

SERMON XXIX.

THE LONGINGS OF THE CHRISTIAN.

Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity.

ST. LUKE X. 24.

I TELL YOU THAT MANY PROPHETS AND KINGS HAVE DESIRED

ΤΟ SEE THOSE THINGS WHICH YOU SEE, AND HAVE NOT SEEN THEM; AND TO HEAR THOSE THINGS WHICH YE HEAR, AND HAVE NOT HEARD THEM.

IN these words our LORD declares to us that the holy, and mighty, and righteous men of old, sighed after higher and clearer knowledge than was vouchsafed to them. Many prophets and kings have desired to see the things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.' They felt that their condition was imperfect; that much was as yet denied them, which the Presence of the MESSIAH would give. They looked with longing eyes out of their own times towards the brighter light, the greater liberty, the richer blessing, which God would hereafter impart to the world through His SoN. They, as St. Paul says,' all died in faith: not having received the promises, not being allowed to see the fulfilment of

1 Heb. xi.