2 KINGS V. 2.

And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel, a little maid, and she waited on Naaman's wife.

"My dear, my native, smiling land!

Must I no more behold

Thy fertile vales, thy swelling hills,
The well remembered fold
Where with companions loved, so oft
In sportive games I played;

The merriest, brightest thing that e'er
Upon thy green turf strayed.

"O brother, sister, parents dear!
Ye cannot hear me speak;

Ye cannot see the tears that chase

Each other down my cheek.

'Tis only in my sleep that I

May see each much loved face;

'Tis only in my sleep that I

May feel your fond embrace.

"No longer at the hour of prayer,

Mother! I kneel by thee;

But never is my father's God

Forgotten once by me.

The mem'ry of His precious words

I treasure in my heart;

And putting firmest trust in Him

I check the tears that start

"When thought of thee, of all I love, Comes rushing o'er my mind,

And makes me feel the kindness here

Excelled by thine more kind.

For gentle is my servitude,

And could I but forget

What Israel's land still holds for me
I scarce could feel regret.

"But Israel's God is still my own,

And he will never fail;

And in his mercy sure I trust

Though sometimes doubts assail.

The Father of the fatherless

Is in the stranger's land;

Nor time, nor space, nor change of state
Can cut me from his hand.

"And strength is mine and peace of mind-Then why should I repine?

Would not my lord himself exchange

His rank for health like mine?

Oh! would that in Samaria

The Prophet he could see!

For soon his mighty power would heal His loathsome leprosy."

God loves by simple instruments
To work his wondrous ways;
And precious in his sight are those
Whose life attests his praise.
Thrice happy Naaman! thy house
Contains one He approves ;
And gentleness to her, perhaps,

Towards thee compassion moves.

A double miracle shall heal

Thy pride and leprous stain; And future haughty men shall learn No word of God is vain.

The simple water blessed by him

Gives second life and health;

Conveys the efficacious grace

Denied to Syria's wealth.

And happy thou, thou tender one,

Though seemingly alone;

Thy father's God, the Lord of Hosts,

Beholds thee from his throne.

Thy pious prayer and holy fear

Have proved thy master's cure;

And thou thyself to latest time
In honour shalt endure.

And thought of thee shall dry the tear

Of many an absent one,

From home, from friends, too early torn,Youth's brightest pleasures gone ;— Shall teach the fainting heart that oft Good springs from sorest ill;

Shall teach the proud there's none too low God's purpose to fulfil.

TWELFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

Morning Lesson, 2 Kings x.

Evening Lesson, 2 Kings xviii.

Epistle, 2 Cor. iii. 4.
Gospel, St. Mark vii. 31.

COLLECT.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who art always more ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give more than either we desire or deserve; Pour down upon us the abundance of Thy mercy; forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.

The beautiful Collect for this Sunday is dear to the heart of every one whom the grace of God has touched. General in its application, (for who, alas! has not sinned, and who may demand as his right the protection he needs?) full of faith and humility, filial in feeling, and embracing all that we require or hope for either in this life or in the life to come, it stands pre-eminent in excellence and utility. Indifference itself can scarcely fail to be moved by it, nor can ignorance misinterpret it;