surely falsely so called. A man entitles himself a Christian, because his neighbours do the same. But, rejecting the testimony of God, that earth is but our place of trial, whilst there remaineth for the people of God an eternal resting-place, he sets his affections upon earthly things, and shows his wisdom in purchasing them at ten thousand times their value; and he despises those who act from higher motives, calls their charity weakness, and brands their piety as pitiful folly, only because his own degraded, low desires have blinded his eyes, so that he cannot see, what is indeed the truth, that Christian conduct is as much superior to his, in sense and reason, as it is in conformity to the will of God.

When Naaman sees Gehazi approaching, and courteously alights from his chariot to meet him, then that hypocrite enters upon the execution of his scheme of perfidy by a deliberate falsehood; and by that falsehood he grossly abuses his master, and basely misrepresents his character to Naaman; as though he were one, who, if he could conceive a generous resolution, had not firmness of mind enough to keep it. He must have known that he was sacrificing the prophet's reputation, in order to indulge his own avarice. But when once we have made any sinful lust our master, there is no excess of wickedness to which it will not carry us.

There was evident danger, also, of Gehazi's alienating Naaman from that holy religion which he had so newly espoused, and lessening his good opinion of it. Nothing more conciliates men's minds to the truth, than that shining light of a Christian's path, by which opportunity is afforded them to see how real religious principles lift a man above all low and sordid aims; but it turns their admiration into contempt and distrust, greater than they would have felt had that admiration never been raised at all, if they find, upon further knowledge, that these plausible appearances are mere pretence. Naaman would not, it is probable, have thought amiss of Elisha had he accepted his present at once, without hesitation, though doubtless his esteem

for him must have been much increased by his refusal of it. But when he finds the good man repenting of his heavenly-mindedness, as he must have supposed him to have done, as long as he believed Gehazi's story, what could he have thought, but that whilst he coveted the reputation of indifference to worldly riches, he was really as much attached to them as any, and so, with all his show of sanctity, no more than a common man at last? Therefore, though he would have revered his religion whilst it seemed to have made him so eminent a saint, he would be tempted to despise it now. All this Gehazi might very easily have foreseen as the result of his wicked act; and it is a further great aggravation of his conduct, that if he did foresee it, he was not thereby deterred from proceeding in his perfidy.

The road of sin is a downhill road; and especially in the sin of lying, one falsehood is sure to make way for many more. In order to succeed in his enterprise with Naaman, Gehazi, as we have seen, had recourse to one deliberate lie; it was to be expected that he would want another to conceal the matter from Elisha. When he came to the tower, we are told, he bestowed his ill-gotten treasure in the house; and then, assuming, no doubt, an air of unconscious innocence, he comes in and stands before his master. But he waits not long before he is called to account. "Whence comest thou, Gehazi?" inquires the prophet. "Thy servant went no whither," is the reply. But Elisha soon lets him know that it is vain for him to attempt concealment. He could tell him, without waiting for his confession, where he had been and what he had done; yea, and what he now purposed and designed to do: "Went not mine heart with thee," he exclaims, "when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and men-servants, and maid-servants?" That is, God, by whom I received power to heal the leprosy of Naaman, hath revealed thy base perfidy.

Thou hast laid a scheme for enriching thyself; and thou hast, as thou imaginest, gained thine end; and art projecting now how thou shalt bestow thy treasures; but know, that thy foolish hopes and thy vain contrivances are open before God; and now that thy wicked deed is finished He will order the event as to Him seems fit and good; "The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow." Alas! what might his two talents of silver avail him now? what, though they had been ten thousand instead of two? Leprosy made Naaman wretched, with all that honour, and court favour, and a good name fairly earned could minister to set against the plague. But to Gehazi it was no single plague. As an Israelite, he would be banished by law from society and from God's ordinances; and his punishment would serve to make his crime notorious, so that he should be a mark for scorn, to point at all his days. Thus "a man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps"." He covets an evil covetousness to his house, he gets gain by evil courses; but he has not therefore gotten comfort; for the end of these things is death. None may make straight that which God hath made crooked. The sinner goes, as he thinks, to pleasure; but the Lord directeth his steps to hell. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap 8." So it was with Gehazi; he sowed to his flesh, and of the flesh he reaped corruption.

Let us proceed to make some application of his history.

Be cautioned, then, in the first place, against the aggravated guilt and awful danger of such as "hold the truth in unrighteousness"." Gehazi, who was so eminent a sinner, had every possible advantage for being as eminent a saint. You are not indeed circumstanced exactly as he was; but unto you also the "Sun of righteousness" hath risen "with healing on his

7 Prov. xvi. 9.

8 Gal. vi. 7.

Rom. i. 18.

wings'." Yea, "many prophets and kings," such men as even Elisha himself, have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them 2. The Saints of old saw the mystery of human redemption, as through a glass, darkly; but God hath made it so plain to you, that he may run that readeth. Which of you knows not that the Son of the Most High expired on a cross for sinners? that "He ever liveth to make intercession for them 4?" that "whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life?" that He will "give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?" that He heareth and answereth prayer? that God "will judge the world in righteousness?" that the wicked "shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal"?" Did Gehazi, suppose ye, know more than this? He could not know it by so clear a light as that which the Gospel holds out to you. What then will your doom be, if you neglect so great salvation ? What will your doom be, if ye will go on to the last to forget God; to refuse Him empire over your hearts; to prefer the world and sin before Him? "Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you 10" The leprosy of Naaman, brethren, is a type of that loathsome spiritual malady which cleaves to the souls of all unchanged men. Arise, then, and flee for your lives; cut off the offending right hand, lay aside the besetting sin, apply to God through Christ for strength to do so, lest the curse light upon you that your soul's leprosy shall cleave to you for ever. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance 1;" and do not imitate the Jews of old, who, because

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1 Mal. iv. 2.

Heb. vii. 25.

1 John v. 14, 15.

10 Matt. xi. 21, 22.

2 See Luke x. 24.
5 John iii. 16.

8 Acts xvii. 31.

3 Phil. ii. 8.
6 Luke xi. 13.

9 Matt. xxv. 46.

1 Matt. iii. 8.

they were circumcised, called God's people, and had Abraham for their father, thought they could not perish. Do not suppose that because you call yourselves Christians, and attend with ever so great punctuality upon outward means and ordinances, that therefore you are such as Christ will own for his. But take ye heed how ye hear, how ye read, how ye walk, in a land of light. Remember that your privileges must be accounted for, and that "unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required "."

But how does it come to pass, that men act so madly and throw their immortal souls away? From Gehazi's case we learn, how true are the Apostle's words, "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him "' Gehazi belied his master, and endangered the soul of Naaman, was a liar and a hypocrite, and jeoparded his own salvation, because he loved worldly riches inordinately. The same cause will produce the same effects again. It matters not whether it be pleasure or gain that you set your heart upon; or whether it be any other creature. If you love any earthly thing better than God, that thing, be it what it may, will prove your ruin. Perhaps worldlyminded people may not be tempted just as Gehazi was. They may have such a competency of worldly things, that they might lose, even in a worldly sense, more than they could gain, if they were to attempt to increase their store by direct dishonest practices. But if worldly-mindedness does not make a man a robber or a cheat, it may still prevent his being a Christian, and so destroy his soul. The rich man, whose ground (as our Saviour tells us) "brought forth plentifully," did not defraud his neighbours in reaping his own harvest; but two things he did, in which many of this world's honest men resemble him he determined to keep his stores to himself; he did no good with them; and he made God's gifts his idols; he set his heart upon his wealth. So he received the

2 Luke xii. 48.

3 1 John ii. 15.

4 Luke xii. 16.