not who hath much, for he may still crave for more, but who is contented with that he hath; the rich are poor in comparison with him. But though covetousness was the spring whence flowed the stream of evil, yet accumulating sin marked its progress. With what profaneness does he declare his dishonest purpose! "As the Lord liveth, I will run after him." Words of solemn import, used on solemn occasions, by his master; but they are now lightly, and therefore sinfully, uttered by Gehazi; that sacred Name is invoked by him who feared not to disobey His laws, and trample under foot His commandments. How vainly does he endeavour to lessen his guilt. "My master hath spared Naaman, this Syrian," as though being an alien from the commonwealth of Israel he had no claims on his forbearance, and was beyond the pale of consideration. Be ye sure that all is not right, if you are tempted to go about to find excuses for your conduct; simplicity and godly sincerity must be the rule for our actions; all deceitful palliations, though they may soothe the conscience for the moment, do but leave a festering 'wound behind. There has been sin already in coveting; sin in forgetting the honour due unto the God of Israel; sin in pursuing the

gratification of his evil desire, but "lying lips" now add to that sin. With lively sympathy, prompted by godly love, Naaman asks, "Is all well?" and Gehazi's answer gives utterance to the first lie of the lips, the development of the lie of the heart. "Is all well?" startling words to any but a drugged conscience. Oh! that the unhappy Gehazi had admitted the appeal, and turned back from his guilty purpose, but no,-by untruth upon untruth, he heaps up the measure of his iniquity. “All,” he replies, "is well;" and then the feigned message, the false reason, readily prompted by the father of lies, and as readily adopted and expressed by Gehazi, follows in the train; undoubtingly believed by the generous Naaman, they are successful in obtaining even double his request,-Gehazi is rich. How many

sins follow at the heels of one sin! Satan comes at first with "serve me a little and but for a season." Yield but that little, and he comes again, with " serve me much and for ever." The thick cart rope begins with one weak thread; the strong chain has its commencement in one iron link; but thread to thread, and link to link, and the rope is woven, the chain is forged, which, too often, binds the man for ever.

The theft, then, is committed; the glance of Gehazi assures him that all is safe; the talents are deposited, the garments are laid up; he congratulates himself on his complete success; he watches, we may imagine, the departing chariot till it is as a dim speck in the distance; he goes in and stands before his master. But "the joy of the hypocrite" is "but for a moment." The attempt has been thus far successful, but there quickly follows

II. The Exposure. "And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, 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." With what a pang must that discovery have come on the prophet Elisha; suspicion may or may not have been before excited as to the hollowness of Gehazi's profession, but here was proof; he could no longer "hope against hope;" with "a name to live," Gehazi was "dead!" Brethren, it is sad even when a flower has been tended with care, its opening blossoms rejoiced in, and yet all at once it droops and dies; but,

oh, how deeply painful when some plant which we had deemed to be of God's planting disappoints us: it seemed flourishing for a season, gave much promise, and then withered and died. LORD! let the intercession of thy power and grace keep us, so shall we be safe. Thou knowest thy sheep, that love which first called them will preserve them unto the end. Thou wilt not fail them nor forsake

them! . . .

"Whence comest thou, Gehazi?" Searching words, that doubtless alarmed, though they did not melt, the heart of the guilty one. "Whence comest thou?" Words, indeed, of ordinary import; words not unlikely to be addressed by a master to his servant: but there are seasons when common words strike with no common power; a rustling leaf will at one time affright the man, whom, at another time, the booming cannon would not alarm. The dream of hoped for success is already broken in upon. Gehazi is ill at ease. Brethren! do we hear God's voice making this very inquiry of us day by day? This meets us on our threshhold, whether we hear or whether we reject its sounds. Whence comest thou? Comest thou from the service of the world, its

My service? whether in toil of thy hands or otherwise the day has been passed, has it been passed in doing the will of thy Father which is in heaven, in resisting sin, overcoming self, in doing good to others? Oh! put to thyself the question, lest God put it home to thee, when confusion of face must be thy everlasting portion: answer sincerely the question, as to whence thou comest, and thou shalt have no difficulty in telling whither thou art going. Let it be a daily questioning. Let not the account run on. Often examine thyself. Put not off till to-morrow the search into the doings of to-day. Keep thy course direct by taking heed thereto according to God's word. Keep thy conscience clear by the daily application to "the blood of sprinkling." If thou walkest in Zion's ways, thou art reaching forth to Zion's gates; if the world has thy heart, heaven cannot be thy home.

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Thy servant went no whither." It is a season of awful suspense. Judgment yet lingers. The woe is not pronounced. "Space" is given "to repent." The leprosy is not yet his. "If thou hadst known at least, in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace." Oh! that even then the confession had broken 1 Rev. ii. 21.