feel that the Lord Jesus Christ has healed me of my leprosy, I must love him as my Benefactor, and serve him in the pre- sence of the whole world.]
3. That in whatever light men now appear, they
will ere long be seen in their true colours —
[Gehazi little thought that his master's eye was upon him diu'ing the whole transaction : but his iniquity was soon exposed, and fearfully punished. Thus, in whatever place we be, God's eye is upon us. In vain do we say, " Tush, God shall not see ;" for he does see even the most secret recesses of our hearts : and the time is quickly coming, when he " will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the heart."
Let not any of us then deceive our own souls. Let those who declaim against hypocrites remember, that, if they seek not after God, the hypocrisy of others will be no justification of their neglect : there is but one rule of judgment for all, and by that shall every man be justified or condemned^.
But let those in whom hypocrisy of any kind is found, tremble for themselves ; for their guilt is heinous, and their condemnation will be proportionably severe. " If there be woe to the world because of offences, much more will there be to him by whom the offence cometh." Against every sin therefore I would most earnestly caution you, but more espe- cially against that which ensnared Gehazi. " The love of money is the root of all evil, and drowns many in destruction and perdition *=." This is most particularly the sin to which persons professing godliness are apt to be addicted, and under which they are most satisfied with their own state "^ : but, what- ever profession they may make, they deceive themselves to their eternal ruin.]
b Isai. iii. 10, 11.
c I Tim. vi. 9, 10. 2 Tim. iv. 10. 2 Pet, ii. 14, 15.
^ Ezek. xxxiii. 31.