What is a leper? A person afflicted with leprosy, a most loathsome disease. What did he say to our Lord? 66 Lord, if thou wilt thou canst make me clean." Had Jesus compassion on him? Yes, he put forth his hand and touched him, saying, "I will, be thou clean," and he was cleansed. For what purpose was the leper to go to the priest? To show that he was healed. Who came to our Lord after he had healed the leper? A centurion. What was a centurion? A Roman officer who commanded a hundred men. What was the centurion's request to our Lord? That he would cure his servant of the palsy. Was our Lord willing to do so? Yes, he said he would go and heal him. Did the centurion accept our Lord's offer? No. Why not? He did not think himself worthy that Christ should go under his roof. What did he beseech our Lord to do? To speak the word only, and his servant should be healed. Was not our Lord greatly pleased with the centurion's faith? Yes. What did he say to him? 66 Go thy way, and as thou hast believed so be it done unto thee." Was his servant healed? Yes, the self-same hour. That the centurion really had believed. Observe, how lowly the centurion was, how fearful of offending, even whilst asking a favour for another person. Our Lord praised his conduct, for though he was a Gentile, his heart was right in the sight of God. Those who apply to God with the faith, earnestness, and humility, of this centurion, are sure of finding mercy. By his saying, that he had soldiers and servants who obeyed him, he showed that he believed Christ could as easily command away diseases, as he could command those over whom he had authority: such was his earnest faith, that he was sure that Christ could heal, though even at a distance, and so great was his humility, that he thought it would be too high an honour for him to receive Jesus. The two christian graces, which in this lesson are held up for our example, are faith and humility. Faith in the goodness and power of God, which extends over everything in heaven and in earth; and humility, which shows us how utterly unworthy we are, even of the least of his mercies. Blest Jesus! to thy feet we flee, Though mortal aid in vain would cure, So shall our grateful souls proclaim LESSON THIRTY-FIFTH. LUKE VII. 11—17. AND it came to pass the day af-ter, that he went in-to a ci-ty call-ed Nain; and ma-ny of his dis-ci-ples went with him, and much peo-ple. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the ci-ty, be-hold, there was a dead man car-ri-ed out, the on-ly son of his moth-er, and she was a wid-ow and much peo-ple of the ci-ty was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had com-pas-sion on her, and said un-to her, "Weep not." And he came and touch-ed the bier; and they that bare him stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say un-to thee, a-rise." And he that was dead sat up, and be-gan to speak. And he de-liv-er-ed him to his moth-er. And there came a fear on all and they glo-ri-fi-ed God, say-ing, that "a great proph-et is ris-en up a-mong us; and that God hath vis-it-ed his peo-ple." And this ru-mour of him went |