Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/481

 fice? Was it  not  then  more  praiseworthy  to  follow His instructions  to  the  letter  rather  than  turn  on  being cured  and  rush  back  praising  God? Read the answer in  Christ's  disappointed  face. To turn  to Him  in  adversity  and  forget  Him  in  prosperity  is  not true love  of  God,  nor  is  religion,  pure  and  undefiled, content with  merely  keeping  God's  commands. The letter killeth  but  the  spirit  quickeneth. The Jewish idea of  worship  was  formal  externalism,  empty  ceremonial, with  no  regard  for  the  emotions  and  the spontaneous outpourings  of  the  heart. But the Lord looketh  not  on  the  outward  appearance — the Lord looketh  on  the  heart. Hence His  disappointment in  the  nine. Not even  the  sudden  change from the  horrors  of  their  outcast  life  to  the  unspeakable joy  of  having  been  cleansed  could  break  the force of  habit  and  bring  them  to  His  feet  crying  like children Abba,  Father. They followed  His  directions to the  letter  and  then  selfishly  hurried  away  to  their kindred, for  whose  presence  they  had  so  long  been hungering. Perhaps, too,  their  traditional  contempt for everything  Samaritan,  though  forgotten  in  affliction, broke  out  anew  when  health  was  returned,  so that  they  were  as  eager  to  part  with  their  companion as they  were  loath  to  follow  his  example. But he was  hampered  by  no  such  prejudices  and  traditions. Immediately his  disease  dropped  from  him  his  one all-absorbing thought  was  thankfulness,  and  turning instantly he  hurried  back,  crying  glory  to  God,  and flung himself  adoringly  at  Jesus's  feet. Brethren, looked at  in  a  spiritual  sense,  which,  think  you,  most