many advantages, take warning by the fate of those
foolish Jews, who knew a great deal, and yet did not do it, and so
came to shame and ruin. And you who have few advantages, take
comfort by those poor Samaritans, who knew a very little, and yet
made the best of it, and so at last saw a great light, after sitting
in darkness for so long. Schools, books, church-going, ordinances
of all kinds, they are good. If you can get them, use them, and
thank God for them: but remember, God does not ask for learning,
but for goodness and holiness: he does not ask for knowledge, but
for a right life. And do not fancy, that because your children have
a good education now, and you had none, that God does not love you
as well as he loves them. His mercy is over all his works; and the
promises are to you as well as to your children. There is many a
poor soul who never read a book in her life, who is nearer God than
many a great scholar, and fine preacher, and learned divine. All
Christ asks of you is, to receive him when he comes to you; and to
love, and thank, and admire him, and try to be like him, because he
will make you like him: while for the rest to whom little is given,
of him shall little be required; and to him who uses what he has, be
it little or much, more shall be given, and he shall have abundance.
For God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation, he that
feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted by him.

SERMON XXVII. THE INVASION OF THE ASSYRIANS

(Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity, Morning.)

2 Kings xix. 15-19. And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said,
O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art
the Lord, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou
hast made heaven and earth. Lord, bow down thine ear, and hear:
open, Lord, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib,
which hath sent him to reproach the living God. Of a truth, Lord,
the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, and
have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the
work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed
them. Now, therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us
out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that
thou art the Lord God, even thou only.

This noble story, which we read in Church every year, seems to have
had a great hold on the minds of the Jews. They plainl