The  leper  cries  out  to  be  made
clean,  and  the  Christ  cleanses  his  body
by  a  bodily  touch. What  did  He  do
that  for?  Sometimes  He  healed  by
his  word  only,  received  in  faith ;  some-
times by  a  permitted  grasp  upon  the
hem  of  his  garment. Was  it  not  to
teach  us  that  all  ways  are  his ;  that  the
hem  of  his  garment  sweeps  out  over
the  whole  universe  of  things  ;  that  by
all  means  we  may  lay  hold  of  Him,
and  draw  forth  from  Him  the  willing
virtue  of  his  restoring?

The  lightning  leaps  from  heaven  to


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earth  no  less  by  line  and  law  than  if
we  could  trace  its  swiftness;  and  so
does  miracle  follow  its  quick,  in-
visible course  from  cause  to  effect  by-
links  ordained  from  the  beginning;
no  less  nor  more  a  miracle  than  when
the  process  is  shown  to  us  step  by
step,  that  our  slow,  partial  reasoning
may  follow  it. 