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saying, Lord, have mercy on my son, (for he is mine only child :) for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for oft-times he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and teareth him and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. they could not. He answereth him and saith, "O faithless generation, how long "shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me." And they brought him unto him and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed, foaming. And he asked his father, "How long is it ago since this came unto him?" and he said, Of a child. And oft-times it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, "Thou "dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come "out of him, and enter no more into him." And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and deli vered him again to his father. And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God.

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This is said to the disciples only.

And

when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, "Because "of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove "hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; "and nothing shall be impossible unto you. "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer "and fasting."

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" a

77. Jesus again fortels his Sufferings and Resur

rection.

Galilee.

AND they departed thence, and Place. passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, "Let "these sayings sink down into your ears: for "the Son of man shall be delivered into the " hands of men, and they shall kill him; and "after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day." But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

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78. Jesus works a Miracle to pay the Tribute Money.

Place.

AND when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute Capernaum

b

If you firmly believed in God, you would find nothing too difficult. However you can only obtain this miraculous gift by fervent devotion and the strictest self-denial.

A yearly offering for the service of the temple

money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your Master pay tribute? He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, "What thinkest thou, Simon? "of whom do the kings of the earth take cus"tom or tribute? of their own children, or of "strangers?" Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, "Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we "should offend them, go thou to the sea, and "cast an hook, and take the fish that first "cometh up; and when thou hast opened his "mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that “take, and give unto them for me and thee."

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79. The Disciples contend who shall be the greatest. Jesus' conduct and discourse on that

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occasion.

AND being in the house he asked them, "What was it that ye disputed among your"selves by the way?" but they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And Jesus perceiving the thought of their heart, sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them," If any man desire to be first, the same "shall be last of all, and servant of all." And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms,

a Of their subjects?

c.

Not liable; and therefore I the Son of God am not liable. Yet that I may set an example of obedience to lawful authority, and the submission of private judgment in the payment of taxes, I will consent to pay this tribute.

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he said unto them, "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom "of heaven." Whosoever therefore shall hum"ble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me, and whosoever shall re"ceive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent "me."

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And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbade him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, "Forbid him not: for there is no man which "shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part. For whosoever "shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. "And whosoever shall offend' one of these lit"tle ones that believe in me, it is better for "him that a milstone were hanged about his

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neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better "for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the "fire that never shall be quenched: where "their worm dieth not, and the fire is not "quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut

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"it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into "life, than having two feet to be cast into "hell, into the fire that never shall be "quenched: where their worm dieth not, and "the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye of "fend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee "to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into "hell fire where their worm dieth not, and "the fire is not quenched. For every one shall "be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall "be salted with salt." Salt is good: but if the "salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it? have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

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"Take heed that ye despise not one of these "little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven "their angels do always behold the face of (6 my Father which is in heaven. For the Son ❝ of man is come to save that which was lost. "How think ye? if a man have an hundred

sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth "he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth "into the mountains, and seeketh that which "is gone astray? and if so be that he find it,

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verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of "that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which "went not astray. Even so, it is not the will "of your Father which is in heaven, that one "of these little ones should perish.

a The servant of God must be prepared for the fire of per

secution.

This is an injunction of the law. Levit. ii. 13..

< If little children are thus the care of heaven, we ought to do them all the good in our power by education and example.

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