It must have been painful to return to the strife and anxiety and troubles of common life; but neither Jesus while on earth, nor his disciples, then or now, may avoid them. Our time here must not be spent in thought, but in action. The three apostles might not remain on the mountain-top-we must not remain apart from our fellow-men;-among them we shall find plenty of work which God has given us to do.

In a moment Christ the Lord was in the midst of an eager crowd. And Oh! what a difference between the heavenly sights and sounds He had left, and the harsh uproar of strife and suffering He found.

LUKE ix. 37. "When they were come down from the hill, much people met him.”

MARK ix. 14, 15. "And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the Scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.”

It is thought that the reason why they were greatly amazed when they beheld Jesus, was, that some of the rays of that light which had made his face to shine as the sun, and his raiment white and glistering, still lingered upon him. If it were so, it is no wonder that they were astonished.

They received him back among them with joy. He saw that there was some cause why the people crowded round his disciples, and why the Scribes, always his enemies, were busy in the middle of the crowd. He wished to hear from themselves what was the subject on which they were speaking so eagerly.

Verse 16. "And he asked the Scribes, What question ye with them?" (with my disciples.)

Before the Scribes had time to make answer, a voice was heard from the crowd:

Verses 17, 18. "And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit: And wheresoever he taketh him, he 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."

These disciples, as well as the three who had been away with Jesus, "had healed the sick, and cast out devils," in their master's name, but in this case they could do nothing. There seems to have been a want of faith in all concerned. The Scribes, rejoicing in their failure, were no doubt questioning their Lord's power, since they, his disciples, had not been able to do this thing.

Jesus reproved them all, and showed that his power could never fail, but that their's depended on their faith in him.

Verse 19. "He answereth and saith, O faithless and perverse generation! how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? Bring him unto me."

It was pain and grief to the Saviour to know their want of faith; it was pain and grief to him to dwell among those perverse men who, instead of rejoicing in the help God had sent them, questioned his power. He spoke as though he longed for the time when his work should be done, and he should return to his home in heaven. "Bring him unto me," said the Lord

Verse 20. “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."

Looking with pity on the poor boy, the Saviour asked his father

Verses 21-24. "How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. And ofttimes it

hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him but if thou canst do anything, 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!"

His heart had been so full of distress, so dismayed by the agonies of his child, that he had come to Jesus without much faith in his power to help him. The answer of the Lord showed him that the question was not whether Jesus could heal his child, but whether he himself had faith so that it might be done. He was himself the hindrance-he saw it-he felt his own weakness--his heart changed within him. In tears he cried out, "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief."

Verses 25, 26. "When Jesus saw the people come running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou deaf and dumb 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."

The whole scene seems before us. How full of excitement, of passion, and of fear! The people running together, the scornful watching Scribes, the father almost beside himself, his miserable son torn with convulsions, the fearful cry that answered the calm command of the Saviour" Thou deaf and dumb spirit, I charge thee come out of him, and enter no more into him.' The stillness of death follows-the boy lies lifeless at his father's feet-and many say he is dead; but when the Saviour delivers from the power of the evil one, it is for life and not for death.

Verse 27. "Then Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose."

Surely the father could never doubt again the Saviour's power. As he dwelt at home in peace with his son restored to reason and to health, surely no misgiving could ever cross his mind. Alas! we cannot be assured of this. Our own hearts condemn us; they tell us how weak and wavering is our trust in God. We know his goodness, we believe his power. We confess that each time we have been brought out of danger, out of fear for the well-being of those we love, it has been by his hand; yet when a new danger, a new fear comes upon us, our hearts are always ready to sink within us. And if the danger and the fear be great, the greater is our terror and distress. It is as if we thought the Lord could save only from small evils and not from great. But is it his will always to save? Yes! Always from the power of the devil! This was the work He came to do. He did it while on earth; He is doing it now; He will do it even unto the end. him for ourselves, for our nearest, our dearest. lieve, help thou our unbelief." of whom we have just read, we in agony; though we vainly have sought for help from man, and even while we seek help from God, see that agony wax greater and greater, till at length not only do men say "he is dead,” but we know that death has been the only deliverer from the pains of the body. Oh! ever then let us hold fast to the Saviour. It is in the darkest hour the affrighted child clings most closely to its mother's bosom when danger is near; and no mother's love is so tender to pity as his; no mother's arms so strong to shield and to save. Closer, then, my Saviour, would we draw to thee. "What thou doest we know not now, but we shall know hereafter." "Lord, we believe, help thou our

unbelief! "

Oh! let us trust

"Lord, we beThough like the poor Father may see our best beloved one

Prayer.

In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our wealth; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment, good Lord, deliver us. Thou despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart, nor the desires of such as be sorrowful; mercifully assist our prayers, that we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities, whensoever they oppress us; and graciously hear us, that those evils, which the craft and subtilty of the devil or man worketh against us, be brought to nought; that we thy servants, being hurt by no persecutions, (nor dismayed by any afflictions) may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.*

XIV.

MATT. XVII. MARK XI. LUKE XVII.

"Then came the disciples to Jesus apart," "when he was come into the house," and "asked him privately, why could not we cast him out?"

MATTHEW Xvii. 20. "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."

The disciples had seen their Lord by a simple command cure the boy for whom they could do nothing. Why was it that the power they had before, when in his name they had cast out devils, had failed them now? "Because of your unbelief,” said our Lord. They had themselves been alarmed at the frightful

From the Litany.