14 And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake ; and the people wondered.
15 But some of them said, He cast- eth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.
16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign firbm heaven.
17 But he, knowing their thoughts, ■aid unto them, Every kingdom divi- ded against itself is brought to deso-
lation ; and a house divided against a house falleth.
18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand ? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.
19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, bv whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.
20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
The connexion between these verses and those which immediately precede them, is striking and instructive. In the preceding verses, our Lord Jesus Christ had been showing the power and importance of prayer. In the verses before us, he delivers a man from a dumb devil- The miracle is evidently intended to throw fresh light on the lesson. The same Saviour who encourages us to pray, is the Saviour who destroys Satan's power over our mem- bers, and restores our tongues to their proper use.
Let us notice, firstly, in these verses, the variety of