This question was, it seems, furiously debated in our Saviour's time; one Judas, a native of Galilee, having inspired the people with a notion that taxes to a foreign power were absolutely unlawful. A doctrine so pleasing to the worldly-minded Jews, could not fail of friends, especially among the lower class, and therefore must have many partizans among the multitude that then surrounded the Son of God.The priests, therefore, imagined that it was not in his power to decide the point without rendering himself obnoxious to some of the parties; if he should say it was lawful to pay the taxes, they believed that the people, in whose hearing the question was proposed, would be incensed against him, not only as a base pretender, who, on being attacked, publicly renounced the character of the Messiah, which he had assumed among his friends, but also as a flatterer of princes, and a betrayer of the liberties of his country, one who taught a doctrine inconsistent with the unknown privileges of the people of God; but if he should affirm that it was unlawful to pay tribute, they determined to inform the governor, who they hoped would punish him, as a former of sedition. Highly elated with their project, they accordingly came; and after passing an encomium on the truth of his mission, his courage and impartiality, they proposed this famous question: "Master, (said they) we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth. Tell us, therefore, what thinkest thou, Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar or not?" Mark xii. 14.

But the blessed Jesus saw their secret intentions, and accordingly called them hypocrites, to signify, that though they made conscience, and a regard for the divine will, their pretence for proposing this question, he saw through the thin veil that concealed their design from the eyes of mortals, and knew that their intention was to ensnare him.

He, however, did not decline answering their question, but previously desired to see a piece of the tribute money. The piece was accordingly produced, and proved to be coined by the Romans. Upon which our blessed Saviour answered them, since this money bears the image of Cæsar it is his; and, by making use of it, you acknowledge his authority. But at the same time that you discharge your duty to the civil magistrate, you should never forget the duty you owe to your God; but remember, that as you bear the image of the great, the omnipotent King, you are his subjects, and ought to pay him the tribute of yourselves, serving him to the very utmost of your power.

The Pharisees and their followers, under a pretence of religion, often justified sedition; but the Herodians, in order to ingratiate themselves with the reigning powers, made them a compliment of their consciences, complying with whatever they enjoined, however opposite their commands. might be to the divine law. Our Lord, therefore, adapted his answer to them both, exhorting them in their regards to God and the magistrate, to give each his due; there being no inconsistency between their rights, when their rights only are insisted on.

So unexpected an answer quite disconcerted, and silenced these crafty enemies. They were astonished, both at his having discovered their design, and his wisdom in avoiding the snare they had so artfully laid for him. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their ways." Matt. xxii. 22.

Though our Lord thus wisely obviated their crafty designs, enemies came against him from every quarter. The Sadducees, who denied the doctrine of a future state, together with the existence of angels and spirits, first returned to the charge; proposing to him their strongest argument against the resurrection, which, they deduced from the law given by Moses, with regard to marriage. Master (said they)

Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. There were, therefore, seven brethren; and the first took a wife, and died without children. And the second took her to wife, and he died childless. And the third took her; and in the like manner the seven also. And they left no children and died. Last of all the woman died also. Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife." Luke xx. 28, &c.

The Sadducees, who believed the soul to be nothing more than a refined matter, were persuaded that if there was any future state, it must resemble the present; and that being in that state material and mortal, the human race could not be continued, nor the individuals rendered happy without the pleasures and conveniences of marriage. And hence considered it as a necessary consequence of the doctrine of the resurrection, or a future state, that every man's wife should be restored to him.

But this argument our blessed Saviour soon confuted, by telling the Pharisees they were ignorant of the power of God, who had created spirit, as well as matter, and who can render man completely happy in the enjoyment of himself. He also observed, that the nature of the life obtained in a future state made marriage altogether superfluous, because in the world to come, men being spiritual and immortal, like the angels, there was no need of natural means to propagate or continue the kind. "Ye do err, (said the blessed Jesus) not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage." Matt. xxii. 29, 30: Neither can they die any more ; for they are equal unto the angels, and are the children of God, being the children ofthe resurrection." Lukexx. 36. Hence we may observe, that good men are called the children of the Most High, from their

inheritance at the resurrection, and particularly on account of their being adorned with immortality.

Having thus shewn their folly and unbelief, he proceeded to shew that they were also ignorant of the scriptures, and particularly of the writings of Moses, from whence they had drawn their objection, by demonstrating, from the very law itself, the certainty of a resurrection, at least that of just men, and consequently quite demolished the opinion of the Sadducees, who, by believing the materiality of the soul, affirmed that men were annihilated at their death, and that their opinion was founded on the writings of Moses. "Now (said our Saviour) that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is net & God of the dead but of the living: for all live unto him." Luke xx. 37, 38..

As if he had said, The Almighty cannot properly be called God, unless he has his people, and the Lord of the living. Since, therefore, Moses called him the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, long after these venerable patriarchs were dead, the relation denoted by the word God still subsisted between. them; consequently they word not annihilated as you pretend, but are still in being, and continue to be the servants of the Most High.

This argument effectually silenced. the Sadducees, and agreeably surprised the people, to see the objection hitherto thought impregnable totally abolished, and the sect they had long abominated fully confuted.. "And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine." Matt. xxii. 33.

Nor could even the Pharisees refrain from

giving the Saviour of mankind the praise due to his superlative wisdom; for one of

the Scribes desired him to give his opinion on a question often debated among their teachers namely, which was the great was the great commandment of the law? The true reason for their proposing this question was to try whether he was as well acquainted with the sacred law, and the debates that had arisen on different parts of it, as he was in deriving arguments from the inspired writers, to destroy the tenets of those who denied a future state.

In order to understand the question proposed to our blessed Saviour, by the Scribe, it is necessary to observe, that some of the most learned Rabbies had declared, that the law of sacrifices was the great commandment; some that it was the law of circumcision; and others, that the law of meats and washings had merited that title.

Our blessed Saviour, however, shewed that they were all mistaken; and that the great commandment of the law is the duty of piety; and particularly mentioned that comprehensive summary of it, given by Moses; "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment." Mark xii. 29, 30.

The first and chief commandment is to give God our hearts. The divine Being is so transcendently amiable in himself, and hath by the innumerable benefits conferred upon us, such a title to our utmost affection, that no obligation bears any proportion to that of loving him. The honour assigned to this precept proves, that piety is the noblest act of the human mind; and that the chief ingredient in piety is love, founded on a clear and extensive view of the divine perfections, a permanent sense of his benefits, and a deep conviction of his being the Sovereign good, our portion, and our happiness. But it is essential to love, that No. 12.

there be a delight in contemplating the beauty of the object beloved, whether that beauty be matter of sensation or reflection; that we frequently, and with pleasure reflect on the benefits conferred on us by the object of our affections; that we have a strong desire of pleasing him, great fear of doing any thing to offend him, and a sensible joy in thinking we are beloved in return. Hence the duties of devotion, prayer and praise, are the most natural and genuine exercises of the love of God. Nor is this virtue so much any single affection, as the continual bent of all the affections and pow ers of the soul: consequently, to love God' is as much as possible to direct the whole soul towards him, and to exercise all its faculties on him as its chief object.

Accordingly, the love of God is described in scripture by the several operations of the mind, "a following hard after God," namely, by intense contemplation, a sense of his perfections, gratitude for his benefits, trust in his goodness, attachment to his service, resignation to his providence, the obeying his commandments, admiration, hope, fear, joy, &c. not because it consists in any of those singly, but in them all together; for to content ourselves with partial regards to the supreme Being, is not to be affected towards him, in the manner we ought to be, and which his perfections claim.

Hence the words of the precept are, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength;" that is, with the joint force of all thy faculties and, therefore, no idol whatsoever must partake of the love and worship that is due to him. But the beauty and excellency of this state of mind is best seen in its effects: for the worship and obedience flowing from such an universal bent of the soul towards God, is as much superior to the worship and obedience arising from partial considerations, as the brightness of the sun is to any picture that can be drawn of that luminary. 3 A

For example, if we look upon God only as a stern lawgiver, who can and will punish our rebellion, it may indeed force an awe and dread of him, and as much obedience to his laws as we think will satisfy him, but can never produce that constancy in our duty, that delight in it, and that earnestness to perform it in its utmost extent, which are produced and maintained in the mind, by the sacred fire of divine love, or by the bent of the whole soul turned towards God as a reconciled father; a frame the most excellent that can be conceived, and the most to be desired, because it constitutes the highest perfection, and real happiness of the creature.

Again, this commandment requires us to fear God; and certainly we cannot love the Lord our God, unless we fear and reverence him: for as the love, so the fear of God, is the sum of all the commandments, and indeed the substance of all religion. Prayer and praise are the tribute and homage of religion; by the one we acknowledge our dependance upon God; by the other we confess that all our blessings and comforts are from him. Such, therefore, as neither pray to God nor praise him, cannot be said to have a God; for they acknowledge none, but are gods to themselves; and as the love and fear of God are often used in scripture for his whole wor ship and service, so is this invocation of his name; "Pour out thy fury upon the heathen, and upon the families that have not called upon thy name ;" that is, those who do not worship or serve him.

But to return. Our blessed Saviour having thus answered the question put to him by the Scribe, added, that the second commandment was that which enjoined the love of our neighbour. This had, indeed, no relation to the lawyer's question concerning the first commandment; yet our blessed Lord thought proper to shew him which was the second, probably because the men of his sect did not acknowledge the

importance and precedency of love to these neighbours, or because these were remarkably deficient in the practice of it, as Jesus himself had often found in their attempts to kill him. "And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

This principle of love to God will be also fruitful of every good work. It will make us really perform the duties of all relations in which we stand. And because love worketh no ill to his neighbour, therefore it is the fulfilling of the law; for it will prompt us to a cheerful and ready performance of every office, whether of justice or charity, that we owe to our neighbour. All the best things we can do, if destitute of this principle, will appear to be either the effect of hypocrisy, or done to procure the esteem of men. Without love, a narrowness of soul will shut us up within ourselves, and make all we do to others only as a sort of merchandize, trading for our own advantage. It is love only that opens our hearts to consider other persons, and to love them on their own account, or rather on account of God, who is love.

Those who possess such a temper of mind have a constant calm within, and are not disturbed with passion, jealousy, envy, or ill-nature. They observe and rejoice in the happiness of others: they are glad to see them easy, and share with them in their joy and felicity; not fretting or complaining, though they enjoy less than their neighbours.

It is true, love has a very different effect; for the same temper will render many so considerate of the misfortunes of others, as to sympathize with them in their distress, and be greatly affected with such objects of compassion as it is not in their power to assist. But there is a real pleasure even in this compassion, as it melts us to the greatest tenderness, and proves us to be men and christians. The good man,

by the overflowing of his love, is sure that he is a favourite with his Maker, because he loves his neighbour. His soul dwells at there is sweetness in all his thoughts and wishes. This makes him clear in his views of every kind, and renders him grateful to all around him.

This charitable temper also maintains in him a constant disposition for prayer. A charitable man, who has had occasion to forbear and forgive others, and to return good for evil, dares, with an humble assurance, to lay claim to mercy and pardon, through the merits alone of his blessed Redeemer.

But we return to the Scribe, who was astonished at the justness of our Saviour's decisions, and answered, That he had determined rightly, since there is but one supreme God, whom we must all adore : and if we love him above all temporal things, and our neighbour as ourselves, we worship him more acceptably than if we sacrifice to him all the cattle upon a thousand hills.

Our blessed Lord highly applauded the piety and wisdom of this reflection, by declaring that the person who made it was not far from the kingdom of God.

As the pharisees, during the course of our Saviour's ministry, had proposed to him many difficult questions, with intent to prove his prophetical gifts, he now in his turn, thought proper to make a trial of their skill in the sacred writings. For this purpose, he asked their opinion of a difficulty concerning the Messiah's pedigree. "What think ye of Christ? Whose Son is he? They say unto him, the Son of David." Matt. xxii. 42. I know, answered Jesus, you say Christ is the Son of David; but how can you support your opinion, or render it consistent with the words of David? who himself calls him Lord: and how is he his Son?" It seems the Jewish doctors did

not imagine that their Messiah would be endued with any perfections greater than those that might be enjoyed by human nature for though they called him the Son of God, they had no notion that he had a divine power from heaven, and therefore, could not pretend to solve the difficulty.

The latter question, however, might have convinced them of their error; for if the Messiah was only to be a secular prince, as they supposed, and to rule over the men of his own time, he never could have been called, Lord, by persons who died before he was born; far less would so mighty a prince as David, who was also his progenitor, have conferred on him that title. Since, therefore, his kingdom shall comprehend the men of all countries and times, past, present and to come; the doctors, if they had thought accurately upon the subject, should have expected in their Messiah, a king different from all other kings. Besides, he is to sit at God's right hand, "till all his enemies are made his footstool."

Such pertinent replies, and solid reasoning, gave the people an high opinion of his wisdom; and shewed them how far superior he was to their most renowned Rabbies, whose arguments, to prove their opinions and answers to the objections which were raised against him, were, in general, very weak and trifling. Nay, his foes themselves, from the repeated proofs they had received of the prodigious depth of his understanding, were impressed with such an opinion of his wisdom, that they judged it impossible to entangle him in his talk. Accordingly, they left off attempting it, and from that day forth troubled him no more with their insidious questions.

But having mentioned the final conquest and destruction of his enemies, who were to be made his footstool, agreeable to the prediction of the royal Psalmist, he turned towards his disciples; and in the hearing of the multitude, solemnly cautioned them to