feeling. A paffage in the book of Deuteronomy (a) forbade the Ifraelites to appoint a ftranger to be King over them. This prohibition indeed related only to their voluntary choice of a fovereign. It never was intended to be applied to the cafe of their being conquered by enemies. But as Cæfar was a foreigner, and alfo an idolater; many perfons appear seriously to have apprehended that to pay tribute to him would be to difobey that precept of the law, and to violate their allegiance to God. And this fentiment accorded fo well with the proud and refractory fpirit of the Jews, that it obtained extensive influence among them and was patronised by the Pharifees, who affected extraordinary zeal for the law. Among those who contended for the lawfulness of paying tribute to Cæfar, the Herodians were distinguished. These were men who had attached themselves to the interests of Herod, the King of Galilee. Herod was countenanced and protected by the Romans. Hence his adherents, who were an unprincipled fet of partisans, embraced that fide of the queftion which was the most acceptable to the Romans, and the most conducive to the authority of their Emperor.

(a) Deut. xvii. 14, 15.

Of this divided state of public opinion the chief priests and the fcribes, the bitter enemies of Chrift, refolved to take advantage in order to compafs his deftruction. His death they had long been plotting. But the pointed energy, with which he had recently expofed their iniquities, had raised their indignation and malice to the highest degree: infomuch that they would inftantly have laid hands upon him, had they not been afraid that the common people, by whom he was at this time respected and revered, would have rifen in his defence and rescued him. Now, however, having taken counsel how they might entangle him in his talk, they conceived themselves to have devised a plan which could not fail of fecuring their object. They fent forth a chofen number of the Pharifees and of the Herodians, fpies in reality and tempters, but feigning themselves juft men; afluming an outward fhew of fanctity, and pretending to be diftreffed by religious doubts and fcruples of confcience, to afk his decifion upon the question of tribute. The answer of our Lord, whatever it fhould be, his enemies concluded must produce his ruin. If he should reply that tribute ought to be paid to Cæfar; they were prepared instantly to represent him as a despiser of the law of Mofes,

a be

a betrayer of the liberties of his country, a friend and confederate of its enemies: as one who could not be the promised Messiah, that Redeemer who was to come, as was generally believed, for the fpecial purpose of delivering the nation from every foreign yoke. His credit with the people would thus be annilihated: interference in his favor would not need to be apprehended from them : he might fafely be feized and deftroyed. If he should answer that tribute ought not to be rendered; then might he be delivered at once as a fower of fedition and a rebel into the hands of the Roman governor, who affuredly would put him to death. Thefe wicked men feem to have expected that the earneftness which Christ always manifefted for the glory of God, and the defire which they imagined that he would feel to conciliate the people, would lead him to declare against the payment of tribute. And they the rather wifhed for this anfwer, as it would not only fecure his destruction by enabling them to take hold of his words, that fo they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor (b); but would exempt them from the odium and the difficulties, which might attend any direct violence on their part against him. But

(6) Luke, xx. 20.

the fnare was fo artfully framed, that, whatever might be his reply, they concluded that it would be impoffible for him to efcape, and were exulting beforehand in the prospect of certain success. Their fpies now approached him; and addreffed him with hypocritical compliments. Mafter! we know that thou art true, and teacheft the way of God in truth neither careft thou for any man, for thou regardeft not the perfon of men. We are fatisfied that

;

thou wilt return to us without referve or hefitation a juft anfwer to our enquiries, regardless of giving offence to Cæfar or to any other mortal: for thou payest not court to man, nor feareft man, but feekeft only to announce and to fulfil the good pleasure of God. After this infidious introduction they proposed their question: What thinkeft thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not? Blind and infatuated men! Ye difcern not that ye are endeavouring to impofe upon Him, from whom no fecrets are bid! He perceived their wickedness; and said unto them, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. Why, under the pretext of stating an enquiry for confcience' fake, are you scheming in subtlety and malice to destroy me? Bring me a piece of your current coin. They produced a small piece of filver. Whofe is this

image and fuperfcription? Whofe head is this which is ftamped upon the moncy? Whofe. name and titles are recorded in the infeription which it bears? They replied, Cafar's. This confeffion, which it was not practicable to avoid, in a moment overthrew their plans. In those days, as in the prefent, to imprefs the likeness and the name and the titles of a perfon upon the national coin was an open acknowledgement that the individual was the lawful fovereign of the nation. Render therefore, proceeded our Lord, in terms which, while they conveyed a leffon of general inftruction, equally reproved the refractory fpirit of the Pharifces, who were unwilling to obey the civil power under which they were placed, and the time-ferving conduct of the Herodians, who acquiefced in many heathen practices, with a view of gratifying the Romans: Render therefore unto Cæfar the things which are Cafar's; and unto God the things which are God's. recognised fovereign in all

Obey your points

in

which, as fovereign, he has a right to command. And above all things, and at all hazards, be faithful in rendering unto your God the honour and love and fervice to which He is entitled. His hypocritical adverfaries could not take hold of his words before

+6

the