Chapter Verfe

Matthew he tells us the Pharifees, difpleafed xxii
at these parables, retired to confult how they
might entangle him in his talk. To effect this,
they fent fome of their difciples with the He-
rodians, to him. They artfully, first flattered
him concerning his truth, the truth of his doc
trine, his independence, as fearing no man, (in
courfe, not Cæfar himself) and then asked him-
Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæfar, or not?
(Mark adds-Shall we give, or fhall we not
give?) If he had answered in the negative, they
would have accufed him to the civil officers, as a
fomenter of rebellion. His method of evading
this infnaring queftion, viewing it in a political
light, is admirable. He asked them to fhew him
the tribute-money, and demanding whofe image
it bore, they replied Cæfar's. Then faid he-
Render unto Cæfar, the things which are Cæfar's:
and unto God, the things that are God's. (Here
it may be remarked, that previous to this (ch. xvii.
v. 27.) Jefus had, at the expence of a miracle,
complied with this custom to avoid giving offence
to the civil power.) Having in this manner foil-
ed, or disappointed the Pharifees and Herodians,
by an artful evasion, he was next attacked by the
Sadducees, which fay, there is no refurrection,
they endeavoured to puzzle him, upon that fub-
ject, by ftating the cafe of a woman, who, in
fucceffion (conforinable to the Jewish law) had
been the barren wife of feven brethren. The

question

xxii.

30

31

32

Chapter Verfe question was; to which of thofe men the woman would be affigned at the refurrection. The anfwer here, is un-evafive, plain, and full of in29 formation-Ye do err, not knowing the fcriptures, nor the power of God. For in the re• furrection, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage but are as the angels of God in "Heaven. But as touching the refurrection of 'the dead have ye not read that which was fpoken unto you by God, faying, I am the God ' of Abraham, and the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.' Mark records nearly the fame answer. John is filent. Luke's account of this answer differs exceedingly from that of Matthew and Mark, and is not fo easily underftood-The children of this world marry and are given in marriage: but they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the refurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage. Neither can they die any more for they are equal to the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the refurrection. Now that the dead are raifed, even Mofes fhewed at the Bufh, when he calleth the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob (it was " not Mofes, but the Lord himfelf who faid it) for he is not a God of the dead, but of the living for all live unto him.' By they which ' fhall

6

'fhall be accounted worthy to obtain that world,' I understand those whofe good works (for without them, I will have nothing to do with election) have obtained for them the kingdom of Heaven but the addition- and the refurrec

tion from the dead,' feems to imply, that those only should rife from the dead, who were accounted worthy to obtain the kingdom of Heaven and of fuch he fays- Neither can they die any more, for they are equal unto the angels, and are the children of God, being the children ' of the refurrection.' This paffage gives fome fupport to the doctrine of pre-existence: the good, who were favoured with a refurrection to enjoy the kingdom of Heaven, could die no more: but the bad, might again and again be fent into the world, to expiate their former crimes. The story of Elias, may appear to run counter to this hypothefis, and I knów not how to reconcile them, but by fuppofing the foul of Elias (whofe history will certainly warrant the fuppofition) was not perfected but in the body of John the Baptift after which, we are told, he was feen with Mofes and Jefus; by the faints Peter, James, and John. We will now return to St. Matthew. Jefus having thus fatisfied, or filenced the Sadducees likewife; he was again attacked by the Pharifees one of their party, a lawyer or fcribe,

Chapter Verse asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, xxii. 36′ Master, which is the great commandment in Deuterono- the law? The anfwer is admirable-Thou 'fhalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart,

my, vi. 5.

Leviticus,

xix. 18.

37

38

39

40

' and with all thy foul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment. And
the fecond is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyfelf. On these two command-
ments, hang all the law, and the Prophets.'
This fhort comment, according to St. Mark,
drew this acknowledgment from the fcribe,-
Well mafter, thou haft faid the truth, for
there is one God, and there is none other but
he; and to love him with all the heart, &c.
and to love his neighbour as himself, is more
than all whole burnt-offerings and facrifices.'
Upon which Jefus faid to him-
far from the kingdom of God.'

Thou art not

Mark, c. xii. Matthew doth not mention this circumstance; nor doth the lawyer's being in the end 'Not far

from the kingdom of God,' agree with the beginning, in which his question did not arise from want of information but as tempting Jefus. Luke, in the order of time or place, doth not record this queftion of the lawyer; it should, to correfpond with Matthew and Mark, have been introduced ch. xx. v. 39, instead of which we find it recorded, with fome variation and a beautiful illustration, ch. x. v. 25 to 37.- And behold a certain lawyer ftood up, and tempted

' him

him faying, Mafter, what fhall I do to inherit eternal life? Jefus afked him What is written in the law? How readeft thou? he answered• Thou fhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, &c. And thy neighbour, as thyself.' To this Jefus replied-Thou haft answered right this do, and thou fhalt live.' The lawyer, willing to fcreen or juftify himself, afkedAnd who is my neighbour?' Jefus, in reply, ftates a cafe ftimulating the lawyer to anfwer his own question. A man journeying from Jerufalem to Jericho, was attacked by thieves; who wounded, ftripped, and left him half dead. Two of his countrymen (one a prieft) faw him without compaffion, and left him to his fate without remorse. Not fo the Samaritan; he notwithftanding the prejudice of education, and the force of example; beheld the fufferer with pity; administered fuch relief as the immediate exigency required, or at least all that he had in his power; fat him upon his own beaft, conveyed him to an inn, and provided every neceffary for his present support, and future cure. Which now of these three, fays Jefus to the lawyer, was neighbour to him who fell among the thieves? The reply could not be other than-He that fhewed mercy. Go thou and do likewife,' was the concluding fentence. Jefus having convinced, or filenced his opponents, attacked them in his turn, faying-What think ye of Chrift? Whofe