tempt of his word, and hatred towards all who truly preach it they speak against them. It is a hopeful sign, when you can bear to have the truth told you, and are willing to be laid open to yourselves. And it is, also, matter of absolute necessity, for in the want of this disposition you cannot take one step towards your salvation.

12. And they left him, and went their way.

They feared the people, and durst not do what they would. So the providence of God at all times checks a great deal of evil that would otherwise appear. Bad as the world is to live in, it would be a thousand times worse, if men had nothing but the restraint of conscience and their own hearts, to keep them from acting all the wickedness which they conceive.

13. And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.

The Pharisees were against paying tribute to Cæsar: the Herodians, as being courtiers, were great sticklers for it. So betwixt them, they thought that they should entangle him, let him answer which way he would. But Christ was not to be caught in this snare. We may observe from hence, that a man who knows and loves the truth, has always an answer ready according to godliness.

14. And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, 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:

They said, "We know that thou art true," but did not think it in their hearts. We both say and think so, and yet generally we are but little better for Christ. In this testimony, we have an excellent character of Christ from his enemies, worthy of every Christian's imitation, and one which should especially be the pattern of all his minis

ters.

14. Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, or not?

15. Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their

hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me ? bring me a penny, that I may see it.

Take notice that Christ cannot be imposed upon by fair words, or fine speeches.

16. And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Cæsar's. 17. And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's,

This was for the conviction and instruction of the Pharisees.

17. And to God the things that are God's.

This was in like manner for the Herodians, who were loose in their notions of religion. Hear what Christ says, with respect to both, Meddle not with uncustomed goods. This is one of the worst kinds of stealing, and not the less sinful for being common. With respect to God, in you know wherein you do not give him his due, do so no more. Remember that Christ will suffer none of his words to fall to the ground.

17. And they marvelled at him.

Let Christ and his gospel, not only excite our wonder, but let them win our hearts.

SECTION XL.

Chap. xii. ver. 18—27.

THE SADDUCEES CONFUTED.

18. Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection;

Let us not be as one of those Sadducees, by forgetting the resurrection of the dead, by neglecting the proper

use which we should make of it, or by regulating our life according to that belief.

18. And they asked him, saying,

19. Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

20. Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.

21. And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.

22. And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.

23. In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.

24, And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?

Ignorance of the scriptures, when wilful, is not only a wicked contempt of one of God's best gifts, but the worst of all blindness. If we do not know them, whatever else we know, we shall not be profited by our knowledge. The power of God in Christ is fully manifested in the scriptures, to the end that it may be sought unto, and trusted in, for our salvation.

25. For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

26. And as touching the dead, that they rise; have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ?

His being their God, implies his being so in a way of blessing, and favour. But they were dead when these words were spoken to Moses: therefore they must rise again. If it should be said that he might nevertheless be their God, whether they rose from the dead or not, as their souls were in bliss: the answer is, that the souls of Abraham, Isaac, and

Jacob, without their bodies, could not with strict propriety be called Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

27. He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.

He is the God of those who are to live in a perfect state, which can only be, when the soul and body are united. No evidence can be drawn from hence for the soul's sleeping till the resurrection, unless it can be proved that the soul is the man. Our Saviour's argument would be indeed equally valid, if the soul were quiescent till the resurrection.

We are, in this passage, clearly instructed, that there will be a resurrection of the body, and that our new body will be a glorious, and never-dying one, and that it will there. fore be greatly changed from what it is now.

SECTION XLI.

Chap. xii. ver. 28—34.

CHRIST ANSWERS A QUESTION RESPECTING THE FIRST COMMANDMENT.

28. And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

29. And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

30. 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.

It is the first in God's account, and in Christ's account, but is it so in ours? Perhaps some of us never asked ourselves in our whole lives, what it is to love God, and

VOL. II.

I

whether we love him or not.
when the question is asked us at the day of judgment?

What answer shall we make,

31. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," to serve him cordially in all his interests of soul and body; and not the less for his faults and infirmities, or even offences against ourselves; any more than we cease to promote our own, for anything that we know of ourselves. But who does this? Where is the man who loves God and his neighbour as he ought? If none are to be found, where are our hopes arising from our duties? And what enemies are those persons to our peace and hope;-how ignorant of the demands of the law, its extreme rigour, and fearful malediction, who would rob us of Christ's atoning blood and perfect righteousness, and send us to the works of our hands, in whole, or in part, before or after faith, for justification unto life?

Mr. Adam's prayer on these words:-O Lord, thou knowest that I think these two commandments great, that I desire to have them always in my eye, think myself unhappy in coming short of them, and ask it of thee now, as I do continually, to write them in my heart.

31. There is none other commandment greater than these.

32. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

33. And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

34. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.

He was not, however, yet in it. He must be first in Christ, or else all his knowledge and discretion would stand him in no stead. He had one eye of the mind opened to see the excellency and necessity of these commands; he only wanted the other opened to see his defect of performance,