The Jews fuborn men to find out Jefus's opinion concerning paying Tribute to the Romans, whom he filences by a wary Anfwer. The Sadduces confused by him. He anfwers the questions of the Pharifees, and puts them to filence by a question. concerning the Melliah, HEREUPON they fuborn'd certain Fellows, part of whom were addicted to the Pharifees, and others to the Sect of the Sadduces, to get fomething from him that might make him obnoxious to the Romans, and of which they might accufe him before the Roman Deputy: Thefe therefore feigning themselves well meaning ignorant perfons, and defirous of information, came to him with thefe fmooth words, Master, we know thou art a zealous Lover of Truth, and that no refpect of perfons can prevail with thee to diffemble or oppofe it, as being a stric Obferver of the Divine Laws: We come therefore defiring to know what is thy opinion concerning the Tribute we now pay to the Romans; Is it lawful for us Ifraelites to give tribu teunto Cefar, tribute to Cefar, or us to give tribute unto or not? not? 15 Shall we give or thall we not give? 18 But Jefus per- But he knowing their ceived their wicked- hypocrify, faid unto ness, and faid, Why them, Why tempt ye tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19 Shew me the tribute-mony. And they brought him a penny. me? 20 And he faith and he faith unto unto them, Whofe is them, whofe is this this image and fuper- image and fuperfcripfcription? tion? 21 They fay unto And they faid unto God the things and to God the things Cefar, or no? 23 But he perceived their craftinefs, and faid unto them, Why tempt yé me? 24 Shew me penny : whofe image and fuperfcrip- They answered 25 And he faid unto them, Render therefore to Cefar the things which be Cefars, and to God the things which be Gods. 26 And they could not take hold of his words before the peo ple: and they marvel led at his anfwer, and JOHN. to pay Tribute to a foren Potentate, as Cafar is, fince by our Law it is enacted that we shall not chufe a King over us but out of our own Countrymen? Jefus perceiving their Diffimulation and Malice; O you Hypocrites, faid he, wherefore do you lay Snares for me? Show me the Tribute Mony. Upon which they produc'd a Roman Denier ftamp'd with the Emperor's Name and Image. Jefus then ask'd them whose was that Image and Infcription. They anfwer'd, Cafar's. Render then, faid he, to Cefar the things that are Cafar's, and to God the things that are God's. By which words he thewed them in no ambiguous terms, without taking notice of their more abftrufe Questions, that it was not impoffible for the Jews to be good and religious perfons, and at the fame time pay Tribute to the Authority under whofe protection they had bin for a confiderable time. Thus were these men fruftrated of their hopes of drawing fomething from him before the People, on which they might ground an Accufation against him, and left him, ftruck with admiration at his Anfwer. Iii 2 Then 24 Saying, Mafter, 19 Master, Mofes Mofes faid, If a man wrote unto us, If a die, having no chil- mans brother die, and dren, his brother shall leave his wife behind marry his wife, and him, and leave no chilraife up feed to his dren, that his brother brother. fhould take his wife, and raise up feed unto his brother. LUKE. CHA P. XX. 27 Then came to him certain of the Sadduces (which deny that there is any refurrection) and they asked him, 28 Saying, Mafter, Mofes wrote unto us, If any mans brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother fhould take his wife, and raise up feed to his brother. 25 Now there were 29 There were with us feven brethren, seven brethren: and therefore feven breand the first when he the first took a wife, thren: and the first had married a wife, and dying left no feed. took a wife, and died deceased, and having no iffue, left his wife unto his brother. 26 Likewise the fecond alfo, and the third, to the feventh. 27 And laft of all the woman died alfo. 20 Now there were 21 And the fecond took her, and died, neither left he any feed and the third likewife. 22 And the feven laft of all the 28 Therefore in the refurrection, whofe rection therefore,when without children. 30 And the fecond took her to wife, and he died childless. 31 And the third 32 Laft of all the wife fhall the be of they fhall rife, whofe wife of them is fhe? JOHN. Then came fome of the Sadduces to him, who deny the Immortality of the Soul and the Refurrection of the Body, and put this cafe to him, with which they were wont to puzzle the Pharifees: Mofes enacted, that if a man dies without Iffue by his Wife, the eldeft Brother that remains fhall marry his Widow, that in cafe The brings forth any Children the First-born may fucceed the Deceas'd in his Estate and Title. Now, there were feven Brothers, the eldest of whom died, and left no Children. The next in order married the Widow, and he alfo died childlefs: A third in like manner, and the remaining four, who all died without having any Iffue by her: Laft of all, the Woman died alfo. Now the queftion is, which of the feven Brothers will be her Husband at the Refurrection, fince they all married her? MATTHEW. CHAP. XXII. the feven? for they wife fhall fhe be of for feyen had her to all had her. 29 Jefus answered them? for the seven wife. had her to wife. 24 And Jefus an 34 And Jefus an and faid unto them, fwering, faid unto fwering, said to them, Ye do err, not knowing the fcriptures, nor the power of God. 泞 them, Do ye not there- tures, neither the pow- 30 For in the re- 25 For when they marry, nor are given The children of this 35 But they which furrection they nei- fhall rife from the fhall be accounted wor- 26 And as touching thy to obtain that 36 Neither can they 31 But as touching 37 Now that the the refurrection of the the dead, that they dead are raised, even dead, have ye not rife have ye not Mofes thewed at the read that which was read in the book of bufh, when he calleth fpoken unto you by Mofes, how in the the Lord the God of God, faying, bufh God fpake unto Abraham, and the. her? Jefus anfwer'd to this purpofe: O you Sadduces, who deny the Immortality of the Soul and Refurrection of the Body, you are greatly miftaken by not being. better inftructed in the Scriptures, and for having fuch a mean opinion of the Power: of God; and as for your way of arguing in this cafe, there is nothing more vain and frivolous. Men, 'tis true, in this Life marry, and give their Daughters in marriage; but when men fhall be rais'd to Life again, there will be no further occafion of Matrimony, fince they fhall be like the Angels in Heaven. This Con-junction of Male and Female here on Earth was inftituted for the propagation of Mankind, which reafon will be of no force in that immortal State, where the Good fhall for ever enjoy an Inheritance promis'd to them by their Heavenly Father. Now as for the Refurrection of the Dead, God himself, whofe Authority you dare not reject, has fignified as much to Mofes, when he fpake to him out of the flaming Bulh, Bush, in these words: I am the God of Abraham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob, Exod. 3. 6. Which words, according to the conftant tenor of the Scriptures, denote God's peculiar Favor towards thofe Patriarchs, and would be plainly null and void, if (as you imagin) they were dead both in respect of Soul and Body, never to be rais'd to Life agen. Moft certainly, God cannot be faid to have a peculiar Favor, and fuch a one as is worthy of an Eternal Being, to men that were to die for all Eternity, fince this mortal Life is common to all men, and of fmall importance if no other followed it. 'Tis therefore neceffary that the Souls of thofe whom God fo highly favors muft exift; nor is it hard to perceive that he will reftore the Body to them, fince otherwife they would live but in part, and his pro mife of Favor to them had refpect not to the immortal Soul only, but to the intire man. You are then grievously mistaken, when you deny the Resurrection of the Body, and the Immortality of the Soul. All that heard him were fill'd with admiration at his Doctrin, tho the Chief among the Jews fought by all means to undermine his Authority among the People. The Pharifees particularly, who took notice how he had ftop'd the mouths of the Sadduces, having furrounded him, one of them, a Lawyer, step'd out, and put |