ceiving the warning as they ought to have done, it only exasperated them the more, and provoked them to do all in their power to bring about the fulfilment of his words whom they were opposing.

But the question in which they had all combined being entirely set at rest, each sect resolved to try him on its own peculiar tenet. The sects, of which, at that time, members were present, were three, the Herodians, the Sadducees, and the Pharisees; and it may be observed how closely their questions coincide with the peculiar opinions or doctrines which they severally entertained. First came the Herodians. These men we understand to have been the friends and followers of Herod, who was placed on the throne of Jerusalem by the power and influence of Cæsar, the emperor of the Romans, by which means the Jews became subservient to that nation, and were compelled to pay tribute to it. This tax was peculiarly hateful to the Jews, and by a reference to it, the Herodians hoped to embarrass our Lord. "Is it lawful,"

they asked, " to give tribute to Cæsar or not?" Had he said that it was lawful, he would have offended the feelings of the people; and had he said that it was not lawful, he would have incurred the hostility of the Roman governor. But he, whose kingdom was not of this world, readily extricated himself from this difficulty. He who said to the clamorous litigant, “Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you1?" said with the same spirit," Men, who made me a judge in your political disputes? Render tribute to whom tribute is due; but forget not your duties to God, which are always due; render unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's, and unto God the things that are God's."

The Herodians were thus put to silence. The Sadducees made the next attempt on our Lord. The Scriptures give us a sufficient insight into their characters and tenets. In one place they tell us that they say there is no resurrection;" in

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1 Luke xii. 14. j

another," that they believed in neither angel nor spirit'." They appear to have been not much unlike the deists of the present day; equally full of sneers, sophistry, and folly. It is not much perhaps to be wondered at, that the self-denying spirit and contempt for worldly affairs, which our blessed Saviour ever recommended and exhibited, should excite the enmity and opposition of men, all whose hopes were founded on this world. Accordingly they came to him with a question, which was intended to bring the doctrine of the resurrection, and him who taught it, into contempt. It was respecting a woman who had been married to seven husbands, and "when the resurrection shall take place," said they, "whose wife shall she be of the seven ?" Their sneer was undersood, and the reply which was given was well worthy of him who uttered it. "In the resurrection, they who are found worthy of the kingdom of heaven neither marry nor are

1 Acts xxiii. 8.

given in marriage, but are as the angels of God." Our Lord then proceeded to shew them out of one of the Books of Moses, on which portion of Scripture, alone, they professed to found their religious faith, the certainty of a life hereafter. "When God," said he, " spake to Moses from the bush, he proclaimed, I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were naturally dead. Now God is not the God of the dead, but of the living; wherefore it must necessarily follow, that those patriarchs are now living, enjoying that state of happiness, which God has prepared for them who love him!."

Lastly came the Pharisees, whose peculiar character was the reverence and respect which they professed for the Mosaical laws, tempting him, and saying, "which is the first and great commandment?" They thought that if he gave a preference to any one of the commandments, they should be able to accuse him of despising

1 Exod. iii. 6.

the others. But he went on higher ground, and took a more extensive view of the subject than they had any idea of. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy understanding; this is the first and great commandment: and the second is like unto it; thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." This answer was so admirable, so appropriate, and so convincing, that even one of the Pharisees was struck with it, and could not refrain from giving it his approbation. "Master," said he, "thou hast answered right;" an exclamation which, as it proceeded from his heart, obtained for him the applause of our blessed Lord, who turned to him and said, "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God."

Jesus having thus submitted himself to these various trials, and his enemies having succeeded in no one of them, they were entirely put to silence, and, to use, the expression of the Evangelist, "No