Christian, and it is always a strong temptation, because the old nature is proud, easily offended and desperately inclined to seek revenge. Therefore we must be on our guard against this temptation, and must gird our loins diligently to practice the virtue of forgiving. Though men often wrong us we should not give way to the old Adam, but should banish anger and spite from the heart, and as often as an offending brother comes acknowledging his wrong and asking pardon, we should be quick to extend the hand of reconciliation. Never should we lose. sight of the great truth taught by the amounts mentioned in this parable. What God must forgive me, me who am but a servant not worthy of His notice, amounts to ten thousand talents, and all this debt God forgives me freely for Christ's sake; what I may be called on to forgive my brother who is my equal, or perhaps better than I, will not overrun a hundred pence. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." 1 John 4, 11.

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Have you experienced the forgiveness of God? Then do not like this servant, who "went out " from his lord, and who, forgetting his lord's mercy quickly, forgot to practice mercy. If you can freely say: 'Tis by the mercy of my God that I am cleansed from sin, then let your heart sing that tune day by day, and constrained by the love of Christ you will find little difficulty in forgiving men their trespasses. AMEN.

XXIII. SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

TEXT: Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Cæsar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.-Matt. 22, 15–22.

Ever since the times of the first French Revolution, a century ago, there is much talk in the world about all men being born equal, and having equal rights and claims on the earth. This theory of equality was advanced by French atheists, Voltaire, Rousseau, and others, and a partial attempt at practicing it was made under the first French Republic amid blood and carnage. Since that time these theories of equality have been advocated and extended until they have now reached their most radical form in what is called Communism and Anarchism. Of these "isms we now hear and read continually.

St.

What do those people want? They want to abolish government, authority, property, religion,, church, every thing. They want to upset the whole social order of the world, and to introduce a totally new order. They want a world without God, without religion, without government, without restraint. Paul writes that in the latter days perilous times would come, when men would give heed to "seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." 1 Tim. 4, 1. 1 Tim. 4, 1. These seducing spirits have come; for the theories of those who would subvert God's order are certainly doctrines of devils, and these doctrines have infected the masses throughout the civilized world to so fearful an extent that rulers must daily fear for their lives and property holders must

be in anxiety about their possessions. And as to the Church it can only expect days of persecution and tribulation, if the wild theories of Destructionists should become dominant.

In these teachings we behold the legitimate fruit of infidelity. Because men deny the existence of God, therefore they also deny that the order of society, as it now is, was made by God. They say: Men made it so and men could change it. And many who do not entertain the doctrines of Destructionists, even some Christians, regard civil government virtually nothing more than a human arrangement, first invented by Nimrod. Now Nimrod was the first to exercise tyranny upon earth after the flood, but the order of government was instituted by God Himself; for thus St. Paul writes, Romans 13: "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be, are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God." The power of government in its variety of forms is God's ordinance. In a Republic like ours the officers elected by the people are nevertheless appointed of God; for He governs our elections, and no man obtains an office without His will.

Government being God's ordinance, it is self-evident that we Christians can have nothing to do with any and all theories which tend to destroy this ordinance of God. With word and pen we should be set against all teachings which are subversive of civil government and good order, and we should at all times. show ourselves law-abiding citizens who seek the good of their land and nation. Good Christians must also be good citizens; this is the Lord's will expressed in the text before us. Hence let me speak of:

THE RELATION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE, showing

I. What alone is the right relation; and

II. What duties devolve on Christian citizens in this regard.

I.

In manifold parables the Lord rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy and malice, and at last IIe directly told

them: "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof," Matt. 21, 43, and this He illustrated by the parable of the king's marriage. For this the chief priests and Pharisees would gladly have laid hands on Him, but were afraid to do this because of the people. So they went and "took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk." A glorious testimony for the Lord. No man can receive a better testimony than this, that his enemies who are bent on his destruction can prove no evil or misdeed on him. The Lord Jesus did suffer poverty, persecution and the penalty of death on account of sin, yet not for misdoings of His own. In all His life and walk the Pharisees could discover no evil, and so the Pharisees themselves bear testimony that what He suffered on earth He suffered for strange, for our sins. This fact that the Pharisees saw no other way to destroy Him than by entangling Him in His talk is a testimony unto us that He is our Savior indeed.

What counsel did those men find against the Lord? They attempted to draw a political declaration from Him which must result in evil to Him. For this purpose "they sent their disciples with the Herodians," to put a question to Jesus. Herod Antipas, king over Galilee, owed his crown and all to the friendship of the emperor, and his adherents formed a royalist party who were always ready to report any plots or signs of revolt against the Romans. A very necessary service, because the Jews hated the Romans intensely, not only on account of the heavy taxes which the Romans imposed, but chiefly because they thought it against the dignity of God's chosen people and against the law of Moses to pay tribute to a Gentile ruler. Hence the state of affairs was such that a man had to be careful in his utterances. One who did or said any thing against the Romans in public was very apt to be reported by the Herodians; and any one who adhered to the Romans and advocated subjection to them was hated and despised by the people as a traitor to his country, and an enemy of the temple and the true worship of God.

Instructed by their masters and accompanied by several Hero

dians those disciples of the Pharisees came to the Lord, when much people were gathered together, and said: "Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?" They flatter Him as being a teacher of the truth, who would frankly speak the truth, whether it bring Him honor or dishonor, gain or loss. What they say of the Lord is perfectly true, but they spake these words deceitfully, both to hide their intention and to place their question in such a connection that, as they calculated, the Lord would be obliged to answer straightforward with yea or nay. They thought if the Lord would answer: Yes, the people would regard and shun Him as a traitor to His nation and religion; if He would answer: No, the servants of Herod were there to lay hands on Him; if IIe evaded the question, or left it unanswered, then they would have taken occasion to say, He feared the Romans, or could not answer, and therefore He could neither be the Messiah nor a prophet. How did the Lord answer?

"

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He knew their design and first of all exposed their wicked thoughts, saying: Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?" As they had flatteringly said unto Him, He proved to them that He regarded not their person, but called them by their right name, and gave them to understand that He knew the thoughts of their heart. By these words they seem to have been much disconcorted; for when He requested them to show Him the tribute money they quickly handed Him a penny, and to His question: Whose is this image, and superscription?" they answer readily: "Cæsar's." We must not think that this "tribute money" was a special kind of money; the Lord simply asked for a piece of money which was legal tender in the land and with which the taxes were paid. Neither was the Lord ignorant as to how the money looked and what was inscribed on it; He simply called for a coin in order to render His answer indisputable; for when they had conceded that the Roman money, bearing the image and inscription of the Roman emperor, was