H Reflections on our being called to the Gofpel-Feaft. 339 rate habitual Sinners from the Number and the Sect. 153. IMPROVEMENT. OW rich are the Provifions of the Gofpel! a Feaft indeed becom- Mat. xxii. 2, ing the Bounty and Majesty of the King of Heaven; and proportionable even to the Love which he bears to his own Son, in Honour of whom it is made! How wonderful is the Grace, which calls us to the Participation of Ver. 9, 10. these Provisions; us, who were originally Sinners of the Gentiles, Aliens from the Commonwealth of Ifrael, and Strangers to the Covenant of Promife! (Eph. ii. 12.) Yet has he graciously fent his Messengers to us, and invited us to his House, yea, to his Table, with the additional Hope of yet nobler Entertainments in Referve. May none of us_reject so conde- Ver. 4,--6. fcending a Call, left we turn his Goodness into righteous Indignation, and treasure up to ourselves Wrath against the Day of Wrath! (Rom. ii. 5.) Let us also remember, that it is not every one who profeffes to accept the Entertainment, not every one who talks of Gofpel Bleffings, and seems to defire a Share in them, that will be admitted to it. No: In order to our partaking of an Inheritance among the Saints in Light, it is neceffary that we be made meet for it by the Holiness both of our Hearts and Lives. (Col. i. 12.) This is the Wedding-Garment, wrought by the Ver. 11. Spirit of GOD himself, and offered to us by the Freedom of his Grace. And it is fo neceffary, that without it we must be separated from the Ver. 13. Number of his Guests and Friends, and even tho' we had eaten and drank in his Prefence, must be caft out into outer Darkness. (Luke xiii. 26.) Frequently let us think of that awful Day, when the King will come in to fee bis Guests; when GOD will take a moft exact Survey of every Soul under a Chriftian Profeffion. Let us think of that speechless Confu- Ver. 12. fion, which will feize fuch, as have not on the Wedding-Garment, and of that inexorable Severity, with which they will be configned to weeping Ver. 13. and gnashing of Teeth. To have feen for a while the Light of the Gofpel, and the fair Beamings of an Eternal Hope, will add deeper and more fenfible Horror to thofe gloomy Caverns; to have heard thofe glad Tidings of great Joy, and to hear them, as it were, echoed back in Accents of final Difpair, how will it wound the Ear, and pierce the very Heart! May GOD prevent it, by fulfilling in us all the good Pleasure of his Goodnefs, and the Work of Faith with Power; that the Name of our Lord Jesus Chrift may be glorified in us, and we in him, (2 Theff. i. 11, 12.) when the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb fhall be celebrated, and all the Harmony, Pomp, and Beauty of Heaven shall aid its Solemnity, its Magnificence, and its Joy! U u 2 SECT. Our LORD confounds the Pharifees and Herodians, when they hoped to have infnared him by their Queftion, relating to the Lawfulness of paying the Roman Tribute. Mat. XXII. 15,---- 2 2. Mark XII. 13,----17. Luke XX. 20,----26. MAT. XXII. 15. MAT. XXII. 15. Sect. 154. THEN the Pharifees, ftung with the fevere THEN went the Phari 15. Luke XX. 20. but juft Rebukes he had been giving them in Mat. XXII. the foregoing Parables, went out from his Prefence, and retiring took Counsel together, how they might infnare him in [his] Difcourfe, and find something on which they might ground an Accufation or Complaint against him. And they narrowly watched him in all his Motions that Day, and fent out Spies to try if they could take him at an Advantage, who should pretend themselves to be righteous Men, that were come, for the Eafe of their Confciences, to propofe a Scruple to him on an Affair of great Importance. Now thofe that were fent on this Errand were Perfons of oppofite Sects; [even] fome of the Disciples of the leading Men among the Pharifees, who were very folicitous for the Freedom of their Country from every Mark of Slavery; and [fome] of the Sect of the Herodians, a Party of Men (as was before obferved,) peculiarly attached to the Family of Herod, and confequently zealous in the Intereft of the Roman Government, which was the main Support of the Dignity and Royalty of that Family. (See Note (f) on Mark iii. 6. Vol. i. pag. 312.) And thefe, different as their Principles were, combined together in an Attempt upon Jefus, that if an Opportunity offered, they might lay hold on his Words (a), either to render him obnoxious to the People fees, and took Counsel how they might intangle him in his Talk. (a) That they might lay hold on his Words.] They hoped to have infnared him, whatever Answer he could have returned. If he afferted, on the one hand, that Tribute was to be paid to Cæfar, the Pharifees, who generally maintained, (as Judas Gaulonites had done,) that afking if it was lawful for them to pay Tribute to Cæfar. deliver him unto the Power and Authority of the Governour. [MAT. XXII. 16.- MARK XII. 13.] 21 And [MAR. when they were come,] they afked him, faying, Master, we know that thou [art true, and] fayeft and teacheft rightly, [neither careft thou for any Man: for thou regardest not the Person of Men,] [MAR. but teacheft the Way of GOD in Truth.] [MAT.XXII.-16.MARK XII. 14.-] MAT. XXII. 17. Tell us therefore, What thinkeft thou? Is it lawful [LUK. for us] to give Tribute unto Cefar, or not? [MARK XII.—14. LUKE XX. 22.] 341 People as an Enemy to their Liberties, or to deli- Sec. 154. Roman Governour of that Province. Luke XX. And when they were come to him, in order to accomplish their Defign, they craftily accofted him with an Air of great Refpect, and with flattering. Expreffions of the highest Esteem, and asked him, faying, Mafter, we know and are well satisfied, that thou art true and upright; and as thou comest as a Meffenger from GoD, fo after the Example of thofe faithful and couragious Prophets who were in Ifrael in its better Ages, thou Jayeft and teacheft rightly, and art impartial and fincere in every thing that thou declareft; neither careft thou for the Cenfure or Applause of any Man; for thou regardest not the Perfon of Men, fo as to be influenced by Complaifance or Fear, or any private Views whatever,. to deviate from the stricteft Integrity and Veracity;. but plainly teacheft the Way of GOD and the Path of Duty in Truth. We are come there- Mat. XXII.. fore to propofe a Question to thee, about which 17. thou knoweft that we Pharifees and Herodians are divided, and to which an interested Man who was governed by Principles of human Policy might, perhaps, be unwilling to answer: Tell us, we pray thee, (for we have determined to fubmit our Judgment and Practice to thy Sentiments in the Matter,) what thinkeft thou, Is it lawful for us Jews, who are the peculiar People of GoD, and are many of us in Confcience tender of acknowledging any King but him, or one of our Brethren appointed by his immediate Delegation (b), to pay the ufual Tribute to Cafar the that fuch a Subjection to a foreign Power was inconfiftent with the Privileges of Go D'speculiar People, would have endeavoured to expofe him to popular Refentment, as betraying: the Liberties of his Country. On the other hand, had he denied the Lawfulness of this Tribute, the Herodians would have had a very plaufible Pretence of accufing him to the Roman Power, as a feditious Perfon, which his Perfecutors had. afterwards the Affurance to do; Luke xxiii. 2. Sect. 186. (Compare Acts xvii. 7.) Nay, perhaps, the very Circumstance of taking upon him to determine fuch a Queftion, might, by thefe invidious Enquirers, be conftrued as a Pretence to Sovereignty. See Voff. Harmon. Evang. pag. 54, 55. (b) One of our Brethren &c.] We are told, that the grand Argument, which the Gaulonites, and others inclined to their Party, urged, as decifive against the Authority of the Romans, was that Text which prohibited their fetting a Stranger to be King over them. Deut.. 342 He bids them render to Cæfar the Things that are Cæfar's : Sect. 154. the Roman Emperor, or not? Mark XII. 15. 19. What doft thou advife in this Cafe? Shall we give it to the Collectors, or hall we not give it? We muft beg an immediate Answer, for the Tribute is even now demanded of us. And here they ceased, as thinking they had him in an inextricable Snare, and that he could return no Anfwer, which would not expose him to the severe Refentment, either of the Jewish People, or of the Roman Officers. But Jefus knowing their Hypocrify, which was indeed their reigning Character, perceived their Craftiness [and] Wickedness in this Addrefs, however pious and respectful it appeared; and therefore faid to them, Ye Hypocrites, Why do ye tempt me by fuch an infnaring Question, and seek to draw me into Danger and Destruction by it? Is this a Proof of your Regard and Friendship to a Mat. XXII. faithful and impartial Teacher? But that I may return a proper Anfwer to your Question, Shew me the Tribute Money which is demanded of you; and bring me hither a Penny, or DenaMark XII. rius, that I may fee it. And they brought him a Roman Penny. And looking upon it, he fays to them, Whofe is this Image which is ftruck upon the Coin, and whose Inscription and Title is this [which] it has round it (c)? And they, without perceiving his Defign, immediately answered and faid to him, It is Cafar's: Thereby in effect acknowledging, that they were Tributaries to him, by admitting his Coin as current among them. 17 And Jefus anfwering faid unto them, Render therefore to Cæfar the Things which are Cæfar's, and to GOD the Things which are GOD's (d); and 16. labour 15.— MARK XII. 15.- Shall we give, or fhall we not give? xvii. 15. And Grotius (in his Note on Mat. xxii. 16.) feems to think it was this, that engaged them fo vigorously to oppofe the Chaldeans, and to refufe fubmitting to their Government, till Jerufalem was deftroyed. See Note (a) on Luke xiii. 1. pag. 129. (c) Whofe is this Image and Infcription?] Dr. Lightfoot tells us, (in his Hor. Heb. on Mat. xxii. 20.) that the Jews have a Tradition among them, that to admit of the Title of any Prince on their current Coin, was an Acknowledgment of Subjection to him. It is certain, their not daring to refuse this Coin, when offered them in Payment, was in effect a Confeffion, that they were conquered by the Romans, and confequently that the Emperor had a Right to their Tribute. (d) And to GOD the Things which are GOD's.] Diodate, Raphelius, and fome other Commentators, interpret this as a Caution against omitting the Sacred Tribute, on Pretence of And they are quite confounded at his Anfwer. to GOD the Things that are GOD'S. [MAT.XXII.—21. LUKE XX. 25.1 LUKE XX. 26. And [when they had heard thefe Words,] they could not take hold of his Words before the People and they marvelled at his Answer, and held their Peace, [and left him, and went their Way.] [MAT. XXII. 22. MARK XII. —17.] A 343 Mark XII. 17. labour fo to adjust your Regards and Duties to Sect. 154. And when they had heard [his] wife and unex- Luke XX. IMPROVEMENT. GAIN does our Lord renew the repeated Leffon he had before Luke xx. given us, both by Precept, and Example, of uniting Wisdom and 25, 26. Innocence. How admirable was this Mixture of Prudence and Integrity, with which he confounded thefe Pharifees and Herodians, who, contrary Ver. 20. as their Principles and Interefts were, confpired against him! For of a Truth, oh Lord, against thine holy Child Jefus, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, and the People of Ifrael were gathered together! (Acts iv. 27.) and their Words were fofter than Oil, when War and Murther was in their Hearts. (Pfal. lv. 21.) Let of answering the Demands of Cafar, who (they fay) had claimed it to himself. But I apprehend our Lord had a more extenfive View; and that as he cautions the Pharifees, against ufing Religion as a Pretence to justify Sedition, fo he alfo warns the Herodians, that they fhould not, as they were too inclinahle to do, make a Compliment of their Religion to the Romans, by complying with thofe Things which were forbidden by the Divine Law, that they might ingratiate themfelves with Cafar's Party. See Prideaux's Connection, vol. ii. pag. 366,-368. |