*

Law, and at the fame time, great Admirers of our Saviour's Character, of his Integrity and Love for Truth, of his fearless Impartiality in afferting it, without any Regard to the Perfon of Men. The Question, they put to him, had not long before brought the Nation under great Difficulties. Some of the Jews were perfuaded of the abfolute Independency of their Government; that they were Abraham's Seed, and never were, nor ought to be, in Bondage to any Mant. The Herodians, tho' of quite oppofite Sentiments, upon this Occafion affumed that Character. The Point was indeed chiefly political, and of course uppermoft with them, and had engaged all their Zeal, and they were probably defirous enough to know, what our Lord thought of it. Tell us therefore, What thinkeft thou? Is it lawful to give Tribute to Cæfar, or not?

Next came the Sadducees to try their Skill. Now the Question they put to our Lord, is altogether as natural to them, as that of the Herodians was before. It was indeed of fuch a Nature, as none but a Sadducee, a meer Senfualift, could well have thought of. It turns wholly upon adjusting matrimonial Claims in a future Life: A Point this, as likely to engage the Attention of a Sadducée, of one, who had given himself up altogether to the Pleafures of this Life, as any whatsoever. It is obfervable that our Lord's Anfwer is introduced with a fevere Reproof of their grofs Ignorance; it fhews the Abfurdity of any fuch carnal Conceits about a future State, and proves that their Doubts concerning it arofe intirely from their not attending to the Books of Mofes whofe Authority was unquestionable with them.

Next come the Pharifees, and make their Attack. Their Question is, Mafter, which is the great Command nent in S 4

the

the Law? But with them we have at present no other Business, than to obferve only, that their Enquiry, as well as thofe of the other two, are exactly agreeable to their known Tafte and Character.

It has been obferved, that we have no Account, that either our Lord, or his Apofties after him ever converted one Sadducee. The fame Obfervation may hold with regard to the Herodians. They feem to have had no Care or Concern for our Lord, or his Doctrine, more than what their Master's Intereft, or their own might fuggeft. That Herod himself was not a thorough Sadducee on one hand, nor Heathen on the other, may be collected from this Paffage: When he heard of the Fame of Jefus, he faid unto his Servants, This is John the Baptift, he is rifen from the Dead, and therefore mighty Works do fhew forth themfelves in him. Befides we are

Matt. xii. 2.

told,

told, that Herod feared John, knowing that he was a juft Man and a holy, and obferved him, and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. However these good Qualities, and promifing Advances were not fufficient to reftrain him from taking off the Baptift's Head, tho' he did it with Reluctance and Remorse. The Love of Herodias prevailed over all; this prompted him to make that rash Promise, and the Regard for his Courtiers, then present, contributed to accomplish it; who, like true Courtiers were all in Herodias's Interest, knowing her Power over the King. This fingle Passage may fuffice to give us an Idea of Herod and his Court, and of the Character of the Herodians.

We may observe here by the way, that John Baptift, notwithstanding the Coarfeness of his Drefs, and the Aufterity of his Life, repaired to Court,

* Mark vi. 20.

and

and was for a time well received there; which our Lord never did, tho' his Conversation was intirely free and without Restraint.

The Sadducees and Herodians, as they had many things in common with the rest of the Jews, concurred in this, in making a continual Demand of further Evidence for our Saviour's Miffion. After all the Miracles he had wrought, they wanted a Sign from Heaven; and if they had been indulged in this Particular, they would doubtlefs have wanted fomething else: For no Evidence can lay hold on dishonest Minds in Points where their Pleasures and Interests lie on the other fide. We are told that when our Lord was brought before Herod, the King was exceeding glad: for he was defirous to fee bim of a long Seafon, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have feen fome Miracle done by him". This

Luke xxiii. 8.

plainly