17. Is it lawful for the Jews, who are the peculiar People of God, and under his immediate Govern ment, to pay Tribute to Cafar, and to fubmit to the Authority of the Romans, or not? 18. By this Question they hoped to draw him into fuch a fnare, that either he might offend the People, and feem to flatter the Roman Emperor in oppofition to the Liberty and Religion of the Jews, if he fhould fay Tribute ought to be paid; or that he might offend the Romans, if he fhould fay it ought not. But Jefus knowing this their cunning and malice, faid; Wherefore do ye tempt me, ye Hypocrites? I am aware of your wicked and deceitful intentions. 19, 20, & 21. And calling for a piece of the money wherewith the Roman Tax ufed to be paid, he asked them, Whole Image and Inscription was upon it? Which when they own- 22. Hereupon they him. that 23. and Prefently after the Sadducees, who believed the Soul of Man + See Fofephus of perifhes at Death, and that the Jewish there is no Refurrection Wars, nor Future State of Re lib.1.c.22. wards and Punishments in 24 Saying, Mafter, Mofes faid, If a man die, having no children, his brother fhall marry his Wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 25 Now there were with us seven brethren, and the firft when he had married a Wife, deceased, and having 24. Mafter, Mofes com. manded, that if a Man die without Children, his Brother should Marry his Wife, to continue his Name and Family, 25. Now there happen. ed to be Seven Brothers, whereof the first Married a Wife, and dying with no Iffue, left his wife out Children, left his Wife to the second. unto his brother. 26 Likewise the fecond also, and the third, unto the seventh. 26 27. In like manner the fecond Married her, and died without Chil 27 And laft of all dren; and the third; and the woman died alfo. in fhort, they all seven Married her, and died without Children; and the Woman died laft. 28. Now if there be a future State, as you teach, and another Life after this; whofe Wife of the feven muft this Woman then be, for they all alike Maried her? 29. Jefus replied: Ye talk very Ignorantly; not understanding the true meaning of the Scriptures, nor having a right Sense of the Greatness of the Power of God. 30. For 30. For in that, future State of Happiness, to which the Juft fhall be raised; where there fhall be no more more Mortality, which Marriage was Inftituted to fupply; there will be no more need of any fuch thing as Marriage: Neither hall that future State, be like the present Life of Men on Earth; But it fhall be Glorious and Spiritual, as is now the Life of Angels in Hea ven. 31 32. And that there shall be such a future State and another Life af ter this, ye might have collected even from God's Stiling himself to Mofes, the God of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, long after the Death of these Patriarchs; (Exod. 3. 6.) For fince 'tis plain these Holy Men did not receive the full reward of their piety in this World, God could not have called himself their God, but only because there is a Future State wherein *The Word avasaris properly fignifies a future Life in general, and fo the ftrength of our Saviour's Argument is Clear and Evident. But tho' we should understand the Word ftrictly of the Refurrection of the Body, the Argument would yet be good: For fince the Sadducees denied the Refurrection of the Body, not because they thought it impoffible for the Body to be rais'd, but only because they thought the Soul perifh'd at Death, and that there was no future State at all; our Saviour by proving in general the certainty of a Life to come, takes away the whole foundation of their Objection. Befides, the feparate ftate of the Soul, is not a State of perfect happiness, but merely of expectation 35. And |