tribute, or of his authority as lawful.  It is beyond doubt, that the question was captious, and that the design of the Scribes and Pharisees, in proposing it to Christ, was to have him ensnared in his words.  This they thought themselves sure of, whether he should answer positively or negatively.  For if positively, and so recognize and acknowledge Caesar’s title, then they would have occasion to accuse him to the people, as an enemy to the laws, liberty and honor, of the Jewish nation.  This is evident from ver. 26:  “And they could not take hold of his words before the people.”  And then, if he should deny that it was lawful, they would have an opportunity or pretense of delating and delivering him to the Roman governor, as an enemy to Caesar.  They seem, however, to have been confident, that he who taught the way of God in truth, without regard to any, would never inculcate it as a duty for them to give tribute to Caesar, subjection to whom, as their lawful governor, for conscience sake, was so contrary to the divine law given to the Jews, respecting their magistrates; and if so, they would not miss of sufficient accusation against him.  But here infinite wisdom shone forth, in giving such an answer as declared their wisdom to be but folly, and at once disappointed all their malicious hopes; an answer which left Caesar’s claim unresolved, as to any positive determination whether it belonged to him or not.  The question is in direct terms.  Our Lord does not directly answer to the question, in the terms proposed by the wicked spies.  He neither expressly says it is lawful or unlawful to pay it, but gave his answer in such terms as they could not from it form an accusation against him, either to the people or to the governor.  He, in general, teaches to give Caesar all things that, by the law of God, were due to him; at the same time enjoining them that, under pretense of giving to men their demands, they rob not God of what was his due, namely, a conscientious regard to all the laws he had given them, and universal obedience to all his commands, without regard to persons of any station.  And it is certain, that Caesar was a proud, aspiring, idolatrous and bloody usurper (like the king of Babylon, Hab. ii, 5, for which causes the Lord denounces fearful wrath and judgments against him, Hab. ii, 7-14), having no other right to the most part of his dominions, than the Lord’s providential disposal, which sometimes makes “the tabernacles of robbers prosper; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly;” Job xii, 6.  “And for their sins gives Jacob to the spoil, and Israel to the robbers;” Isa. xiii, 24.  “And giveth power to the beast, to continue forty and two months, and to have power over all nations;” Rev. xiii, 5, 7.  So that, by looking into the divine law, which determines every one’s due, according to their just character, and of which they could not be ignorant, they might see that he had