to him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying: Master, we know that thou art a true speaker, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou dost not regard the person of men. Tell us therefore what thou dost think; is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar or not? But Jesus knowing their wickedness, said: Why do you tempt me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the coin or the tribute. And they offered him a penny. And Jesus saith to them: Whose image and inscription is this? They say to him: Cæsar's. Then he saith to them: Render therefore to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's: and to God the things that are God's.

discipulos suos cum Herodianís, dicentes: Magister, scimus quia verax es, et viam Dei in veritate doces, et non est tibi cura de aliquo non enim respicis personam hominum: dic ergo nobis, quid tibi videtur: licet censum dare Cæsari, an non? Cognita autem Jesus nequitia eorum, ait: Quid me tentatis, hypocritæ ? ostendite mihi numisma census. At illi obtulerunt ei denarium. Et ait illis Jesus: Cujus est imago hæc, et superscriptio? Dicunt ei: Cæsaris. Tunc ait illis: Reddite ergo quæ sunt Cæsaris, Cæsari: et quæ sunt Dei, Deo.

The getting truths to be diminished,1 is, evidently, to be a leading peril of the latter times,-for, during these weeks which represent the last days of the world, the Church is continually urging us to a sound and solid understanding of truth, as though she considered that to be the great preservative for her children. Last Sunday, she gave them, as defensive armour, the shield of faith, and, as an offensive weapon, the word of God. On the previous Sunday, it was circumspection of mind and intelligence that she recommended to them, with a view to their preserving, during the approaching evil days, the holiness which is founded on truth; for, as she told them, the previous week, their riches in all knowledge are of paramount necessity.5 To-day, in the Epistle,

she implored of them to be ever progressing in knowledge and all understanding, as being the essential means for abounding in charity, and for having the work of their sanctification perfected for the day of Christ Jesus. The Gospel comes with an appropriate finish to these instructions given us by the Apostle : it relates an event in our Lord's life, which stamps those counsels with the weightiest possible authority, -the authority of the example of Him, who is our divine Model. He gives his disciples the example they should follow, when, like himself, they have snares laid, by the world, for their destruction.

or not?

It was the last day of Jesus's public teaching; it was almost the eve of his departure from this earth.1 His enemies had failed in every attempt hitherto made to ensnare him; this last plot was to be unusually deep-laid. The Pharisees, who refused to recognise Cæsar's authority, and denied his claim to tribute, joined issue with their adversaries, the partisans of Herod and Rome, to propose this insidious question to Jesus: Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, If our Lord's answer was negative, he incurred the displeasure of the government; if he took the affirmative side, he would lose the estimation of the people. With his divine prudence, he disconcerted their plans. The two parties, so strangely made friends by partnership in one common intrigue, heard the magnificent answer, which was divine enough to make even Pharisees and Herodians one in the Truth: but, Truth was not what they were in search of; so they both skulked back again into their old party squabbles. The league formed against our Jesus was broken; the effort made by error, recoiled on its own self, as must ever be the case; and the answer it had elicited, passed, from the lips of our Incarnate Lord, to those of his Bride, the Church, who would be ever repeat'Tuesday in Holy Week,

ing it to this world of ours, for it contains the first principle of all governments on earth.

Render to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, and to God the things that are God's: it was the dictum most dear to the Apostles. If they boldly asserted, that we must obey God, rather than men,' they explained the whole truth, and added: Let every soul be subject to the higher powers: for there is no power but from God: and those that are, are ordained of God. Therefore, he that resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist, purchase to themselves damnation. Wherefore, be subject of necessity, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For, therefore, also ye pay tribute; for they are the ministers of God serving unto this purpose."

The will of God!3-there is the origin, there is the real greatness of all authority amongst men! Of himself, man has no right to command his fellowman. The number, however imposing it may be, makes no difference with this powerlessness of men over my conscience; for, whether they be one, or five hundred, I, by nature, am equal to each one among them; and, by adding the number of their so-called rights over me, they are only adding to the number of nothingnesses. But, God, wishing that men should live one with the other, has thereby wished, that there exist amongst them a power which should rule over the rest; that is, should direct the thousands or millions of different wills to the unity of one social end. God leaves to circumstances, though it is his providence that regulates those circumstances,-he leaves to men themselves, at the beginning of any mere human society,-a great latitude as to the choice of the form, under which is to be exercised, both the civil power itself, and the mode of its transmission. But, once regularly invested with the power, its depositories,

1 Acts, v. 29. 2 Rom. xiii. 1, 2, 5, 6. 1 St. Pet. ii. 15.

VOL. XI.

2 I

its possessors, are responsible to God alone, as far, that is as the legitimate exercise of their authority goes, because it is from God alone that that power comes to them; it does not come to them from their people, who, not having that power themselves, cannot give it to another. So long as those rulers comply with the compact, or do not turn to the ruin of their people the power they received for its well-being, so long their right to the obedience of their subjects is the right of God himself,-whether they exercise their authority in exacting the subsidies needed for government; or in passing laws, which, for the general good of the people, restrain the liberty otherwise theirs, by natural right; or, again, by bidding their soldiers defend their country, at the risk of life. In all such cases, it is God himself that commands, and insists on being obeyed in this world, he puts the sword into the hands of representatives, that they may punish the disobedient; and, in the next, he himself will eternally punish them, unless they have made amends.

How great, then, is not the dignity of human Law! It makes the legislator a representative of God, and, at the same time, spares the subject the humiliation of feeling himself debased before a fellowman! But, in order that the law oblige, that is, be truly a law, it is evident, that it must be, first and foremost, conformable to the commands and the prohibitions of that God, whose will alone can give it a sacred character, by making it enter into the domain of man's conscience. It is for this reason, that there cannot be a law against God, or his Christ, or his Church. When God is not with him who governs, the power he exercises is nothing better than brute force. The sovereign, or the parliament, that pretends to govern a country in opposition to the laws of God, has no right to aught but revolt and contempt

1 Rom. xiii. 4.

from every upright man; to give the sacred name of law to tyrannical enactments of that kind, is a profanation, unworthy, not only of Christian, but of every man who is not a slave.

The Offertory-Anthem, as also the Verses which used to be joined to it, refers, like the Introit, to the period of the last persecution. The words are taken from the prayer addressed to God by Esther, when about to enter into the presence of Assuerus, that she might plead with him against Aman, who is a figure of Antichrist. Esther is a type of the Church; and we could not better show the spirit in which we ought to sing our Offertory, than by quoting the inspired words which preface this sublime prayer. Queen Esther, fearing the danger that was at hand, had recourse to the Lord. And when she had laid away her royal apparel, she put on garments suitable for weeping and mourning; instead of divers precious ointments, she covered her head with ashes and filth, and she humbled her body with fasts: and all the places, in which before she was accustomed to rejoice, she filled with her torn hair! And she prayed to the Lord the God of Israel, saying: O my Lord! who alone art our King, help me a desolate woman, and who have no other helper but thee! 1

OFFERTORY.

Remember me, O Lord, who art above all power; and put a right speech in my mouth, that my words may be pleasing to the prince.

W. Remember, that I have stood in thy sight.

. Turn his heart into hatred of them that oppose us, and of them that consent unto them; but, deliver us by thy hand, O our God for ever!

Recordare mei, Domine, omni potentatui dominans: et da sermonem rectum in os meum, ut placeant verba mea in conspectu principis. V. Recordare quod steterim in conspectu tuo.

V. Everte cor ejus in odium repugnantium nobis, et in eos qui consentiunt eis; nos autem libera in manu tua, Deus noster in æternum. 1 Esth. xiv. 1-3.