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¹ One day, as he was instructing the people in the temple, and preaching the gospel, the chief priests, and the Scribes, with the rulers came up to him, ² and thus accosted him, tell us by what authority do you act thus? and whence do you derive that authority? ³ Jesus answer'd, I will ask you one question; ⁴ tell me, the baptism of John, was it a divine or a human institution? ⁵ but they reason'd thus with themselves, if we should say, it was divine, he will reply, why then did not you believe him? ⁶ if we should assert, it was a human contrivance, the populace would stone us; for they are persuaded that John was a prophet. ⁷ they answer'd then, they did not know which it was. ⁸ Jesus replied, neither will I tell you by what authority I act thus.

⁹ Then he propos'd this parable to the people, a man planted a vineyard, let it out to husbandmen, and then went a travelling for some time. ¹⁰ at vintage, he sent a servant to the husbandmen, to demand the profits of the vineyard. but they beat him and sent him away empty. ¹¹ again he sent another servant, him they likewise beat, insulted, and sent away empty. ¹² he still sent a third, whom they wounded and drove away. ¹³ upon which the master of the vineyard said, what shall I do? I will send my beloved son: perhaps his presence will engage their respect. ¹⁴ but when the husbandmen saw him, they said to one another, this is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be our own. ¹⁵ so they kill'd him, and threw him out of the vineyard. what punishment now will the master inflict upon them? ¹⁶ he will come and destroy these husbandmen, and give his vineyard to others. but they, taking the hint, cried out, God forbid. ¹⁷ then Jesus looking upon them, said, what is the meaning then of that expression, "the stone, which the builders rejected, is become the chief stone of the angle." ¹⁸ whoever falls upon that stone shall be bruised, but on whom it falls, it will crush him to pieces. ¹⁹ The chief priests, and the Scribes perceiving that he had applied this parable to them, were eager to seize upon him at that very time; but they were afraid of the people.

²⁰ they watch'd then, and suborn'd spies, who under pretence of their tender consciences, might ensnare him in his discourse, and so betray him to the civil power and jurisdiction of the governor. ²¹ they address'd him therefore in this manner; master, we know that what you say and teach is all right. you are not influenc'd by the quality of men, but explain the divine law with sincerity: should we pay tribute to Cesar, ²² or no? ²³ but Jesus perceiving their malicious design, said to them, why do you practise upon me? ²⁴ show me a penny: whose image and inscription is this? they answer'd, Cesar's. ²⁵ render then, said he, to Cesar, what belongs to Cesar, and to God, what belongs to God. ²⁶ so not being able to take any advantage from his words, before the people, they said no more, being surpriz'd at his answer.

²⁷ Afterwards some of the Pharisees, who deny there is any resurrection, accosted him with this question, ²⁸ master, said they, Moses left it in writing, if any man has a brother, who dies in marriage without leaving children, he is obliged to take the widow, to perpetuate his brother's line. ²⁹ now there were seven brothers, the first of which marry'd, and died without children. ³⁰ the second after marrying the widow, died likewise without children. ³¹ then the third took her, and so she was married to all seven, who all died without leaving any children. ³² at last the woman died too. ³³ at the resurrection therefore, to which of them will she be wife? for she had been married to all the seven. ³⁴ Jesus answered, in this life men and women marry. ³⁵ but they, who shall be accounted worthy to obtain the resurrection to an eternal life, shall have no concern in marriage, as being immortal: ³⁶ for by the resurrection they will inherit a nature truely angelical and divine. ³⁷ now that the dead are raised, may be inferr'd from Moses's relation concerning the bush, where he stiles the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. ³⁸ for he is not the God of the dead, but of the living. they are all then alive with respect to him.

³⁹ which some of the Scribes approving, said to him, master, what you maintain is very just: ⁴⁰ and after that they did not venture to ask him another question. ⁴¹ But Jesus said to them, you affirm the Messiah must be descended from David, how can that be? ⁴² for in the book of Psalms David himself says, "the Lord said to my Lord, sit on my right hand, ⁴³ till I make thine enemies thy footstool." ⁴⁴ if then David stiles the Messiah his Lord, how can he be descended from David? ⁴⁵ then in the audience of all the people, he said to his disciples, ⁴⁶ beware of the Scribes, who are fond of appearing in their long robes, affect to be saluted in publick, to have the upper hand in the synagogues, and at all entertainments. ⁴⁷ who under the pretext of their long prayers devour the fortunes of widows. wherefore they shall be punish'd with greater severity.