property which the order of civil society suffers us to
possess and enjoy. God claims none till Caesar is satisfied; for Caesar's
claim is His ordinance. Having satisfied Caesar, take counsel with him
about the rest.

But these reflections open up many, some of them perplexing, questions,
on which this seems to me a good opportunity to offer some brief remark.

1. Does not Christ in this place seem to recognise some divided
allegiance--man under two masters, owing duty to Caesar, owing duty to
God? Will he not be puzzled perpetually to determine their limits, and
to settle what is secular and what is sacred? and is there not something
repugnant to the very essence of Christianity in the idea that man at
any moment, in any relation, can have to do with another being than God?
Is not God the sole Lord of his being and of his life? What can be
Caesar's, in contradistinction to that which is God's? I think I have
learnt from the Scripture, and I am always preaching the doctrine, that
God claims the man in his wholeness; that body, soul, and spirit,
riches, knowledge, power, and love, all belong to Him; that there is but
one empire, one service, one King; that life is simple, simple as the
infinite God. "_Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
soul, and mind, and strength_," "_and Him only shalt thou serve_."
"_This do, and thou shalt live._" What claim can Caesar have on man then,
which is not also God's claim? What tribute can one pay to Caesar, which
is not also paid to God? None, absolutely none. The Lord recognises no
divided allegiance; His words rightly understood are in perfect harmony
with the doctrine of His own sole and supreme lordship over every
thought, every passion, and every possession of man. "_Render unto Caesar
the things which are Caesar's._" Why? Who ordains it? Who has the right
to demand it? God. Within the sphere of Caesar's government, obey him,
not because Caesar can force you, but because God will have you; make it
a part of your Divine obedience, to obey wisely and loyally as a subject
and a citizen; and consider that Caesar claims your service within the
sphere which belongs to him, as the ordained minister and representative
of God. There is no secular and sacred since Christ appeared. It is all
sacred. Civil obedience is an ordinance of the Church. The Scripture
bears most explicit witness to these principles wherever it touches on
the relations of civil society and its inst