A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Part 1 · Chapter 30

A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament · Part 1 · Chapter 30

p. 198CHAP. XXX.

NOW follows Secondly, The Arraignment of Chriſt. the greateſt Trial that ever was in the World, for herein not only the Judge of the World was Arraigned and Judged by an Unjuſt Tribunal of Wicked Men, but alſo the Great God did Condemn and Puniſh miſerable Mankind in his own only beloved Son. And though he, to wit, God, proceeded juſtly, yet the judgment of theſe Evil Men was (in this caſe of the moſt Holy Jeſus) moſt Abominably Unjuſt; for beſides the bad Account that theſe Kill-Chriſts could give of this Night's Paſſover, (N. B. Note well; no ſooner eaten, but their hands are in blood, and that of the Innocent Lamb of God) and beſides the horrible Affronts and Injuries aforementioned, they offered againſt the Lord and his Chriſt, yea and the unheard of offence they committed againſt God in the Fact p. 199they were tranſacting; they did (ex abundanti) doubly tranſgreſs their own Canon-Law, namely, (1.) In Arraigning and Condemning a Perſon upon an Holy Day, for ſuch a day was now come in: And (2.) In Acting all this Villany upon this perſon in the Night time, both which Actions are Diametrically oppoſite to their own Jewiſh Laws. N. B. Note well; Moreover more matchleſs Iniquity is ſtill propoſed to our proſpect in their proceedings to Chriſt's Arraignment, for they firſt bring him to Annas; Joh. 18.13. But why? He was not the chief Magiſtrate, that was Gamaliel's place, no… was he High-Prieſt, that was Caiphas's Office: Poſſibly they led him hither becauſe Annas's Houſe ſtood upon Mount Sion (as ſome ſay) in the Way to Caiphas the High-Prieſt's Pallace, but more probably it was to gratifie that old Satanical Sagan, who had doubtleſs an heavy hand in carrying on this curſed conſpiracy againſt Chriſt, &c. Mat. 26.3, &c. to this Man therefore muſt Chriſt be firſt brought bound, to ſhew, that now they had him ſure, whom he ſo much deſired to be ſecured, and 'tis apparent, this old Fox would not go to bed (late though it were) till he had ſeen Chriſt brought bound before him, which undoubtedly he beheld as a moſt pleaſant ſpectacle; and though he were neither Chief Magiſtrate, nor the High Prieſt properly, (ſo could not Arraign Chriſt before him) yet would he not be wanting to give his graveſt Advice, how to Accompliſh their Chriſt Killing Contrivance: But ſuppoſe Anna, to be the Prince of Sanhedrim (as ſome ſtyle him) and that he was a Fellow-Chief-Prieſt with his Son in Law Caiphas (for though the Law allowed but one High-Prieſt for Life, yet now the Roman Preſidents (contrary to the Law of God) ſold for Money this High-Prieſthood yearly, to the covetous Prieſts, Ambitious of Honour, and more than one ſometimes did purchaſe this Preferment.) Suppoſe therefore (as ſome ſay) that the Father in Law Annas was alſo High-Prieſt, with his Son in Law Caiphas, yet could not he alone Arraign Chriſt, becauſe he wanted the Sanhedrim or ſeventy two Elders to ſit with him, for that ſolemn Seſſions was appointed to be held in Caiphas's Rooms (whether in his Lodgings in the Temple, or in his Pallace in the City, is not much Material) Thither thereupon Annas ſends him bound to Caiphas, Joh. 18.24. but before his diſmiſion hence, ſome do ſay that Malchus (who had a Royal Name, though but an Idumean Slave) being diſguſted at the Anſwer Chriſt gave his Maſter Annas in their Parley, ſtruck Chriſt with the Palm of his hand, a bad requital for healing this Slaves Ear, with the touch of his holy hand, John 18.22. thus was verified both the Proverb [Like Maſter, like Man,] and the Prophecy [I gave my Cheek to the ſmiters,] Iſa. 50.6. and that [They ſhall ſmite the Judge of Iſrael upon the Cheek,] Mic. 5.1.

Now follows the formal Arraignment or Trial of Chriſt, firſt in the Eccleſiaſtick or Spiritual Court, and then in the Civil or Temporal. The former of theſe Courts took cognizance of falſe Doctrines, Hereſie, Blaſphemy, and ſuch like crimes, and this Court queſtion'd Chriſt as an Heretick, as afterward the other Court Indited him for a factious perſon, for Sedition, and Treaſon, &c. and indeed the Spiritual Court did but prepare for the Temporal, that Chriſt being condemned by the Prieſt's Conſiſtory, he might then be delivered over to the Secular Power to go through ſtitch with it, even to execution. In his Trial by Caiphas's Court, theſe circumſtances are conſiderable.

1ſt, The perſons before whom he was Tryed, were Caiphas the High-prieſt, and Annas (no doubt) would not be abſent at ſuch a deſirable work, the whole Sanhedrim conſiſting of ſeventy two Prieſts, Scribes, Phariſees, &c. were now aſſembled in Caiphas's houſe, all waiting for that happy hour of ſpending their ſpleens upon the captive Chriſt now coming to them, that they might condemn him according to Caiphas's counſel, John 11.49, 50, 51. [that one Man ſhould dye for the People,] God ſpeaking this through him as through a Trunk, or as the Angel ſpake in Balaam's Aſs, and according to the reſolve at their general conſult, Mat. 26.3, 4. John 11.57. Mat. 2.4. N. B. Note well; Here was a General Council (which it ſeems may err) conſiſting of a company of Curſed Caitiffs, all concurring to kill Chriſt, here they erred in a moſt neceſſary and fundamental point, ſo that ſuch as have the Title of being Rulers of the Church, may prove the moſt malignant Enemies to the Lord Jeſus, and the Devil often either finds or makes thoſe of greateſt power in the Church, to be againſt Chriſt, as he had thoſe Chief-Prieſts and Elders here, and 'tis remarkable alſo, that thoſe Attackers of Chriſt could not kill him in a Tumult, but at a Judgment Seat; where his Innocency and their cruelty was clearly declared.

The 2d, Circumſtance is, The Time when, Not only upon an Holy-day (which was againſt their Cannon Law, as above) but alſo it was done in the Night Time, a right Deed of Darkneſs in the Hour and by the Power of Darkneſs, Luke 22.53: p. 200they had broke their ſleep, been up and at their curſed Work at leaſt moſt of the Night, and had got the Bleſſed Jeſus condemned by their Spiritual Court about the Cock-crowing (at which Time Peter denied his Maſter) and before the Morning (for then they led him away, as condemn'd by them, to Pilate for his confirming their Condemnation of him) Mat. 27.1. N. B. Note well; Oh ſee how ſedulous the Devil's Servants be, in buſtling all the Night, bereaving themſelves of their warm Beds and ſweet Sleep, that no time might be loſt in Satan's ſlavery, yea Annas himſelf (though an Old Man) can thus far deny himſelf in doing the Devil's Drudgery; for he is ſuppoſed to be the Man that promiſed the payment of the thirty pieces to Judas, and paid them to him, when he brought his Maſter to his Houſe in the way to Caiphas; and that this crafty Fox and cruel Tyger (as the keeneſt of the Blood-hounds) carried his caught Prey along with him (being the firſt that was call'd upon) to the Conſiſtory: yea and all the other Prieſts, &c. were Reſtleſs, but made haſte (and as it is ſaid of the old Jews) Their feet ran to ſhed Blood, Iſa. 59.7. Theſe Remarks hence ariſe.

1ſt, Such is the pravity of our fallen Nature, to be ſo quick, expeditious and violent in the practice of Miſchievous Impieties, as the fire is to burn combuſtible Matters. This ſhould ſerve for a caution for us to beware of all occaſions and provocations to Wickedneſs, when the Wind of Satan's Temptations, and the Tide of our own Corruptions meet and join together, then Sin runs Rapidly in its ſtrongeſt Torrent.

The 2d Remark is; Thoſe Chriſt-Killers could not (queſtionleſs) have been hired for any Money to come out of their warm Beds for doing any thing that was good; yet for condemning of Chriſt the whole ſpiteful (more than Spiritual) Council, yea and Multitudes of other Prieſts and People could ſit up all Night, and that a cold Night too: Nor did this curſed corruption of Nature dye with this wretched Generation that Crucified Chriſt. For Alas, N. B. Note well, How many are yet Alive that can ſit up whole Nights at Cards, Dice, Paſtimes and Revellings, This is their Pleaſure, Complacency, and their Hears are Ingaged in ſuch Delights: But to ſit up a little time for Holy Duties (Prayers, Godly Conference, &c.) This is tedious and painful work to them; and preſently they fall aſleep. Yea thus it is, not only with the Wicked, but with the Godly alſo. For Chriſt's own Diſciples could hold out and not fall aſleep in their fiſhing Imploy, yea toil all Night even when they could take nothing, Luke 5.5. yet when they were call'd to Pray with Chriſt in the Garden, then they fall aſleep, even while Judas was awake, making his Market with the Prieſts, ſuch cannot ſleep, till they cauſe ſome to fall, Prov. 4.16.

The 3d Remark is; As ſome Trials in Courts of Judicature are over haſtily carried on, and come to a determined iſſue; ſo others are protracted and ſpun out with long delays. This Trial of Chriſt was of the firſt ſort, for this ſolemn Aſſembly was notoriouſly hurried on with a Precipitant Fury, and Prepoſterous Raſhneſs, whereas they fall upon examining Chriſt about his Diſciples and Doctrine, John 18.19. Indeavouring thereby not to learn of him, but to inſnare him out of his own Mouth (whereas Nemo tenetur prodere ſeipſum, no Man is bound to accuſe himſelf, ſaith the Law, and the Oath ex Officio is damn'd by God and all Good Men) that he himſelf might help them in proving him an Heretick; but they omitted (all this time) ſuch neceſſary circumſtances as ought to have been practiſed, as the ſerious examination of Witneſſes (that contradicted one another) and his contrary Anſwers, &c. but they being reſolved to have his Blood (right or wrong) huddle up the Cauſe all on a ſudden, He is taken, brought before the Judge, and condemned, and all this in one Night's Time. N. B. Note well; So on the contrary, the complaint of our Times, is of Dilatory proceedings, and of ſlow diſpatch of Law matters, ſo that many are undone before their Cauſes can come to a final determination, inſomuch that one complaining once he could not come at ſuch a piece of good Cloth, as would make him a laſting Suit, He was wittily Anſwered by his Friend, Oh Sir, go but into the Chancery, and there you may get a Suit that will laſt you your Life, &c. whereas God hath ordained that Juſtice ſhould be ſo diſpatched in Judicial proceedings with that ſpeed and expedition, as that men may be made better and not worſe, and that the Common-Weal, Peace and Liberty may be maintained. There is a Golden mean betwixt two extremes (over haſty, or over dilatory) to be obſerved.

The Third Circumſtance is the Manner how this curſed Court and Council proceeded againſt Chriſt, ſeeing the end of their Arraigning him, was directly deſigned to deſtroy him, no Indifferent or Impartial manner of proceeding could be expected from them: Nothing could be look'd for but an univerſal Plotting (on all hands) for the p. 201Blood of Jeſus: N. B. Note well, This ſprang from that old Enmity mentioned, Gen. 3.15. Which broke forth ſoon in Cain againſt Abel, ſo in Iſhmael againſt Iſaac, and in Eſau againſt Jacob, and ſo down in thoſe Jews againſt Jeſus; and ſtill it is Ingrafted in the Natures of the Wicked, to hate Chriſt and his Members, to this very Day. None are more Maligned, and laden with Nicknames, than profeſſors of Chriſtianity; and for no other fault, but (quâ tales) becauſe they follow that which is good, Pſal. 38.20. Though this Eccleſiaſtick Court had this bloody End and Intention, being reſolved before hand to have Chriſt's Life; yet will they proceed againſt him in a Judicial manner, and in a Form of Juſtice under colour of Law, pretending to Act. Impartially in this Proceſs, though intending nothing leſs; for under this plauſible pretence, they Condemn the Innocent, proceeding upon theſe three points, 1. They Examine Chriſt, 2. They produce Witneſſes againſt him, 3. They Adjure him to tell them who he was: Of theſe in order.

1. Whereas ſome Plaintiff ſhould have ſtood up, (as the Accuſer or Solicitor for Juſtice) but none appearing, the Judges themſelves began to examine him of his Diſciples and Doctrine, thinking thereby, that ſeeing they had no Juſt Crime to ſix upon him, before they had apprehended him, they might now pick out ſome ſeeming matter out of his Anſwer to their Interrogatories: At the leaſt to have proved him a Falſe Prophet, for contradicting Moſes and the Prophets with his New Doctrine: But he who was the Wiſdom of God, anſwers ſo Wiſely, as quite cut off all occaſion of Advantage from his words; for as to his Diſciples, he diſcovereth them not, though he might have ſaid, one of them, (through your Means) hath betraid me, and fled, but becauſe he could ſay no more good of them, he chuſes rather to ſay nothing at all, N. B. Note well; would to God we could learn from him, to deal thus with our Followers, &c. But as to his Doctrine, he defends it by Appealing to his Common Auditors, who heard him Preach publickly in the Temple and Synagogues, John 18.19, 20, 21. N. B. Note well; Thus Truth is bold and barefaced; (He mattered not, if they asked his Adverſaries) while Hereſie, (whereof they ſought to accuſe him) hides it ſelf, and loaths the Light, and hereby he kept the Bandogs off at ſtaves end. N. B. Note well; This may teach us, that though we ſhould be ready to give an account of the hope that is in us, 1 Pet. 3.15. Yet when called to it before catching and cavilling Adverſaries, we need ſay nothing of our Doctrine in particular, but anſwer in general Terms, as our Lord did here, and as Paul did notably after, Acts 23.6. Leaſt we intangle our ſelves thereby, and give any advantage to the Adverſary, for new Accuſations out of our Anſwers, &c.

2. They Suborned falſe Witneſſes againſt Chriſt, Matth. 26.59, 60, &c. When he was thus Convented, and Indited in this Spiritual Court, with all Injuſtice Imaginable, yet ſo ſhameful in it ſelf) is an unjuſt Proceſs, that theſe Monſters of Malice, muſt pretend a Form of Juſtice, and produce their Witneſſes, &c. and though they were notoriouſly guilty of Injuſtice, yet did they ſhun the ſeeming guilt thereof, by Rejecting their Witneſſes, when they heard them diſagree in their falſe Teſtimonies, and like the Babel-Builders, whoſe Language God confounded, thoſe muſt be laid aſide, and others are ſought that were better Inſtructed. Thoſe Remarks ariſe here, 1. They ſought thoſe Witneſſes; not as if theſe Judges of the Court, had leiſure to riſe from off the Bench at that time to ſeek them, but the Prieſts had ſo prepared their matters, that ſomething might be picked up out of the Mouth of their Witneſſes, which might do the Job for Condemning Jeſus: Theſe mercenary Men would Swear what their Maſters would impoſe upon them, being meerly moved by the Favour and Authority of their Impoſers, 2. 'Tis not mentioned in Scripture, what thoſe Knights of the Poſt Swore againſt this Innocent Lamb, probably, it was, that he deſtroyed the Law, had prophaned the Sabbath, pardoned Sin, forbid Faſting, was an Enemy to the Tradition of the Elders, &c. 3. This corrupt Court Suborned their Witneſſes, as was done by them afterwards againſt the Protomartyr Stephen, Acts 6.11. Not only hireing them to Swear; but alſo putting words into their Mouths, (as well as Money into their pockets) what they ſhould ſay in their ſwearing work, they taught their Tongues to ſpeak lyes, Jerem. 9.5. This they had learned from the old Manſlayer, the firſt Lyar, and the Father of Lyes, John 8.44. Though the Devil did but Equivocate to our firſt Parents, yet is he called a downright Lyar there, and no better than a Cozener. 2 Cor. 11.3. 4. Thoſe Eccleſiaſticks did laviſh Gold out of their Baggs, in hireing not one Witneſs only but many; ſome at one time, and ſome at another, that by the Multitude of ſuch kind of Cattel, they might ſeem under a fairer p. 202gloſs, to find out the Truth with much pains and care of Inquiry: 5. Yet whatever all thoſe Suborn'd Wretches did Witneſs againſt Chriſt, out of his Oracles and Miracles, is called a falſe Teſtimony, though they ſeemed to ſeek and ſay the Truth: Their Tongues were ſo divided by the over-ruling Hand of God, that one Swore black, another white, their Teſtimonies did trip up the Heels one of another, Mar. 14.56. And they confuted themſelves with their own Contradictions, ſeeing that which is falſe, may contradict that which is falſe, (on the other hand) as well as that which is true: However they none of them Swore home to the Point, in the Judgment of the Court, to make Chriſt guilty of any capital Crime; inſomuch, that the Suborners were aſhamed of their own Suborned Creatures, and Chriſts Innocency appeared as bright as a Sum beam: 6. When the Adverſaries beſt projects do fail, (as they oft have done heretofore, and will do ſo for the future) they are forced to ſhift their Sails, and take new Meaſures. N. B. Note well; Queen Elizabeth wrote in a Window at Woodſtock, (while a Priſoner there) much alledged againſt me, nothing proved can be: Had this been a Court of Juſtice, indeed they would have puniſhed thoſe Falſe Witneſſes according to the Law of Moſes, Deut. 19.16 19, &c. 7. When all their many falſe Witneſſes were foundred, and confounded with their own Mutual Contradictions, ſo that the Sanhedrim could find no fault ſtill to fix upon Innocent Jeſus, out of any of their falſe Teſtimonies, at the laſt, (the Devil did help them at this dead lift) they found out (by their Diveliſh Agents) two Witneſſes that muſt drive the Nail to the Head, by a ſpecious Calumniating of Chriſt about deſtroying and repairing the Temple, which, (they knew) the People ſo much Adored, as none were allowed to ſpeak againſt it; and for this ſuppoſed Crime, Stephen was ſtoned afterward. Acts 6.13, 14. and 7.58, 59. Theſe two Witneſſes, the other many diſagreeing Witneſſes being all Rejected) they hoped would better hang their matters together, agreeing in one ſtory, and thereby ſeem to have ſome more Evidence of Truth: Hereupon, when the worſt of Chriſts Adverſaries, could find no other fault in him, then were they forced to make that a fault, which indeed was none, to wit, [His foretelling of his own death and Reſurrection,] which in Truth was the Evidence of his Deity, and the ground of our Comfort. Theſe two, as well as all the other foregoing, are all equally ſtyled by the Spirit of God, to be falſe Witneſſes alſo: N. B. Note well; for ſo are all ſuch, as do not only feign againſt another, ſomething he never ſpake, but alſo, that wreſt the words ſpoken to a differing or contrary Senſe, Pſal. 56.5. Thus thoſe two are Detected likewiſe of a double falſhood, 1. They being examined, (probably) apart, (according to the cuſtom of Courts) their Teſtimonies, (as related by the two Evangeliſts) did notoriouſly diſagree, for in Matth. 26.61. The one ſaith, [this Fellow ſaid, I am able to destroy this Temple, and to Build it in three days,] but the other in Mar. 14.58. ſaith, [We heard him ſay, I will Deſtroy this Temple made with Hands, and within three Days I will Build another made without Hands.] Theſe two Teſtimonies did groſly differ each from other, the one was a poſſe, that he could or can do it. the other a velle, that he will or would do it: The former relates to Chriſts power, the latter to his Will or Act: Whereas no Man is Judged guilty in any Court, for having a power to do an Evil, without ſome over Act, in doing ſomething tending towards it, then 2. Both their Teſtimonies Depoſed, do moſt Sordidly deprave both the words and the ſenſe of Chriſts ſaying: For 1. Their Depoſitions ran thus, [I can or I will Deſtroy,] whereas Chriſt ſaid neither of theſe words: For he ſaid, [ye Jews deſtroy, &c.] John 2.19.21. So that they both baſely belyed him, who was Truth it ſelf, John 14.6. 2. They Depoſed, that he ſpake this [The Temple of God, or this Temple made with Hands,] both which were falſe; for he ſaid, [Deſtroy this Temple] pointing at, not the Temple of Solomon (Repaired by Herod) but the Temple of his own Body, wherein the Godhead dwelt bodily, Col. 2.9. And whereof both the Tabernacle and Temple (wherein God dwelt) were but Types and Figures.

The third Lye in the words, [I will Build another made without Hands,] this Chriſt ſaid not, but [I will Raiſe it up,] to wit, from the Dead: Thus ill minded Men do, [Mutando vel Mutilando,] by chopping or changing, frequently deprave, and wreſt to a wrong meaning, the moſt Innocent paſſages and practices of thoſe that are good; for though Chriſt ſpake ſome ſuch words, yet were they, (as we ſee) of a quite differing Tenure and Meaning) N. B. Note well; ſuch falſe Witneſſes againſt Chriſt, are the Romaniſts, who Interpret his words, [This is my Body] literally, as if the Sacramental Bread became by their Conſecrating, (or rather conjuring) words, the p. 203Real Body of Chriſt that was born of the Virgin Mary; whereas our Lord meaneth it Spiritually, as a ſign of his Body, &c, Thus alſo the Arrians are falſe witneſſes againſt Chriſt, in their wreſting his words [My Father is greater than I,] to a wrong ſenſe of Inequality, &c. Whereas he ſpake, there in Reſpect of his Humane Nature▪ Alas, there be many more falſe witneſſes in the World, that do Violence to the Law, Zeph. 3.4. Straining Gods word to their own Senſe, and ſqueezing out blood, and is not Milk, &c. who all dread not at all that Divine Threatning, [The falſe Witneſs ſhall not paſs unpuniſhed] Prov. 19.9. And tho' thoſe here carryed the matter moſt craftily, yet Gods Spirit Saw their Subornations, and ſet this black Brand upon them, of being falſe witneſſes like the other: Yea, they ſtand Stigmatized upon Record, to their Everlaſting ſhame, for their want of Concord as well as Truth, Mar. 14.57, 59. beſides, how improbable it was, that Chriſt ſpeaking of his living and breathing Temple, (not of that made of Stone) ſhould ſay, [I will Destroy it,] as if it had been lawful for him, to lay violent hands upon himſelf; nor could his Speech of Raiſing up his own Body (noteing his Reſurrection) be properly conſtrued of Rearing or Building again the Temple of Stone: But ſuppoſe this ſenſe in his ſaying, this could not amount to any Capital Crime worthy of Death; but only a Vain, Empty, and harmleſs Oſtentation at the worſt, for what harm had he done to their Temple, had he pulled it down, and built it up again far better than before in three days time, &c. Moreover, what if Chriſt had ſaid as and all that they ſay he did? Could not he as eaſily have Reared the Temple, as Raiſed the Dead, Reſtored the Blind, Lame, Deaf, and Dumb, &c. which their own Eyes had beheld him do, only with his word, how then could they Rationally accuſe him of Lyes and Impoſſibilities, ſeeing he might do this as well as the other by a Miracle, this was a leſs work than his making the World, John 1.3. Col. 1.10. Heb. 1.2, 3. But the truth is, he never ſaid ſo, his ſenſe and ſaying to them was [do your worſt againſt me, deſtroy my Body, yet will I Raiſe it up the third Day] which words, thoſe falſe witneſſesmiſ-report, and baſely Repreſent as above, &c.

The Third point of Chriſts Inditement in the Spiritual Court is, their adjureing him to tell them who he was: Hitherto the falſe witneſſes; now comes in Caiphas, (the Judge of the Court) to play his part againſt Chriſt: He ſeeing our Saviour ſilent at thoſe rotten Reproaches upon him by the Suborn'd Witneſſes, all unworthy of any Anſwer, this Inraged the High Prieſt, and his Rage Rouzeth him up out of his Throne, Tranſporteth him to put off the perſon of a Judge, and ſtandeth out as a new Accuſer: Now Demonſtrating the Madneſs of his Mind (becauſe no fault could yet be found in, or fixed on the Priſoner at the Bar) by the Mad Motion of his Body: He falls foul upon Chriſt for his ſilence, as if it gave conſent to all alledged againſt him, as if the Allegations were unanſwerable, and that the Conſcience of Chriſt, (the Accuſed) was ſo convinced by the undeniable Teſtimonies of thoſe Witneſſes, the Accuſers; that he had nothing to ſay for himſelf: Matth. 26.62. Thus this Diabolical Hypocrite Inſults over this Innocent Lamb of God, not at all urging him to Anſwer for Aſſerting his Innocency; but this he doth, that Chriſt might be ſeen to betray his own Crime by his ſilence, &c. Notwithſtanding all Cajaphas's Aggravations of Chriſt's Inditement, and his Vehement urgency for an Anſwer, ſtill he held his peace, ver. 63. Both to the Witneſſes falſe Teſtimony, and to Caiphas's Furious Importunity. As to the 1. Chriſt could have Anſwered, this Speech was Metaphorical, meaning not the Temple of Herod, but of his own Body, &c. but Tenue Mendacium pellucet, (ſaith Seneca.) ſome lyes are ſo thin, they may be ſeen through; others are ſo groſs, they need no Refutation, which is done by their bare Relation, and to Palpable Slanders (which plainly appears to have no conſiſtency in themſelves) ſilence is the moſt effectual Confutation: As to the 2. Chriſt is ſilent to Caiphas, (as well as to the Witneſſes.) 1. Becauſe he knew his Argument was not before a Juſt Judge, but before an Implacable Hypocrite, who had Suborned Witneſſes againſt him, and who would admit of not Apology or Anſwer from, or for him, 2. He knew himſelf among Fools, ſo (according to Solomons Sentence) would not ſpeak in their Ears, for they would deſpiſe the Wiſdom of his words, Prov. 23.9. 3. He ſaw that his Deſperate Enemies, (about him) were reſolved to have his blood; and therefore held it more glorious to choak their Malice with ſilence, and to ſet them down by ſaying nothing: But above all, 4. Though he could have non-plus'd them, (as he did the Doctors at twelve years Old, and oft after) by his Anſwers, yet now ſtanding in our ſtead, is content to be Condemned for our faults, tho' faultleſs in himſelf, this p. 204being the time not of Defence, but of Silence and Suffering, that Gods grace might be accompliſhed, he as a Sheep before the Shearer, opened not his Mouth, Iſa. 53.7. To teach us Wiſdom and Patience, &c. Pſal. 38.13, 14. Not Anſwer all Accuſations, &c.

Now when Caiphas could have no Anſwer from Chriſt, either to the falſe Witneſſes, or to himſelf; he then Extorts one by Adjuring him, and ſuch an one as might ſeem plauſible and effectual for Condemning him, ſaying, [I Adjure thee by the living God, &c.] Matth 26.63. Caiphas's catching queſtion was Twofold, 1. Art thou the Chriſt, or the Meſſiah? 2. Art thou the Son of God? If thou be ſilent, or tell not the truth, then God (by whom thou art Adjured) will puniſh thee, or however the Magiſtrate ſhall Condemn thee for thy contempt of Authority: Thus this abominable Hypocrite dare pollute and prophane that Tremendous Name of God, (ſo called, Deut. 28.58.) Calling it in as the Author, or (at leaſt) the Abettor of his Notorious Plots and Practiſes, yea, one would think, (as this ſtory is Related, Mar. 14.61.) That Caiphas was ſome Conſcientious Perſon, Asking, [art thou the [Baruch Hu,] or the Bleſſed one, or his Son:] uſing this Periphraſis, as if he had been afraid once to Name God: Yet preſently after Adiures our Lord by the living God, to tell him who he was, whereas the Devil (himſelf) could have told him (Mar. 1.24. & 3.11.) an Anſwer to both his queſtions; but he asked this, not out of any deſire to know the truth, but to inſnare him by his words; for if he denyed it, then had he been a Deceiver of the People, that believed him to be ſo; and if he made a free and bold Confeſſion, as he plainly did, (Mar. 14.62.) of the Truth, then they reſolved to Condemn him as a Blaſphemer, (as they preſumptuouſly did, ver. 64.) for making himſelf the Son of God; at which this wicked wretch rent his Clothes, (which an High Prieſt ought not (by the Law) to have done upon any Reaſon, Levit. 10.6. & 21.10.) as if his very Heart had been rent with Grief, at ſo ſad an Hearing of ſuch a Sacred Truth: Though Chriſt told the Council, he was now in his State of Abaſement; the Son of God was hid in the Carpenters Son, whom they Arraign, and would ſhortly Crucifie, but they ſhall ſee him in a State of Advancement, coming in the Clouds of Heaven, as in a Chariot of State; and then would he Judge thoſe that were now his Judges: Beſides this, he had given all Men the moſt undeniable Demonſtrations of his Deity in his many Miracles, the like whereof were never wrought by any mere Mortal Man, &c. John 9.32, &c.

This brings in the third part of Chriſts Sufferings from wicked Men, to wit, his Condemnation, which was firſt done in this Eccleſiaſtical Court, upon the Ingenuous Confeſſion of our Lord, before his Implacable Enemies, (when the glory of God was deeply concerned) that he might leave them without all Excuſes, teaching us not to deny him before Men, when Gods Glory lies at Stake, &c. And likewiſe to comfort us againſt our Sufferings; for as Chriſt comforted himſelf now with his Future Glory; ſo we, if we ſuffer with him, ſhall alſo Reign with him, 2 Tim. 2.11, 12. Matth. 19.28.

The Sentence of Condemnation was firſt Denounced againſt Chriſt, in the Spiritual Court by Caiphas, who openly declared his good Confeſſion, (ſo called, 1 Tim. 6.13.) to be Blaſphemy, and then demands the Concurrence of the whole Council, who, like a company of Servile Souls, durſt do no other but concur with Caiphas, Unanimouſly crying, [He is Guilty of Death,] and under the pretence of that Law, Levit. 24.16. He was Condemned by them all: Matth. 26.65, 66. and Mar. 14.64. N.B. Note well; This may comfortably aſſure us, that the Second Adam, (who was very God, yet Cendemned for ſaying ſo) hath freed us from that Crime of Blaſphemy we ſtand guilty of, for the firſt Adams affecting a Deity, and to be as God. Gen. 3.5, For though Chriſt was moſt free of Blaſphemy and of all other ſins, yet becauſe we, (in whoſe ſtead Chriſt now ſtood) are guilty thereof, and of all ſorts of ſin; therefore was it the Determinate Counſel of God, that our Surety ſhould have this Sentence of Condemnation paſſed upon him for our ſakes; and this is done in a General Aſſembly of Graceleſs Hypocritical Prieſts, (pretending Marvelous zeal for the Glory of God, while intending to Murther the Son of God) who could well enough agree all in one, to Condemn this Innocent Jeſus. Though the Innocency of his Life had been ſuch, that none of them could convince him of one ſin, Jehn 8.46. But when he was brought before this Court, N. B. Note well, the whole Sanhedrim were to ſeek for Witneſſes, the Witneſſes for Crimes, the Crimes for proofs, and the proofs for Concord, they were all, and in all theſe at a loſs, and could find nothing for p. 205their Malicious purpoſe: So that Caiphas was conſtrained to take a new, uncouth, and (in all Courts of Judicature) an unaccuſtomed way of Adjureing him to Anſwer who he was, that he might intrap him in his own words, which when Chriſt had confeſſed in an undeniable Truth, (knowing they were Reſolved to have his Life, Right or Wrong) and Summoning his preſent Judges to appear at his own dreadful Tribunal, at the Day of Judgment, (which would make them mourn, Zech. 12.10.) This great Truth, (which they called Blaſphemy) was the only Crime for Condemning him. Though Caiphas Rent his Prieſtly Robes, at this pretended Blaſphemy, N. B. Note well; yet did it ſignifie the rending of the Prieſt-Hood from him, (which he forfeited by this unlawful Act as before) like as the rending of the Vail of the Temple at Chriſts Death, was a ſign of the rending away the whole Jewiſh Worſhip, from the Jewiſh Nation: While Caiphas was thus perſonating the Tragedy of others, he did but really act his own and his Accomplices. Now after this unjuſt Condemnation of Innocent Jeſus▪ Let us a little behold how he was abuſed in the Spiteful Court, before they delivered him up to the Secular Powers; as the Lord commands in the Law, N. B. Note well; that the very Aſhes and Cinders of the Burnt Sacrifices ſhould be gathered up, and laid in a clean place, Levit. 4.12, & 6.11. & Numb. 19.9. So in the ſame manner, ſhould we gather up the very Aſhes and Cinders of the precious Sufferings of our Saviour, (that grant Sacrifice for ſin) and lay them up in Holy Hearts, as in a clean place, as the Richeſt Records of our Redeemers love to us, Ruminating upon them in our Minds, till they have a kindly Influence upon our Affections, fuming up, and inflaming our loves back again to him: As the Goldſmith will not loſe the leaſt fileings of his Gold, but gathers all clean up to improve them; ſo ſhould we do here, not loſing the leaſt Circumſtance of Chriſts Sufferings, whereof take this ſhort Landskip and proſpect, after Sentence was Denounced againſt him, by the Sanhedrim of Prieſts, before they led him to Pilate; 1. After paſſing the Sentence upon him, he (as one put out of all Protection, and unworthy of any Benefit of Law) is expoſed to all Affronts and Abuſes of the vileſt wretches in the World, who, 1. Spit in his Face. 2. Buffeted him with their Fiſts, 3. Hoodwinked him, 4. Beat him with Staves, 5. With Diabolical Sarcaſms, bid him Divine who ſmote him, &c. Thus they Derided our Dear Redeemer as a fond Prophet, that knew not his Smiters, doing all this in the preſence of the Prieſts their Maſters, who not only looked on, and connived at this unheard of petulancy; but doubtleſs did prompt their Servants on to act all this Villany, and made much Sport, and many a loud Laughter thereat, inſulting moſt Barbarouſly over him, whom they had unjuſtly Condemned; whereas Nature it ſelf teacheth pitty to Condemned Perſons, and Priſoners, looking upon them as Sacred things, (eſpecially this Sacred one, Holy Jeſus ſhould have been looked on as a moſt Sacred thing) and ſuch as by the Law of Nations ought not to be Trampled upon and Miſuſed, but rather to be Commiſerated and prepared for Death: Yet was it Ordained of God, that Chriſt ſhould ſuffer all theſe Injuries and Cruelties, that he might, (as our Surety) expiate our ſin. Oh! What muſt we be worthy of, when he was Spitted on, Buffeted, Blind-folded, and ſo Taunted for our ſakes: The Sacred Face of our Bleſſed Saviour, was thus Defiled with thoſe Villains-Slaver, and defaced with their Bruitiſh blows, that he might cleanſe our Faces (firſt formed in the Image of God, but now Deformed by the Fall) from the Filth of Sin: He was content to be beaten with Staves, that he might free us from the ſtrokes of the mighty and heavy Hand of God, 1 Pet. 5, 6. And from thoſe Fatal Scourges and Stinging Scorpions of Infernal Fiends. N. B. Note well; Let us learn from hence alſo ſuch Chriſtian patience, from the Example of Chriſt, when we fall under ſuch Indiguities and Injuries mentioned, Lam. 3.30. & Iſa. 50.6. Mic. 5.1.

The 2. Aggravation of Chriſts Sufferings in this Eccleſiaſtick Court likewiſe, that all his Diſciples, (who had promiſed, as one Man, to ſtand by him in his Suffrings, Matth. 26.35.) had all now forſook him and fled, ver. 56. Though there was no ſuch need or danger to inforce them, ſeeing Chriſt had Capitulated with the Enemy for their Safety, N. B. Note well; Thus he freeth all his Redeemed by his Death, ſaying [let theſe go away,] John 18.7. Yet notwithſtanding their Promiſes of dying with, him they ſhamefully ſtumbled at the Croſs, and left him to a wonder, that he was left alone, to tread the Winepreſs alone, Iſa. 63.3, 5. And which was worſe, as Judas had betrayed him, ſo now Peter (who had moſt preſumptuouſly promiſed great matters, &c.) had before the Morning denyed him, and that (upon a Surprize) with Confidence, with Impudence, and with perjury, N. B. Note well; when the Devil p. 206had found him upon his own ground (in the Company of Chriſts Enemies) he gets him into his Sieve of Temptation, and ſhaked him ſo ſorely therein too and fro, till he had like to have made Chaff of him, had not Chriſt pray'd for him, Luke 22.31, 32. and vouchſafed a look of love towards him, even while he was concerned himſelf (before Caiphas) in the grand caſe of his own Life. N. B. Note well, A Lamp newly blown out, is ſoon lighted again, not ſo, if it remain till it harden; Peter's Lamp was newly blown out by the Devil's blaſt, but Chriſt's look of Love did immediately give Light and Life to it again, Luke 22.60, 61. the hardneſs he had contracted by his Sin was kindly Thawed by a look from the Sun of Righteouſneſs, Mal. 4.2. as a bank of Snow melteth away when the Sun of the Firmament looks with warm Beams upon it. Thus Peter's hardened Heart did (with this look of his Lord) kindly diſſolve into Tears and Tenderneſs. He went out and wept bitterly, ver. 63. flevit mare, dum flevit Amare, He wept a Sea, while he wept penitently, N. B. Note well, If ſo great an Apoſtle did thus foully fall, what may befal ſuch ſhrubs as we. However Chriſt Jeſus (as old Job) was forſaken of all his friends, like the Brooks of Tema which in Rain ſwell, but in Drought fail, Job 6.15, 16, 17, &c.

When Chriſt was thus unjuſtly condemned in the Eccleſiaſtick Court by Cajaphas, their Officers (after all the deſpite aforeſaid done to him) led him away with a Rope about his Neck (as was the cuſtom of Condemned Perſons) unto Pilate (the Roman Preſident under Tiberius Caeſar) that he might not ſo much as Arraign and Condemn him over again, which they had done already, but rather that they might immediately execute him whom they had Condemned, they deſigned that Pilate's Imploy, ſhould not be that of a Judge, but only that of an Executioner for them. But Pilate (as bad as he was) would not be thus Impoſed upon, nor act by an Implicite Faith, doing the Office (at the firſt) of a good Judge, though afterward he became an Evil one, as the ſequel of this Diſcourſe will demonſtrate.

Now follows Chriſt's Trial and Condemnation in the Political Court before Pontius Pilate (in the Praetorium or Common-Hall at Jeruſalem) who acted well thus far, as 1. To hear both parties firſt, both the Accuſers and the Accuſed, John 18.29, &c. 2. To defend Chriſt's Innocency againſt his accufing Adverſaries Inſolency, ver. 38. And 3. To Indeavour his Deliverance by a Releaſe, &c. ver. 39. But more of theſe particulars hereafter. N. B. Note well; Chriſt's Trial in the Civil Court not only before the Preſident Pilate, but alſo before King Herod, Luke 23.6, 7, &c. hath theſe Remarks.

The firſt is, The Impeachment or Indictment drawn up here againſt Chriſt; where in theſe circumſtances are to be conſidered, 1. The Perſons Accuſing, They were the Chief Prieſts, &c. that had paſſed Sentence already upon him in their own General Council. All ſworn Enemies againſt Chriſt, becauſe He and his Divine Doctrine Increaſed, but They and Their Diabolical Traditions Decreaſed, therefore They Envied Him, (which the bleſſed Baptiſt durſt not do, though he had ſome ſuch like occaſion and provocation, John 3.29, 30.) and did Implacably proſecute him, as thinking they could not Live, unleſs he did Dye: As Avarice made Judas betray Chriſt to thoſe Prieſts; ſo Envy and Malice made them deliver him to Pilate, Mat. 27.18. & Mark 15, 10 Envy is the Mother of matchleſs Miſchiefs, &c. It was the rancour hereof that made theſe Wicked Men ſo watchful and painful, to accompliſh their notorious Wickedneſs, they had broken their Sleep the Night foregoing (if they ſpent not the whole Night in wearying our Lord therewith) and now having only got ſome ſhort Nap▪ they are up and at it again very early the next Morning as ſoon as the day peeped, Luke 22.66. N. B. Note well; So ſedulous can Satan's Slaves be in their management of the moſt malitious enterprizes: Oh! what a ſhame it is that we cannot be late at Night and early in the Morning, in the Lord's ſweet Service for Chriſt, as they were in the Devil's Drudgery againſt him.

The ſecond Circumſtance was; the Place where theſe Envious Ones (which is the Devil's Name) do again accuſe our Lord, was at the Door of the Common-Hall, John 18.28. (as they had done before at the Bar of their own Conſiſtory) now becauſe this Common-Hall did belong to an Heathen Judge, therefore (forſooth) they dare not enter in, leaſt they ſhould be defiled, &c.

Thus had the Envious and Wicked One ſo blinded theſe Wicked Men, that their Religion was turned into a fond Superſtition, and moſt putid Hypocriſie, in ſtraining at Gnats, and yet ſwallowing Camels, Mat. 23.23, 24. N. B. Note well; Twice at this p. 207time had thoſe prophane Prieſts and Unhallowed Hypocrites, practiſed an over curious Niceneſs about the Minutula legis, ſome ſmall Legaſ Defilements, yet could then be notoriouſly negligent about the Magnalia Legis, the Weightieſt Matters of the Law. Therefore by eight ſeveral woes (all dreadful and oppoſite to the eight Beatitudes, Mat. 5.3, to 13.) doth our Saviour well draw theſe Wretches (as by ſo many links of an Adamantine Chain) down to Hell, (the proper place of Hypocrites, Mat. 24.51.) and there leaves them to be reſerved unto Judgment. As 1. They (forſooth) would not ſuffer the Price of Blood to lye in the Cheſt of their Treaſury, yet could they well enought ſuffer the guilt of that Blood it ſelf, to lye in the Cheſts of their Conſciences: That was lawful enough, though they ſtartled at the other as unlawful, Mat. 27.6. 2. So here they ſcruple again at their entring into the Hall of an Heathen-Judge, yet make no Bones of ſhedding Innocent blood, John 18.28. N. B. Note well; Thus likewiſe our Modern Phariſees make great ſcruples about ſome ſimple Ceremony, or obſervation of Lent, &c. while they can diſpenſe well enough with the neglect of the ſubſtance of Religion: Such Hypocrites are all thoſe that will be Subſtantial in Circumſtantials, while they can be but Circumſtantial in Subſtantials, thinking to ſupply their defect in Morals with a redundancy of Ceremonials, &c.

The third Circumſtance is the time when, It was at the Paſſover Feaſt (which laſted many Days) thoſe Prieſts, &c. had eaten the Paſſover over Night, at the ſame time that Jeſus eat his, and well they had ſpent the Night after it, but this Day now dawning was the day of preſenting themſelves in the Temple, and offering their other Sacrifices and Peace-offerings, which were ſtill call'd Paſſoever-Bullocks, &c. Deut. 16.2. & 2 Chron. 30.24. & 35.8, 9. They Sacrificed Sheep and Oxen all the ſeven days of that Paſchal Feaſt, and to this part thereof, they by all means, muſt come clean from the Pollutions of an Heathen's houſe, John 18.28. Acts 10.28. but ſo ſtrong was their Thirſt after Chriſt's Blood, that though they had reſolved before not to Murther him at the Feaſt, for fear of an uproar among the People, Mat. 26.5. from whom he had his Hoſanna's little before. They therefore feared Men, more than God. Yet now they come to new Reſolves, being tranſported with outragious fury, they dare not delay (till after the Feaſt) his Execution, leſt they ſhould be prevented thereof by by his own Power, or by the Peoples Favour. Therefore do they immediately hurry him away to Pilate (having bound him again as a condemned Malefactor) early this Morning, that he might diſpatch him ſpeedily, for this they themſelves could not do, John 18.31. becauſe the Roman Power had taken from the Jews the Sword of Juſtice, yet would they in their Phrenzies make bold with it, as in their Stoning of Steven, Acts 7.54, 59. And in their combining under a Curſe to kill Paul, Acts 23.12. However, whether they had Power or no to put Jeſus to death, I ſhall not diſpute, yet not upon this, or any other Holy Feſtival day. Thus Herod durſt not kill Peter till after Eaſter, Acts 12.4. Therefore deſign they that Pilate ſhall be their drudge, dealing with him as the Monkey did with the Cat (lying upon the Hearth) who ſeeing ſome Cheſnuts roaſting in the Fire, and not willing to burn his own foot, ſnatches up the Cats Foot, and therewith ſcratches them out of the hot Embers and Eats them: But there was an higher hand that over-ruled this Action both as to the thing, and as to the time, 1. Chriſt had foretold, that he muſt be given up by the Jews to the Gentiles, &c. Mat 20.18, 19. both of them muſt have an hand in Chriſt's Death, both of them muſt be ſhut up under ſin, Rom 11.32. All are under ſin, that he might be a Saviour unto all both Jews and Gentiles. …. 2. Though they cried [Not on the Feaſt day, &c.] Mat. 26.5. yet the Determinate Counſel of God, would have it at that Time and no other, Acts 4.27. That the Type▪ and the Truth or Antitype might carry a correſpondency, Therefore at this Paſchal Feaſt muſt this true Paſchal Lamb, the Lamb of God be offered up, Thus the moſt Holy Will of God ordered the wicked Will of theſe Prieſts, that this Act ſhould pleaſe them tobe done, which ſo much diſpleaſed them the day before. Theſe Miſcreants fulfil the Divine Decree, while they think to decline it. Yet no thanks to them more than to Haman for Mordecat's Advancement, whereunto Haman held the Stirrop only.

The fourth Circumſtance is the Judge, who muſt denounce the final Sentence of Condemnation upon Chriſt. This muſt not be a Jew, but a Gentile, it muſt be Pilate the Roman Governour, for the reaſon above mentioned: The Gentiles Sin againſt Chriſt as well as Jews, for he was to waſh away the ſins of the faithful whether Jews or Gentiles: As to Pilate, N. B. Note well, There be ſome who verily think, that He was an honeſt Man, becauſe he was ſo unwilling to have Chriſt Crucified, labouring four ſeveral times to free him out of his Murtherers hands, and that by four ſeveral ways and means, as may be more largely manifeſted afterwards: However we ſafely p. 208ſay, that in compariſon of thoſe Kill Chriſts the Prieſts, &c. (who were a curſed blood-thirſty crew) this Heathen Judge did Infinitely tranſcend them in Honeſty, for he had Moral Juſtice, which he would have acted, Luke 23.20, &c. and a natural Conſcience which reſtrained him from that foul act of Injuſtice. He was perſuaded in his Mind, that Jeſus was Innocent, and the Jews out of Envy had delivered Jeſus into his hands, Mat. 27.18. by the frivolous charges they brought againſt him: Loth he was to Sin againſt the Light of his Conſcience, though but an Heathen; How many Chriſtians (as well as thoſe Jews) did Pilate excel herein, tho' a poor Pagan, N.B. Note well;

Alas! How many fall ſhort of this Heathen in this his honeſty, who may riſe up in Judgment at the laſt Day to condemn them, as Mat. 12.41, 42. N.B. Look how the Lepers Conſcience ſmore them in the midſt of their Jollity, ſaying to them [We do not well to tarry here, &c.] 2 King. 7.9. So Men's Conſciences tell them, [They do not well to Swear, Whore, Lye▪ &c.] yet even thoſe (call'd Chriſtians) go on ſtill in ſuch lend courſes, that even this blind Heathen may ſhame them out of their ſins, but if not, their Rebelling againſt Light, Job 24.13. and their continued courſes in Sin, againſt the checks and chidings of their own Conſciences, will be coſtly to them at the laſt: To have a Worm or Snake crawling in a Man's Bowels (though it ſhould keep quiet ſometimes) is judged worſe ro him than the worſt of Deaths; yet is this nothing to the Worm of Conſcience, N. B. Note well; Which is a furious reflection of the Soul upon it ſelf, and upon its own wilful folly, and now moſt woful miſery: This is a Worm that cannot be fled from, as all other Plagues may, but is like the Ague the Sick Man carries along with him, and no gallant room or merry Company (whatever hope of relief he hath therein) can give him eaſe. Nay, 'tis a thouſand times worſe than the worſt or moſt Peſtilential Ague in the World (though never ſo torturing & tormenting) for this is a continual Remorſe without Intervals of Intermiſſion: 'Tis a Worm that never dies, Mark 9.44. but ever and for ever ſets the Soul upon the Rack, notwithſtanding all this Men will not refrain from ſinning againſt Conſcience (as Pilate, at leaſt for a while did here) until They Dye, and then their Friends ſcramble for their Goods, Earth-Worms for their Bodies, and Devils for their Souls, wherein (which is worſt of all) this Never-Dying-Worm is unremoveably ſeated, and goes along with them to torment them for ever, as an Addition to the Torments of Hell. Alas! How many go dancing in their Bolts, and delighting in their Bondage down to Hell, to whom the Preaching of Damnation is but like the Painting of a Toad, which Men can look upon and handle without Affrightment. Conſcience I ſay, 1 Cor. 10.27, 29. which is God's Spy, and Man's Overſeer, is too little obſerved: In an Angry Conſcience, we may Read an Angry God.

The fifth Circumſtance in Chriſt's Indictment, is the Matter of their Accuſation, which is reduced to three heads. 1. His Perverting the People. 2. Forbidding to pay Tribute to Caeſar. 3. His making himſelf a King, Luke 23.1, 2. His Accuſers would firſt have Impoſed upon Pilate's Belief in the general, ſaying [If he were not a Malefactor, &c.] John 18 30. They ſeem'd by no means to break their own Law of ſlaying the Innocent, Exod. 23.7. All whom Chriſt cured could have anſwered He was no Malefactor, but a Benefactor to them: Had they asked others, as Chriſt bad them, John 18.21. How many might have ſtood up to Witneſs for him, more than as their many falſe Witneſſes (they Suborn'd) to Witneſs againſt him. Had they asked Nicodemus (one of the Sanhedrim) he could Witneſs that [No Man could do ſuch Miracles as he did, except God be with him,] John 3.2. or the Blind Man, John 9.33. or the People, Mark 7.37. they would have ſaid he was no Malefactor, but did All things Well: Or their own Officers and Sergeants (ſent to take him without Legal Summons) they could tell them [Never Man ſpake like this Man,] John 7.46. yet muſt Innocent Jeſus be a Malefactor, though they could not prove [What evil he had done,] Luke 23.22. Even in the Judgment of an Heathen Judge, before whom theſe ſhameleſs Chief Prieſts were not aſhamed, to turn ſordid Informers againſt their own Countryman, yea the beſt of that Country, and moſt Innocent of all Mankind in the whole World, and hereof more particularly,

1. Repreſenting him a Seducer and Perverter of the People, [foreign] Gr. As if he had turned them up ſide down, and made them run out of their right Minds and Wits, Luke 23.2. and ſtirred them up to Sedition, [foreign] Gr. ver. 5. as if he had cauſed an Earthquake in them, to throw their Church and State from off the Hinges: Thus Chriſt was Accuſed by thoſe Wicked Prieſts (who were far worſe than Pilate) of the ſame Crime that Elijah was by Wicked Ahab, for being a troubler of Iſrael, 1 King. 18 17. Who only call'd People off from the Worſhip of Idols to the true p. 209God, as the Meſſiah did the Jews from their corrupt converſations, not perverting, nor ſubverting, but truly converting them into the way of Truth. The ſame falſe Accuſation Tertullus laid to Paul's charge, Acts 24.5. N. B. Note well; Now if ſo precious a Man as Paul (than whom, ſaith Chryſoſtom, the Earth never bare a better, ſince it bore Chriſt) were counted and called … Peſt, &c. let us not think much, if we be ſo ſlandered, &c.

2. As they Accuſed Chriſt to Pilate of his Heretical Doctrine, or Hereſie, in their firſt charge. So now of Sedition (both in the Law being made Capital Crimes, Deut. 17.2, 8, 12.) in denying Tribute to Ceſar, which was notoriouſly contrary to both his Preaching and Practice, Mat. 22.21. & Mat. 17.24, 25. He rendered to Caeſar, the things that were Caeſar's, and rather than offend thoſe (who might well have exempted ſo publick and ſo profitable a perſon) Works a Miracle for payment of his Tribute, &c.

3. They accuſed him likewiſe for making himſelf a King, which was more falſe than the former, in both which they make him guilty of High-Treaſon, eſpecially in this laſt. yet moſt falſly, for when that People (whoſe Bellies he had filled with a Miracle of Multiplying the five Loaves) would have made him King by force, John 6.15, &c. He withdrew himſelf from them, and abſconded in a Mountain Apart to Avoid that Royal Honour which their blind devotion would have conferred upon him, as the Superſtitious ſtill do with their Will-Worſhip at this Day. Nay, Jeſus was ſo far from being Ambitious to be made a King, N. B. Note well; That he would not be made ſo much as a Judge in Civil Matters, no not the lower Office of an Arbitrator, Luke 12.14. (alluding to the Taunt caſt upon Moſes, Exod. 2.14.) becauſe his Errand into the World was not to be buſied about Secular but Spiritual Affairs; 'Twere well if Churchmen would practice after this Pattern.

The Sixth Circumſtance is the manner of their managing this Impeaching of Jeſus, not only loading him with bare Accuſations (baſe lyes All) but alſo urging Pilate to condemn him (whom they had already condemned in their Court) and ſo Tumultuouſly crying out [Crucifie Him, Crucifie Him.] in ſo much, that Pilate was afraid of the Tumult, Mat. 27.24. Though this was groſs Injuſtice; for by the Jews Law the Blaſphemer (as they judged Jeſus to be) was to be Stoned, not Crucified, Lev. 24.12, 13. beſides theſe ſhameleſs Wretches went herein beyond the Bounds of Witneſſes, whoſe Work is only to Teſtifie what they know, and leave the Cauſe to the Judge's Determination, yet theſe lumps of Impudence do over Magiſterially impoſe their moſt malitious preſcriptions: They at length Extort by their vehement clamours, what they could not by convincing Arguments: yea thoſe Chriſt-Crucifying-Prieſts did not only Impoſe upon the Judge Pilate, but alſo upon the Jewiſh People, making them by their Influence to cry [Cruciſie Him] with them: As this demonſtrates, (1.) The Miſchief of bad Governours, ſo (2.) The Inconſtancy of Common People, called too truly [the Mobile, and Neutrum modo, mas modò Vulgus,] blowing hot and cold with the ſame breath, as thoſe did here, crying Hoſanna one day, and Crucifie the next, both Prieſts and People were alike in fierceneſs and outragious fury againſt Jeſus, Luke 23.5, 21, 23, &c.

Now comes in the (Second) grand Remark; Which is the Defence Chriſt made for himſelf upon Pilate's Examination of him. The Heathen Judge overlooks the two firſt Articles of thoſe prophane Prieſts Black Bill of Indictment againſt him, to wit, his Perverting the People, and his Denying Tribute to Caeſar, being both ſuch thin Lies, as might eaſily be ſeen thorough, &c. This Impeachment of Jeſus was tranſacted at the Judgment-Hall Gate, the Impeachers not daring to enter in for fear (forſooth) of Defilement, therefore went Pilate out to them to hear their Accuſations there. 'Tis a wonder he would yield ſo far to their Superſtition, which he could not but contemn: But hearing nothing ſave clamour and confuſion without doors, he takes his Priſoner into the Praetorium, and there examines him at the Bar, and there our Lord Anſwers for his Life: To the firſt and ſecond Article, as nothing was asked, ſo nothing was anſwered; but to the third Pilate asks him, If he were a King, this being a point of High-Treaſon: Chriſt plainly confeſſeth, that He was a King, but his Kingdom was not of this World, Mat. 27.11. Mark 15.2. Luke 23.3. & John 18.33, 36. Pilate having retired himſelf from the Gate (where one could not hear another ſpeak through Diſorder and Tumult) into the Pallace, then more ſedately ſets himſelf to ſift the buſineſs. In Chriſt's Anſwer [Thou ſayeſt, or Sayeſt Thou, this of thy ſelf, &c.]

Obſerve Firſt, That Judges are to proceed Secundum Allegata & probata, If to be Accuſed be enough to make a Man Guilty, none could be Innocent; If Pilate ſaid this p. 210of himſelf, there was no reaſon he ſhould be both Judge and Witneſs; Mr. ſaid ſo by others, Why are not mine Accuſers here brought Face to Face, why do not they appear here as well as I the Accuſed?

Second, Chriſt denies not, but confeſſes that He was a King, [de Jure nonide F…cto] for he was a born King, the Wiſemen ſaluted him wi…ls this Royal Title at his Birth, Mat. 2.2. but his Kingdom comes not with Obſervation, Luke 17.2…. nor is of this World, John 18.6. but conſiſts in Righteouſneſs, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt, Rom. 14.17. now ſeeing it is no Worldly Kingdom, as Caſar's is, there is no need of fear from me concerning any prejudice to the Roman Power. This is that ſame good confeſſion which he Witneſſed before Pontius Pilate (that Paul ſpeaketh of 1 Tim. 6.13.) wherein he profeſſeth himſelf to be indeed a King, but his Kingly Power was moſtly confined to and converſant in the Court of Man's Conſciences, in the Diſcipline of his Church, and after at the laſt Great Day of Judgment. Pilate receives ſo much ſatisfaction from this plain confeſſion, that he brings him forth to the Gave again (where the Prieſts and People waited with big expectations that their Bill of Attainder for High Treaſon, would Infallibly do their Job againſt Jeſ… ) and profeſſeth to them, he found no fault at all in him. 'Tis true indeed. He denies not that he is a King, but he ſaith his Kingdom is not a Worldly Kingdom, and no way Inconſiſtent with Caeſar's, but rather a ſupport to it as it cauſeth Men to be Holy and Righteous, therefore as Caeſar hath no cauſe to be afraid of him, ſo I cannot ſee any cauſe of Death in him; N. B. This may teach us, (1.) Seeing Chriſt is a King, let us not ſay as thoſe Luke 19.27. We will not have him to Reign over us. He muſt be our King to Rule us, and our Prophet to teach us, or he will not be our Prieſt to ſave us, &c. Such as will not be Ruled by him here; ſhall never Reign with him hereafter. And (2.) As Chriſt in the midſt of his Sufferings comforted himſelf with this [That his Kingdom was not of this World,] ſo we in our Troubles ſhould ſay, our Comforts are laid up above the Clouds, an Heir Apparent of the Crown may have his Trouble in his Travels through a ſtrange Country, but he comforts himſelf with happier uſage, when he comes home to his own Kingdom; So if we Suffer with him in the Kingdom of Grace, wherein we are his Subjects (and what cannot this King do for us) we ſhall then Reign with him in his Kingdom of Glory, 2 Tim. 2.12. was it an happineſs to be Subjects in Solomon's Kingdom, 1 Kin. 10.8. much more in Chriſt's, &c.

This leads to the Third Grand Remark; That ſuch and ſo great was the ſatisfaction our Saviour gave Pilate, that after this Diſcourſe aforeſaid, he laboured to acquit him four times by four means; and this was the firſt thereof, and his firſt means was by ſpeaking for him, in pronouncing him Innocent to thoſe Prieſts (who ſtood gaping at the Gate for his Condemnation) which made them more mad to be thus unexpectedly diſappointed, and more fierce in their furious Exclamations againſt him, yet can they ſtill harp upon no other but the old ſtring [He perverteth the People,] Luke 23.5, &c. as if he were an Apoſtate from the Law, and had brought the Prieſts into contempt with the People, &c. Whereas, 1. What a ſhame it was here to hear the Pagan Pilate to ſpeak for Chriſt, when thoſe Prieſts (of that only Church which God had then in the World) ſpake ſo bitterly againſt him. It was God that opened the Mouth of this blind Heathen to make this Juſt and Due Vindication of Jeſus! at ſuch a time when the Devil had opened the Mouths of the Jews (God's peculiar People) and their Prieſts (whoſe Lips ſhould preſerve Knowledge, Mal. 2.7.) to pour out their foul Invectives againſt him, and this Slander of Seducing caſt upon our Saviour by them was, 2. The worſe and the more abominable, becauſe Chriſt had publickly taught and told them in his famous Sermon upon the Mount (that he came not to deſtroy the Law, but to fulfil it.] Mat. 5.17, &c. and though Pilate here ſaid [Heareſt thou not what theſe ſay, &c.] Mat. 27.12, 13, 14. Yet Chriſt hearing well enough Anſwered Nothing, becauſe they Alledged nothing but notorious Lies, known to be ſo in the Conſciences of his chief Accuſers: But principally becauſe he had put himſelf in our room, and was though Innocent, yet willing to be condemned as Guilty in this Humane Court, that we might be Acquitted at God's Tribunal. He Anſwered Nothing, becauſe he would not hinder the work of Redemption, which he had then in hand, therefore patience and ſilence were his beſt Apology to thoſe Calumniators, as it had been in his Type, Iſaac to Iſhinael, nor was his ſilence any conſent to his guilt, for he was foretold to be the Dumb-Lamb, Iſa. 53.7. never any Man more Innocent, yet more willing to be Condemned: Inſomuch that Pilate marvelled greatly, thingking poſſibly, Chriſt betrayed his own Cauſe by his over wilful ſilence, not knowing how he ſtood in ſinful Man's ſtead as guilty of our faults, ſo loved our Juſtification more than his own Reputation: p. 211Pilate had more cauſe to marvel at the Impudence of the Prieſts, preſſing ſuch palpable ſlanders againſt Chriſt, ſuch as the Pagan Judge himſelf could not but eaſily perceive, what probability could there be, that a poor Plebeian, one of the ordinary ſort of People (as our Lord appeared to be) having no Armies, Armed Guards, or Strong Garriſons, nor ſo much as an Hole or Houſe of his own where to lay his Head, Mat. 8.21. ſhould any way attempt a Treaſonable Invaſion of Caeſar's Juriſdiction? The bare Relation of ſuch an Abominable Lye was a ſufficient Refutation to it ſelf; and would clear Chriſt of all ſuſpicion of Treaſon; And there is no doubt but ſo much Sagacity Pilate had, as did diſcover and ſee through ſo thin a Lye (Tenue Mendacium pellucet) Therefore did Pilate try ſo many Politick Tricks to Abſolve our Lord, whereof this was the firſt of Pilate's Politicks.

His Second was by ſending him to Herod, taking an occaſion to do ſo from a Word drop'd by the Prieſts, that Chriſt was of Galilee, which was Herod's Tetrarchy and Juriſdiction, Luke 3.1. therefore he, partly to Court Herod, (who was then at Jeruſalem) for reconciling ſome old Heart-burnings betwixt them, about Pilate's Murdering thoſe Men of Galilee, Luke 13.1. Over whom he had no Authority, and partly or principally becauſe he could be content to quit his hands from condemning the Innocent, which he might well hope Herod would not do, becauſe he was ſo long deſirous to ſee Jeſus, Luke 23.8. and therefore may find ſome Favour or Friendſhip, or (at leaſt) Juſtice from him. He might hope likewiſe that the Accuſers would not follow him ſo far, ſeeing himſelf had ſo diſappointed them; but their Malice made them mad to leave no Stone unturned. N. B. Note well; Now Jeſus ſees that Monſter which had Murthered his Fore-runner John Baptiſt, and Herod was exceeding glad to ſee Jeſus, looking upon him as ſome cunning Inchanter, or nimble Juggler, who would ſhew him ſome fine Tricks for his Court-diverſion, and for feeding his Phancy with Phantaſtick Feats, but Chriſt would not gratifie him with either Deed or Word, for God is not ſo profuſe of his Power as to condeſcend at all times to humane curioſity: 'Tis a great matter that muſt occaſion him to force Nature beyond its Bounds. Chriſt would not Exert his Power of Miracles upon every trifling and frivolous occaſion: Not to ſatisfie the curioſity of any, nor for his own Vain-Glory, much leſs for hindering his determined Death: Leaſt of all before Herod that Fox, who had ſought to Kill him before, Luke 13.31, 32. and who would not ſtir out of Doors to hear Chriſt's Word (while he Preached in his Territory in the Cities of Galilee) yet now having him in his Hand, lets him go, though Chriſt would not vouchſafe him either a Word or a Work, becauſe Herod had heard the Baptiſt gladly, yet put him to Death, for croſſing his carnal Corruptions, Mark 6.20, 21, &c. and though the chief Prieſts did moſt vehemently accuſe Chriſt before him, both with Extention of Speech, Intention of Spi…it, and Contention of the moſt Helliſh Spitefulneſs, Luke 23.10. Herod only made no body of Chriſt, (Exoutheniz'd him, ver. 11. as the Greek Word is) who is our All in all, Col. 3.11.) becauſe he would ſhew him no Jugling Tricks upon his Stage, and his Guard abuſed him, putting on him a White Robe (which the Jewiſh Nobility moſt affected) as Pilate's after did cloth him in Purple (a colour moſt affected by the Romans) both in mockage and contempt of Chriſt, repreſenting him as an Hiſtrionical King, Luke 23.11. So ſent him back to Pilate, not ſo much becauſe he could be content that Chriſt ſhould eſcape his hands (as appears from Acts 4.27.) but becauſe he would have Pilate (who was only the Roman Preſident) to Court him again, who was call'd the King, and who promiſed the half of his Kingdom to the dancing Damoſel, Mark 6.22, 23. Mat. 14.9. and therefore muſt have more reverence than the Preſident, from whence we have theſe few Notes.

N. B. Note well; 1, Many deſire to ſee Jeſus, not for Jeſus ſake, but for ſome ſiniſter by-reſpects, for profit or pleaſure as Herod did here: Many (as he) would ſee the Works of Chriſt, but love not to hear the Word of Chriſt, eſpecially that which croſſeth their carnality, as he did the Baptiſt, till it came to that cutting point, &c.

N. B. 2. Becauſe Galilee was the place of Chriſt's Breeding, Birth and his firſt Miracle, &c. Therefore Pilate ſhew'd himſelf ſo far a Juſt Judge in remitting Jeſus to Herod (whoſe Juriſdiction Galilee did belong to, Luke 3.1.) It was thus far honeſty in Pilate, not to put his Sickle into another Man's, that is, into Herod's Harveſt.

N. B. 3. Yet herein Pilate began to make a breach upon his own Conſcience in ſending our Lord to Herod, for ſeeing he (to whom the Kill-Chriſt's referred the whole matter) judged Chriſt wholly Innocent, and out of Envy only delivered to him, why did he not (as his Duty of a Judge was) wholly to Acquit him, and not venture him to p. 212that old Fox Herod at all: This he did, only to Extricate himſelf out of the Briars. and to gratifie Herod upon a Politick account.

N. B. 4. Chriſt did vouchſafe to give an anſwer to Pilate a Pagan, becauſe he ſought after the knowledge of the Truth without any precurring prejudice, but no anſwer to Herod, who was Circumcis'd and of the Jewiſh Religion, yet had kill'd the Baptiſt, (his Voice, ſo left him dumb) and would have killed him alſo, (as before) and whom, Chriſt knew, would not believe his Word or Works, &c.

N. B. 5. Curſed is that Peace which is made againſt Chriſt (as that was betwixt Herod and Pilate about their Juriſdictions) It was no Concord according to God, but a Conſpiracy againſt Him and His Chriſt: 'Twas rather a Faction for Miſchief, than a Friendſhip in Truth: Vices, that differ each from other, can eaſily combine together againſt Vertue.

N. B. 6. Though Divine Juſtice hath Leaden Feet and comes ſlowly, yet hath it Iron Hands and ſtrikes fatally when it comes, which it ever doth at laſt, Tarditatem Supp…icij gravitate compenſat. Vengeance may ſleep, but never dies, it always awakes at length, as it did againſt Herod for ſetting Chriſt at nought, for not long after Herod himſelf was ſet at nought, being degraded of his Royalty, driven from his Court, Kingdom, and Native Country (as was proud Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4.30, 33.) and Baniſh'd to Lyons in France, where he died of Grief (as is aboveſaid) thus his ſcoffing of Chriſt was Revenged by way of Retaliation.

The Third Politick Way and Means that Pilate Improved for Freeing Chriſt was, His propounding the Releaſe of Him or Barabbas to the choice of thoſe Envious Ones, according to the cuſtom of that Court, at the yearly Paſſover Feaſt to ſet one Malefactor at Liberty after Sentence was paſſed on Him. Thus Pilate craftily joined Innocent Jeſus with that worſt of Criminals, whoſe Name ſignifies [His Father's Son, or White Boy] and whom probably his Father had undone by cockering Indulgence (as Adonijah was 1 Kin. 1.6.) who therefore became the worſt of Miſcreants in Inſurrection and Murther, &c. a publick Robber, John 18.40. A notable▪ Thief and Murderer, Acts 3.14. & Mat. 27.16. a Ring-leader of Sedition, Luke 23.19. & Mar. 15.7. and Abominable to all Men as the greateſt Peſt of that place and people; when Pilate ſaw that Herod had ſent Chriſt back (as one below his Wrath by his Baſeneſs) again to him, though the Chief Prieſts pretended an Infallibity (as the High Prieſt of Rome doth in this day) in their Definitive Sentence againſt Chriſt as a Malefactor, &c. Yet Pilate hereupon makes a fine Starched Oration to them in Vindication of his Innocency, telling them [That he upon Examination could find no fault in this man (which was a Sacred Truth, and the right character of no Man ſave of him, for all Men are Sinners) no nor yet Herod, for I ſent you to him, and lo, nothing worthy of Death, can he find in him] Luke 23.13, 14, 15. Implying, if ye will not believe me, becauſe I am a Pagan, concerning the Innocency of Jeſus, ye will ſurely believe Herod, who is a Man of your own Religion, and who, (had he found him guilty of any capital crime) would never have remitted him to me, ſeeing Chriſt's principal converſation was in Galilee Herod's Juriſdiction, who was well skill'd in the Jewiſh Law, and knew better than himſelf (an Heathen) how far Jeſus had tranſgreſſed their Law: But when all this Rational as well as Rhetorical Diſcourſe of Pilate made no Impreſſion upon thoſe Mad Prieſts (ſo tranſported with Malice, that More Reaſon and Religion was found in the Mouth of this poor Pagan, than in all the Heads and Hearts of thoſe many Church Men) then, ſeeing neither of his two former policies would prevail, he paſſeth a complement upon the people, about a cuſtom at their Paſſover for Releaſing a Priſoner by the Governour according to their voluntary choice, this Pilate generouſly complies with, and prudently propoſeth their choice of one out of two (matching Chriſt with Barabbas) This crafty contrivance was grounded upon his hoping, that the People (who were to be gratify'd with this priviledge) would never be ſo notoriouſly wicked, as to prefer ſuch a ſtigmatized Varlet (moſt unworthy to live any longer in the World) before faultleſs Juſus, who had wrought ſo many mighty Miracles among them, for which they had cried to him [Hoſanna in the Higheſt] but a little while before. Notwithſtanding all this, The Blind Guides, and curſed Church-Governors perſuaded the People, and prevailed alſo, that this Matchleſs Murderer (one like themſelves) might be ſaved, and Innocent Jeſus deſtroyed. N. B. Note well; Upon which theſe few notes do ariſe.

Firſt, Concerning the People. How dangerous it is to dally with Sin in its firſt approaches. May but the ſubtle Serpent have admiſſion for his Head [Intorto capite ſequetur corpus.] He can eaſily ſcrew in his whole Body. Nemo Repentè ſit Turpiſſimus: No man is Tempted by the Tempter to the greateſt ſins at the firſt, A crafty Devil (like p. 213the Carpenter in cleaving Wood) uſes leſſer Wedges firſt, whereby he makes way for greater, and then drives on wider and wider, till the Iron enter into the Soul (as Pſal. 105.18.) and cleave it aſunder in Eternal Damnation: Theſe people of the Jews little thought (when they cried Hoſanna to Chriſt) that they ſhould prefer the worſt of Mankind, a Murderer before him; Am I a Dog (ſaith Hazael) that I ſhould ever be ſo Deviliſh, 2 Kings 8.13. yet proved he no better, &c. Satan firſt prevailed with this people to Aſſiſt in Apprehending of Chriſt, then carried he them gradually on in Accuſing him, and ſo on to a Thirſting after his Blood, and to behold more Beauty in that Monſter of Men, Barabbas the Murderer, than in him, who was White and Ruddy, the chiefeſt of Ten thouſand, Cant. 5.10, The Devil dip'd them oft over in his Dyefat, ſo oft till he made their Sins of a deep Scarlet dye.

The Second Note reſpecting the people alſo is, Silly Man once and again will chuſe Sin before a Saviour. Pilate propoſeth this choice twice to the people, Mat. 27.17, 21. becauſe he ſought the favour of two ſorts, to wit, of the Prieſts as well as of the People, the latter, through the inſtigation of the former, made choice of the Thief and Murderer (which Pilate hoped they would bluſh to do) for ſuch is the hatred of Wicked Men againſt Chriſt, that they would deſire the Releaſe of the Devil in Hell, rather than of Holy Jeſus: Behold the Mad Fury and Frenzy of thoſe Jews, that they cried out all unanimouſly the ſecond time [not him, but Barabbas,] John 18.40. as if they had ſaid [not him the Innocent, but him whom we know to be the Nocent, we muſt kill him who is the Prince of Life, and who Raiſed from the Dead; yet ſave him who hath kill'd the Living, that he may live to kill many more.] Where is the man among Mankind, that will not readily condemn this mad choice, yet is it daily made, while men prefer the Luſts of the fleſh, before the lives of their Souls, and are more prompt in the ſlavery of Sin, than in the Service of a Saviour, a Luſt ſhall be owned, when the Lord ſhall be diſowned: They will honour and obey the former, yet diſhonour and diſobey the latter. N. B. Note well; Our Caſuiſts ſay, that in every choice men make, there is a Practical Diſcourſe in the Court of a Man's Conſcience, either to chuſe Chriſt and his Graces; or his own Luſts and Delights: The former in one Scale, and the Latter in the other, man ſtanding in the midſt holding the Ballance in his Hand: Then the Court of Conſcience puts the Queſtion, [Which of theſe two will we chuſe?] If we then tilt the Ballance, and make Sin have more weight and worth to our Wills than a Saviour, and Judge to live prophanely is more eligible than to live piouſly, thereby we juſtifie the Jews (who before we condemned) and do far worſe than they, who did make this mad choice in the Time of their Ignorance, Acts 3.17. Luke 23.34, &c. (which God winked at in ſuch as were Converted, Acts 17.30, &c.) but we do it in the Time of our Knowledge, &c. Againſt much Means and many Mercies, againſt the Checks and Chidings of our own Conſciences: They thus Affronted Chriſt only when he was in his ſtate of Humiliation, but we do it now in his ſtate of Exaltation, and laſtly, They did it but once, whereas we do it often, Crucifying the Lord Chriſt afreſh, &c. Heb. 6, 6. Trampling that precious Pearl under foot (as if he were no better than the filthieſt Dirt in the Streets) Heb. 10.29. How much Sorer Funiſhment then do they deſerve (beyond that of the Jews that became a Curſe, &c. for this choice) who dare chuſe a Luſt before the Lord, &c. we ſhould rather condemn our ſelves.

The Third Note is reſpecting Pilate, (as the 1ſt and 2d relates to the People) who herein failed foully, in giving this mad people (who, he knew had delivered the Juſt One out of Envy into his hands) the liberty of ſuch a choice: Why did he not rather (as Job) break the Jaws of the Wicked, and pluck the Spoil out of their Mouths, Job 30.19. why did he not (when he found, as he ſaid, that Jeſus had done no evil) pronounce him Innocent contra Gentes, and acquit him by publick Proclamation? But this Pagan Standard of Juſtice was not made (as it ought) of Heart of Oak, or of the hardeſt of Mettal; It was Puſillanimity and Popularity that miſled Pilate, and ſo muzzled him that he could not contradict the rage of the Prieſts; and of the many headed Multitude with this third Politick means, which he grounded upon an ungodly cuſtom of releaſing a Priſoner at the Paſſover, to Grace the Solemnity of that Feaſt in Remembrance of their Deliverance from the Egyptian Bondage at the Paſſover-Time. N. B. Note well; Which cuſtom (though by long preſcription it was now become a neceſſary Law, Luke 23.17.) was, in its own Nature, no better than a prophanation of that Holy Feaſt, and an Abomination to the Lord in Juſtifying the Wicked, and Condemning the Juſt, Prov. 17.15. the Cuſtoms of the People are Vain ſtill upon Holy Days, &c. Jer. 10.3.

p. 214The Fourth Politick Means that Pilate uſed to clear Chriſt the fourth time, (when ſtill the out-cry, Cruoifie him, Crucifie him, continued) was by ſcourging Jeſus, ſuffering the Souldiers to Plat a Crown of Thorns upon his Head, a Bulruſh Scepter in his Hand, and an old over-worn Scarlet Robe upon his Body, and then caſt all their Scoffs upon him, as upon a Mock-King, &c. This was the worſt of all the four means, John 19.1, 2, 3, 4. All this was done (as is ſuppoſed) by the Command of Pilate, purpoſely to move the People to pity him, and therefore brought he him forth thus notoriouſly miſuſed, ſaying to them [Behold the Man] as who ſhould ſay, If there be any Bowels of Humanity and Compaſſion left in you, Commiſerate a poor Man ſo miſerably miſuſed, and if you be Men or eſpecially Good Men, let him who is Innocent, Go Free: But theſe Monſters of Men had put off all Manhood, had no Mercy left in them, their natural humanity was converted into brutiſh cruelty; They ſtill carry on their old cry, Crucifie. Him, Crucifie him, &c.

Hence, Remark 1ſt is; That ſurely All this was Pilate's Sin, for though he was much unwilling to condemn Chriſt, yet this Aroſe only from the Reſtraint of Natural Conſcience againſt ſo foul a Fact, but being but an Half-Friend to Innocent Jeſus, he taketh Indirect Means to deliver him, as was his comparing him with Barabbas, and eſpecially his ordering him to be thus groſly injured, although all this was done with an honeſt Intention for freeing him: For Evil muſt not be done for procuring good. The leaſt Evil muſt not be done for purchaſing the greateſt Good, Rom. 3.8. Pilate perſuaded himſelf from his own Vain Politicks (not conſulting with God's own Word) that by inflicting theſe leſſer puniſhments upon Chriſt, he might take off the Jews from exacting greater, and ſo thought of the two Evils he would chuſe the leſſer, This was his carnal Policy. N. B. Note well; Whereas had God's Statutes been his Counſellours (as they were David's, Pſal. 119.24.) he would have learnt, That of two Moral Evils or Sins, neither of them is to be choſen, Nullum Malum eſt eligibile: And that this fact of Pilate's Scourging Chriſt, &c. was not only Unſcriptural, but it was very Irrational alſo: For a man of common ſenſe, much leſs a Great Judge (repreſenting God's Room) ſhould make ſuch a ſenſleſs Argument as this, [I find no fault in him, therefore I will chaſtiſe him, &c.] Who can but wonder? But Carnal Men of corrupt Minds cannot Reſiſt Sin directly, but would only ſhift it off, and put it by, ſo far as they can handſomely do it with a conſiſtency of their credit or profit, or any other Darling beloved Luſt, as Pilate did here four times.

The 2d Remark is; Behold the Man, yea the God-Man, the Lord Jeſus, how he was Abaſed and Abuſed by Wicked Men; For he was Scourged probably twice, firſt before Condemnation, Luke 23.16. & John 19.1. which was an extraordinary Puniſhment, whereby Pilate deſigned to divert and ſatisfie the Rage of the Jews againſt Chriſt, as he expected it would content them. And ſecondly after Condemnation deſcribed in Mat. 27.26. & in Mark 15.15. Though this was done both times againſt the light of Pilate's Conſcience, by whoſe order the fact was done. Our bleſſed Surety ſuffered Scourgings, becauſe he ſtood in our ſtead, who had ſinned: That he might free us from the Stings of our Evil Conſciences, and from thoſe Scourges of Divine Juſtice, by the heavy Hand of God Almighty, yea and from thoſe ſtinging Scorpions of Infernal Devils in Eternal Torments: Sanguis medici eſt medicina phrenetici, ita factus eſt per gratiam Domini. By thoſe bloody Wails made upon the ſcourged back of our Dear Redeemer are we delivered, he made us a Plaiſter of his own bleſſed blood, for by his Stripes are we (wretched phrantick Sinners) healed, &c. Iſa. 53.5. N. B. Note well; We account the Weapon-Salve almoſt Incredible, that applying of Ointments to that Sword which Wounded a Man, ſhould by an occult quality heal the Wound in the Wounded Man: But this Myſtery Chriſtian Religion aſſureth us of (though there never was a Preſident in Nature) That the Scourging and Wounding of one Man ſhould cure Another, yea a World of Men, Women and Children, but Behold the Man, who was not only Scourged for our Sins, but had alſo,

N. B. Note well; 1ſt. A Crown of Thorns platted upon his Head, Mat. 27.29. John 19.5. 1. To remember us of that direful Curſe that firſt came into the World for Adam's Sin, Gen. 3.18. The Curſe began in Thorns and ended in Thorns, for Chriſt, the Second Adam, by wearing this Crown of Thorns (which was the firſt fruits of the Curſe) took away the Sin and Curſe of all his Redeemed People; whence we learn farther, that 2. Chriſt's Kingdom was not of this World, for then had it been a Crown of Gold, and not a Crown of Thorns. And 3. That the Members of Chriſt muſt not expect a Crown of Glory in this lower Life, 'tis Reſerved for a better World, the Crown of Thorns muſt be expected here below. [Non decet ſub capite ſpinato p. 215membra vivere in Delicijs,] Saith, Bernard it is not fit, Seeing the Head was Crowned with Thorns, that the Members ſhould be Crowned with Roſe-b…ds (ſaith Zanchy) or live in Delights and Wouldly Pleaſures. But 4. To Teach us that ſeeing Chriſt wore a Crown of Thorns for our ſakes, and for our Sins, and not for his own, in the way of his Patience▪ we ſhould therefore for Requital ſet a Crown of Gold upon his Head (as the Spotiſe in …he Song did, Cant. 3.11.) In the way of Obedience Theſe Thorns being pu…gitive, prickly and ſhare as the point of a Sword (ſo the word ſignifies) muſt needs be extream ſenſible eſpecially conſidering that his Body being made of the fineſt Temper and Tendereſt Conſtitution, eaſily touched with the leaſt hurt.

N. B. Note well; 2dly, Behold the Man again▪ How he was Arrayed i… Scarlet, being firſt ſtripped of his own ordinary wearing Garments, Mat. 27.28. a Purple Robe they put upon his when ſtripped, Ma… 15.17, 30. & John 19, 2. being a Coat of that colour, which did only counterfeit the colour of Purple or Scatlet, and was (poſſibly) ſome Thread-bare Garment of a Red-Coat Soldier, but ſuppoſe it were ſome Old Coat that had been uſed in Triumphs or in Sacrificing, &c. yet could it be no better than a Vile Veſtment. becauſe it was put on to mock Chriſt, and to pleaſe Caeſar, as well as thoſe Kill-Chriſts: However this was not done without a marvellous Providence of God, to teach us, 1. That the Second Adam muſt be ſtripped naked (both to be ſcourged, and to have this Mock-Royal, Garment put upon him) that He might make an expiation for that Primitive nakedneſs, which the firſt Adam contracted by his firſt Sin, Gen. 3.7, 10. Thus was Joſeph (a type of Jeſus) ſtripped by his Brethren, Gen. 37.23. Becauſe his Parti-coloured Chat was an Eye-Sore to them, &c. 2. They make Chriſt a Mock-King here by thus Arraying him, for he was indeed a King, but an obſcure one, as was Melchi…deck, yet his Kingdom comes not with Obſervation, and oh that it may be within us, Luke 17.20, & 21.

N. B. Note well; 3dly, Behold the Man again, How a Reed for a Scepter was put into his Right Hand, Mar. 27.29, &c. Thus they made a Mock-King of Chriſt, the King of Saints, Rev. 15.3. Accoutring the Son of God like a Fool in a Play: So do all thoſe ſtill in this day, who will not ſubmit to the Scepter of his Spiritual Kingdom, and give him full Soveraignty over their Souls and Conſciences, but (at the beſt) ſerve him only with Carnal Commandments in their Ceremonial Worſhip: All this Hiſtory hath a Myſtery in it, ſignifying how Satan mocks the Souls of Mankind, as Chriſt was plaid upon in theſe three laſt Stage-Play Accoutrements, the Mock-Robe, the Mock-Crown, and the Mock-Scepter. Thus Sinful Souls are Mocked by Satan 1. In their Vain Oſtentation of Worldly Grandeur, whereof the Purple Robe, the Veſtment of Potentates, was a Badge, &c. 2. In a Greedy Affectation of Worldly Wealth, which is intimated by the Crown of Thorns, for Riches are the Thorns which choak the Seed of the Word ſlily and ſubtilly, Mat. 13.22. over-topping the Corn, harbouring Vermin-Luſts, and at laſt pricking the Conſciences of thoſe that do graſp thoſe Thorns too greedily. Vitijs & Divitijs, Vices and Riches, (in the Latine Tongue) are near a Kin in Name and Nature. 3. In the Vanity of Worldly Wiſdom, which is denoted in this Reed, fair and ſmooth to behold, but hollow and empty within, better to look upon, than to lean upon it. He that leans upon his own Underſtanding (or Worldly Wiſdom) Prov. 3.5. leans upon a broken Reed, which though it want ſubſtance, may ſufficiently ſerve to Pierce into his Hands, and into his Heart alſo, Iſa. 36.6, &c. N. B. Note well; We read, that Chriſt in Scripture had a threefold veſtment, 1. That at his Birth, when his own Mother (though newly delivered, and much weakened with her Travel) had ſuch love for her Son, as be at the pains to wrap him in Swadling clothes to keep him warm, Luk. 2.7. this was the badge of his Poverty, for though he was born King of the Jews (as the Three Wiſe Men of the Eaſt ſtyled him) yet was he wrapped up in poor, ragged clouts (as the Word there ſignifies) not in the beſt, but baſeſt place in the Inn. His 2d. Was here at his Paſſion, a Veſtment of Vileneſs, and a badge of contempt caſt upon him in this Red-Coat, which his Step-Mother, Cant. 3.11. The Jewiſh Synagogue got him ſcornfully Arrayed with, &c. His 3d, Was after at his Reſurrection, when Chriſt clothed himſelf with Honour and Majeſty, Pſal. 104.1, 2. prodigiouſly ſplendid muſt needs Chriſt (the Lord of Angels) be at his Reſurrection, when at that time the Angel (who was but Chriſt's Servant) had a Countenance like Lightning, and his Raiment as white as Snow, Mat. 28.3. with which dazling Luſtre and Majeſty, he frighted all the Prieſt's Guard of Souldiers away, and himſelf ſat down upon the Tomb-ſtone as a Conqueror, Though his Body, was Sown in Weakneſs, yet was it Raiſed in Power, &c. 1 Cor. 15.43. and in as great Glory as he had in his Transfiguration a Type hereof. Accordingly Chriſt had a threefold Crown. 1. This of Thorns a Crown of Grief and Diſgrace. p. 2162. A Crown of Grace, (in the Goſpel) Conquering and to Conquer, Rev. 6.2. And

3. A Crown of Gold and of Glory, Rev. 14.14. we ſhould go forth and behold the Man, thus three times crowned, the firſt by his Step-Mother, the two laſt by his Heavenly Father, Cant. 3.11.

Laſtly, When they had thus Adorned Chriſt like a Puppy Pageant, then follows their Ludibrious Homage they Pay to their Stage-Play-King. 1. Bowing the Knee to him, which Diſſembled Proſtration was the moſt palpable evidence of their ſtiff-neckned Hearts, and the plaineſt poſture of the profoundeſt ſcorn, as appeareth; 2. In their ſaluting him ſcoffingly with [Hail King of the Jews,] Mat. 27.29. Thus pretending to Worſhip him, while they were Intending to worry him. And ſuch Ludibrious Devotion do all Hypocrites pay to our Lord Chriſt to this day [Drawing nigh to him in their many Cringings with their Bodies, but ſtill have their Hearts far from him,] Iſa. 29.13. Diſpleaſing Devotion is a double Diſhonour, as diſſembled Sanctity is a double Iniquity. 3. When they had thus made a Laughing-ſtock of Chriſt, then they Spit in his Face, as if that had been the worſt place they could find to Spit upon, whereas the Spouſe highly extols it to be White and Ruddy, his Cheeks as a Bed of Splees, his Lips like Lillies, and his Countenance Tranſcendently Comely, and Altogether Lovely, Cant. 5.10, 13, 16. Yet was he content to be Spit upon, to cleanſe our Faces from the filth of Sin: Thus doth Prophaneneſs caſt Dir… and Drivel ſtill into the Face of Chriſt, which he will wipe off with a vengeance upon ſuch Villains ſooner or later, &c. If Job complained of this Affront done to him by the worſt of Abjects (who durſt not converſe with Humane Society becauſe of their Out-lawries againſt them for their notorious Miſdemeanours) yet ſpared not to Spit in the very Face of Job (who was a Prince in his Country) Job 30.5, 10, &c. How much more will in due time Almighty Jeſus, Jude ver. 14, 15, &c. 4. N. B. Note well; That theſe Barbarous Miſcreants (not without the good liking of their Lords and Maſters the Prieſts, &c.) might ſpare for no kind of cruelty to Chriſt, [They ſmote him with their Hands,] This John addeth to the Affronts, John 19.3. Thus our Lord gave his Cheek to the Smiters, Lam. 3.30. Iſa. 50.6. and becauſe they could not do him Miſchief enough by ſmiting him with their Fiſts, they ſtrike him, who was the Judge of the Earth, upon the Cheek with a Rod, Mic. 5.1. They ſmote him with a Cane upon the Head, Mat. 27.30. which blows (ſay the Antients) forced the Crown of ſharp Thorns ſo much into his Head round about, as the pricks thereof made no fewer than ſeventy two Wounds in his Head: All this it coſt Chriſt in gathering up All the Curſe (in the Thorns) for Adam's Sin, Gen. 3.18. and taking it upon himſelf, wearing it for a Garland as an Enſign of Victory, &c. They beat him as a Fool for Aſpiring after a Kingdom (as they thought) fooliſhly and unduly.

The 4th Remark is; Pilate's compliance with the mad crew, in condemning Chriſt to be Crucified, though he had no fewer than four times abſolved him as Innocent, Mat. 27.23, 24. Luke 23.14, 22. Mark 15.14. & John 18.38. & 19.4. which ſhews, N. B. Note well; That he who is not throughly reſolved to reſiſt every known ſin againſt all Dangers and Difficulties, will undoubtedly yield to it at laſt, though he hath made before ſome conſiderable reſiſtance, as Pilate did here, who acted not herein from a living principle within him, but only from the Reſtraint of his Natural Conſcience to ſo foul a fact (as before) as likewiſe from outward Motives, which made him for a while ſtand very ſtiff for Acquiting Chriſt.

As 1. His Wife's Dream, Matth. 27.19. which (ſome ſay) came from the Devil, for hindring Mans Redemption: But others think better, that it was a Divine, (not a Diobolical Dream) ſent from God providentially, for vindicating Chriſts Innocency, even while he ſtood at the Barr of a Pagan Judge; yea, Theophylact ſays further, God ſent his Dream, non ut Solveretur Christus, Sed ut Salvaretur uxor, not for the Deliverance of his own Dear Son; but for the Salvation of this Womans Soul: However, Pilate's Wife was ſo far Extraordinarily Inſpired, that ſhe ſent to him this Meſſage, [Have nothing to do with that Juſt One,] which Teacheth us, N. B. Note well; 1. However natural Dreams be, yet God can make uſe of them for his own Ends, for clearing his Sons Righteouſneſs, that, though he were Condemned afterward, yet our Juſtification from ſin, might more clearly ſhine forth, when it thus was made Apparent; Chriſts Condemnation was for our ſins; and not at all for his own. &c. The Great God over-rules Natural and Diabolical, as well as Orders Divine Dreams, as here Pilate's Wife was troubled in her Sleep, about the Injuries and Injuſtice done to Innocent Jeſus, and Pilate muſt have notice hereof, while he ſat upon the Bench juſt ready, (for fear of a Tumult) to paſs that moſt ſinful Sentence againſt our Saviour, the moſt Juſt Jeſus: And though this ſeaſonable Advertiſement did not move Pilate p. 217ſo far, as to ſet Chriſt free from ſuffering, (for God had otherwiſe Determined it, Acts 4.27.) Yet doth he openly proclaim Chriſt's Innocency. And this Teaches, 2. ly N. B. Note well; That it is the Duty of Wives, to do what in them lyeth, for hindring their Husbands from committing ſin, as Pilate's Wife did him: She may riſe up in Judgment againſt ſuch Wives, as do not only neglect this Duty; but alſo do promote and ſtrength their Husbands Hands in ways of Wickedneſs, (as Jezabel did Ahab) whereas their Wiſe Converſation, ſhould prepare, and even pave a way for their Husband's Converſion, 1 Pet. 3.1, 2, 3. That they may not only hinder them from Hell, but alſo help them to Heaven: This they ought to do ſeaſonably, as Pilate's Wife did in a good ſeaſon, juſt when her Husband was going into ſin, and ſo Abigal ſtop'd David, juſt when he was going to ſhed blood, 1 Sam. 25.31, 32. for which he bleſt his God: So the Aſs ſtop'd Balaam from ſin, if it be a Wife that ſtops us from doing evil, we ſhould not ſay we ſcorn the Voice, or Advice of a Woman, ('tis below a Man to do ſo) but rather as Abraham, we muſt hearken to the Voice of the Wife, Gen. 21.12, 13. Though it ſeems Grievous to us, yea though it be the Voice but of an Aſs, bleſs God for an hindring Aſs, &c. N. B. Note well; Becauſe Pilate hearkened not to the Voice of his Wife, in this Divine Admonition effectually, but acted the contrary at the laſt, was he not therefore, by a juſt Judgment of God upon him, kick'd off the Bench by the Emperour Tiberius? Soon after this he was Accuſed by thoſe very Jews (whom he had now gratified) was degraded and diveſted of all his Honours, ſo Baniſhed to Vienna in Germany, where diſcontents (with his own Diſgrace and Ingloriouſneſs) drove him to Deſtroy himſelf with his own hands, &c. as Hiſtory relateth, Euſebius, &c.

The 2d Outward Motive that for a while did with hold Pilate from condemning Chriſt, was Chriſt's wonderful and ſtrange ſilence, at all the ſlanderous Accuſations caſt upon him, by his malicious Adverſaries at the Bar, when Chriſt's Life was ſo nearly and deeply concerned: The Devil could ſay to God [Skin for skin, and all a man hath will he give for his Life,] Job 2.4. Though Job held his peace at the loſs of all his Childrens Lives, becauſe it may be (ſaith that Old Liar Satan) he loved them not ſo well: But when he comes to be in danger of his own Life (which he cannot but entirely love) then will he ſpeak out, and ſpeak Blaſphemy without ſparing, &c. But our Dear Jeſus hath not one word to ſpeak, though for the ſaving of his own Life, &c. This Amuſed and Amazed Pilate; and therefore was he loth to Condemn him, not underſtanding why he ſeemeth to ſell away his own Life by his ſtrange ſilence, becauſe he loved the Lives of our Souls, better than the Life of his own Body: Beſide Chriſt knew that Pilate would yield at the laſt, and to what purpoſe ſhould he plead for himſelf, before ſuch a Judge, who, (though he Judged him Innocent) had ſuffered him to be Scourged, and Notoriouſly Abuſed, merely to pleaſe the Wretched Jews; no good could Rationally be expected, (by his Pleading his own Caſe and Cauſe) from ſuch a Man-pleaſing Judge: Moreover, Pilate marvelled the more at Chriſt's holding his Peace, becauſe that poor Pagan was Ignorant of Chriſt's ſtanding in our ſteads, to ſuffer for our ſins; ſo was in ſome Senſe guilty, (as our Surety) of all the ſins of the World, which he conſented to by his ſilence, though altogether Innocent in himſelf; yet ſo willing to be Condemned, as not to ſpeak one word for the ſaving of his own Life before him, Matth. 27.12, 13, 14. & John 19.10. N. B. Note well; Now (I pray you) let us learn to do as Ahaſuerus the King, did to Mordecai, when asking his Courtiers, [what Honour and Dignity hath been done to Mordecai, for ſaving my Life? They Anſwered, there is nothing done yet for him,] Eſth. 6.1, 2, 3. Hereupon the King then promoted him to great Honour for this Meritorious Action, and Delighted to do ſo, ver. 4.6.10, &c. So let us be asking our own Hearts, (communing with them upon our Beds, when our Sleep departeth from us, as the King's did, Pſal. 4.4.) and ſaying to them, [what Honour and Dignity hath been done by us to our Dear Redeemer, for ſaving the Lives of our Souls, loving our Salvation, more than his own Reputation, which he would not vindicate by ſaying one word for himſelf, &c.] If our Hearts anſwer again, as they did. [there is nothing done yet.] Oh! For ſhame let ſomething be done now to Honour Chriſt, (the time paſt of our Lives may ſuffice us, 1 Pet. 4.3.) 'Tis enough, and more than enough, we have neglected this grand Duty ſo long: Now let us riſe up and be doing, and the Lord will he with us, 1 Chron. 22.16. Not only to build a Temple for Chriſt, who far more than Mordecai, ſought the weall of his People, and ſpeaks peace to all his Seed, Esth. 10.3. Saying, [give me your ſins, and take you my blood, and be ſaved by it;] thereby ſhall we build a Temple for our ſelves for ever.

p. 218The 3. outward Cauſe, why Pilate ſtood ſo ſtiff a while for Chriſt, was when he heard [He was the Son of God,] though this Heathen underſtood not what the Son of God was, being better acquainted with his Dunghill-Deities, and Pagan Idols: Yet, whereas before Chriſts Innocency had Triumphed in this Pagan's Conſcience, but he hearing the Name of God, this puts him into a mighty maze, [he was the more afraid,] John 19.7, 8. As he had feared a Tumult from Men before, Matth. 27.24. So now he fears more the wrath of God upon him, ſhould he dare to lift up his Hand againſt the moſt High: N.B. Note Well; Oh! How notoriouſly and utterly Debauched, yea, Satanized are the Debauchees of this Day, that dread not to Rend the Reverend Name of God, (Deut. 28.58. which ſhould not be taken in vain, Exod. 20.7.) into many pieces in their moſt Execrable Oaths, and moſt Deteſtable Blaſphemies; Aſſuredly this poor Pagan, (who knew not the Word of God) will riſe up in Judgment againſt this Curſed, Curſing Generation, among whom the Name of God, (which is Dreadfull among the Heathen, Mal. 1.14.) is ſo commonly …lched out of their Black and Blaſphemous Mouths, without any Reverence at all▪ To which they add the Trade-driving of Whoredom, that chaſt Joſeph calls no peccadillo, a ſmall ſin, but great wickedneſs, and durſt not therein ſin againſt God, Gen. 39.9. And thus Holy David ſets God's Statutes before him, ſo that he durſt not wickedly depart from God, but keep himſelf from his Conſtitution ſin, Pſal. 18.21, 22, 23. So that though an Act of this Wickedneſs was found in him; yet can he Appeal to his All-knowing God, that no way of ſuch wickedneſs could be found in him, Pſal. 139.23, 34. He durſt not (though once overtaken with it) drive a conſtant Trade of it, neither that, nor any other ſin had an High-way over, or thorough-fare upon his Heart, becauſe he feared God, as Gen. 42.18. Nehem. 5.15. This Pagan Pilate had ſome fear of God, which Glorious Name, ſtartles and ſtops him again, ſo Remands Chriſt into hi… Hall, and Re-examins him with his [Whence art thou?] John 19.9. to wit, art thou… Man, art thou a God? To which Chriſt gives no poſitive Anſwer, (knowing, if he had aſſerted his Deity, Pilate would have Acquitted him, who gave up himſelf at this time and place, to be Condemned) ſave only, that Pilate had no ſuch power, (as he boaſted of) over him; but as it was given him from above, ver. 10, 11. No Man could give him any power to Comdemn an Innocent Perſon, though God gave it him now, for his own glory, &c.

This uſhers in the 4th outward Cauſe or Motive, why Pilate ſtill ſticks ſo ſtiff for our Saviour's Abſolution: To wit, Chriſt's Threatning him with ſin, both in the Deliverers, the Jews, and in him into whoſe Hands he was delivered, to confirm their Condemnation: As if Chriſt had ſaid to him thus, [Thou boaſts of my power, as if thou were a little God within thy ſelf, yet who gave thee any power to execute the Innocent? Can thy power match mine, that is the power of God, whereby I have often eſcaped out of my Enemies Hands, becauſe my Hour was not then come, as it is now? Do not bear thy ſelf over-bold of thy power; for I know thou will Truckle to the People, notwithſtanding all thy power: Thou art indeed in a place of power, but have a care thou be Juſt in thy Office of Judge, leſt thou give a dear Account to him that is Higher than the Higheſt: Thy ſin comparatively is leſs than that of Judas, and of the Jews, for they ſin out of Malice, &c. but thou out of fear of Man, and out of Ignorance of God's Word; yet know, no Man can have any hand in killi… Chriſt, but he muſt ſin, &c.] This caution doth ſtartle and ſtop Pilate yet more, (N. B. Note well; Oh! That the Senſe of ſin may ſtop us Chriſtians, as it did this Pagan.) Hereupon he goes out to his Hall-gate, (where the Chief Prieſts, &c. ſtill wai… for their Prey) again, and there preſſeth upon them for his Releaſe, more than eve… But while he urged Chriſt's Abſolution this time alſo, they cry out againſt Pilate, that if he Juſtified him whom they had Condemned in their Court, and committed the Priſoner to him, they would Article againſt himſelf, [as no Friend to Caeſar, &c.) John 19.12▪ This ſaying knocks down all Pilate's Honeſty dead to the ground, ſave only, that as he had brought Chriſt out from the Barr before, ſhewing him moſt notoriouſly abuſed, that they might be moved with Compaſſion towards him, when he ſaid to them, [Behold the Man] thus madly miſuſed by the Rude Rabble Soldiers. So here again he brings him forth from the Bar, and cries again, [Behold your King,] John 19.13, 14. Are you not aſhamed to kill your King, whom you have cauſed me to put all this Contempt upon: Thoſe faint Eſſays of Pilate's clearing the Innocent, were took weak Remedies for Curing ſo ſtrong a Malady as the Prieſt's Malice: Who were not at all moved with all the Miſeries they had Miſchievouſly Inflicted upon Innocent Jeſus, but though they Relented not at their beholding the Man, and beholding their p. 219King, thus abominably abuſed, N. B. Note well; 'tis meet we ſhould be moved to ſee the King's Son ſo baſely Scourged by the baſeſt of Men, and that for our ſakes, not for his own; thoſe Miſcreants melted not, Mollified not to behold the moſt prodigious, and profoundeſt part of our Redeemer's Miſery, but on the contrary; made themſelves ſport thereof; and with many Outragious and Spiteful Speeches, flocked about Pilate, Threaten to Accuſe him of Treaſon to the Emperour, for Labouring by many means to Releaſe ſuch a Traitor to Caeſar's Government. Now is Pilate Conquered to yield, for two Cauſes and Conſiderations. N. B. Note well; Firſt, the Impatiency, Importunity, and Impudency, both of the Prieſts, and of the People, [like Prieſt, like People,] Pilate faintly ſaith to them, [ſhall I Crucifie your King?] the more backward he was to it, the more madly forward, and furious they were for it: And the ſame Mouths, that had but a little before, cryed [Hoſanna] to Chriſt at his entring into Jeruſalem; now with their loudeſt Clamours, cry [Crucifie him,] and to ſhew the earneſtneſs of their Diveliſh Deſires, they double that Outcry, ſaying, [Crucifie him, Crucifie him,] He is none of our King, [we have no King but Caeſar,] let him be puſhed out of the City to be Crucified: Then Pilate Feared a Tumult, Matth. 27.24. As God made this People's choice their Judgment; they would have no King but Caeſar, (as if there were no King in Sion, Mic. 4.9. And as if they Rejected the Lord from being their King, 1 Sam. 8.7.) God gives them their choice with a Vengeance, for their King Caeſar utterly deſtroyed them, as was propheſied, Zech. 11.6. which was fulfilled by the Emperour Veſpaſian: So this fear of Man brought Pilate into a Snare, Prov 29.25. Cauſeth him to comply with the Clamorous Crew, to avoid the Danger of a Tumult, &c. The Second cauſe of his complying, was his fear of loſing Caeſar's Favour, fearing that more than the loſs of God's: So chuſes to obey the Creature's Corruptions, rather than the Creator's Commands: And in fine he loſes the Favour of both, as the ſequel ſheweth.