is the King of the Jews : Or, as the other evangelists complete it, This is Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.
Secondly, The person that drew his character or title. It was Pilate; he that but now condemned him: he that was his judge, shall be his herald, to proclaim his glory. For the title is honour- able. Surely, this was not from himself, for he was Christ's enemy ; but rather than Christ should want a tongue to clear him, the tongue of an enemy shall do it.
Thirdly, The time when this honour was done him : It was when he was at the lowest ebb of his glory ; when shame and re- proach were heaped on him by all hands. When all the disciples had forsaken him, and were fled. Not one left to proclaim his innocency, or speak a word in his vindication. Then doth the providence of God as strangely, as powerfully, over-rule the heart and pen of Pilate *, to draw this title for him, and affix it to his cross. Surely we must look higher than Pilate in this thing, and see how Providence serves itself by the hands of Christ's adversa- ries. Pilate writes in honour jrf Christ, and stiffly defends it too. Hence our observation is,
Doct. 1. That the dignity of Christ was openly proclaimed, and defended by an enemy ; and that, in the time of his greatest reproaches and sufferings.
To open this mystery of providence to you, that you may not stand idly gazing upon Christ's title, as many then did ; we must, First, Consider the nature and quality of this title. Secondly, What hand the Providence of God had in this matter. Thirdly, And then draw forth the proper uses and improvements of it.
First, To open the nature and quality of Christ's title or inscrip- tion ; let it be thoroughly considered, and we shall find,
First, That it was an extraordinary title, varying from all ex- amples of that kind ; and directly crossing the main design and end of their own custom. For, as I hinted before, the end of it was to clear the equity of their proceedings, and shew the people how justly they suffered those punishments inflicted on them for such crimes. But lo, here is a title expressing no crime at all, and so vindicating Christ's innocency f. This some of them per- ceived, and moved Pilate to change it, not, This is, but, This is he that said, / am the King of the Jews. In that, as they conceived,
* Perhaps the title was written according to custom, but our thoughts must rise higher, even to the purpose of God, who would, by the writing of Pilate, have Christ publicly proclaimed King of the church. Par.
f This was very remarkable, that a title was affixed which imported no ignominy. Calvin.
SEEM. XXVII. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 335
lay his crime. O how strange and wonderful a thing was this ! But what shall we say ! it was a day of wonders and extraordinary things. As there was never such a person crucified before, so there was never such a title affixed to the cross before.
Secondly, As it was an extraordinary, so it was a public title, both written and published with the greatest advantage of spreading it- self far and near, among all people, that could be, " for it was writ- " ten in three languages *, and to those most known in the world " at that time." The Greek tongue was then known in most parts of the world. The Hebrew was the Jews native language. And the Latin the language of the Romans. So that it being written both in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, it was easy to be un- derstood both by Jews and Gentiles.
And indeed, unto this the providence of God had a special eye, to make it notorious and evident to all the world ; for even so all things designed for public view, and knowledge were written. Jo- sephus tells us of certain pillars, on which was engraven in letters of Greek, and Latin, " It is a wickedness for strangers to enter into " the holy place +." So the soldiers of Gordian, the third emperor, when he was slain upon the borders of Persia, raised a monu- ment for him, and engraved his memorial upon it, in Greek, Latin, Persic, Judaic, and Egyptiac letters, that all people might read the same. And as it was written in three learned languages, so it was exposed to view in a public place ; and at that time, when multitudes of strangers, as well as Jews, were at Jerusalem ; it was at the time of the passover ; so that all things concurred to spread and divulge the innocency of Christ, vindicated in this title.
Thirdly, As it was a public, so it was an honourable title. Such was the nature of it, saith + Bucer ; that in the midst of death, Christ began to triumph by it. And by reason thereof, the cross began to change its own nature, and instead of a rack, or engine of torture, it became a throne of majesty. Yea, it might be called now, as the church itself is, The pillar and ground of' truth ; for it held out much of the gospel, much of the glory of Christ ; as that pillar doth, to which a royal proclamation is affixed.
Fourthly, It was a vindicating title : it cleared up the honour, dignity, and innocency of Christ, against all the false imputations, calumnies, and blasphemies, which were cast upon him before, by the wicked tongues, both of Jews and Gentiles.
They had called him a deceiver, an usurper, a blasphemer ; they rent their clothes, in token of their detestation of his blasphemy ;
.. * Tribus Unguis toto orbe tunc vulgatissimis, scribi voluit ; lit ab omnibus legi, 6t in- tellig i pot u it. Pareus.
f In locum sanctum in -recti alwdgenis nefas est.
336 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SERM. XXVII.
because he made himself the Son of God, and King of Israel. But now in this, they acknowledged him to be both Lord and Saviour. Not a mock king, as they had made him before. So that herein the honour of Christ was fully vindicated.
Fifthly > Moreover it was a. predicting and presaging title *. Evi- dently foreshewing the propagation of Christ's kingdom, and the spreading of his name and glory among all kindreds, nations, tongues, and languages. As Christ hath right to enter into all the kingdoms of the earth, by his gospel, and set up his throne in every nation : so it was presaged by this title that he should do so. And that both Hebrews, Greeks, and Latins should be called to the knowledge of him. Nor is it a wonder, that this should be predicted by wicked Pilate, when Caiaphas himself, a man every way as wicked as he, had prophesied to the same purpose, John xi. 51, 52. For being High-Priest that year, he prophesied, That Jesus should die for that nation, and not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one, the children of God that were scattered abroad. Yea, many have prophesied in Christ's name, who, for all that, shall never be owned by him, Matth. vii. 22.