they had treated with all imaginable ignominy, " deny- ing him in the presence of Pilate, and preferring a murderer before him." Here, you will perceive, whilst they are careful to give no needless offence, they boldly charge upon their hearers the guilt they had contracted in crucifying their Messiah. And somewhat of a similar charge must this day be brought against you, my brethren. But, that I may not overload you with too aggravated an accusation,
I propose to shew,
I. How far the charge exhibited against the Jews attaches to us —
Against the Lord Jesus Christ personally it is im- possible that we should ever have committed any offence ; because he has never corporeally been within our reach. The charge therefore, so far as relates to personal injury, must be confined to those amongst whom he sojourned in the days of his flesh. But against him, as revealed in his Gospel, we have shewn the same hostility as they. For,
1. We have refused to acknowledge him in his proper character —
[He professed himself to be the King, of whom the pro- phets had spoken2, and whose kingdom the Jews themselves expected to be established in the midst of themb. But when Pilate announced him under that character, and offered to release him, they refused to acknowledge him, and demanded his crucifixion0. They had had abundant evidence that he was not only a just and holy person, but " the Just and Holy One'1," the Son of the living God: yet they would not believe in him, or receive him as their King.
And have not we the same evidence of his character ? Were not all his miracles sufficient proofs of his Messiahship? Yet, who amongst us has submitted himself to him ? Who has not, in fact, said concerning him, " We will not have this man to reign over use?" God has " sworn that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bowf:" but who has obeyed his mandate? Many will superstitiously bow their heads at the mention of
a Ps. ii. G. Dan. ii. 44. and vii. 13, 14. with John xviii. 33 — 37. *> Matt. ii. 2, 0, 11. and xxi. 4—9. c Mark xv. 9, 12—14.
d Acts ii. 27. vii. 52. and xxii. 14. e Luke xix. 14.
f Rom. xiv. 11.