Vil ate's E jt), 3. [he Re m1 Mudne!s "f the Chief 1 res oP S©: ibes nd Pole, Our Saviour's Silence confirms to us char piece or che Law of Nature, To. mn Man js bound t0 _ hime!f. Pi.ge's Equiry appears 10 many TtLINSS, Te He would not C-n- demn him withour 2 particular hearing of his Caufe himſclt ; he £:0u'd not torce Titm © accuſe himfelf; he accepts our Savi- ours Yindication cf himfeif, as to the great Thing wherewith be wis Char ed ; he ewice declares, thar he tound no taulr 1n Eim:; he ſtudies Expedients, ro deliver an INNOCent_ Perſon from ticir Rave; he fends him ro Herod, and obtains his Concurrent Sutrave ht his Innocency ; he offereth to releaſe him according © 2 Cuſtom hey had at the Paſſover, to deliver one, whomſo- ever they defired ; when rhis would nor do, he cauſed him to be Scaur :ed, then brings him ove to them again, hoping ro. have m ved them ro Compatfion by that lighter Puniſhmenc of him. The Raze and Madnels of the Fews, principally of rhe Chi-f Prietts and Scribes, appearcd 1n their urging, to have had our Saviour Condemned withour hearing their exceſſive Cla- mours azainſt him, their preferring one berore him, who was a RuWher, 2 Murcerer, one thac had made a publick Infurrettion racir imiſting 1 much upon the kind of Dearh chac he ſhould 6, viz. by Cruciſying him, tho' in that, they did both tulal the Councel of God, who had determined, That he ſhould be mats a Cuiſe fr us and ic Was Written, Curſed is every one that bh. eth npm the Tres, Gal. 3.13. and what hinifelf had Propheſted, char he 1hould be delivered ro the Gentiles, and they ſhould Mock, and Scruree, and Crucife him, Mat, 20. 17, But that which 1s moſt remarkable, is, The Providence of God, for the Eviden- cing of our Saviour's lanocencv. Pilate's Wife calls him a Fu Mn ; Pilate twice tells them, That he found no fault in him. They are able ro fay norhing; when Pilate asks them, What Evil he hid done 2 Ezrod objets nothing againſt him. He 1s meerly Condemned upon the bruriſh Clamour and Rage of the Rabble jncenſed, and jer on Fire by the Chief Prieſts and Phariſees. The Arc of theſe his Adverſarics is alfo obſervable, becaute it is the ſame which the Enemics of the Goſpel deriving from this firſt Patrern, have ever ſince obſerved in the Execution of their Malice againſt the Preachers, and fairhful Proteffors of che Go- ſpel. They durtt nor infiſt upon the Do&rine which our Saviour Preached, which was the true Cauſe of their Malice againſt him, buc brin:; him under a Charge of Treaſon, and Sedition ; as 1t he had gone about ro make himielt a King in oppoſition to the Ro- man Enperyr ; tho' there was not the leaſt pretence for any ſuch thing. and if chere had, none who conſidereth thar rhey were a Corquered People, and how Zealous they upon all occaſions liwv.cd chemielves for their Civil Liberties, can 1magine they }i4 any great kindnefs for Ce/ar. Ir 1s very obſervable, That Mi lice tgamit Religion and Godlineſs, and 4 Defire of the Extirpation iced Men. To ſerverhis, they not only deny their own Rea- '», and Principles of common Juſtice, but deny themſelves like» wile in ſome other Lu#s5, And herein they ſhew rhemſelves the true Sced of the Serpent, and rhe Children of the Devil, whoſe Works they do: who tho' he be the Proudeſt Spirit, yet to de- firoy a Soul, will abate his Pride, cruckle ro a poor Witch, and £0 upon her Errands.
24 When Pilate ſaw that he could prevail no- thing, but rather that a tumult was made, he took warcrs and waihed his hands betore the multitude, ſwing. I am innocent of the blood ofthis juſt perſon: tee ye 10 7t.
25 Then anſwered all the people, and ſaid, * His blo-d b- cn us, and on our children.
25 Then releaſed he Barabbas unto them : and when he had fcourged Jeſus, he delivered him to be crucihticd,
Muik farth, Chip. 15. ver. 15. S9 Pilate, willing to content the P-ple, reio-jed Barabbas unto them, and delivered Feſis, when he ht Scourged him, to be Crucified. Luke, Ch,tp. 23. 24. faith, Ard Pitate gave Sentence that it ſhwld be as they required. And be rele.tfed unto them, him that for Sedition and Murder was cut int» Priſm, whom they had dcſired, but he delivered 7eſs to their Wild, 7ohnlanth, Chap. 19. v. 12. When Pilate thei efre heard tout ſaving, He brought Jeſus fiith, and ſate down in the Zude- mreit-Set, in 4 place that is cailed the Pavement, but in the He- t; ow, G.bathz, And it was the preparation of the Poſſreer, ont dit the frxth our, and he faith unto the Jews, Behld your Icing, Put they ciged ont, Away with him, Crucifie him. Pilate teitn unto them, Shail T Crucife your King £ The Chief Prieſls an- {wee He have no King but Celar. Then delivered be him there Joie Wn, {ein ta be Crucified —— Fire are three Accounts
of it, .md the Profoſſars of it, s the Predominant Luſt in the Hearts |