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532

They accufe him as one that fet up for a King.

Sect. 186 and which he eafily I faw would be attended with
many very perplexing Circumftances:

John XVHI
31.

2.

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1. Then the Jews faid to him again. You well
know, that it is not now lawful for us to put any
Man to Death without your Concurrence: (Com
pare Mat. xxvii. 2. pag. 530.) But it is a Capital
Crime of which the Prifoner here before you is
convicted, and as after a fair Trial he has received
fuch a Sentence in the Sanhedrim, we only wait
your Warrant to proceed to Execution.

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Luk.XXIII. And, as Pilate could not but enquire of what
Crime he had been convicted, they refolved to
mention that Charge, which might render him
moft obnoxious to the Roman Power, and to re
prefent the Matter in its most malignant View;
and accordingly they began with great Violence to
accufe bim, faying, It is not merely on a Religious
Account that we have brought him before you,'
but we have alfo found this feditious [Fellow] per-
verting the whole Jewish Nation, from one End
of the Country to the other, and in effect for
bidding to pay Tribute to Cæfar, by faying, that
be himself is Meffiab, a King, whom many of
the Jews have expected, to rescue them from all
Subjection to a foreign Power: And this Claim
he has had the Affurance to avow in open Court;
fo that it is but a neceffary Piece of Refpect to
thee, and to the Emperor, whofe Lieutenant
thou art, to bring him hither to be condemn-
ed, and indeed to leave him to be executed by
you. And tho' they aimed at nothing more
by this, than to make fure of their murtherous
Defigns, and to add new Circumftances of Shame
and Agony to the Execution'; yet Providence was
pleafed to over-rule it with a wife Intent, that
the Saying of Jefus might thus be fulfilled, which
be spake more than once, (fee John iii. 14. xii. 32,

Joh. XVIII.
32.

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33

-The Jews therefore ful for us to put any Man to faid unto him, It is not lawDeath.

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Conduct, how unwilling he was to engage in this Caufe; he seems therefore cautious, not to enter into the full Senfe of what the Jewish Rulers intended, when they called him a Malefactor; and answers them in ambiguous Language, which they might have interpreted as a Warrant to execute Chrift, if they found it neceffary; and yet, which would have left them liable to be queftioned for doing it, and might have given him fome Advantage against them; which a Man of his Character might have wifhed. Their Reply thews they were more aware of this Artifice, than Commentators have generally been.

(f) And

f

As JESUS did not answer, Pilate takes him in, and examines him.

fhould die,

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32.

533

fignifying what Death he 33 and Mat, xx, 19.) fignifying or implying by Sect. 186. what Kind of Death be fhould die, even by being lifted up from the Earth, or by Crucifixion, which John XVIII. was a Roman Punishment; whereas according to the Jewish Law, (Lev. xxiv. 16.) he would have been stoned, (as his Servant Stephen afterwards was,) having been impiously adjudged by them to have deferved Death as a Blafphemer. (Compare Mat. xxvi. 65, 66. and Mark xiv. 64. pag. 527.)

MAT. XXVII. 12. And when he was accused of the

Chief Priefts and Elders [of many Things,] he answered nothing. [MARK XV. 3.]

13. Then faith Pilate unto him, [Anfwereft thou nothing?] Heareft thou not? [Behold] how many Things they witness against thee. [MARK XV. 4.].

14 And [Jefus yet] anfwered him to never a Word, infomuch that [Pilate] the " Governor marvelled greatly. [MARK XV. 5.]

JOHN XVIII. 33. Then

Pilate entred into the Judg
ment-Hall again, and called
Jefus; [and Jefus ftood before
the Governor,] [LUK, and
Pilate afked him, faying,]
Jews? [MAT.XXVII.11.
MARK XV. 2.- LUKE
XXIII. 3.-]

Art thou the King of the

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And when he was thus accused by the Chief Matth.
Priests and Elders (f), who aggravated the Matter XXVII. 12.
by the Addition of many other Things, either en-
tirely falfe, or grofsly mifreprefented, reproaching
him as a Blafphemer, a Sabbath-breaker, and a
Magician, and, in a Word, omitting nothing
which they thought might blacken his Character,
be made them no Answer at all. Then Pilate 13
Jaid to him, Doft thou answer nothing to all this?.
Hearest thou not the Charges they produce against
thee, or haft thou no Concern to vindicate thy-"
felf? Behold, and confider, how many, and how
great Things they witness against thee.
But ftill, 14

as Jefus knew how little all his Apologies would
fignify, he continued filent, and did not answer
him to any one Word: So that Pilate the Governor
was greatly aftonished, and knew not how to ac-
count for fo uncommon a Behaviour.

But yet as the Governor had heard an honour- John XVIII.
able Report of Jefus, and obferved in this Silence 33-
an Air of meek Majefty, and Greatnefs of Spirit,
rather than any Confcioufnefs of Guilt, or any
Indication of a fierce Contempt, he was willing
to difcourfe with him more privately, before he
proceeded farther. Pilate therefore entered again
into the Prætorium, which he had quitted to oblige
the Jews, (ver. 29. pag. 531.) and called Jefus
in And [as] Jefus flood before the Governor
there," Pilate asked him, Jaying, Art thou indeed
the King of the Jews, and doft thou really pre--
tend to any Right to govern them?

Jefus

(f) And when he was thus accused &c.] The Reader may, perhaps, obferve, that I have tranfpofed Mat. xxvii. II. and Mark xv. 2. But it is only because I think, the other Evangelifts relate the Story in fuch an Order, as to fhew the Propriety of this little Tranfpofition.

534 Sect. 186.

John XVIII.

34.

35

36

34 Jefus anfwered him, Sayeft thou this Thing of thyfelf, or did others tell it thee of me?

JESUS declares, his Kingdom is not of this World.
Jefus anfwered bim, Doft thou fay this of thy-
felf, from the Knowledge of any feditious Prac-
tices which thou haft ever observed in me? or is
it only what thou haft gathered from the present
Clamour made against me, and have others told
it thee concerning me?

Pilate immediately replied, Am I a few? or
do I know any thing of your Peculiarities, fur-
ther than I am informed by others? I do not at
all pretend to it: But thou knoweft that thine own
Nation, and those who are esteemed the most
facred Perfons in it, even the Chief Priests them-
felves, have delivered thee to me as a Malefactor,
and have charged thee, among other Crimes, with
Treafon against Cæfar, in fetting up for King of
the Country: Tell me therefore freely, what baft
thou done to deserve such a Charge? for the more
frank thou art in thine Acknowledgment, the
greater Favour mayeft thou expect.

Jefus answered him, My Kingdom is not of this World, nor is it my Bufinefs or Defign to erect a Temporal Dominion, and to establish any Claim which should at all interfere with that of Cæfar, or of which any Prince has Reason to be jealous. Indeed if I would have entertained fuch Views, I might have found Support and Encouragement, from the very Perfons who are now my Accufers: And if I had afferted, that my Kingdom was of this World, and had favoured fuch Methods of Defence, my Servants, who profeffed of late fo great and fo publick a Regard to me, would refolutely have fought, that I might not have been delivered to the Jews (g), or would attempt even

now

I

35 Pilate answered, Am a Jew? Thine own Nahave delivered thee unto me: What haft thou done?

tion, and the Chief Priefts

36 Jefus answered, My Kingdom is not of this World: if my Kingdom were of this World, then would my Servants fight, that I fhould not be deliis my Kingdom not from hence.

vered to the Jews; but now

(8) My Servants would have fought, &c.] Tho' our Tranflation of novel may be more literal, yet confidering that our Lord was now actually in the Hands of his Enemies, I think it plain, that it is to be taken in fuch an Extent. It may be objected, that the Number of Chrift's Difciples, had all the Five hundred been affembled in Arms, could have been no Match for the Jewish and Roman Power at Jerufalem. But it is to be remembered, that (as Mr. Lardner with his ufual good Senfe obferves,) the Populace appeared zealously on Chriff's Side but a few Days before; and the Reafon of their turning against him was, his not affuming a Temporal Kingdom, as they certainly expected he would have done. (See Lardn. Credib. Vol. i. book i. chap. 5. pag. 170.) And we may farther add, that a very fmall Body of Forces, under a Leader endowed with fuch miraculous Power, as Jefus lately exercised, might have been fufficient to vanquish all the Roman Legions. Compare Nite (i) on John vi. 14. Vol. i. pag. 489..

(b) Every

Pilate comes out, and tells the Jews, be found no Fault in him.

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38 Pilate faith unto him,

What is Truth? And when again unto the Jews, and faith to the Chief Priefts, and to the People,] I find no Fault at all in this Man.] ELUKE XXIII. 4].

he had faid this, he went out

535 now to rescue me out of their Hands: But now Sect. 186.

my Kingdom is not from bence, nor to be erected John XVIII

here; and therefore I have been fo far from arm-
ing my Followers with Secular Weapons, that,
the Guard who came to apprehend me know, I
have forbid their making use of those they had..

36.

Pilate therefore faid to him, Thou fpeakest how- 37
ever, of thy Kingdom, and thy Subjects: Art
thou then really a King?

And Jefus answered him and faid, therein cou
ragiously witneffing a good Confeffion, (1 Tim.
vi. 13.) Thou fayeft [right;] I am indeed, as thou
haft faid, a King; the King of the Jews, and
the appointed Head and Governor of the whole
Ifrael of GOD; nor will I ever bafely feek my
Safety, by renouncing my Divine Claim to the
moft excellent Majefty and extenfive Dominion :
Nay, for this Purpose was I born, and for this

End I came into the World from another and much
better Abode, that I might bear Witness to the
Cause of Truth in general; and in particular to
this great and fundamental Branch of it: And I'
have given fuch ample Proof of this, that every
honeft and well-difpofed Perfon, who is indeed a
Friend of the Truth, heareth my Voice, and
an entire Deference to my Inftructions (b).

pays

Pilate fays to bim, What is the Truth which 38:
thou referreft to, and fpeakeft of as thy Business
to atteft? And when he had faid this, as Jefus
made a Paufe, and did not immediately make
him any Anfwer, his Hurry would not allow him
to wait for it: So he went out again to the Jews,
and faid to the Chief Pricfts and the People affem-
bled with them abroad, I have examined the Pri-
foner you brought me in private; and I must
freely declare, that I find no Fault at all in this
Man, nor can I perceive that he is any Enemy,
either to the Rights of Cæfar, or the Tranquillity
and Happiness of the Jews; and therefore do not
fee

(b) Every Perfon who is a Friend of the Truth, heareth my Voice.] What our Lord here. fays incidentally, is to be regarded as an univerfal Maxim; all fincere Lovers of the Truth will hear him: And accordingly St. John, with all Simplicity, depending on the Evidences which he, and his Brethren,, had given of their Miffion from Chrift, lays down the fame Teft. John iv. 6. We are of GOD; he that knoweth GOD, heareth us.

536

Reflections on CHRIST's Examination by Pilate.

Sect. 186. fee how I cam with any Juftice condemn him to
i die. But his Accufers refafed to acquiefce in this,
JohnXVIII. and advanced a more circumftantial Charge againft
38.
him; which gave Occafion to that Examination
before Herod, which will be related in the next
Section."

H%

IMPROVEMENT.

OW much Exactnefs in the Ceremonials of Religion may be found in thofe, who have even the most outragious Contempt for its vital Principles and effential Duties! Yea, how much of that Exactnefs may be made fubfervient to the most mifchievous and DiaboJohn xviii. lical Purposes! Thefe Wolves in Sheep's Clothing would not enter into the Houfe of a Heathen, left they should be polluted, and become unfit to eat the Paffover; yet they contrive, and urge an impious Murther, which that very Heathen, tho' he had much lefs Evidence of Christ's Innocence than they, could not be brought to permit without strong Reluctance, and a folemn, tho' vain, tranferring of the Guilt from himself to them.

28.

Luke xxiii. 2.

Juftly might our Lord fay in the Words of David, They laid to my Charge Things which I knew not. (Pfal. xxxv. 11.) Yet what can defend the moft Innocent and Excellent against malicious Slanders and Defamations? Or who can expect, or even wish, wholly to efcape, when fuch Mat. xxvii. Accufations are brought againft Chrift, even by the Rulers of his Nation, who should have been Men of diftinguished Generofity and Honour! But instead of this, they were all an Affembly of Murtherers, and lay in wait for their Prey like fo many devouring Lions.

12.

John xviii. 29, 30.

Ver. 37.

Ver. 36.

Pilate would renew the Examination of the Caufe; and fo far he acted a cautious and an honourable Part. But, alas, how many that fet out on fuch Maxims, want Courage and Refolution to purfue them. But the Courage of Chrift never failed. He witnessed before Pontius Pilate the good Confeffion, we have now been reading; (1 Tim. vi. 13.) and owned himself a King, tho' at the fame Time he declared, (what it were to be wished, all his Followers had duly regarded,) that his Kingdom is not of this World. Greatly do we debafe it, if we imagine it is; and most unworthy is it of thofe that call themselves the Minifters of his Kingdom, to act as if they thought it was. Yet fuch is the Wickedness of some, and fuch the Blindness of others, in the Roman Church, that tho' of all the Churches in the World it is manifeftly the moft Secular Kingdom (1), it arrogates to itself the Name, not only of a Part, but of the whole of Chrift's Kingdom here below.

drift

(i) It is manifeftly the moft Secular Kingdom.] This Mr. Boyfe of Dublin has finely illuftrated in his most ingenious Difcourfe on thefe Words.

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