an Opportunity of cafting his Eye upon Peter, while he was in the very Act of denying him: Which fo affected the poor unhappy Man, that he went out and wept bitterly.

The next Morning early, the Chief Priests, and Elders, and Scribes, and all the People being affembled, and the Court fitting, JESUS was led once more into Luke their Council. And they having a mind xxii. 66. to know whether he continued in his former Confeffion, put the fame Question to him again, faying, Art thou the CHRIST? ---67. tell us. And And upon his returning much the fame Anfwer as before, after a short Confultation among themfelves they confirm'd their former Sentence; and immediately led him away to the Judgment Hall, and deliver'd him to Pilate the Roman Governor; praying Execution.

But, it being the Day before the Passover, they would not enter into the Judgment Hall themselves, left they fhould be defil'd by it; that is, difqualified, by going into the Houfe of a Heathen; Pilate therefore came out to them, and asked them, what Accufation they brought against

Cc 2

John

JESUS: xviii. 29.

xxiii. 2.

Luke JESUS They told him, they had found that fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay tribute to Cæfar, pretending that be himself was CHRIST; that is, King. 7 nonde Then Pilate went, and took his Seat, in the Judgment Hall, and began to examine JESUS, who stood before him; faying; Art thou the King of the Jews? To which JESUS anfwer'd to this EfJohn fect; You Say that I am; and others have xviii. 34, told you fo; But I never pretended to claim

&c.

any fuch Title, | After which Pilate proceeded, It is not that fay this of you; am I a Jew? do I know any thing of your Prophefies concerning your Meffiah, or King, that is to come? Thine own nation and the Chief Priests have delivered thee unto me, in Order for Execution; What haft thou done?

Then JESUS (without denying that he was the Meffiah, the CHRIST, the Anointed, and confequently a King) anfwered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my fervants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: But now is my kingdom, wais 4

kingdom, not from hence. If I were what my Accufers pretend I am, I should not be without Followers and Accomplices, who would have made fome kind of Oppofition in my Defence; But, nothing of this appearing, it is plain I do not pretend to any Kingdom in this World; and i confequently, that the Jews have no juft Grounds for delivering me up to you, upon that Account.

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Pilate therefore faid unto him, Art thou a King then? JESUS answered, Thou faift that I am a King! I never took that Title upon my felf: If therefore you defire to know of me what I pretend to be, thus much I readily confefs; To this end was I born, and for this caufe came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the Truth. Then Pilate faid, What is Truth? what do you mean, and intend by that Word Truth? To which our bleffed LORD did not think proper to make any Reply. As knowing, without Doubt, that it could not be feafonable, in respect to either, Perfon, Place, or Time, to be gin then to unfold the Great Mystery of Godliness. And to the reft of the infnaCc 3 ring

ring Questions, which by the Inftigation Matt. of his Accufers, were put to him, he an xxvii. 12. fwered fwered nothing. Then faid Pilate unto him, Heareft thou not how many · things they witness against thee? And he answer'd him to never a Word; infomuch that the Governor marvelled greatly. He wonder'd to find a Perfon charg'd with such a Complication of Crimes, behaving himself with so much Temper and Discretion, and fuch an Air of Innocence.

Then Pilate, going out to the Chief Priefts, and Elders, declar'd to them, that he could find no Fault in JESUS. Upon which they began to accufe him more fiercely and vehemently than before; saying, He firreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry; beginning from Galilee to this place. When therefore Pilate heard talk of Galilee, which was in Herod's Jurifdiction, he fent him to Herod, who himself was alfo at Jerusalem, at that Time. This Compliment of Pilate, pleas'd Herod much; and was the Occafion of reconciling them together; for before, there had happen'd to be fome Mifunderstanding between them.

For

7

2 him

For Herod had been defirous to fee JESUS, of a long Seafon, because he had I heard much Talk of him; and now he hop'd to have seen fome Miracle done by But, fo far was he from having = his Expectations gratified, that he could not get the leaft Answer from him: though the Chief Priefts and Scribes, who I had follow'd him thither, ftood and veheimently accus'd him. Herod therefore, and

the Soldiers that were about him, set him at nought, and mock'd him, and to make him look ridiculous, drefs'd him in a gorge ous Robe, and fent him back again to Pilate.

Then Pilate spoke to the Chief Priests, and the Rulers, and the People, and faid unto them; Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and behold I, having examin'd him before you, have found no fault in this man, touching thofe things whereof ye accuse him. No, por yet Herod; for I fent you to him: and lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him I will therefore Scourge him (for pretending to be a King at all) and release him: For it was customary for the Governor Cc4

to