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xix. 31,

&c.

it up to his mouth. It is not to be fuppos❜d that he drank, or scarce tafted of it; he did not fo much as receive it, in Intentention, but in Fact was oblig'd to fubmit to it; because they not only gave it to him, but forc'd him to take it. Immediately after which, he faid, It is finished. And then, bowing his head, and breathing out this Ejaculation, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit, He gave up the Ghoft.

At that Inftant, the vail of the temple was rent in twain, from the top to the bot-. tom; The earth did quake; the rocks were rent; and the graves were opened. Infomuch, that the Centurion, who commanded the Soldiers that guarded him, and the Generality of Spectators were deeply affected with it; and could not help saying to one another with Horror and Remorfe at what had paft, This was certainly the Son of God; or, at least, a very Righteous Man.

John Soon after, because it was the preparátion, or Day before the Sabbath and Feast of the Passover, the Jews, that the bodies fhould not remain upon the cross on the fab

bath

bath (as a Roman Governor, who had little or no Regard for their Law, would have chose to let them do, after the Custom of his own Nation) befought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Pilate consenting, Then came the foldiers and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with bim. But when they came to JESUS, and faw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs. But, one of the foldiers, with a spear, pierced his fide, and forthwith came there out, blood and water. Which things were done that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of Exod. xii. him fhall not be broken. And again, ano- 46. ther Scripture faith, They shall look on him Zech.xii. whom they pierced.

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And, when even was come, a rich man of Arimathea, nam'd Joseph, (a good and juft Man, a Counsellor, one indeed of the Senate, but, fo far from confenting to the Council and Deed of them that condemn'd JESUS, that he, was fecretly, his Difciple,) went to Pilate and begg'd the body of JESUS. And Pilate commanded the body to be deliver'd. Joseph therefore, and Ni

codemus,

10.

&c.

codemus, (who likewife had a Regard for JESUS, and had brought a Quantity of Ingredients proper for the Purpose) had his Body embalm'd, and laid it in a Sepulchre which was near the Place of Execution. And fo the Law was fulfill'd, in relation to our LORD, in this Particular alfo; that, his body did not remain all night upon the tree, but was taken down and buried, the fame day.

Before we clofe our Account of this kind of Punishment, it will not be amiss to see how prophetically it is delineated by the Pfalmift; who defcribes the Manner of our LORD's Crucifixion, as exactly as if he had beheld it with his own Pfalm Eyes. I am a worm, and no man; a rexxii. 6, proach of men, and defpifed of the people. All they that fee me, laugh me to scorn; they Shoot out the lip, they shake the bead, faying, He trufted in God that he would deliver him; Let him deliver him, feeing he delighted in him. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of

my

my bowels. My ftrength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the duft of death. For dogs have compafed me; the affembly of the wicked have enclosed me; they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones; they look and ftare upon me. They part my garments among them, and caft lots upon my vesture. They gave me alfo gall for my meat, and, Pfalm in my thirst, they gave me vinegar to lxix. 21.

drink.

1

To which, now we are upon the Subject, we may add a little more, out of one of the Prophets; and out of that Cloud of Testimonies, which the Scriptures of old predicted concerning the Sufferings of the Meffiah. He is defpis'd and Ifaiah rejected of men; a man of forrows, and ac- liii. 3, &c. quainted with grief; and we hid, as it were, 1 our faces from him. He was defpifed, and we efteemed him not. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought, as a lamb to the flaughter: And, as a sheep before her fhearers is dumb, jo be openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison, and from judg

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ment: and who shall declare his generation For he was cut off out of the land of the living. For the tranfgreffion of my people was be ftricken. And he made his gravı with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. But he was wounded for our tranfgreffions; be was bruifed for our iniquities: the chaftifement of our peace was upon him, and with bis ftripes we are healed. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he fhall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his foul unto death. And he was numbered with the tranfgreffors, and he bare the fin of many, and made interceffion for the tranfgref fors.

Proceed we next to that Way of putting Criminals to Death, which was perform'd by Stoning them. The Crimes to which this Punishment was due, by the Law, were these four; Forfaking the LORD, by worshipping strange Gods; Blafphemy; Sabbath-Breaking; and Adultery. And whoever was the Informer or Witness, in any of thefe Cafes, they, af

ter

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