Mat. v.

22.

beard his blafphemy: What think ye? They anfwered and faid, He is guilty of death. But when Judæa came to be fubject to the Romans, these referv'd the Power of Life and Death to themselves; fo that this Council could proceed no further than to Condemnation. For Execution, they were to apply to the Roman Governor.

Some are of Opinion that there were more Courts of Judicature at Jerufalem than this we have been speaking of; and that they were above each other in Dignity; where Caufes were heard according to their Importance, before the higher or the inferior Courts; and that each could inflict higher Degrees of Punishment than the other: And that our Saviour alludes to thefe, when he fays; Whoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever fall fay to his brother, Raca, fhall be in danger of the council; but, whosoever fhall fay, Thou fool, fhall be in danger of bellfire.

Interpreters fuppofe that our LORD proportions the Punishments in the next World, according to the different Senten

ces

ces which were usual in the different Courts of Judicature at Jerufalem. Therefore they fay, the Judgment, means that Court where the Judges were three and twenty, and could only fentence to death by the Sword; The Council, alludes to the Court where the feventy Elders fate, which was the Great Sanhedrim, and could punish by ftoning to Death: And that, by HellFires the Burning of the greatest Malefactors in the Valley of Hinnom, is implied.

That by the Words Judgment and Coun cil, either different Courts, or, at least, different Punishments are alluded to, seems very plain; though it is difficult to affign exprefly, which they were. When our LORD foretells his own Sufferings to his Difciples, he mentions the feveral Sorts of Men that were to fit in Judgment upon him; where it it faid; From that time Mat. xvi. forth began JESUS to fhew unto his difciples, how that he must go unto Jerufalem, and fuffer many things of the Elders, and Chief Priefts, and Scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. But this means the Great Council or Sanhedrim.

For,

21.

47.

I, &c.

For, as foon as his Preaching came to be obferv'd, and did, as they thought, impugn the ancient Law; This Council

thought it a Matter worthy of their CogJohn xi. nizance. Then gathered the Chief Priests and Pharifees a council; and faid, What do we? For this man doth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: And the Romans fhall come and take away both our place and nation. Again, Luke xx. we are told; That on one of thofe days, as be taught the people, in the temple, and preached the Gospel, the Chief Priests, and Scribes came upon him, with the Elders; and spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doft thou these things, or, who is be that gave thee this authority? And when this Expedient would not ferve their Turn, they fent out fpies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words; that, fo they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

20.

But this Stratagem fucceeding no better than the other; and because they feared the People, who furrounded him to fee his Miracles, and hear his Doctrine; they

afterwards

afterwards agreed to publish an Order, requiring all Perfons under fome Penalty, wherefoever they faw him or met with him, immediately to come and inform them of it. And, as the Pallover was then approaching, they took it for granted he would come to the Feast, and thereby furnish them with an Opportunity of getting him into their Hands. Now both the John xi. Chief Priests and Pharifees had given a 57. commandment, that if any man knew where be were, he should fhew it, that they might take him. And this probably was accompanied with a Promise, that the Informer fhould be well rewarded.

Allur'd with the Hopes of which, Judas, one of his twelve Difciples, went to them and made a Propofal; that for thirty Pieces of Silver, he would discover him, in fuch a Manner, as effectually to put him into their Power. They covenanted with him accordingly. And, becaufe JESUS, though he appear'd daily in publick, was continually furrounded and defended by the Multitude, his Hearers and Admirers, and therefore could not fo well be apprehended, Judas undertook

to

xvill. I,

to fhew them where they might find him in his private Retirement, at Night, when every thing was still and quiet. So, taJohn king with him, a band of men and officers, &c. from the Chief Priests and Pharifees, with lanterns and torches and weapons, he conducted them, over the Brook Cedron, which ran close by the Walls of the City, into a fuburbian Garden; where JESUS us'd often to refort, with his Difciples. There they found him, accordingly; and took him, and bound him, and so led him away.

SECT. VII.

The Trial of our LORD.

Now this celebrated Trial and Condemnation of our bleffed LORD, being the most ample Inftance of any in Scripture, of the Method of Proceeding in the Great Council or Sanhedrim, it will be worth while to trace every Step taken therein, from the Time of his being apprehended, to that of his Crucifixion; as they are feverally related by the four Evangelifts.

They