xxiii. 2.

Luke JESUS: They told him, they had found that fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay tribute to Cæfar, pretending that he himself was CHRIST; that is, a King.

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 answer'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 I that fay this of you; am I a Jew? do I know any thing of your Prophefies concerning your Meffiab, 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 Meffiab, 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,

4

kingdom, not from hence. If I were what my Accufers pretend I am, I should not be without Followers and Accomplices, i 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 confequently, that the Jews have no just Grounds for delivering me up to you, upon that Account.

Pilate therefore faid unto him, Art thou a King then? JESUS answered, Thou faift that I am a King. I never took that Tide 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 blesfed LORD did not think proper to make any Reply. As knowing, without Doubt, that it could not be feasonable, in refpect to either, Perfon, Place, or Time, to begin then to unfold the Great Mystery of Godliness. And to the reft of the infna

ring Questions, which by the Instigation Matt. of his Accufers, were put to him, he anxxvii. 12. fwered nothing. Then faid Pilate unto him, Hearest 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 fuch a Complication of Crimes, behaving himself with fo 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 accuse 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 Jerufalem, 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. themat

For

For Herod had been defirous to fee JESUS, of a long Seafon, because he had heard much Talk of him; and now he hop'd to have seen some Miracle done by him. But, fo far was he from having his Expectations gratified, that he could not get the least Answer from him: though the Chief Priefts and Scribes, who had follow'd him thither, food and vehemently accus'd him. Herod therefore, and the Soldiers that were about him, fet him at nought, and mock'd him, and to make him look ridiculous, drefs'd him in a gorgeous 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 accufe him. No, nor yet Herod; for I fent you to him: and lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore scourge him (for pretend ing to be a King at all) and releafe him, For it was customary for the Governor

Cc 4

to

Joh. xix. 'I, &c.

to release some Prifoner, at the Feast of
the Paffover, whomfoever they would
defire. And there being at that Time,
one Barabbas, (who for a certain Sedition
made in the City, and for Murder, was cast
into Prison) they requested that Barabbas
might be releas'd. But as for JESUS, they
infifted upon
it that he should be crucified.
But Pilate being defirous that JESUS
should be releas'd, faid to them again,
Why? what evil bath he done? I have found
no cause of death in him. I will therefore
chaftife him for his Misdemeanour, and then
let him go.

Pilate accordingly had him fcourg'd, in order to his Discharge: And the Soldiers platted a Crown of Thorns, and put it upon his Head, and bowing the Knee before him, with the most ignominious Mockery and Scoffing, endeavour'd to turn him into all imaginable Ridicule. And, in this Condition, Pilate brought him out to them again, to deliver him back into their Hands. But they no fooner faw him, but they cried out, Crucify him, Crucify him. Pilate faid unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him; if you will crucify an innocent Perfon; for I find

no