Ambrose - Houston-Packer Collection BX5200 .A49 1674

354 Book IV. 1Lool-1 tng unto 'jjcftt£'. Cha p 1. Seer. 7 . SECT. VII. Of Cl;rift's e;;~minario11, and condemnation, with their Appendices. ·NOw ir wasrhar th~y led him from Ann,u to Caiphar; and prefcntly a Council is called,, of rhe H1gh Pmfts, Scribes, and Elders ; rhefe wer~ the gr_eateft, gra– vefl, learned ft, WJfeft men _among{( them, and they all confp!te ro Judge !urn, who is the great Judge both of qu1ck and dead.---In their proceedings, we ma'y obferve I. The captious examination of the High Priefl. 2. The facrikgious fmiting of on~ of the Servants. 3. The impious accufarions of the Witndfes. 4· The Sentence of the Judges. 5. The perfidious denial of perjured Peter. Cl. Tile lhameful delulion, and abufes of the bafe Attendants. JohA ,g, I I. For the captious examination of the High Pri_efl:. The High Prieft then. 1 ukfd Jr9· .(iu_ of hw Di{ciples, and of hu .Doilrme. I . Of Ius D1foples; what the <]Ueflwns were, 1t IS nor expreffed; but probably they might be fuch as rhefe ; Ho1v many Difciples he had? tmdwhere they were? and what was become of them? .rhy be f/JOuld takf ~tpon him to be better guarded than sthers of gre.uer place and calling ? wi.erher It did not favonr of [edition a11d diftllrbance of the State, to leadabout fuch a Cm v of Difciples and followers afur him? and \\'hat IV..< the reafon of their flight ? whether it were pot atok§n of thei7 [t•iltinifs of{ome diforder, or of riotop.s prailifes ? ·It is nor for me to fpeak how many QE_eries the High Prieft might make to tempt Jefus ; but certain! y he was fifred to the Bran, examined to the full of all fuch circumflances as either might trap Chrift, or in the leall: degree advance and help forward his condemnation; to this quefiion concerning his Difciples, our Saviour anfwered nothing; alas, he knew the frailty of his followers, he might have faid, For my Difciples, yote fee one hath betrayed me, and dnother will an011 forfwear me, he jfayes btet for the crowing of the Cock._ , dnd then )'Oil r~a/l hear him Citrfe' .mdfivear, that he never kzrew me; 1111d for all the reft, a panniclz. fear lwh f eiz.ed upon their hearts, 1111d they are fled, Andh~<ve left me alone to tread the lVine-pre(s. Ah no, he will not fpeak evil of the Teachers of his people; it was grief to him, and added to his fufferings, that all had forfaken him; once before this, many of bis Difciples went back.., andwalksd no more with him; which occafionedJefus to fay to the twelve, willye alfogo ? lohn 6 67, 68 • why no, faid Peter then, Lord, whither (hall we go? thote IMft the words of etern.11iife; 9 · and we believe, and are (sere, that thou art that Chrift the Son of the Living God. Oh Pe– ter, what a ftrong faith was that? we believe, and we are jure; but how is it now thac ye have no faith? or why are ye fo fearful, 0 ye of little Faith? I believe this fate tipon the hearr of Chrift, and yet he would not accufe them, who now ftood in their plrces, and wao accufed for them, and for us all; and therefore to that queHion of his Difciples, he anfwered nothing. · 2. He asked him of his Doctrine; what his queftions were of that, are not fet down neither; but probably they might be fuch as thefe; Who tv.u his Mafter, or inftrl!iler in that new Doilrine he had fat e/y broached ? why he did feek.. to innovate, and alter thti>' long prafli(ed andaccNftomed Rites ? and tvhat ground had he to bring in his otvn devices in thei7 fteads? M -Bapti[m for CircJtmcijion; the Lords Supper for the Pafsover; him– foif andhi< Apoftles for the high Priefts and Levires, when neither he, nor moft of them_ were of that Tribe .' why he was fo bold and fa11CJ (being but three and thmy )'ears of age) to declame fo bitterly and Jatyrica/ly againjt the Pharifces, and S~ddtece~, and Scribes, and Priejls, and Elders of the people? ~uc~ of tlus ftuffe he mtght bn~g out in his Interrogatories; that fo by his queftioning !urn Ill man~ thmgs•. he 1mghr tnp h1m in fomething ro his confufion and deflruction.-And tO rh1s que[hon our Sav10ur anJoh. ts.,~,~l. fwers;burOhhowwifely!Ifpaksopenlyto the world (fa1dhe) levertateghtm tbcSyna– gog11etmd in the Temple, whether the (ews alwayes refortrd; and m fccret !Jave I [<td no– thing · whytUksftthoHme, as/z.themwh<ch heard me, what I fatd Hn<o them, behold they k!tow ~hdt 1{aid: q. d.I ap~eal to the reftimony of tbe very _enemies themfelves ; thou fufpectefl me to be a feditious perfon, and one rim plots _m1f:Iuef agamfl the State Ill ferret; I tell thee truth, Ifpeak.. nothing in [ecret (e.) noth1ng In the leaft manner ten~ing ro fedition; my Dod:rine I brought w•th me. from the bofo~n of r:'Y Father, lt JS the everlafting Gofpel,and nor of yeflerday ; and I_t conrams norhmg Ill It ofSedwon,Fa– ction Rebellion Treafon. ask thefe mine Enemies, rhefe who have apprehended and ' ' - ' bound

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