256 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE of oitr BLESSED LORD he pavement, the governor afcended the judgment-feat, and afked them what accu- fation they brought againít the prifoner? Though nothing could be more natural than for the governor to alle this queftion, yet the Jews thought themfelves highly af- fronted by it. They probably knew his fentiments concerning the prifoner, and therefore confidered his queftion as intend- ed to infinuate, that they brought one to be condemned, aping whom they could find no accufation. Pilate might indeed (peak to them in a (tern manner, and by that means fufftciently indicate his difplea- fure : but, however that be, the Jews haughtily anfwered, if he had not been a very great and extraordinary malefallor, we fhould not have given thee this trouble, at all, much lets at fo unfeafonable an hour as the prefent. Jesus was then examined by Pilate, who finding he had not been guilty either of rebellion or (edition, but that he was ac- cufed of particulars relating to the religion and cufloms of the Jews, grew angry, and Maid, What are there things to me? Take him yourfelves, and judge him according to your own law: plainly infinuating, that in his opinion, the crime they laid to the prifoner's charge was not of a capital na- ture ; and that fuch punifhments as they were permitted by Cæfar to infliEl, were adequate to any lnifdemeanor that Jesus was charged with. But this propofal of the Roman governor was abfolutely re- futed by the Jewifh ,priells and elders, becaufe it condemned their whole proceed- ing, and therefore they anfwered, We have no power to put any one to death, as this man certainly deferves, who has attempted not only to make innovations in our reli- gion, but alto let tip himfelf for a king. This eagernefs of the Jews to get Jesus condemned by the Roman governor, who often fentenced nialefalors to be crucified, tended to fulfil the fayings of our great Redeemer, who, during the courfe of his miniliry, had often mentioned what kind of death he was appointed to die by 3 the predetermination of the Omnifcient God. As Pilate now found it impollhble to pre- vent a tumult, unlefs he proceeded to try JESUS, he therefore afcended again the judgment-feat, and commanded his.accufers to produce their charges againft him. Ac- cordingly, they accufed him of feditious praél:ices, affirming that he had ufed every method in his power to diffuade the people from paying taxes to Cæfar, pretending that he himfelf was the Mefliah, the great king of the Jews fo long expefed: but they brought no proof of this affertion. They onlyinfinuated, that they had already conviéted him of this crime ; which was abfolutely falle. Pilate, however, Aced him, Is it true, what there men lay to thy charge, that thou haft indeed. at- tempted to let up thyfelf as King of the Jews? To which Jesus replied, hail thou ever, during thy flay in this province, heard any thing of me, that gave thee any reafon to fufpef me guilty of fecret prac- tices and feditious defigns againft the go- vernment? Ordoft thou found thy queftion only on the prefent clamour and tumult that is railed againft me? If this be the cafe, be very careful left thou be impoted on merely by the ambiguity of a word : for, to he Kingof the Jews, is not toerel a temporal throne in oppofition to- that of Cæfar, but fomething very different from it ; the kingdom of the 'Meffiah is of 'a fpirituai nature. Pilate replied, Am I a Jew? Can I tell what their expefations are, and in what fuperllitiou.s fenfe they underfland there words ? The rulers and chiefs of thine own people, who,are the molt proper judges of there particulars,. have brought thee before me, as a riotous and feditious perfon : if this be not the truth, let me know what is, and the crime thou haft been guilty of, and what they lay to thy charge. To which Jesus anfwered, I have indeed a-kingdom, andhthis kingdom Ihave pro - feffed to eftablifh ; but then it is not of this world, nor have my endeavours to eflebliflt it
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