and SAVÍOUR, JESUS CHRIST, and his APOSTLES, &c. 259 purfuing her hulband and family on ac- count of the injufice he was going to commit. But whatever the dreamwas, it had fo great an effea on this Roman lady, that fhe could not ref till fhe had fent an account of it to her hufband, who was then fitting on the tribunal in the pave- ment, and begged him to have no hand in the death of the righteous perfon who was then brought to his bar. As the people had not yet determined whether theywould have Jesus or Barabbas releafed to them ; Pilate therefore, when he received the meffage from his wife, called the chief priefis and rulers together, and, in the hearing of the multitude, made a fpeech to them, in which he gave them an account of the examination which Jesus had undergone both at his own and Herod's tribunal, declaring that in both courts it had turned out honourably to his charac- ter ; for which reafon he propofed to them, that he fhould be the objea ofthe people's favour, and be acquitted. The intent of Pilate, in doing the priefis the honour to confult their inclinations in particular, might, in 'all probability, be with a defign to foften their Pony hearts, and, if poffible, to move them for once to pity an unhappy, an innocent man. Fut he was perfuaded that if pity was abfo- lutely banifhed from their callous breafs, his propofal would have been acceptable to the people, whom he expe&ed would embrace the firf opportunity of declaring in his favour. Yet in this he was difap- pointed. They cried out all at once, Away with this man, and releafe unto us Barabbas. Ye apoflate mortals, a few hours ago ye liflened with rapture to his heavenly difcourfes, beheld with tranfport the many falutary miracles wrought by this bene- volent fonof the Moft High, and earnefily importuned him to take poffelfion of the throne and fceptre ofDavid ! Now nothing will fatiate your infernal malice but his precious blood! But remember ye mif- creants, ye monftera in the human form, 1 that this fame Jesus, whom ye beheld with fueh contempt before the tribunal of the Roman governor; this Jesus, whofe blood your infernal mouths fo loudly re= quelled, [hall one day come in the clouds of heaven to take vengeance on his ene- mies ! And how will ye be able to bear the fight of his appearance, when the very heavens themfelves will melt at his pre- fence, '° the fun became black as fackcloth " of hair," the moon be turned into blood, and the fans fly from their 1pheres ? How will ye then repent of your unjuft demand, and call to. the mountains and rocks to fall on you, and hide you from the prefence ofthat immaculate Lamb of God, the tre' mendous judge of the quick and dead ! The governor himfelf was aflonifhed at this determination of the multitude, and repeated his quell ion ; for he could hardly believe what he had himfelf heard. But on their again declaring that they,defired Barabbas might be releafed, he afked them, What hefhould dowith .7efus, which is called ChrtJl ? as if he had faid, you demand that., Barabbas fnould be releafed ; but what [ball I then do with Jesus? you cannot furely delire me to crucify him, whom fo many of you have acknowledged as your Meífiah? But they cried, Paying, crucify him, crucify him. Then Pilatelaid unto them, Why, what evil bath he done P And they cried out the more exceedingly, Cru- cify him. They were fo refolutely deter- mined to have him deflroyed, that not- withfanding Pilate urged them again and again to delire his releafe, declared his innocence, and offered feveral times to difmifs him, they would not hear it, utter- ing their rage, fometimes in hollow, diftant, inarticulate murmurs, and fometimes in furious outcries : to filch a pitchwere their pallions raifed by the craft and artful inf nuations of the priefs, and their own thief for his blood. Finding it therefore in vain to firuggle with their prejudicies, Pilate called for water, and wafsed his hands before the multitude, crying out at the fame time, that
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