26o The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE of our BLESSED LORD that the prifoner had no fault, and that he hirnfelfwas not acceffory to his death. Pilate, by this aft and declaration, Teems to have intended to make impreflìon on the Jewilh populace, by complying with the inflitutions of Mofes, which orders, in cafe ofan unknown murder, the elders of the neareft city to wafh their hands publicly, and fay, Our hands have not flied this blood. And in allufion to this law, the Pfahnift fays, I will walk mine hands in innocency. According therefore to the Jewilh rites, Pilate made the moll folemn and public declaration of the innocence of our dear Redeemer, and of his refolution ofhaving no hand in his death. Perhaps he flattered hirnfelf that by this folemn appeal, he fhould have terrified the Jewifh populace; for a perfon of his underfland- ing and education could notbut be fenfible, that all the water in the univerfe was not fnfftcient to wafh away the guilt of an unrighteous fentence. But notwithfland- ing the folemnity of this declaration, the Jews continued inflexible, and cried out, withone voice, His blood be on us and on our children. Dreadful imprecation ! It (hocks humanity! An imprecation which brought on them the dreadful vengeance ofOmnipotence, and is ftill a heavy burden on that perfidious people, who are dif perfed all over the earth ! Pilate, finding it impoffible to alter their choice, releafed unto them Barabbas. And as it was the general praaice of the Romans to fcourge thofe criminals they condemned to be crucified, Pilate or- dered the bleffed JESUS to be fcourged before he delivered him to the foldiers to be put todeath. The foldiers having ac- cordingly fcourged Jesus, and received orders to crucify him, carried him into the Prwtorium, or common-hall, where they added the (name of difgrace to the bitter - nefs of his punifhment; for fore as he was by reafon of the !tripes they had given him, they dreffed him ina purple robe, inderifion of his being the King of the Jews. Having dreffed him in this robe of mock- majefty, 2 they put a reed in his hand, inffead of a fceptre, and after plaiting a wreath Of thorns, they "put it on his head for a crown ; forcing it down in fo rude a man- ner, that his temples were torn, and his face befmeared with his moll precious blood. To the Son of God in this condi- tion, the rude foldiers bowed the knee, pretending to do-it out ofrefpeét ;' but, at the fame time gave him fevere blows onthe head, which drove the prickles of the wreath afrefit into his temples, then fpit on him to exprefs their higheft contempt and difdain. The office of governor, obliging Pilate to be prefent at this (hocking fcene of in- humanity, he was ready to burli with grief. The fight of an innocent, and virtuous man treated with fuch fhocking barbarity, raifed in his breaft the moll painful fenfations of pity : and though he had given fentence that it fhould be as the Jews defired, and had delivered our dear Redeemer to the foldiers to be crucified, he was perfuaded, that if he fhewed him to the people in that condition, they mul relent, and petition him to let him go. Filled with this thought he refolved to carry him out, and exhibit to their view a fpectacle capable of foftening the moil envenomed, obdurate, enraged enemy. And, in order to render the impreflion hill more poignant, he went out himfelf, and faid unto them, Though I have fentenced this man to die, and have fcourged him as one that is to be crucified; yet I once more bring himbefore you, that I may again'teflify how fully I am per- fuaded of his innocence, and that ye may yet have an opportunity of baying his life, and clearing the guiltlefs. No fooner had the governor finifhed his fpeech, than Jesus appeared on the pave- ment, with his hair, his face, his (boulders all clotted with blood, and the purple robe bedaubed with fpittle. And that the fight of Jesus- in this diftrefs might make the greater iinpreflion on the people, Pilate, while he was coming forward, cried out, Behold the asan ! As if he had faid, will nothing
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