and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, and his APOSTLES, &c. 265 and faflened it to the crofs, over the head ofJESUS and the infcription was JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KINGOF THE JEWS: But when the chief priefis and elders had read this title they were greatly difpleafed becaufe, as it reprefented the crime for which Jesus was condemned, it infinuated that he had been acknowledged for the Meffiah : befides, being placed over the head of one who was dying by the moll infamous punifhment, it implied, that all who attempted to deliver the Jews, fhould perifh in the fame manner. The faith and hope of the nation, therefore, being thus publicly ridiculed, it is no won- der that the prieffs thought themfelves highly affronted ; and, accordingly, came to Pilate, begging that the writing might be altered ; but as he had intended the affront in revenge for their forcing him to,crucify JEsus, contrary both to his judgment and inclination, he refufed to grant their re- quefl : What Ihave written, faid he, Ihave written; and perfiffed in his refolution not to alter the infcription. The foldiers, having nailed the bleffed JESUS to the crofs, and erefled it, divided his garments amongfi them ; but his coat, or vefture, being without feam, woven from the top throughout, they agreed not to rend it, but to calf lots for it, that the prediaion of the prophet concerning the death and fuffenings of the Meffiah might be fulfilled: They darted my garments amongfl them, and upon my vellure did they call lots. A fuflìcient indication that every circumflance of the death and paf- fion of the bleffed JESUS was long before determined in the court of heaven ; and, accordingly, his being crucified between two malefaRors was exprefsly foretold, And he was numbered with the tranfgrers. When the common people, whom the vile prieffs had incenfed againfl the bleffed JESUS, by the malicious falfhoods they had fpread concerning him, and which they pretended to found on the depò- fition of witneffes, faw him hang in fo in- famous a manner upon the crois, and No. 23. reading the infcription that was placed over his head, they expreffed their indignation againfl him by farcaflical expreffions -: Ah, thou, faid they, that deroyellthe temple, and builds it in three days, fave thyfélf, and conte downfrom the crofs. I The multitude were not the only perfons who mocked and derided the bleffedJesus, while he was fuffering to obtain the remit- lion of the fins of all mankind. The rulers, who now imagined they had effec- tually deflroyed his pretenfions to the cha- railer of the Meffiah, joined the populace in ridiculing him, and with a meannefs of foul, which many infamous wretches would have !Corned, mocked him, even while he was flruggling with the agonies of death: they fcoffed at the miracles by which he demonfirated himfelf to be the Meffiah, and promifedto believe in him, on condi- tion of his proving his pretenfions by de- fcending from the crofs: He caved others, faid they, himfelf he cannotfave. Ifhe be the King of Ifrael, let him now come down from the crofs, and we will believe him : not knowing what they faid. Nothing couldbe more falfe and hypo- critical than this pretenfion of the 113ff- necked Jews : for they continued in their unbelief, notwithflanding they well knew that he raifed himfelf from the dead ; a muchgreater miracle than his coming down from the crois would have been, a miracle attefled by witneffes whofe veracity they could not call in queflion: it was told them by the foldiers whom they themfelves placed at the fepulchre to watch the body, andwho theywere obliged to bribe largely to conceal the truth. It is therefore abun- dantly evident, that if the bleffed JESUS had defcended from the crois, the Jewifh prieffs wouldhave continued in their infi- delity ; and confequently that their decla- ration was made with no other intention than to infult the Redeemer of mankind, thinking it impoffible for him now to drape out of their hands. The foldiers alfo joined. in this general frene of mockery, If thou be the King of the yews, faid they, fave 3 T thyfelf.
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