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CHAPTER XXXVII.

Pilate gives the Jews their Choice of JESUS or Barabbas to be released: Upon the Clamour of the common People, Barabbas is loosed, and JEsus delivered up to be crucified: He is crowned with Thorns, spit on, and mocked.

THE Roman governors at the passover made it a custom to court the favour of the populace, by gratifying them with the release of any one prisoner they pleased. And at this feast there was one in prison named Barabbas, who at the head of a number of rebels, had made an insurrection in the city, and committed murder during the tumult.

There being now again a great multitude of people assembled before the governor's palace, they began to call aloud on him to perform the annual office of mercy customary at the festival they were now celebrating. Pilate glad of this opportunity, told them, that he was willing to grant the favour they desired; and asked them whether they would have Barabbas or Jesus released unto them? But without waiting for an answer he offered to release Jesus knowing that the chief priests had delivered him through envy; especially as Herod had not found him guilty of the crimes he had been accused of.

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During these transactions Pilate received a message from his wife, then with him at Jerusalem, and who had that morning been informed of something in a dream which gave her great uneasiness. Perhaps it presaged the vengeance of the Almighty pursuing her husband and family on account of the injustice he was going to commit. But whatever the dream was, it had so great an affect on the Roman lady that she could not rest till she had sent an account of it to her husband, who was sitting on the tribunal in the pavement, and begged him to have no hand in the death of the right. cous person who was then brought to his bar.

As the people had not yet determined whether they would have JESUS or Barabbas released to them; Pilate therefore, when he received the message from his wife, called the chieť priests and rulers together, and in the hearing of the multitude, made a speech to them in which he gave them an ... account of the examination which JESUS had undergone both at his own & Herod's tribunal, declared that in both courts he had turned out honourably to his character; for which reason he proposed to them that he should be the object of the people's favour, and be acquitted.

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The intent of Pilate, in doing the priests the honour to consult their in. clinations in particular, might, in all probability, be with a design to soften their stony hearts, and if possible, to move them for once to pity an unhappy an innocent man. But he was persuaded that if pity was absolutely banished from their callous breasts, his proposal would have been acceptable to the common people, whom he expected would embrace the first opportunity of declaring in his favour. Yet in this he was disappointed. They cried out all at once, "Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas.

Ye apostate mortals, a few hours ago ye listened with rapture to his heavenly discourses, beheld with transport the many salutary miracles wrought by this benevolent son of the Most High, and earnestly importuned him to take possession of the throne and sceptre of David! Now nothing will satiate your infernal malice but his precious blood! But remember ye miscreants, ye monsters in human form, that this same JESUS, whom ye beheld with such contempt before the tribunal of the Roman governor; this Jesus, whose blood your infernal mouths so loudly requested, shall one day come in the clouds of heaven to take vengeance on his enemies! And how will ye be able to bear the sight of his appearance, when the very heavens themselves will melt with his presence, the sun become black as sackcloth of hair, the moon be turned into blood, and the stars fly from their spheres? How will ye then repent of your unjust demand, and call to the rocks and the mountains to fall on you, and hide you from the presence of that immaculate Lamb of God, the tremenduous judge of the quick and dead!

The governor himself was astonished at this determination of the multitude, & repeated his question; for he could hardly believe what he himself heard. But on their again declaring that they desired Barabbas might be released, he asked them, " What he should do with Jesus, which is called Christ ?" as if he had said, you demand that Barabbas should be released: but what shall I then do with JESUS ? you cannot surely desire me to crucify him, whom so many of you have acknowledged to be your Messiah? "But they cried, saying, crucify him, crucify him. Then Pilate said unto them, Why. what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly crucify him." They were so resolutely determined to have him destroyed, that notwithstanding Pilate urged them again and again to desire his release, declared his innocence and offered several times to dismiss him, they would not hear it, uttering their rage in sometimes hollow distant inarticulate murmurs, and sometimes in furious outcries; to such a pitch were their passions raised by the craft and artful insinuations of the priests, and their own thirst for his blood.

Finding it therefore in vain to struggle with their prejudices, Pilate called for water, and washed his hands before the multitude, crying out at the same time, that the prisoner had no fault, and that he himself was not accessory to his death.

Pilate, by this act and declaration, seems to have intended to make impression on the Jewish populace, by complying with the institutions of Moses, which orders, in case of an unknown murder, the elders of the nearest city to wash their hands publicly, and say, "Our hands have not shed this blood." And in allusion to this law, the Psalmist says "I will wash mine hands in innocency." According therefore to the Jewish rites, Pilate made the most solemn and public declaration of the innocence of our dear Redeemer, and of his resolution of having no hand in his death. Perhaps he flattered himself that by this solemn appeal, he should have terrified the Jewish populace; for a person of his his understanding and education could not but be sensible, that all the water in the universe was not sufficient to wash away the guilt of an unrighteous sentence. But notwithstanding the solemnity of this declaration, the Jews continued inflexible, and cried out, with one voice "His blood be on us & on our children." Dreadful imprecation! It shocks humanity! An imprecation which brought on them the dreadful vengeance of Omnipotence, and is still a heavy bur⚫den on that prefidious people, who are dispersed all over the earth!

Pilate finding it impossible to alter their choice, released unto them Ba. rabbas. And as it was the general practice of the Romans to scourge those criminals they condemned to be crucified, Pilate ordered the blessed JESUS to be scourged before he delivered him to the soldiers to be put to death. The soldiers having accordingly scourged Jesus, and received orders to crucify him, carried him into the Prætorim, or common halt, where they added the shame of disgrace to the bitterness of his punishment; for sore as he was by reason of the stripes they had given him, they dressed him in a purple robe, in derision of his being the King of the Jews. Having dressed him in this robe of mock majesty, they put a reed in his hand, instead of a sceptre, and after plaiting a wreath of thorns, they put it upon his head for a crown; forcing it down in so rude a manner, that his temples were torn, and his face besmeared with his most precious blood. To the Son of God in this condition, the rude soldiers bowed the knee, pretending to do it out of respect; but, at the same time gave him severe blows on the head, which drove the prickles of the wreath afresh into his temples, then spit on him, to express their highest contempt and disdain.

The office of governor, obliging Pilate to be present at this shocking scene of inhumanity, he was ready to burst with grief. The sight of an innocent and virtuous man treated with such shocking barbarity raised in bis breast the most painful sensations of pity: and though he had given sentence that it should be as the Jews desired, and had delivered our dear Redeemer to the soldiers to be crucified, he was persuaded, that if he shewed him to the people in that condition, they must relent, and petition him to let him go. Filled with this thought, he resolved to carry him out and exhibit to their view a spectacle capable of softening the most envenomed, obdurate, enraged enemy. And in order to render the impression still more poignant he went out himself, and said unto them, Though I have sentenced this man to die, and have scourged him as one that is to be crucified; yet 1 once more bring him before you, that I may again testify how fully I am persuaded of his innocence, and that ye may yet have an opportunity of saving his life, and clearing the guiltless.

No sooner had the governor finished his speech than Jesus appeared on the pavement, with his hair, his face, his shoulders all clotted with blood, and the purple robe bedaubed with spittle. And that the sight of Jesus in this distress might make the greater impression on the people, Pilate, while he was coming forward, cried out, "Behold the man!" As if he had said, will nothing make you relent? Have you lost all the feelings of humanity and bowels of compassion? Can you bear to see the innocent, a son of Abraham, thus injured? Perhaps also the soldiers were suffered to buffet JESUS again on the pavement before the multitude, in order to excite their pity, or at least their pride: for though they might not pity JESUS

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person unjustly condemned, yet when they saw one of their countrymen insulted by heathens, it was natural for the governor to suppose, that their national pride being provoked it would induce them to have demanded his enlargement: but all this was to no purpose. The priests, whose rage and malice had extinguished not only the sentiments of justice and feelings of pity natural to the human heart, but also that love which countrymen bear for each other, no sooner saw JESUS than they began to fear the fickle populace might relent, and therefore, laying decency aside, they led the way to the multitude, crying out with all their might, Crucify him! Crucify him! Release not this man, but Barabbas!

The governor, vexed to see the Jewish rulers thus obstinately bent on the destruction of a person from whom they had nothing to fear that was dangerous, either with regard to their church or state, passionately told them, that if they would have him crucified, they must do it themselves; because he would not suffer his people to murder a man who was guilty of no crime. But this they all refused, thinking it dishonourable to receive permission to punish a person who had been more than once publiely declared innocent by his judge: besides they considered with themselves, that the governor might afterwards have called it sedition, as the permission had been extorted from him. Accordingly they told him, that even though none of the things alledged against the prisoner were true, he had committed such a crime in the presence of the council itself, as by law deserved the most ignominious death. He had spoken blasphemy, calling himself the Son of God, a title which no mortal could assume without the highest degree of guilt: "We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God, a divine person."

Pilate's fear was increased when he heard that JESUS called himself the Son of God: but knowing the obstinacy of the Jews in all matters of religion, he was afraid they would make a tumult in earnest; or, perhaps he was himself more afraid than ever to take away his life, because he supposed it might be true. He doubtless remembered the miracles said to have been performed by JESUSs, and therefore suspected that he really was the Son of God: for it is well known that the religion which the governor professed, directed him to acknowledge the existence of demigods and heroes, the Heathens believed, that their gods themselves sometimes appeared upon earth in the form of men, and conversed with them.

These kind of expressions induced Pilate to go again into the judgmenthall, and ask JESUS from what father he sprung, and from what country he came? But our blessed Saviour gave him no answer, lest the governor should reverse his sentence, and absolutely refuse to crucify him. Pilate marvelled greatly at this silence, and said unto JESUS, Why dost thou refuse to answer me? Thou canst not be ignorant that I am invested with absolute power, either to release or crucify thee. To which Jesus answered, I well know that thou art Cæsar's servant, and accountable to him for thy management. I forgive thee any injury, which, contrary to thy inclination, the popular fury constrains thee to do unto me. Thou hast not thy power from above, but from the emperor: for which cause the Jewish high priest, who hath put me into thy hands, and by pretending that I am Cæsar's enemy, forces thee to condemn me; or if thou refusest, will accuse thee as negligent of the emperor's interest; he is more guilty than thee : " He that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin, being instigated thereto by malice."

Hearing this sweet and modest answer, such an impression was thereby made on Pilate, that he went out to the people, and declared his intention of releasing Jesus, whether they gave their consent or not. Upon which the chief priests and rulers of Israel cried out, "If thou let this man go, thou art not Cæsar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king, speaketh against Cæsar." If thou releasest the prisoner, who hath set himself up for a king, and endeavoured to raise a rebellion in the country, thon art unfaithful to the interest of the emperor thy master. This argument was weighty, and shook Pilate's resolution to the very basis: he was terrified at the thought of being accused to Tiberius, who in all affairs of government always suspected the worst, and punished the most minute crimes relative thereto, with death. The governor being thus constrained to yield contrary to his inclination, was very angry with the priests for stirring up the people to such a pitch of madness, and determined to affront them. He therefore brought JESUS out a second time into the pavement, wearing the purple robe and the crown of thorns; and, pointing to him, said, " Behold your King;" ridiculing the national expectation of a Messiah, as their deliverer.

Stung to the quick, by this sarcastical expression, they cried out "Away with him, away with him, crucify him." To which Pilate answered, with the same mocking air, " Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests an

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swered, We have no king but Cæsar." Thus did they publicly renounce their hope of the Messiah, which the whole economy of their religion had been calculated to cherish: they also publicly acknowledged their subjec tion to the Romans; and, consequently, condemned themselves, when they afterwards rebelled against the emperor Vespasian, who, with his son Titus, destroyed their city and temple.

We may here observe that the great unwillingness of the governor to pass sentence of death upon Jesus, has something in it very remarkable. For from the character of Pilate, as drawn by the Roman historians themselves, he seems to have been far from possessing any true principle of virtue. To what then could it be owing, that so wicked a man should so steadily adhere to the cause of innocence, which he defended with uncommon bravery, and perhaps would never have abandoned it, had he not been forced by the threatenings of the chief priests and rulers of Israel? And when he did yield, and passed sentence upon our dear Redeemer, why did he still declare him innocent? This can certainly be attributed to no other cause than to the secret and powerful direction of the providence of the Almighty, who intended that at the same time his son was condemned and executed as a malefactor, his innocence should be made to appear in the most public manner and by the most authentic evidence; even that of the judge himself. It was the power of the Almighty that set bounds to the inveterate malice and fury of the Jews, that would not suffer them to stain the innocence of the blessed JESUS, at the same time they deprived him of his life; but said to their boisterous malice, as he had before said to the foaming billows of the ocean, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed:" for none can stay his hand, or control his will.

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CHAPTER XXXVIII.

JESUS is led to Calvary: Simon the Syrenian, compelled to carry the Cross: He is crucified between two Malefactors: A Title is put upon the Cross by Pilate, and Lots cast for his garments: The Multitude, the Rulers, the Priests, and the Soldiers revile JESUS: The conversion of one of of the Thieves: The great and unnatural Eclipse of the Sun: Jesus speaks to his Friends from the Cross, cries, It is finished," recommends his Spirit into the hands of his Father, and ex pires

O MY soul! come and follow thy Redeemer to the last scene of the most innocent and useful course that was ever passed on earth; follow him to Calvary's horrid eminence, to Calvary's fatal catastrophe; there fix thy most constant attention on that lovely, that sorrowful spectacle. Behold the spotless victim nailed to a tree and stabbed to the heart; hear him pour out prayers for his murderers, before he poured out his soul for transgressors; see the wounds that stream with forgiveness, and bleed balm for a distempered world. O! see the justice and goodness of the Almighty, his mercy and his vengeance; all his tremendous and gracious attributes manifested; manifested with inexpressible splendour, in the mosignominious, and yet grandest of tarnsactions that ever the world be held!

After sentence was pronounced against the blessed JESUS, the soldiers were ordered to prepare for his execution; a command which they readily obeyed, and after putting on him his own garments, led him away to