Matthew to have been put into his right. hand, became a sceptre of righteousness : and he, to whom the chief priests and rulers gave, in derifion, the title of king of the Jews, became acknowledged by the powers of the earth as King of kings, Lord of lords, and the universal Sovereign of the world.

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4. Pilate, therefore, went forth again, "and faith unto them, Behold, I bring "him forth to you, that

ye may know

"that I find no fault in him.

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5. Then came Jesus forth, wearing "the crown of thorns, and the purple "robe. And Pilate faith unto them, Be"hold the man!

"6. When the chief priests, therefore, "and officers faw him, they cried out, faying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate

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"faith unto them, Take ye him, and cru

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cify him: for I find no fault in him.

"7. The Jews answered him, We have "a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. ❝ 8. When

"8. When Pilate, therefore, heard that saying, he was the more afraid;

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9. And went again into the Judgmenthall, and faith unto Jefus, Whence art "thou? But Jefus gave him no answer.

"10. Then faith Pilate unto him, Speak"eft thou not unto me? knoweft thou "not that I have power to crucify thee, " and have power to release thee?

"11. Jefus anfwered, Thou couldest "have no power at all against me, except "it were given thee from above: there"fore he that delivered me unto thee "hath the greater fin.

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"12. And from thenceforth Pilate fought to release him but the Jews "cried out, faying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Cefar's friend: whofoever maketh himself a king, speaketh against Cefar.

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13. When Pilate, therefore, heard "that saying, he brought Jefus forth, and "fat down in the Judgment-feat, in a

place that is called the Pavement, but "in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

"14. And

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14. And it was the preparation of "the Paffover, and about the fixth hour: "and he faith unto the Jews, Behold your King!

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15. But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate "faith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We "have no king but Cefar.

" 16. Then delivered he him, therefore, "unto them to be crucified. And they "took Jesus, and led him away.

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17. And he, bearing his crofs, went "forth into a place called the place of a

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fcull, which is called in the Hebrew, Golgotha ;

"18. Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either fide one, "and Jesus in the midst.”

Pilate, though difheartened at the obduracy of the Jews to the fufferings of Jefus, did not yet give up the attempt to fave him. Having no personal enmity to our Lord, the common feelings of huma

nity incited his compaffion for the unmerited cruelties exercised on

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one in whom he could find no fault;' and to this motive was added, that of fear of the vengeance due to the fhedding of innocent blood. To remove this guilt from himself, he, in answer to their clamor for his crucifixion, defires That they will take him and crucify him, fince he could find no fault in him. Upon this the Jews urge the plea that, by their law, his blafphemy, in calling himself the fon of God, was deferving of death; but this, instead of producing the defired effect upon Pilate, who was unbiaffed by the Jewish prejudices, made him the more afraid of paffing a final sentence: he therefore returns with our Lord into the Judgmenthall, and inquires more minutely from whence he was? But as our bleffed Lord knew that Pilate had not fufficient virtue to brave the resentment of the Jews in the cause of innocence, but would yield at last to their intreaties, although he should ex, plain himself ever fo fully, he continued 4M filent.

filent. Pilate, hurt at what he confidered as a disrespect to his authority, reminds him of his fituation, and of the power which he poffeffed, either to fave or condemn him. Our Lord checks this presumption, as far as it relates to himself, telling him that the power of which he boasted belonged to God alone; as if he had faid, though the power of life and death is vested in you, in the common courfe of criminal trials, yet over me you could not exercise it, had it not been decreed by the Almighty. He adds, That this would not excufe him for giving way to injuftice; although he was less guilty than the Jews: their crime in delivering him up to punishment being the effect of premeditated malice, envy and revenge; his, only the fear of bringing himself into a disagreeable situation, by making enemies of the Jews.

This difcourfe of our Lord's still added to Pilate's wish to fave him; which the Jews perceiving, and fearing they should be deprived of their prey, became ftill more clamorous for his condemnation.

Finding