condemn contain a great deal of good; but they pretend, without any just grounds, that it is mixt with so much poison as not to be read without extreme danger.

5. As the accusers of the blessed Jesus charged him, that at least he prepared the minds of the people for a revolt, though it was not actually broke out into open rebellion; so in our days, the pure doctrine of Christ is accused as the foundation of all heresy, and pernicious errors; and therefore the followers of Antichrist pretend, that the growing evil is to be opposed in time, and that the sparks which lie concealed in the embers must be quenched, lest they kindle a conflagration, in which the church and state may be involved.

6. As the accusers of Christ represented him as one of that rebellious multitude, which had made an insurrection in Galilee, and refused to pay tribute to the Roman emperor; so it is in our times. Thus Luther was charged by his adversaries with acting in concert with Thomas Muntzer; and thus many faithful servants of God are accused of holding the tenets of the ancient or modern heretics, and of propagating, almost the same impious doctrines.

7. Lastly, As the enemies of our blessed Saviour mingled some truths with their false accusations; as, for instance, that Jesus began to teach in Galilee; but perverted those truths to a very wicked purpose; so likewise many things are laid to the charge of the faithful servants of God, which are really true; but these are mixed with false imputatiorts, and such imnd captain of our Salvation, since by that means the way is paved for the members, that they may get ver the offence of the cross. Praised be the Lord

esus for submitting to all these accusations for our

ake.

Secondly, Political prudence, unless it be goerned by the superior light of God's word, has alvays shewn itself an enemy to Christ and his cross.

Of this we here see a remarkable instance in Piate. The political prudence, which he shewed on his occasion, was a carnal prudence, tending to inrease the sufferings of the innocent Jesus, and exose him to farther insults; though God at the same me conducted these several incidents, so as to acomplish his decrees. For,

1. By this was fulfilled that prophecy concerning ne Messiah, 'The kings of the earth set themselves nd the rulers take counsel together against the Lord nd against the Messiah, or his Anointed,' (Psalm ii. . Acts iv. 27.)

2. By this circumstance Christ's innocence beame still more conspicuous, and more publicly

nown.

3. By this delay of the proceedings against our lessed Saviour, his enemies and accusers had some me to reflect on what they were about, before they lunged themselves deeper in blood-guiltiness. However, these were not the effects of Pilate's sagaity or prudence; but of the divine wisdom, which irects every thing to good and wise ends. This is Do often the behaviour of magistrates and judges in ur days. Political men will not put themselves to he least inconveniency for the sake of the innocent

ivil post or worldly employment, so as to preserve is integrity, and a conscience void of offence. The ower of darkness will prove too strong for a man efore he is aware of it, unless he is supported by ower from on high. What great reason therefore, ave civilians and politicians to apply to the living God for the guidance of his spirit.

Thirdly, Christ, by these circumstances of his pasion, was to expiate many kinds of sin. He has toned,

1. For our suppressions of good motions when ney arise in the mind, and our hypocrisy in this articular. Therefore he suffered himself to be harged with raising rebellions and commotions mong the people.

2. He has atoned for the turbulent and rebellious notions, which frequently rise in our hearts against he divine law, to which the carnal mind will not be ubject; and likewise against the ordinance of the ivil power.

3. He has atoned for our voluntary subjection the power of the prince of darkness. Therefore Le submitted to be brought before the civil powers, nd even before Herod, a foreign prince to whose goernment he did not properly belong, being a native f Judea and not of Galilee, and was mocked and eviled before them.

4. He atoned for our fear of man, in omitting to rotect truth and innocence.

5. He atoned for the abuse of the Sovereign powr by which we endeavour to accomplish our wicked Lesign by rendering our enemy obnoxious to the

VOL. II.

indignities which Jesus endured before king Herod. Our blessed Lord had, indeed, already suffered a great deal. He had been led about the city in bonds, as a gazing-stock to be reviled and insulted, and had been brought in that manner from Pilate to Herod. It is hardly to be supposed that the procession was slow, and that they led him along gently. On the contrary, it is more probable that the rude multitude dragged him, and pushed him, in a brutish manner; since they were impatient to have the trial over. Thus the sacred body of our blessed Saviour, which, the night before, had sweated blood during his mental agony, was now the more enfeebled by this rude treatment, and was after all this, on the same day, obliged to drag the cross after him to mount Golgotha. But the sufferings which Christ endured before Herod properly consisted of these four particulars.

1. In the disadvantageous opinion which Herod conceived of him. This profligate and voluptuous Prince looked on our Saviour as a sorcerer, who performed surprising wonders by his skill in magic. On this account he was exceeding glad when he was informed, that this famous magician, as he thought, of whom he had already heard such strange things, was to be brought before him. He made no doubt that he should be entertained with the sight of many wonderful performances, which he had only heard of before from other persons. To hear the pure doctrine of the blessed Jesus, and to be instructed by him how to live in chastity, righteousness, and holiness, was no part of Herod's desire; but his impatience was to see Jesus, being persuaded that he would be very glad to exhibit the most surprising rude multitude brutish manner; the trial over. Saviour, which, uring his mental ed by this rude the same day, omount Golgotha. endured before ur particulars. on which Herod and voluptuous orcerer, who pers skill in magic. glad when he was , as he thought, th strange things, Le made no doubt the sight of many had only heard of ear the pure docbe instructed by cousness, and holire; but his impaersuaded that he e most surprising

temptuous questions, wh are told by St. Luke, th in many words, the purp the manner of asking the specified: and as they pro and improper things, that worth his notice, it may b tions were suitable to his e perform some magical wo able that he enquired, Wh tist ? Whether the soul o sed into Jesus? What meth ly to cure certain distempe to be the king of the Je claim to the province of G. pect to make good his many sarcastical questions pearance, and the prophet blessed Jesus. How sensi our blessed Lord! How hear so many vain, idle, and this at a time when t most important serious heaven and earth, and, by cious blood, to establish God and man! He there