and inconsiderable (in outward show) a person, however in his own conscience most innocent, as a boon or sacrifice to their importunate rage. Such he was; and yet it is observable that he behaved himself, in comparison of the furious Jews, with some moderation and ingenuity. He was so fair in examination of the case, as, notwithstanding their eager and clamorous prosecution, to discern the right, and declare our Saviour guiltless: he was so far constant and true to his conscience, as to expostulate with the Jews, and once, twice, a third time, to challenge them, 'Why, what evil hath he done?' As often did he discover his inclination and readiness (yea, his will and intention) to free the innocent person; yet had he not the heart or the honesty thoroughly to resist their importunity; they were more obstinate in their wicked, than he resolute in his good purpose: so out of fear to offend them, and favor to oblige them, (those usual corrupters of right judgment,) he yielded to them; suffering himself basely to be overborne by their wicked solicitations, sacrificing acknowleged innocence to his own private interest and their implacable malice. Thus did this heathen judge behave himself, serving divine Providence, not only in the public and formal condemnation of our Saviour to the punishment due to us, but in the solemn and serious absolution of him from all blame in himself; in outward show he condemned our Saviour; in truth he condemned himself (his corrupt judge) and the Jews (his malicious accusers :) though he took away his life, yet he cleared his reputation, and afforded a testimony most valid and convincing of his innocence; such as was requisite to confute all the Jewish calumnies and aspersions, and to confirm our faith. Farthermore; the name of Pontius Pilate intimates the place of our Saviour's passion, he being well known to have been governor of Judea, and to have his tribunal of justice at the mother city thereof, Jerusalem ; at Jerusalem, that 'bloody city,' as the prophet calls it, whose character it was to be the killer of the prophets, and stoner of them that were sent unto her; out of which it was (in a manner) impossible that a prophet should perish:' yet the place of all the world most favored and graced by God by special benefits and privileges; his own proper seat' (the city of God, the city of the great King, so it is styled,) 'which he had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel (out of all the people on earth) to put his name (to place his especial presence) there:' the holy, the beloved city : there, at his own doors, as it were, before his own sacred palace, where most especial respect and veneration were due to him, was the King of heaven adjudged and executed; by procurement of his own servants, peculiarly related to him, the chief priests and elders of his chosen people, persons wholly devoted to his service, and highly dignified by him, (whose office and especial duty it was to maintain truth and encourage righteousness, to procure honor to God and obedience to his commandments:) which as it greatly advances the goodness of him who willingly suffered there, and by such, so it much aggravates man's ingratitude and iniquity. It follows, crucified;' whereby is expressed the manner and kind of our Saviour's passion; which was by being affixed to a cross, (that is, to a kind of gibbet or patibulum,) mainly consisting of two beams, (or pieces of wood ;) one erect, to which the length of his body was applied and fastened by nails; the other transverse, to which (his arms being stretched out) his hands were nailed: which kind of suffering we may briefly consider as most bitter and painful; as most ignominious and shameful; as agreeable and advantageous to the designs of our Saviour's suffering; as significant and emblematical; as completory of divine perdictions and presignifications; in fine, as instructive, admonitory of duty, and excitative of devotion to us. 1. We may easily imagine what acerbity of pain must be endured in his limbs being stretched forth, racked, and tentered; and, continuing in that posture, in the piercing his hands and his feet (parts most exquisitely tender and sensible) with sharp, hard iron nails; so that (as it is said of Joseph) the iron entered into his soul, or his soul entered into iron, in abiding exposed to the injuries of sun scorching, wind beating on, weather searching his grievous sores and wounds: such a pain it was; and that no stupifying, no transient pain, but very acute, and withal lingering: we see, in the story, he and those that suffered with him had both presence of mind and time to discourse; three long hours and more he continued under such torment, sustaining every minute beyond the pangs of an ordinary death. So that well may that in the Lamentations be applied to his suffering state; ' Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.' Such a kind of suffering did our Saviour choose to undergo, declaring the excess of his love, (in being ready to endure the saddest afflictions and smarts for us ;) signifying the heinousness of our sins, (deserving so extreme punishment;) exemplifying the hardest duties of obedience and patience to us. 2. And as most sharp and afflictive in pain, so most vile and shameful was this kind of suffering. It was servile supplicium, (quod etiam homine libero, quamvis nocente videatur indignum,) a punishment never by the Romans (under whom our Saviour suffered) legally inflicted on freemen, but only on slaves, (such as were scarce regarded as men, or in life, having forfeited, as it were, made away, or quite lost themselves ;) and among the Jews, that punishment which approached nearest, and in part agreed therewith, (for they had no such cruel or inhuman kind of punishment appointed by their law,) hanging up the dead bodies of such as had been executed, was accounted most infamous and abominable; ‘Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree,' on a patibulum, says the Law: cursed; that is, addicted to reproach and malediction: cursed of God, (the Hebrew hath it;) that is, doth seem to be deserted and rejected and afflicted of God. In the very nature of the thing, to be raised on high, and for a good continuance of time offered to the view of all that pass by, doth beget ill suspicion and provoke censure; invites obloquy, scorn, and contempt; draws forth language of derision, despite, and detestation, especially from the rude and hard-hearted multitude, who think and speak according to event and appearance; who sequitur fortunam semper et odit damnatos :) so we see that the people did mock, and jeer, and revile, (ἐξεμυκτήριζον, ἐνέπαιξον, ἐβλασφήμουν,) drawing up their noses, shooting out their lips, and shaking their heads, and letting loose their tongues against him, in this condition; (the same men perhaps who had formerly admired his glorious works, and had been affected with his excellent discourses; who had followed, and favored, and blessed, and glorified him.) 'They look and stare on me,' is a part of the description of his suffering; (answering to that in St. Luke, εἰστήκει ὁ λαὸς θεωρῶν; the people stood gazing on him;) and θεατρίζεσθαι, to be made a gazing-stock, (or object of reproach,) we see, is reckoned by the Apostle as an aggravation of affliction. Hence became it such a scandal, &c. Thus did our Saviour endure the cross, despising the shame; (despising; that is, not simply esteeming it as no evil, but not esteeming it so great an evil, as for the avoiding it to neglect the accomplishment of his great and glorious designs.) There is in man's nature an aversation or abhorrency of disgrace, perhaps more strong than that of pain: mockings and scourgings we find joined together; nor doth pain more grievously affect the animal sense, than being insulted over and despised goes against the grain of men's fancy and natural constitution of soul; and generally men will more contentedly endure one than the other. We need not therefore doubt but our Saviour was sensible of this natural evil, and that such indignity did add some degree of bitterness and loathsomeness to his cup of affliction; yet, in consideration of the glory that would accrue to God, the benefit to us, the reward to himself, he willingly underwent it; 'He became a curse for us,' (was exposed to all malediction and reviling from sinful men ;) ' despised and rejected, and disesteemed of men,' in the prophet's language; did also seem deserted and rejected by God himself, (himself in a manner concurring in such an opinion, as by his woful outcry, Lama sabachthani, doth appear.) ('We did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.'] So did he become a curse for us, that we might be redeemed from the curse of the Law; (that is, from that exemplary punishment due to our transgression of the Law, with the disgrace before men, and the displeasure of God attending it ;) he was contented to be dealt with as a slave, (as a wretched miscreant,) ' making himself of no reputation,' that we might be free, not only from the pain, but from the ignominy we deserved, and with our lives recover both our honor and liberty, which we had forfeited and lost. 3. Farther; this kind of suffering had some advantages, and did conduce toward our Saviour's design in being notorious, and in continuing a competent time. If he had been privately made away, or suddenly dispatched, no such great notice had been taken of it, nor could the matter of fact itself have been so fully proved, (for the confirmation of faith and conviction of infidelity,) nor had that excellent deportment of his under such affliction (his most divine patience, meekness, and charity) so illustriously shone forth. God's providence therefore did order it so, (to prevent all exceptions and excuses of unbelief,) that as the course of his life, so the manner of his death should be most open and conspicuous; 'These things, as St. Paul told King Agrippa, 'were not done in a corner;' (nor presently hushed up; but were done leisurely, in the face of the world :) I spoke freely,' saith our Saviour, 'to the world; I always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where the Jews from all places resort; and in secret have I done nothing.' His proceedings were not close or clanculary, but frank and open; and as he lived, so he died, publicly and visibly, the world being witness of his death, and so prepared to believe his resurrection, and to embrace his doctrine; according to what himself foretold: 'I, being lifted up from the earth, shall draw all men unto me;' (all men to take notice, by the remarkableness of it; some to believe on me, by the wondrous consequences of it;) and, As Moses did exalt the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be exalted;' (that as by beholding the serpent elevated on a pole men were cured of those mortiferous stings they had received; so by believing on him crucified men should be saved from those destructive and deadly sins they had committed.) 4. This kind of suffering also seems in many respects significant, and full of instructive emblems. His posture represented that large and comprehensive charity which he bare in his heart toward us, stretching forth his arms of kindness, pity, and mercy; with them, as it were, to embrace the whole world, and receive all mankind under the wings of his gracious protection: it showed him earnestly, as it were, wooing and entreating us to return to God, and embrace the reconciliation he had purchased and did offer; ' I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people:' God did so of old by his prophets mediately and figuratively; he did so in our Saviour BAR. VOL. VI. Y |