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This, which Pilate had not heard before, alarmed him; and going again into the judgment hall, he asked Jefus," Whence he was." He making no aufwer, Pilate faid, Speakeft thou not to me? Knoweft thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and power to release thee?" Jefus, without being at all intimidated at this, replied that he "could have had no power against him, if it had not been given to him from above,' meaning from God, in confequence of whofe councils it was that he fhould die in that manner, and that the Jews, who had delivered him into his power were more guilty than he; an answer which shewed a consciousness of his innocence, together with a reflecting and a perfectly composed mind, notwithstanding all the fhocking treatment he had met with.

His uncommon patience and magnanimity in thefe circumftances made Pilate more than ever defirous to release him. But the Jews threatening him with the difpleafure of the emperor, in acquitting a perfon accused of making himself a king, he finally gave a pofitive order for his crucifixion,

Jefus

Jefus making no refiftance, and ufing no intreaty. Never, in all hiftory, do we read of fuch a trial as this; fuch inveterate malice on the part of the accufers, fuch a persuasion of the innocence of the accufed person in the judge, and fuch steady compofure, dignity, and uniform propriety of conduct, on the part of the accused.

As they were conducting Jefus to the place of execution, though he was fo exhaufted that he was not able to carry his crofs, he was fo far from being wholly occupied with the idea of what he was going to fuffer; that feeing a great company of people, and especially of women," beating their breafts, and lamenting him," he said, with great affection, and ftrong feeling for them, and for his country, (Luke xxiii. 28)

Daughters of Jerufalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For behold the days are coming, in the which they fhall fay, Bleffed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps that never gave fuck. And they fhall begin to fay to the mountains, Fall on us, and to the hills, Cover us. For if they

do

do these things in the green wood, what

• If I,

will be done in the dry?" that is, being innocent, fuffer fo much, what must they fuffer who are guilty?"

Many perfons have, with much seeming courage, braved death, and even torture, till they came to the actual feeling of pain, with which their heroifm has entirely failed them. But Jefus was far from fhrinking at the nearest approach, or the actual experience of the greatest pain. Being offered, as was ufual, a draught of a stupifying potion, he declined it; not chufing to avail himself of any fuch advantage, whether feeming or real; and probably at the very time that the foldiers were nailing him to the cross, or elevating it, when he would feel the greateft pain, he uttered that remarkable prayer for them, (Luke xxiii. 34)" Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

When Jefus hung on the crofs, he made no reply to the unbounded infults with which his ungenerous enemies then affailed him; but feeing his mother ftanding near his cross, along with his beloved difciple John, he affectionately recommended her to

his care, as his own mother; and to the penitent thief, who was crucified along with him, he calmly and confidently faid,

"This

day fhalt thou be with me in paradife."

The crucifixion began about our nine o'clock in the morning. At three in the afternoon Jefus began to repeat the 22d Pfalm, which begins with these words,

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My God, My God, why hatt thou forfaken me?" not having any idea of God having really forfaken him; for nothing, furely, can be more improbable than this, when he was then in the act of the most perfect obedience to his will. "Therefore, fays he, (John x. 17) doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life;" but there are many parts of that Pfalm which defcribed his fituation, and to the whole of it he might wish to direct the attention of the bystanders; perhaps, mentally at least, he went through the whole. The effect of torture being to occafion extreme thirst, Jefus about this time afked for fomething to drink, and accepted of a fponge dipped in vinegàr, after which, and faying, "Father, into thy hands I commit my fpirit," he expired.

The

The Roman centurion who, as his duty required, attended the execution, was fo much ftruck with thefe circumstances, that it is faid (Luke xxiii. 47) "he glorified God, faying, Certainly this was a righteous man," or as another evangelift reports it, (Mark xv. 39) "Truly this man was the fon of God."

Such are the particulars of this most extraordinary scene, and certainly they bespeak a character of peculiar greatness, exceeding in real magnanimity all that we read of in any history whatever, an union of every fentiment that can give dignity to human nature, the greatest meeknefs, patience, fortitude, benevolence, and piety.

After his refurrection, Jefus is represented as acting with as much dignity as before, but rather with lefs familiarity. When he discovered himself to Mary Magdalene, who at first took him for the gardener, but prefently after knew him by his voice and manner, she, as was natural, fell at his feet, probably meaning to kifs them. But he checked her, faying, (John xx. 17) "Touch me not. I do not yet afcend unto my Father,

but