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A MIGHTY prince was then expected to arife in Ifrael. That he would fave his people from their enemies, and crush the powers which held them in fubjection, was the general idea entertained of him. But the Jews had no expectations of such a deliverer in the Son of Mary; nor did the Roman Governor fee aught in him to excite fufpicion of a formidable enemy. He wifhed, therefore, to release him; repeatedly declared him not guilty; and would have set him at liberty, but the Jews opposed. They declared that “ by their law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God" or gave himself out for the expected Meffas.

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THIS was probably the firft hint which Pilate received of this nature, and it feems to have alarmed him. "When he heard that faying he was the more afraid."

PILATE was not an Atheist. He appears to have had fome knowledge of a divine exiftence, and belief of a superintending providence. Living among the Jews, he was, no doubt, acquainted with their religion, and their expectations of a deliverer; and if there was a fufpicion that this was that deliverer, it concerned him to act with caution; at least to make inquiry. He therefore returned to the judgment hall, and entered on another examination of the prisoner. He began by inquiring after his origin. "He faid to Jefus, Whence art thou? But Jefus gave him no answer." The text follows, in which we obferve the follow. ing particulars, viz:

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I. PILATE blaming Jefus, for refufing to answer him-boafting of his power, and appealing to our Lord, that he poffeffed it. Speakeft thou not unto me? Knoweft thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to releafe thee?

II. CHRIST reminding Pilate, that he poffeffed only delegated power; intimating that he was accountable for the ufe he made of it. Thou couldeft have no power against me, except it were given thee from above.

III. CHRIST aggravating the guilt of those who had delivered him to Pilate, from a confideration of the power which he poffeffed, in which there might be an allufion to Pilate's character as an unprincipled man. Therefore, he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater fin. We will treat of these in their order.

I. WE observe Pilate blaming Jesus for refusing to answer him; boafting of his power, and appealing to our Lord that he poffeffed it. Speakeft thou not unto me? Knoweft thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to releafe thee?

BUT why is Chrift faulted? He had faid enough to convince the court of his innocence. The judge had repeatedly and publicly declared it. "I find no fault in him."

CHRIST'S filence was not fullen, or contemptuous. He had faid enough. His filence was pru. dent-perhaps neceffary. He had come into the world to fuffer-" to make his foul an offering for fin." Had he said more, perhaps Pilate had not dared to give fentence against him. Had not

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Chrift died, the ends of his coming had been fruftrated Therefore was he now dumb before his

oppreffors, agreeably to the prophecy. "He is brought as a lamb to the laughter, and as a fheep is dumb before his fhearers, fo he opened not his mouth."

Ir was neceffary that evidence fhould be given of Chrift's innocence, fufficient to convince the honeft mind, that he was not a malefactor

that he did not die for his own fin. This had been given. It was enough-rendered his murderers inexcufeable. The wifdom of providence permit ted no more.

PILATE declared him felf convinced. But then he had power either to crucify Chrift, or to release him. He felt himself poffeffed of this power, and appealed to our Lord whether he did not poffefs it. PILATE knew what was right-what he ought to do. Confcience directed him to acquit the guiltless. But this did not neceffitate him to do it. He had power to do right. He had power

alfo to do wrong.

OTHERS poffefs fimilar power. Every moral agent hath power to obey or difobey the dictates of his confcience. It is not the method of heaven to compel men to good, or leave them to be compelled to evil. God intended man to be a free agent, who fhould choose for himself the part he would act ; and endowed him with a felf determining power, to capacitate him to choose. De void of this power, he could not be accountable.

MAN ought to be governed by reafon and con

science. These make known his duty, and offer proper motives to induce him to dilcharge it. But they do not oblige him to it. It is referred to his own choice. If he prefer doing wrong, to doing right, he may do it.

THIS is exemplified in the cafe before us. Sufficient evidence was given of Chrift's innocence. The judge was convinced, and knew that it was his duty to treat him as innocent. But if to an. fwer worldly ends, or in any refpect to gratify depravity, he preferred crucifying the guiltless, he had power to do it. Though Jefus was the Son of God, God had left him in the hands of the enemy. "It was their hour and the power of darkness." They chofe and confpired his death. The Jews would not receive fuch a Meffias. Pi late did not choose to offend the Jews. The former urged his crucifixion, for fear "all men would believe on him." The latter was prevailed with to condemn the guiltlefs, because he wifhed to gratify the chiefs of the nation which he governed. Both finned againft the light of their own minds, not of neceflity, but out of choice-knowingly did wrong to gain worldly ends; or avoid temporal disadvantages.

SINNERS Commonly act on the fame principles. They can diftinguish between good and evil-can "judge of themselves what is right." They know it to be their duty to choose the good, and refuse the evil. But poffeffing power to counteract the dictates of confcience, often to gain worldly ends,

and answer finifter views, do counteract themchoose that for which they are condemned of themselves.

Ir is folly to pretend that our choices are necef. fary. The propofition involves abfurdity. Choice and neceffity are often oppofites.

SOME bewildered in the labyrinth of metaphyfics have doubted the plainest truths—the existence of matter! And even their own exiftence! But these doubts are a fpecies of madnefs. To the perfon of common fense they are unneceffary. Let him only believe his fenfes, which the author of nature hath given to instruct him, and they will all vanish.

IN the cafe before us, a fingle glance inward, carries full conviction that we are free. To offer arguments in proof is fuperfluous-is trifling-it is to ape the philofopher who attempted to fyllogize himself into a conviction of his own exiftenee !*

FROM the knowledge of our capacity, and liberty of choice, arifeth fenfe of merit and demerit. And thence our expectation of reward or punithment from an enlightened and righteous tribunal. Were we neceffitated to actions, now, the most criminal, we should have no fenfe of guilt; neither fhould we fear condemnation from a juft judge on their account. Did we choose such actions, if we knew our choices to be the effect of invincible, fupernal influence, they would give us no con

cern.

On our part, no criminality would be

*Cogito, ergo fum. DESCARTES.

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