attached to them; it would reft with the efficient. Had Pilate been compelled to give sentence against Chrift, he would have had no sense of guilt; nor could he have been juftly criminated. But when the motives which actuated him, and his freedom of choice are confidered, he must have been condemned of himself, and of all mankind.

WHEN Pilate appealed to our Lord, that he was poffeffed of power, either to crucify or releafe him, the juftice of the claim is admitted; but then,

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II. HE is reminded by the divine prisoner, that he poffeffed only delegated power, intimating that he was accountable for the use he should make of it. Thou couldeft, have no power against me, except it were given thee from above.

PILATE probably prided himself on his exaltation.

He was fet in authority. In his province, his power resembled that formerly in the hands of the Babalonish tyrant: "Whom he would he flew, and whom he would he kept alive." It might flatter his pride to find himself the judge of one whom fome confidered heir to the crown of Judah; others as being of divine origin-the Son of God-the expected Meffias, who was to deliver Ifrael, and raise them to power. Perhaps he valued himself on power to do either right or wrong -that he was neceffitated to neither. Knoweft thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to releafe thee?

THOUGH Chrift had given him no answer when Pilate demanded his origin, he now reminds him, boafting of his power, that it was all derived, or delegated; particularly that which he poffeffed

over his prifoner, whom he had acknowledged to be faultlefs Thou couldeft have no power against me except it were given thee from above. As though he' had faid, "Remember Pilate, that with all your high feelings, and parade of power, you have no power which is properly your own; none which is not derived from above; none for the use of which "There is one who you are not accountable. ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and giveth them to whomsoever he will, and fetteth up over them the baseft of men." To answer his myfterious purposes you are now in authority; but forget not whence it is derived, and the consequences of abufing it. "There may be oppreffion of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, but marvel not at the matter; for he who is higher than the higheft regardeth"he will fet all right in the end. For the use which you make of your powers, you must give account

to him."

SUCH feems to have been the import of Chrift's reply to this haughty ruler, boafting of his powers, on this occafion. What fentiments it raised in the breaft of this Roman, we are not informed; but the reply was full of falutary counfel and inftruction. Had Pilate regarded it as he ought, it would have prevented him from having been a principal actor in the vileft enormity ever committed on this globe.

PILATE feems to have felt in degree, the weight of Chrift's reply, and to have been the more concerned. For it follows: "From thenceforth Pi

late fought to release him." He had fought it before. "From thenceforth," he was yet more defirous to fet Christ at liberty, and exerted him. felf more earnestly to perfuade the Jews to confent to his discharge.

BUT this was not all which Chrift faid on the occafion; he added,

· III. ANOTHER observation, which related to those who had confpired his death, and brought him to Pilate's bar; perhaps more particularly to Judas, who had betrayed him-therefore HE that delivered me unto thee hath the greater fin. If only one person is here intended, as having delivered Chrift to Pilate, Judas muft have been the perfon.

THAT Pilate poffeffed fuch power, the power of life and death, is declared an aggravation of his guilt, who had delivered him to Pilate; in which there might be an allufion to Pilate's character as an unprincipled man. He was known to be under the government of appetite, paffion, or selfish. nefs. He had been often guilty of injustice and cruelty in his public adminiftration. Therefore had his enemies the greater fin in delivering Jefus

unto him.

SUCH we apprehend to be the meaning of the text; which hath been thought to be obfcure and difficult. The difficulty will ftrike us, if we read the whole paffage as it ftands in the translation. Pilate faith unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? Knoweft thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to releafe thee? Jefus anfwered,

vented him from delivering Jefus to his enemies, and kept him clear of a crime, the perpetration of which, darkened even the natural world, and threw it into convulfions !

PILATE felt so much force in the warning, that he was perplexed. He wifhed to acquit the prifoner; of whofe innocence he was fatisfied; but he feared the Jews. He was probably apprehensive that they might inform against him at Rome, as he knew, that much of his paft adminiftration could not be juftified. He had not therefore the courage to tell the Jews, that juftice forbad, and he would not condemn the guiltlefs. What had he to do with justice, who had often fported with it, to gratify his paffions, or gain his selfish purpofes? Who had done it openly, and it was matter of public notoriety? The Jews urged, "if thou let this man go, thou art not Cæfar's friend." Pilate trembled; but his fear of Cæfar prevailed above his fear of God. "He consented therefore, that it fhould be as they required, and delivered Jesus to their will."

REFLECTIONS.

1. WHEN We contemplate these things, what a feries of wonders rife to our view? The state of man-the way in which he was brought into it; and that in which only he could be delivered from it, are all mysterious! Man had ruined himselfruined his race! Human guilt could not be expi. ated without blood! Without blood divine! Man had finned, and the Son of God muft fuffer, or fin could not be pardoned! No other facrifice

could make atonement. Chrift confented to undertake the work of our redemption-to "make his foul an offering for fin !" But how? He must take human nature! Become man! Wonder of wonders! Still difficulty remained. He muft die, "the just for the unjuft!" In what manner could this be accomplished? Chrifl's fufferings would be, of all crimes, the moft finful, in those by whom he fuffered. No good man could knowingly take part in them. They could only be the work of Chrift's enemies, and of the enemies of God, and goodness.

It is no fmall part of this mystery, that the good fhould oppose, and that it should be their duty to oppose, that which had become neceffary for man's falvation! And that the wicked fhould be engaged to do that which was requisite for this end! And that their enmity againft God and the Redeemer, fhould excite and influence them thereto !

BUT though every thing relating to this matter is too deep for us, Deity had no embarraffment. To omniscience all was eafy and obvious. The great Supreme needed only to fit at helm, fuperin. tend and overrule the lufts of apoftate creatures, to effect the purposes of his grace! Need only to permit man freely to follow his own inclinations! "The wrath of man would thus be made to praise God;" and the defigns of mercy be accomplished! The greatest good be occafioned by the greatest evil! God glorified, and finners faved!

THE mystery of redemption was veiled, till atonement had been made for fin. That fatisfac