'  Before  this  tribunal  the  great  Redeemer  of  mankind  was
brought,  afhd  the  priests  and  elders  having  taken  tbeir  places
round  the  pavement,  the  governor  ascended  the  judgment  seat,
and  asked  th&m  wh#t  accusation  they  brought  against  the  pris*
oner?  Though  nothing  could  be  more  natural  than  for  the
governor  to  ask  this  question,  yet  the  Jews  thought  tbemselvea
highly  affronted  by  it,  and  haughtily  answered,  Tf  he  had  not
been  a  very  great  iind  extraordinary  malefactor,  we  should  not
have  given  you  this  trouble  at  all,  mueh  less  ftt  so  inistasonable
an  hour.
'  Pilate  then  examined  Jesus;  and  finding  he  bad  not  been  gnil*
ty  either  of  rebellion  or  sedition,  but  th^t  he  was  accused  of  par*
ticolars  relatfaig  to  the  religion  and  custom  of  the  Jews,  grew  an*
gry,  and  said.  What  are  these  things  to  me  ?  Take  him  your*
selves,  and  judge  him  according  to  your  own  law.  Plainly  iotinn^
atiug,  that,  iu  his  opinion,  the  crime  they  laid  to  the  prisooer'a
charge  was  not  of  a  capital  nature:  and  that  such  punisbmenta
as  tlvey  were  permitted  by  Cs&sar  to  inflict  were  adequate  to  any
misdemeanor  that  Jesus  was  charged  with.  But  this  proposal  of
the  Roman  governor  was  absolutely  refused  by  the  Jewish  priesiia
and  elders,  beeause  it  condemned  the  whole  proceeding ;  and
tbetefeve  tbey  answered.  We  have  no  power  to  pot  any  one  ta
death,  as  thia  man  oertmnly  deserves,  who  has  attempted  not  only
io  make  innovations  in  our  religion,  but  also  set  up  himself  for  ar
king.
The  eagemess  of  the  Jews  to  get  Jesus  condemned  by  the
Roman  governor,  who  oAe»  sentenced  malefactors    to  be  cni«^


SM  LIFE  OF  CHRIST.
