Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	accuse_v	accuser_n	act_n	25	3	5.1802	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39227	The harmony of the Gospels in the holy history of the humiliation and sufferings of Jesus Christ from his incarnation to his death and burial published by John Eliot ...	Eliot, John, 1604-1690.	1678 (1678)	Wing E512; ESTC W4384	172,517	138

many things but he answered nothing And Pilate asked him again and said answerest thou nothing Behold how many things they witness against thee But Iesus yet answered nothing so that Pilate marvelled Luk. 23.2 3. And they began to accuse him saying we found this fellow perverting the nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar saying that he himself is Christ a King And Pilate asked him saying Art thou the King of the Iews And be answered him and said Thou sayest it Joh. 18.28 29 30. Then led they Iesus from Caiphas unto the Hall of Iudgment and it was early and they themselves went not into the judgment-hall lest they should be defiled but that they might eat the Passeover Pilate then went out unto them and said What accusation bring you against this man They answered and said unto him if he were not a Malefactor we would not have delivered him up unto thee From what is recorded in these Texts laid together the following History is collected 1. The place where Pilate began this Court was in the Pretorium the Roman judgement Hall Joh. 18.2 there Iesus Christ was presented before Pilate as a condemned person in the Court such as it was a Council of the Iews and they desired Pilate to put him to death after the Roman manner by crucifying him and by the Roman power 2. Pilate told them that he could not justly condemn him to dy until he had heard his accusers face to face and his offences lawfully proved against him and thereof he called for his accusers and witnesses of his evil deeds 3. Answer was made that the Iews might not by their Law come that day into the Pretorium because it was the Feast of the Passover and the morrow was that Sabbath which fell to be in their Feast week and therefore it was an high day Ioh. 19.31 The Feast was to be celebrated seven dayes Exod. 12 15 18. in which week one day must of necessity be a Sabbath and to morrow is that Sabbath And therefore they intreated Pilate to put him to death as one that they had condemned It seems that they thought to catch Pilate by this means to trust them and be their Servant to condemn and execute him because they had condemned him without seeing and examining the cause why they did condemn him But Pilate would not do so a just judge must see the cause before he condemn the person to die a just judge will stand upon his own legs see by his own eyes 4. Pilate though a Pagan yet in prudence so far complyed with respect to their Religion which they proposed and pretended in this case and condescended to go out of the Pretorium into some open pbulick place where the Iews might appear before him all this see Ioh. 18.28 29. They went not into the Iudgement Hall least they should be defiled but that they might eat the Passover Pilate then went out unto them and said what accusation bring you against this man Thus Pilate disappointed them of that device whereby they thought to have brought him to have believed and obeyed them Ioh. 18.30 They said that if he were not a Malefactor we would not have delivered him to thee But Pilate would hear and see the cause himself before he would condemn him 5. Now the chief Priests and Elders who were his Judges before and had condemned him in their Council were his accusers and they accused him of many things both to vindicate themselves and their own act in condemning him and to vent their envy against Jesus Christ That they did thus accuse him of many things before Pilate we have it from Pilates own mouth Math. 27.13 And Mar. 15.4 Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee Luk●●●th in●●ance in three particular accusations Luk. 23.2 They began to accuse him saying We found this man perverting the Nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar saying that he himself is King Touching the first of these his Perverting the Nation Pilate did strictly examine it as appears Luk. 23.14 Pilate saith unto them Ye have brought this man unto me as one that perverteth the people and behold I have examined him before you and have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him 2. Touching his forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar nothing is said of it in his examination It is not unlike but that the answer of Jesus to that poynt heretofore was so famous that Pilate had heard of it viz. that asking for a Tribute penny he asked whose Image and superscription is on it they said Cesars then he said give unto Cesar that which belongeth unto Cesar and to God that which is Gods Touching the third point his being King of the Jews Pilate asked him art thou the King of the Iews to whom Jesus answered thou sayest it he denyed it not nor at this time so fully asserted it as he did afterwards as shall be seen in its time and place 6. Pilate having given full scope and liberty to his accusers to produce what they would or could against him and strictly examined all their allegations he now called upon the Prisoner to answer for himself But Jesus kept silence and answered not a word Math. 27.12 then Pilate urged him to answer saying hearest thou not how many things they accuse thee off ver 13. but still Iesus kept silence and answered not a word 7. Now Pilate falls to admiring and that exceedingly Math. 27.14 for Pilate saw plainly first that they had no proof of what they said against him Secondly that many things they said were frivolous and far from being capital offences if they had been proved Thirdly that they persecuted him out of envy Mark 15.10 he knew that the chief Priests had delivered him for envy and all this increased his admiration at his silence What are you willing to dye But alas neither his Pagan judge nor envious accusers were aware of what God the Father and the Son Iesus Christ were now transacting touching the great counsel of God for the Salvation of sinners For 1. Now Iesus Christ stood as our sponsor and surety to bear the imputation of our sins Iesus Christ now taught and confirmed the great point of the imputation of our sins unto him who was personally innocent as a Lamb but as our surety he is guilty of all some or other of his Elect were guilty of whatsoever they laid to his charge and God laid upon him the guilt of all our sins Isai 5 3 4 5 6. he was in this respect as being our Surety the guiltyest person in the world the guilt of all sin lay upon him and therefore he silently bore it 2. Iesus Christ was willing to bear all this imputation of sin and to dy for it Ioh. 10.17 I lay down my life that I may take it again no man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self Pilate saw plainly how easily he might

have answered and avoided all their allegations and accusations brought against him and that put him into such admiration at his silence his Innocency appeared to his Roman Judge without any answer of his though they had condemned him Pilate saw no cause for it but envy So much for the first act of Pilate the second act followeth There is some difficulty in laying together the harmony of the Evangelists in this point touching the order of the acts that passed in Pilates Court. This second act of Pilate that I am entering upon is again acted by Pilate afterward as we shall see in its time and place Luk. 23.4 then said Pilate to the chief Priests and to the people I find no fault in this man these words of Pilate are clearly annexed to the first examination as appeareth ver 3. when Pilates question and Jesus his answer were transacted it was in the first examination as we saw in its place and that which Pilate addeth ver 4. doth presently after follow and therefore I place them next And render them a part of the second act of Pilate which I am now about to set down in the order of the History of actions as they passed in Court again Joh. 18.30.31 32. they answered and said unto him if he were not a malefactor we would not have delivered him up unto thee then said Pilate take ye him and judge him according to your Law The Iews therefore said unto him it is not lawful for us to put any man to death that the saying of Iesus might be fulfilled which he spake signifying what death he should dye Which saying of Jesus Christ is recorded Math. 20.18 19. behold we go up to Ierusalem and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief Priests and unto the Scribes and they shall condemn him to death and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucifie him and the third day he shall rise again This part of the History which John relateth was at or about the time of the beginning of Pilates Court as appeareth by the immediate foregoing words ver 28 29. Therefore laying Lukes record and Johns record together the History proceedeth thus When Pilate had given the accusers leave to produce what they would against him and had diligently examined all that they had said and called Iesus to answer for himself though he was silent and answered nothing to Pilates admiration seeing he might so easily have made void all that they had said against him Now Pilate turneth his speech to the Priests and Elders his accusers and argueth with them you have delivered up this man to be put to death but I find no fault in him for which I should judge him to dye many things you say but prove nothing You produce no Roman capital Law that he hath broken how then should I iudge him to death To this they answered we have a Law viz. against Blasphemy and by that Law we have condemned him and were he not a malefactor we would not have so done nor have delivered him to you to put him to death Now Pilate maketh them a noble offer it is a point of eminent consideration Pilate saith take ye him and judge him according to your Law exercise your own power and Jurisdiction according to your own Laws The Jews expresly refuse to accept this offer and say it is not lawful for us to put any man to death Say you so Caiaphas by whose Law is it not lawful for you to put any man to death Surely not by Gods Law it is only by the Roman Law that it is not lawful for you So that by this saying of the Jewish Council they do testifie in open Cou●t that the SCEPTER is now departed from Iudah which is a very great evidence t●at Iesus Christ is the Messiah and that the Scepter is departed from them by their own confession and that before publick Authority Yea and w●e● Pilate offered them the exercise of their own Scepter in a particular case they expressly refused to accept it for that very reason because the Scepter was departed from them And though they thus acted out of envy against Iesus Christ yet it is a remarkable hand of God that they themselves should so eminently acknowledge that the Scepter was departed from them Iohn taketh notice of the prediction that Iesus Christ had given to his Disciples foretelling how the Iews would condemn him and deliver him to the Gentiles to be put to death after the manner of the Gentiles all which things were accomplished just as he had foretold which is a great proof of his Divinity The reason of the Iews thus acting was because they durst not offer violence against Iesus Christ by their own power and Laws for they know that their proceedings were unjust and that the people would not have suffered them to do violence against Iesus Christ and yet they were so mad to execute their envious resolution to put him to death that they rather chose to put away the Scepter from Iudah then not to execute their wrath against Iesus Christ they willingly put away the Scepter from themselves the Scepter was departed from Iudah when Iesus Christ was put to death O the depths of divine Wisdome So much for the second act of Pilate the third followeth Ioh. 18.33 ad 38. Then Pilate entered into the Judgement hall again and called Jesus and said unto him Art thou the King of the Iews Iesus answered him Sayest thou this thing of thy s●lf or did others tell it thee of me Pilate answered Am I a Jew thine own nation and the chief Priests have delivered thee unto me What hast thou done Iesus answered My Kingdome is not of this world if my Kingdome were of this world then would my Servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Iews but now is my Kingdome not from hence Pilate therefore said unto him Art thou a King then Iesus answered Thou sayest that I am a King To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the Truth every one that is of the Truth heareth my voyce Pilate saith unto him What is Truth Pilate went again into the pretorium or Romane judgement hall out of which he had come to comply with the Jews who would not enter into it that day Now he goeth thither again and calleth Jesus Christ before him there apart from the Jews his accusers who would not come thither and there are sundry particulars of great moment 1. Pilate asked Jesus this question art thou the King of the Iews he had asked him the same question in his first examination and Jesus made him that answer thou sayest it it is like that Pilate thought he would be more free to answer him apart from his accusers and Pilate was diligently inquisitive into this point The Romans had a great respect unto royal blood and all