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 Couâ—t that the SCEPTER is now departed from Iudah which is a very great evidence tâ—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 wâ—eâ— 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 sâ—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
as pure as we can and may be capable to doe in this our state militant and to be filled with holy spiritual and heavenly conference after it 4. While Jesus and his Disciples were thus exercised in these holy services conferences and Prayers Iudas was among the chief Priests and Pharisees who by that time of night were at home and soon ready to attend the motion of their traiterous Companion Yet Iudas found difficultyes and delayes in getting all things ready to get a Company of men and Officers their Commission arms clubs staves and other weapons lanthorns torches c. Judas found that he had thrust himself into a troublesome employment And however he intended to have dispatched quickly according to that discovering word which Jesus Christ spake to him at his going out what thou doest doe quickly intimating that it was in the plot and purpose of his heart to surprize him there in the place where they kept the passover But he found so many difficultyes and delayes that it was near about midnight ere he could get all things ready as will appear in the Sequel 5. After this holy communion Conference and prayer Jesus with his Disciples went forth and entered into the suffering garden Ioh. 18.1 When Jesus had spoken these words he went forth with his Disciples over the brook Kedron there was a Garden into which he entered with his Disciples where first he placed his Disciples where they might be within sight and hearing of what should come upon him but out of the way of Judas and his Company for their safety so carefull was our Lord of his poor Lambs when a company of wolves were to come amongst them That which he commanded them was Sit here till I go pray yonder Luk. 22.40 pray that ye enter not into Temptation Then he took Peter James and John and went a little further And now did he enter into his Soul-agony with wonderfull horror and distress even to death 1. His body was not under any immediate suffering as yet only as it did co-suffer and sympathise with his Soul in its terrible Agony so deep and terrible were the horrors of his Soul as that his body was ready to faint away and dye Math. 26. â—7 38. he began to be sorrowful and very heavy then saith he unto them my soul is â—xceeding sorrowful even unto the death tarry here and watch with me Mark 1â— â—3 34. he began to be sore amazed and to be very heavy and saith unto them my Soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death tarry ye here and watch Luk. 22.43 44. there appeared an Angel unto him from Heaven strengthening and being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground The extremity of his Soul sorrow did wring and torture the whole wheel of nature And that this Agony was firstly upon his Soul is expresly testified by Mathew and Mark such a load of sorrow lay upon his Soul that he could scarce live under it The same is evident in the Prophesy Isai 53.10 Thou shalt make his Soul an offering for sin which Text shews that the cause of this sorrow was the load of our sin which lay upon him being our Surety Luke calleth it an Agony ver 44. 2. This Soul Agony is expressed by Jesus Christ himself who felt it in such significant words as do make it appear to be a very extream torment that he was in Sorrowful or so beset round with sorrows and he was ready to faint and dy away he felt the greatest terror consternation and distress of mind that a mans Soul was capable to be in yea his terror was greater then any one was able to bear except himself who is God-man 3. This distress of Soul was begun five dayes before the Pasover as appeareth Ioh. 12.27 now is my Soul troubled what shall I say Father save me from this hour but for this cause came I unto this hour That this was spoken five dayes before the Passover appears Ioh. 12.1 six days before the Pasover Iesus came to Bethany v. 12. on the next day much people were come to the Feast and then Jesus went up to Jerusalem and then was this word spoken by him so that he had been long in some degrees of this Agony yea long before his Soul was distressed about it Luke 12.50 but I have a Baptisme to be baptized with and how am I streightned pressed pained till it be accomplished so that that Prophesy is herein in part accomplished Isai 53.3 a man of sorrows acquainted with griefs his Soul was in continual sorrow distress 4. This Soul Agony was not inflicted upon him by man nor by Devils no creature was able to put his blessed Soul into such a condition Quest Who was it that put his Soul into this distress I answer it was his Father that gave him this Cup to drink Joh. 18.11 the Cup which my heavenly Father hath given me shall I not drink it Isai 53.6 the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all he suffered the wrath and curse of God the punishment due to the sin of man he is our surety he stood in our stead and divine justice inflicted upon him all the punishment due to our sins And he spared not to lay upon him till he was fully satisfied Rom. 8.32 He spared not his own Son here he drank the first deep draught of the wrath of God due to our sin on the Cross he drank the last draught and then he dyed 5. He turned the Innocent reluctancies of humane nature into prayers unto his Father who laid this load upon him and subdued and suppressed them with humble holy submission to his will and then drank and this he did three times he made three draughts of this bitter cup which he drank in the garden And it pleased the Father to give him interims of some ease so that after his first submission he went unto his Disciples and awaked them poor watch men and then returned to his dreadful work again and submitted the second time and drank then went he again to his Disciples and did the same with a check to Peter by Name and returned again and prayed and submitted and drank the third draught and then he had an interim again And by that time the Traitor Judas and his Companions were come into the Garden 6. In all this bitter conflict he had no humane help for every time he came to his Disciples he found them sleeping he fulfilled that Prophesy Isai 63.3 I have trodden the wine press alone and of the people there was none with me Yet to inform and convince us of the greatness of this work and bitter suffering it pleased God to send an Angel to strengthen him as Luke testifieth Luke 22.43 and there appeared an Angel unto him from Heaven strengthning him The Cup was so bitter that it was as much as life could
bear yet he revived again and went on in his work till he drank the last draught on the Cross then it killed him he drank at several times that it might not yet kill him bâ—bâ—cause all was not yet finished but when all was finished he drank the bottom of the Cup then it killed him he began with a soul Agony only without immediate bodily sufferings save what his body suffered by simpathy with his distressed soul but on the Cross he suffered the extremity of bodily suffering Soul sufferings also both together then it killed him 7. What is a Soul Agony Answ The wrath and curse of God due to sin by the Law inflicted to punish the Soul What is that Soul punishment which Jesus Christ suffered which he began in the garden before they touched his body Answ It is so deep terrible Infinite and intollerable that it is unutterable as it is said 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen Ear hath not heard nor have entered into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him So nor for them that love him not who are sinners And what unconceivable punishment divine justice hath prepared for sinners all that Jesus Christ hath suffered in our stead no man can bear the curse of the Law but it will sink him to hell and there he can bear it but by drops and therefore his punishment is drawn out to Eternity But Jesus Christ was able to bear it and to accomplish his sufferings in a finite time Isai 53.4 he hath born our griefs Souls in hell feel what a Soul Agony under Gods wrath and curse is Luk. 16.24 I am tormented in this flame said Dives in Hell Souls undâ—r the work of conversion when they are wounded for sin feel some drops and sparks of it yet that little is intollerable Pro. 18.14 a wounded Spirit who can bear a Negative Interrogative meaning that none can bear it Only Jesus Christ can bear it yea we may truly say never did any wounded Soul in the work of conversion feel such Soul wounds as Jesus Christ felt and never did shall or can any Soul in Hell feel such Torments of soul as Jesus Christ felt For 1. In Hell every soul feels the punishment due to his own sin only he suffereth only for his own sins 2. In the work of conversion the soul feels the sting of the guilt of his own sin only But Iesus Christ stood in the room and stead of all he is a second Adam he suffered the punishment due unto all and all at once and this maketh a wonderful difference The suffering of any one person is but as the drop of a Bucket in comparison of the sufferings of Iesus Christ There be sundry parts and powers of the soul The understanding is the great light ruler commander of the whole man in all its actions The will is the sovereign uncompelled chooser in the soul of man that closeth with what it liketh best The Conscience is the sovereign judge of all that is done doing or to be done The memory is the depository Treasury where all our store good or bad is laid up for after use The imaginations and affections are under Servants to the Soul And all these powers of the Soul the person being in the state of sin are capable of high torments as on the contrary the person being in the state of grace through Faith in Jesus Christ they are capable of glory and high joyes Torments enter into the Soul two wayes as also do joyes Sometimes by way of sense and imagination Sometimes by the understanding by the Word and Spirit In all these wayes what ever Torment an Innocent Surety was capable of as the fruit of sin all that Jesus Christ suffered part now in the garden and fully upon the Cross Our Surety stood guilty in the Eye of Justice of all the sin of the first Adam and presents himself to suffer for the same unto the satisfaction of the justice of the Law Rom. 3.19 all the world is become guilty before God and Jesus Christ taketh upon himself all this guilt all the mountains of guilt of all the elect world are rowled upon Jesus Christ he is made sin for us and the fiery streams of the wrath of God that burneth in Tophet come running down upon him Psal 88.7 thy wrath lyeth hard upon me thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves The curse due unto sin maketh it a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10.31 for our God is a consuming fire In this fearful terrible condition was the Soul of Iesus Christ now in his garden agony which suffering of Iesus Christ doth save believers from it to the enlargement of our Eternal Thanksgiving praise and joy But Wo be to those unto whom this grace is freely offered but they rather chuse the pleasures of sin for a season and by their own choice plunge themselves into these flames of wrath out of which Iesus Christ offereth to deliver them but they refuse to accept his oâ—fer 8. In this garden Agony Iesus Christ had but three of his Disciples near him viz. Peter Iames and Iohn the rest of his Disciples he had appointed where they should tarry further off and he went so often to these three to keep them waking that Judas and his Companions should not find them fast asleep and behold the gentleness of Iesus Christ to consider their infirmity he first gently checketh them and Peter by name could ye not watch with me one hour shewing that his first conflict had been about an hour and he knowing that Iudas was coming set them a little way off and bid them watch But alas they were poor Watchmen he found them asleep the second time then he giveth them an holy Item and Admonition watch and pray lest ye fall into Temptation there is more danger near you then you are aware of Yet himself doth make a tender kind-hearted Apology for them First accepting their willingness of Spirit and then bearing with the infirmity of the flesh for he considered that it was near midnight high sleeping time and their hearts were full of sorrow which made their eyes heavy Luk. 22.45 Yet notwithstanding the care the Lord had to keep them awake Judas had taken them asleep had not the Lord awaked them the third time for when he came to them the third time he found them asleep and now he gives them a sharp awakening they were ashamed the second time but now they were gastered now sleep if you can Behold the hour is come the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners arise let us be going when the danger is upon us it is time to bestir our selves Now the History returneth to Iudas whom we left preparing his Company to execute his wicked Treason in betraying his Lord and Master when he had gotten his Company a band of men and Officers furnished