Roman Governour of Syria for a punishment of this Fact caused two thousand more of them to be crucified And Archelaus going to Rome there to solicit an establishment of his Kingship from the Emperour tho the Jews there also supplicated against him for the liberty of their Nation at least to be freed from any particular King and to be subjected only to the Roman President of Syria and also the more to promote their sute displayed before the Emperour and his Court the divine hand being in it all the tyrannical and luxurious life of Herod his Father yet their designs were totally frustrated And so were Archelaus his too For Augustus saith Josephus Antiq. l. 17. c. 17. Archelaum quidem Regem non pronunciavit Dimidiae vero Judeae regionis quae Herodi tributa reddebat Toparcham constituit Spondens et Regiam quoque dignitatem si laboribus favoribus circa semetipsum meritus appareret But the issue concerning him was that after about nine years continuance in this Dignity upon a new complaint of the Jews for his crimes he was deposed and banished and his Estate confiscated by Augustus and the like was the fate of his Brother Herod the Tetrarch of Galilee And the Jews still became more immediatly subject to the Roman Yoke § 99 It is also observed by some for the perfect fulfilling of the prophecy of Esay chap 7.14 15 16. which is expressly applyed to the Blessed Virgin Mary and our Lord Mat. 1.23 That as there before Esaiah's child the type of our Lord Esai 8.18 and born of a Prophetess and Holy-woman Esai 8.4 5 representing our Blessed Lady was two years old so as to discern food grateful from ungrateful or so as plainly to speak my Father and my Mother the two Kings of Samaria and Damascus that were enemies to Gods Church were to be taken away by the Executioner of the Divine Justice the King of Assyria so before our Lord came to the same age Herod who was King of Samaria as well as Judea and Oboda the King of Damascus some few months before Herod see Josephus Antiq. l. 16. c. 10. were removed by death and their Kingdomes also by Augustus the King then also of Assyria taken away so as that their posterity did not succeed in the same Title or extent of Power The Mystical signification of all which is that the former Kingdom of Satan should now be destroyed and he cast out upon the coming and Birth of our Lord. At this very time also One Judas in Galilee under pretence of recovering liberty gathered forces and pillaged the Country against whom Varus the Roman Prefect of Syria sent part of his Army thither besieged and took Sephoris and subdued the Rebels See Antiq. l 17. c. 15. Josephus also mentions many others every where raising tumults in the absence of Archelaus during all which frights and the sword travelling through the coasts of Judea to revenge their contempt of the new-born Messiah the Blessed Virgin with our Lord and S. Joseph enjoyed in Egypt a peaceful security § 100 Herod in being thus taken away who was the last King of the Nation of the Jews for Archelaus as is said was not admitted to the same Dignity nor had the same extent of Dominion being made by Augustus Toparcha or chief Governour of Judea not Galilee all tumults there quieted and Joseph and Maries country now under anothers command the news thereof was brought by the Angel to Joseph that he should return into the land of Israel with this Child that was the true King thereof for that they were dead now that sought his life And this return of our Lord we find lively prefigured in Moses Exod. 4.19 a Deliverer also of Gods people and a Type of our Lord who when Pharaoh as here Herod a little before this deliverance had taken order for all the Male-children of the the Israelites to be put to death miraculously escaped and who afterward for his safety had fled to Midian from whence God commanded him to return unto his people for that they were now dead that sought his life Where also we may observe the way by which God usually delivers and provides for his Servants when in any strait Viz. not on a suddain and in hast and by main strength and force when as indeed all things are alwaies universally subject to his power but tacitly and without any disturbance of the course of other human affairs and as it were attending an opportunity by a secret but effectual flection and winding of these not so easily discernable by men in all things to serve his designs § 101 Joseph also retaining some dread of Archelaus one who had already shed much blood in quelling an Insurrection of the Jews was also admonished by the Angel Matt. 2.22 not to return again to Bethleem tho perhaps he might have had some thoughts thereof as imagining it Gods pleasure that this child should be educated in that honourable City of David where he was born and which was so near to the Royal City of Jerusalem but rather to his own City Nazareth where also the strange occurrences in our Lord's birth were utterly unknown And indeed this obscure and rude place in the out-skirts of the Nation was preordained by the Divine wisdom for the place of our Lords Education as necessary for the accomplishing of his sufferings and the redemption of the world by his Death that the grosly-unbelieving Jews and obstinate Pharises notwithstanding all the wisdom and mighty works that appeared in him might be the more blinded and our Lord less suspected for what he was For so still sometimes by good men it was argued against him Num ex Nazareth potest aliquid boni esse Jo. 1.46 and Jo. 7.52 Scrutare vide said the High Priest and Pharisees to Nicodemus quia à Galilea Propheta non surget § 102 Yet S. Matthew Mat. 2.23 observes First that the Prophets also have given some prenotice of this his Habitation and Title chap. 2.23 that he should be called a Nazareen perhaps alluding to Esai 11.1 calling him Nazar Flos surculus or Germen de radice Isai exurgens with which agrees Zech. 3.8 6.12 Behold the Lord whose name is the Branch Whence also Nazareth is supposed to take its Name the territory there being observed to abound exceedingly with variety of odoriferous Plants and Flowers to this day Of which thus Eugen. Rogerus in his Description of the Holy-Land who lived at Nazareth for some time in an house of his Order there This City is well called a Flower for I might aver saith he that having run through many Realms and viewed many Provinces as well of Asia as Africk and Europe I never saw any comparable to this of Nazareth for the great number of fair and pleasant Odoriferous Flowers and Plants which grow there through all the seasons of the year For from the Month of December even to April all the little Hills Fields
Deeds confirming his words who henceforth continued his faithful though secret Disciple and in the Council when our Lord was spoken against Jo. 7.51 desired they would but hear him what he might say for himself thinking that thus themselves might be as much taken with him as was their Officers in Jo. 7.46 and himself here This of our Lords gratious discourse with Nicodemus but whether all that is said in S. John chap. 3. from vers 10. to the 22. be our Lords words or part thereof from vers 16. be S. Johns dilating upon them is uncertain And the like happens in many other discourses found in the Evangelist much resembling one another § 186 The Paschal feast ended our Lord not trusting himself to the Hierosolymites Jo. 2.24 Jo. 2.24 where the Pharisees that had already conceived so much hatred against him in seeing his boldness and spirit far beyond the Baptists and the great concourse of the People to hear him had so much power and followers departed thence and went into the Country and the other Cities of Judea where he was also followed by very great multitudes as appears Jo. 3.27 and preached to them we may presume such things as before to Nicodemus concerning repentance and the washing away their former sins by Baptism and their Regeneration of the Spirit concerning his Passion and Mission from God his Father and belief in him for remission of sin All which he confirmed also every where with charitable miracles among them in ejecting Devils and healing their Infirmities which miracles the Baptist did not therefore his Brethren afterward Jo. 7.3 making mention of the Disciples and followers he had in Judea advise his return to them and the shewing his mighty works among them § 187 Here also he caused such as were his Penitents for he and his also in the first place preached Repentance as well as John See Mark 1.15 6.12 Luk. 10.13 Act. 2.38 and Converts to be baptized probably many of them together in places convenient to be baptized by his Disciples saith S. John himself not baptizing except those his Disciples that baptized others Epist 108. or some one of them to administer it to the rest For as S. Austin he that descended to the Humility of washing their feet would much more to the ministring of baptism but yet if the Apostle saith he was sent to preach not baptize much more might our Lord busied in greater affairs in teaching and relieving the peoples necessities delegate this inferior office to his Apostles as a thing which was to be continued after his departure in the succession of them to the end of the world whereas we do not find that the Baptist committed or propagated this Office to any of his Disciples but continued it only himself till it utterly ceased after that our Lord became more publickly known at the time of Johns imprisonment which followed shortly after For Johns Baptism was only preparatory to that of our Lords his signifying remission and cleansing from former sins through faith in him that came after him Act. 19.4 Our Lords conferred an ability also to live holily for the future by giving the Holy Spirit and planting Gods Grace in the Baptized for newness of life and bringing forth good works Though those extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit also was not as yet conferred as were after our Lords Ascention and sending down the Holy Ghost at Pentecost in all its miraculous and Stupendious operations and effects Of which effects it is that the Evangelist speaks when he saith chap. 7.39 That the Spirit was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified Such a difference therefore being between John's and our Lords Baptism S. Johns hindred not but that those baptized by him came and received it afterward from our Lord by the hands of his Disciples as we see S. Paul meeting at Ephesus with some that had received Johns Baptism yet rebaptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus Act. 19.5 and it cannot be thought but that many of those thousands of Penitents Act. 2.41 and 4.4 that were Baptized by the Apostles had received it formerly from John § 188 The Baptist also to give way to our Lord so soon as he began to make his peragrations in the Country and Cities of Judea had removed farther off toward Galilee and so nearer also to the Court of Herod He having often changed his station to communicate his Ministry during his time appointed more freely to several parts of the Nation Who at the first preached on the West or hither side of Jordan in the wilderness of Judea where he had formerly spent his life not very remote from his Fathers house after removed to Bethabara beyond Jordan in Peraea belonging to Herods Jurisdiction where our Lord was baptized by him Hence also departed further from Jerusalem left as I said to our Lord and from the Pharisees his great Enemies into the more Northern parts baptizing now not in Jordan but in Enon upon the coasts of Galilee not far from Jordan and where was a River flowing into it Whence probably King Herod also hearing of his Fame sent for him heard his Sermons and consulted him also in his Affairs But of this more hereafter § 189 Whilst our Lord thus preached in Judea and John in the Borders of Galilee the self same Doctrine and Gospel Repentance and the Kingdom of Heaven and Salvation brought into the world by the Son of God Jesus to whom John bare witness as such and whilst both were frequented by much people but our Lord by many more than John as for other reasons his great Majesty and authority in Teaching his Miracles of all sorts so for Johns sending and referring all men to Jesus and Johns Baptism also relating to his for compleating it Satan upon this begun to stir up some emulation and controversy between their followers and also concerning the dignity of their persons as appears by John's answer to them which was to be preferred the Disciples of John having a zeal for their Master strangely severe and mortified in his diet apparel fasts retreats and one from whom our Lord also received his Baptism and yet seeing a much greater concourse of people after our Lord one more free and popular in his Conversation and many more receiving Baptism from him than from John and on the other side our Lords followers among the Jews justly and that from the Baptists own mouth and frequent confession preferring both the Baptism and Person of Jesus This then doubtless was some ground of their Contest but some think there might be some disputation also between the Disciples of John and of the Pharisees concerning the Virtue of the former Mosaical Purification and cleansing viz. whether those not equal or much preferrable with this new Rite introduced by the Baptist and afterward continued by Jesus Hence S. John's Disciples came to him and told him complainingly that the person who came to him for
Psalms and elsewhere foretelling this So omnes saith the mourning Psalmist videntes me deriserunt me locuti sunt labiis moverunt caput aperuerunt super me os suum sicut Leo rapiens rugiens subsannaverunt me subsannatione frenduerunt super me dentibus suis dilataverunt super me dixerunt Euge Euge. Psal 68.25 Sustinui qui simul contristaretur non fuit qui consolaretur non inveni Psal 108.2 Locuti sunt adversum me lingua dolosa sermonibus odii circumdederunt me and so Psal 30.14 Audivi vituperationem multorum commorantium in circuitu Et ego factus sum opprobrium illis viderunt me moverunt capita sua Where also their very words Mat. 27.43 He trusted in God Let him deliver him now if he will have him for he said I am the Son of God are set down Psal 21.9 Speravit in Domino eripiat eum salvum faciat eum quoniam vult eum And so Psal 3.3 Multi dicunt animae meae non est salus ipsi in Deo ejus and so in Wisdom chap. 2.16 Gloriatur patrem se habere Deum videamus ergo si sermones illius veri sine Si enim est verus filius Dei suscipiet illum liberabit illum de manibus contrariorum Contumelia tormento interrogemus eum probemus patientiam illius Morte turpissima condemnemus eum erit enim ei respectus apud Deum ex sermonibus suis i. e. if we may believe his words Thus the Holy Ghost foresaw and foretold these their Blasphemies and whilst such ungrateful treatment added to his anguish the fulfilling these prophesies yeilded him great consolation Thus was he exclamed on by all manner of people sustinuit qui simul contristaretur non fuit by the cheif Priests and Scribes and Elders saith the Evangelist who not satiated with their former cruelties it seems came hither also to see him dy by the common people by the Roman Soldiers acting here the second part of that they had done in the Praetorium to this their mock-king by the Passengers on the high way our Lord being crucified near the road that passed to Shiloh and Gibeon Lastly by the very Thief in the midst of his like torments by all these jeering at his pretensions of being Christ and the King of Israel taking Pilats superscription also for a mock at his making himself the Son of God and his constant faith and trust in him and that since he had so near a relation to God they would fain see now if his God would deliver him jeering at his former good works and Miracles and that since he was so bountiful of them toward others they would fain see him now do one upon himself unpin his nails and descend from the Cross at his vain boasting to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three daies for it seems this for want of worse was spread amongst all the People for his great crime for it was the passengers on the high way that twitted him with it whilst indeed they themselves were now acting that thing he foretold of their destroying the Sacred Temple of his Body that now therefore he should repair his own ruines Ah thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three daies c. jeering at his being Jesus the Saviour of the world that now therefore he should shew it and save himself Such were their scoffings somewhat like Satans former jeers in the Desert whose also these were That since he was Gods Son he should make the Stones there Bread and he should throw himself down from the pinnacle to be held up by Angels and such as those wherewith he usually afflicts the Members of Christ when on their death-bed representing in those their present sufferings their former hope and Faith in God as vain The Thief also hanging by him in the midst of his own like torments could not forbear now despairing of the hopes he had of deliverance by him famous for Miracles but fell also on mocking him and asking him if he were the Christ why he did not save himself and them But the penitent Malefactor on the other hand whose heart God had touched amidst so many blasphemies to Glorify and confess our Lord seeing his silence fell on rebuking his Fellow and asked him if he at least whilst others at liberty said what they pleased had no more fear of God especially being himself in the same sad condemnation and justly for his wicked deeds and so near his End than to fall on railing upon an innocent and just person that had done nothing amiss instead of acknowledging and confessing his own Guilt And this said to his Fellow Theif he with a strong faith beleiving our Lord to be indeed what he was the Christ the Son of God the Saviour of the world the King of Israel began to make his humble Addresses to him and desired that he would remember him when be came into his Kingdom A stupendious faith and divinely inspired now when he saw our Lord upon the very lowest step of his humiliation now when faith perhaps failed his very Apostles Yet there wanted not also some external excitements that might partly raise such a devotion in him to our Blessed Lord as perhaps the great fame of his former Sanctity and Miracles and also many circumstances which he beheld of his passion his divine patience and meekness his compassionate and prophetick speeches to the women of Jerusalem which lamented him his praying for his enemies when they nailed him to his Cross his admirable silence to so many unjust reproaches and particularly to that of his fellow-thief To whom our Lord graciously promised and that with an Amen that he should be remembred and that very day be with him his Lord in the heavenly Paradise appointed for the reception of all blessed Souls till the Resumption of their bodies applying the merits of this his passion to that poor Wretch which first humbly acknowledged his own sins and demerits in saying and we ind edjustly and then confessing our Lord's innocency and personal dignity implored his mercy And thus was the saving of this believing Thief the first fruits as it were of the infinite benefits to mankind of these our Lords sufferings and the early pledg of that eternal mercy which all penitent sinners should receive from him to the worlds end All this while stood first at a greater distance then nearer the Cross as their fears or the Soldiers fierceness or the crowds of people grew less the Holy Virgin the sad Mother of our Lord and the Women our Lords former Attendants that accompanied her among whom was Mary Magdalen and Mary of Cleophas our Blessed Lady's sister-in-law her husband being brother or else she sister to Joseph which Mary was the Mother also of James the less and Joses and Simon and Judas that were called our Lord's Brethren i. e. near Kinsmen by the relation they had to Joseph For if
before entred together into the High Priests Palace hearing the coast also was clear went with all speed to the place the better to inform themselves and the rest concerning this matter John much younger and outrunning Peter came soonest to the Monument where he stooped down and looked into it and there saw the linnen cloths but proceeded no further till Peter also was arrived who presently according to his usual forwardness went into the cave and S. John after him and observed the linnen cloths decently wrapped-up and the napkin as if taken off his head after them laid in a place by it self and now they began which also his night-cloths thus put off and the linnen not taken away in hast with the Body but so orderly folded up might hint unto them to have the first thoughts of that which our Lord had so often foretold them his Resurrection but yet much checked in it because that if so risen he should no where shew himself to his most Holy Mother to them or others who had so near a relation to him and so they stayed not long here where was no more to be seen for fear of danger but returned hastily to their company much wondring saith St. Luke at that which was to come to pass Our Lord making tryal of the Faith of these two Pillars of the Apostles without either any manifestation of himself or Apparition of an Angel But Mary still thinking the Body taken away and removed some where not far off and desirous to bestow their preparations upon it and for this expecting her companions staid still behind at the Sepulcher weeping and as she was stooping down and looking again into it perhaps upon her discerning some extraordinary light there she saw two Angels arrayed in white and shining Garments well suting to that joyful solemnity and sitting there as if they gave some particular reverence to the place that Sacred Body had touched one at the head and the other at the feet where the Body of our Lord had lain that part of the rock where the Body was placed being left somewhat higher than the rest of the floor who asking why she wept so much in a time indeed of so great joy she not much surprised told them because some person had done violence to the dead and carried away the body of her dear Lord to which she came to perform her last service and duty and before she received any answer from them perhaps seeing some alteration in their gesture upon our Lords approach or hearing some noise of his steps behind her she suddenly turneth her self about and seeing a man whom by his habit or instruments she took to be the Gardiner of that place who also questioned her what she looked for there and why she wept and fancying he might perhaps have thrown out the Body of a criminous person executed by Justice from such a costly Tomb prepared for his own Masters body and suddainly cast there without his order she requested to know where else he had disposed of it and she would carry it away for her love boggled at nothing and none should be further molested by it § 119 Our Lord as it were overcome with pitty and such passionate expressions could refrain no longer but suddainly changing his appearance and shewing himself to her in his own likeness gratiously called her by her name Mary whereat ravished with joy and answering him Rabboni she fell prostrate to adore him and kiss his feet But our Lord to perfect her yet too terrene affections and render them more celestial forbids her present embraces or touching him and signifies to her things most unexpected of his shortly departing hence and ascending to his Father and so commands her without any longer stay to haft presently to his Brethren for so he now stiles his Disciples and to tell them that his Resurrction accomplished he was very shortly to ascend not only to his Father and God but now also theirs through the merit of his Passion that had reconciled the loft world to God but yet disjoining these and saying my Father and your Father because God theirs only derivatively from being his Signifying to her that there was no time yet of fruition and embraces but more business to be done by him for her and for mankind viz. his Ascent to his eternal Father where he was to make an atonement with his blood in the celestial Sanctuary and prepare an entrance also for them in thither where should be the proper time of a beatifical enjoyment kisses and embraces for ever and where he was also to procure of his Father the Mission of the Holy Ghost not to dwell here only with but in them and by enriching them with all heavenly Graces and Gifts prepare them for that heavenly kingdom Thus our Lord so soon as risen pursuing rather the perfection of his servants than their present content began to remove out of their minds the conceit of any terrestrial Scepter and advance their thoughts to a celestial Throne and the knowledg of further mysteries Of which Ascension and Glorification of his as a thing of the greatest consequence and weight he had also spoken often to them before but especially before his passion See John 1.51 3. 13. 13.33 14.2 28. 16.5 17 16 28. 17.5 and having said the former words to her he much contrary to her expectation suddainly disappeared leaving her as overjoyed with his return from Death so a new afflicted with his absence § 120 Which disappearance and so appearing in several shapes as it must be an effect of his divine power either by an alteration of the object or only of the senses for it is said of the Disciples travelling to Emaus that their eyes were held so that they knew him not so how far all glorified Bodyes have such things in their power it is not easy to determine being in their Resurrection as the Apostle saith made Spiritual i. e. resembling in many things Spirits as in their agility and subtility impassibility immortality and splendor or clarity for which see Mat. 13.43 1 Cor. 15.41 43 49. called Glory Phil. 3.21 1 Jo. 3.2 yet of which Clarity it was necessary that our Lord in these his apparitions should divest himself that he might shew himself to his Disciples to have the same Body wherein he suffered and that he might familiarly converse with them and negotiate the business he had yet here to finish on Earth But this state of Glory in him was prerepresented to some persons selected out of them who were after his Resurrection to declare it to the rest Mat. 17.9 before his sufferings at his Transfiguration in the Holy Mount Mat. 17. when his face is said to have shined like the Sun c. But such also after his Resurrection he appeared to Stephen whose face shone like that of Moses from the reflection Act. 6.15 compared with 7.55 and again to S. Paul in the way to Damascus Act. 9.10 so
mitigated their cruelty and malice Ecce Homo as if he had said to them see this rueful spectacle of suffering Innocency and at length have ye some compassion Is not here punishment too much already inflicted where none deserved But they the cheif Priests and officers especially assoon as they saw him in this pickle saith the Evangelist Jo. 19.6 renewed their former clamour Crucifige Crucifige The Governour replyed Take ye him and crucifie him if you can be so unjust for I cannot do it finding no fault in him The Jews seeing Pilat so resolutely still clearing our Lord as to that accusation of theirs which they thought would most take with the Romans Sedition c. retreat again to his blasphemy and his crimes against their Law whereof the Roman President wholly ignorant could not so well discern his or their Guilt saying that they had a Law according to which their Justice had proceeded against him and that by this Law he ought to dye on a higher account than Rebellion against Princes seeing he made himself the Son of God and became thereby guilty of the highest blasphemy against God himself which in their Law was punished with death But were it so this will not bear out or warrant their Crucifige or demanding the death of the Cross § 73 Pilat hearing that he made himself the Son of God and perhaps comparing it with what was reported of his Miracles and with the words also he had heard a little before from him standing at the Bar that he was a King but his kingdom not of this world and that he came into it to teach men Truth began to be seized with a religious fear to the great confusion and shame of our Lord 's own people that there might be some such thing indeed and so to reflect also on his scourging of him and the danger if he should proceed further to Crucifie him For his own Religion also had such opinions in it That the Gods sometimes do descend from heaven and take on them the shapes of men see Acts 14.11 And they also imagine some inferiour Semideos begotten by the Gods of women And perhaps these fables had their first original from some mistaken passages of the Sacred story of God's sometimes assuming a human shape and discoursing with the Patriarchs and from the Prophecies concerning the Son of God to be born of a woman To which may be added the extraordinary Gravity Modesty Fortitude Constancy Prudence and holy reservation so great unconcernedness and neglect as it were of what they said or did to him which he had observed in our Lord as one strangely elevated above all human passions and infirmities Startled I say with this fear and reflecting on his former ill treatment of such a person he returns again from the Jews into the Praetorium and there questions our Lord a-new whence he was i. e. whether of an human or divine race by this question giving our Lord occasion as Herod before to set forth and justly magnify himself the former as to his divine power in shewing some Miracle and this latter as to his divine Nature in declaring his descent But our Lord before him as before the other stood mute and silent not willing to admit the least detrectation or declining of his sufferings or the least endeavours contrary to his Fathers good pleasure well knowing also of Pilat as of the Jews that si responderet non dimitteret and lastly having before answered him sufficiently to this question when he told him that he was a King but not of this lower world that he descended to teach men the Truth of God Nor were those many divine works of his concealed from the Governour 's knowledg which evidenced an extraordinary Mission of him from God § 74 The Governour displeased at this silence after so much kindness as he thought shewed him and so contrary also to his own interest in neglecting all lawful observance of a Person that had him absolutly in his power and studied to release him asked him why he did not answer him in whose free power he knew it was whether this justly or unjustly either to crucify or acquit him but indeed Pilats professing it here in his power to release him whom he alwaies confessed an innocent person aggravates his guilt that followed in condemning him Our Lord here not deserting the vindication of the dignity of his person and Mission formerly declared both to the Jews and to the Roman Governour and referring these his sufferings and death wholly to the will of his Father not the power of man as also he did at his apprehension when he told the Jews this was their hour made a charitable breach of his former silence to check the Governours vaunting of his Power where he shewed so much injustice telling him with a very great gravity and majesty in his words and carrying himself as the very person Pilat feared he was that he could have no power at all against him except it had bin given him from above therefore those who delivered him an innocent person thro malice to him invested from above with such a power had the greater sin In these few words representing to Pilats passion and heat that all this was done by the permission and good pleasure of his Father to which not man's he yeilded this meek obedience as he told the Jews before at his yeilding himself to them in the Garden That he had no power over any person whatever but what a Superiour power who would call him to account permitted and again no just power over any person innocent as to the condemning or crucifying of such an one but yet much more no power over him who was the Son of God and King over all the world a thing he mentioned also to Peter when they called on him for Tribute Mat. 17.24 But yet that though he offended in what he did to him he was through his ignorance though not of his innocency yet of his person much more excusable herein than those others who delivered him to him who both against so many infallible evidences he had given them denyed him to be such a person and with so many false criminations brought him to him as a capital offender and abused the power of the lawful Magistrate to serve their malice thus representing to him both the Jews guilt and his own though withal he modestly excused his fault as much the less § 75 Our Lord 's thus humbling the Governours high language with minding him of a Superiour Authority to which he was accountable and of his sin in such proceedings and compliances against an innocent person yet these qualified with an acknowledgment of the Jews guilt much greater than his the prudence also and gravity of his Answer remitting nothing of his appearance to be such a person as Pilat dreaded him to be whose words were not like other men's but as they entred the ear pierced also the Soul continued still