they are not honoured by the world, yet that, after being ridiculed and reviled here, they shall at last reign with Christ, and sit on his throne.

2. The sincere love of truth is seldom found among the great, the rich, the wise and prudent of this world.

6

God has said, he requireth truth in the inward parts,' (Ps. li. 6.) and exhorts us to love the truth, (Zec. viii. 19.) but where shall one find the love of truth in the world? for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter; the truth faileth, and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey,' (Isa. lix. 14, 15.) The love of truth is found more particularly wanting among the great and powerful of this world, who look upon truth and particularly the truths of religion, as something below their regard, and not worth enquiring after.

Thus the scene continues the same in our days, as it was before Pilate's judgment-seat. On one side stood the blessed Jesus in defence of the truth, which he maintained, and at last sealed with his blood; on the other side stood the Jews in opposition to the truth, which they hated and persecuted in the person and doctrine of Christ, and sought to oppress by lies and calumnies; and between these stood Pilate ridiculing both parties, and making a jest of both Jesus and the Jews. Thus in our days. these three parties, with regard to the truth of religion, still exist. Some have a sense of the transcendent value of truth; they esteem it a precious gift of God, and as an invaluable jewel which he has committed to mankind; and accordingly they openly profess it, and are ready to sacrifice their lives and fortunes, and all that is dear and valuable, in defence of it. Others shew themselves declared enemies of the truth, and endeavour to suppress it, by changing it into error and falsehood, and hate and persecute the professors of it as obstinate heretics. Others again observe a culpable neutrality, ridicu

ling both parties, and pretending that they are equally in the wrong, and give themselves too much trouble about truth. The controversies about truth appear to them as mere cavils about words; and if matters go well with them, if they enjoy riches, honours, and pleasures, it is the least of their care how it fares with truth.

Those who are regardless of truth, and look upon one religion as good as another, are for the most part, indeed, to be found among the rich and mighty of this world; who look upon it as the characteristic of prudence to swim with the stream, and to have no farther concern with truth than as it may promote their present interest. Hence it is not to be wondered at, that God should permit such errors to reign in the world, not only among the mean and illiterate, but also among persons of the greatest learning and abilities, who are looked on as lights of the world and pillars of the state. The cause of this is assigned by St. Paul in these words: They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved; for this cause God shall send on them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be condemned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.' (Thess. ii. 10, 11, 12.) It is no more than just and equitable, that they who make a jest of truth, should be deprived of its effulgent light, and cast into outer darkness; where, as a punishment, they must give credit to fictions and lying words, since they refuse to give God the honour due unto his name, and to acquiesce in the testimony of his sacred word. Hence also it happens, that the great, the wise, and powerful of this world drop off like unripe fruit, and desert to the camp of antichrist, not only in times of persecution for the sake of the gospel, or when any danger is to be apprehended; but also when they can promote their temporal advantage, or get a step higher in the world,

by such a desertion of the truth*. This scandalous indifference for the truth likewise prevails among the lower class of people, the generality of whom are more taking up in providing for the necessities of life, than in enquiring how they may obtain a true knowledge of the truth of the gospel. It is God's express will, that all men should come to the knowledge of the truth,' (1 Tim. ii. 4.) But these persons think, that to enquire after religious truths does not belong to them; and as for the learned, they may dispute to the day of judgment which religion is the best: But for their part they will keep to that in which they were born and educated, and in which their ancestors lived before them. Thus many

Protestants continue to argue while they do not see any opportunity of bettering their condition, by embracing a false religion. But when such a temptation presents itself, they undervalue the truth and embrace error, without examining into the merits of both religions.

S. Candid laymen are generally sooner convinced of the innocence of the servants of God, than bigotted ecclesiastics, who are of a contrary opinion.

Pilate perceived that Jesus was innocent, when the chief Priests and Scribes, who were blinded by prejudice, and inflamed with passion, would not be convinced. This is still the case in the world. Statesmen and lay-magistrates are sooner convinced of the innocence of the witnesses of truth, than their ecclesiastical judges and adversaries, who, though they are in a spiritual office, are strangers to the spiritual life; nor are they taught of God. But alas! this conviction had no salutary effect on Pilate; for he proceeded no farther, but turns his back on the self

*In his paragraph the author alludes to those who desert the Protestant cause in Germany, being allured by the Popish party, and gained over to their church, by promises of preferment, &c. of which there are too many instances. IV.

existent truth, and asks, what is truth? And though he was conscious of Christ's innocence, yet he delivered him up to the barbarous cruelty of his enemies. Few, indeed, will expose themselves to any inconveniency for the sake of the persecuted members of Christ. When the men of this world are under any apprehensions, that by protecting their innocence they may subject themselves to suspicions and an evil report and make themselves enemies among the great, they do not choose to interpose in their defence. Woe to them, who for their own private interest molest and persecute the innocent! In order to atone for this depravity of mankind, Christ Jesus, the ever-glorious Son of God, permitted himself to be thus treated, to the inexpressible comfort of his members, when they come to suffer the like ili treatment for his sake.

II. We come, in the next place, to consider what followed our Saviour's confession, with regard to his accusers. By the confession which our blessed Lord made concerning his kingdom, &c. they were still more irritated; for they would by no means have it thought, that they had condemned an innocent man, and delivered him up to Pilate. St. Mark says, that the chief Priests accused him of many things. They not only repeated their former charge; but enlarged and aggravated the accusation, by many new and fictitious articles. They concluded, that the greater number of crimes they laid to his charge, the more probability there was of overwhelming our Saviour's innocence; that if one complaint should not incense Pilate against him, perhaps another might prove more effectual; and lastly, that if one single charge by itself should not have the desired effect, yet all the articles taken together might turn the scale against the innocent Jesus.

This was the contrivance of the chief Priests, and likewise, as St. Matthew adds, of the Elders of the people; and consequently of all the heads of the

Jewish church, whom it mostly concerned to support. and defend their carnal authority, which had been weakened by the spiritual doctrines of Christ. The best way to compass their ends they imagined would be by removing Jesus out of the way, that he might no longer oppose their hypocrisy, by his preaching. But as Pilate had witnessed, and probably caused it to be proclaimed by a herald, that he found no guilt in the man, they were the more provoked; so that Pilate's declaration of our blessed Saviour's innocence, like oil poured on the fire, the more inflamed their minds, and caused louder exclamations against Jesus. Hence we learn the following truths:

1. It is the usual stratagem of the world to aecumulate false accusations against the witnesses of the truth.

It is said, 'They accused Jesus of many things.' This is a wicked device which the enemies of truth, both in the Pagan and Popish persecutions, have constantly practised. What a hideous groupe of calumnies did the Pope's adherent's vent against Luther! so that one cannot but wonder where the lying Spirit could collect all its materials for such absurd accusations, as they invented to asperse this glorious instrument of God?

2. As we have heaped sin upon sin, so in our Saviour's sufferings, one accusation upon another was brought against him.

What innumerable sins have been the consequence of the first fall! Hence St. Paul says, 'By one man's disobedience many are made sinners,' (Rom. v. 19.) How has the venom, which lurked in the disobedience of our first parents, spread itself into numberless channels, and infected their unhappy descendants! How many millions of dreadful sins have sprung from that corrupt fountain! And we still daily see nen adding sin to sin, 'till the measure is full, so as at last to run over. The Son of God suffered one accusation upon another to be heaped on him, in order