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74. But Peter in great Confternation, denied again with Oaths and Imprecations, that ever he knew Jefus: And presently the Cock crew.

75. Then Peter in great confufion of Mind, remembred how Jefus, reproving his too forward Confidence, had * See ver. foretold that before Cock-crowing he would deny him thrice: And grieved at his own Weakness and Fearfulness, he went out and wept bitterly.

34.

74 Then began he to curfe and to swear, faying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock

crew.

75 And Peter remembred the words of Jefus, which faid unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

CHAP. XXVII.

Chrift carried before Pilate, ver. 1. Judas's Death, ver. 3.
Christ's Tryal before Pilate, ver. II.

I.

Pilate endeavours to

releafe Chrift, but cannot, ver. 15. Chrift mocked by the Soldiers, and crucified, ver. 27. The three hours Darknefs, ver. 45. Chrift's Death, and the following Signs, ver. 50. Chrift's Burial, ver. 57. His Sepulchre watched, ver. 62.

NOW

OW the Council of the Jews
having spent the greatest part
of the Night in examining Jefus,

after a fhort Retirement came in the
Morning to confult among themselves,
which way they should get him put to
Death.

2. And because they might not of
themselves caufe him to be executed,
they refolved to carry him before the
Roman Governour, with a grievous Ac-

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cufation of Blafphemy againft God and the Emperor, as having owned himself to be the Meffiah and King of the Jews. Putting him therefore in Bonds, they brought him to Pilate, who was at that time Governour of Judea.

3. Then Judas (who had betrayed Jefus out of Covetousness) when he faw that the Council had really condemned Jefus, and that they were likely to prevail to have him put to Death; was ftruck with Remorfe and Horror at the greatnefs of his Crime, and carried back the Thirty Pieces of Silver to the Chief Priests and Elders.

4. And he faid; I have committed a horrid Sin, in betraying an innocent Man to Death. But they said, That's not our Fault; Look you to that.

5. Seeing therefore that he could not retrieve what he had done, he in great Anguifh of Mind threw down the Money in the Council-chamber adjoining to the Temple; and unable to bear the Horror and Defpair of a Guilty Confcience, went and * made away with himfelf.

6. Now the Chief Priests taking up the Money, thought it was not fit to

In this place the Word is dykaro, he hanged himfe'f. In Acts i. 18, 'tis apnvns gevóμuevos éλános piros, he fell headlong and burft afunder. Either therefore in the utmost despair and confufion of mind, he hanged himself in fuch a manner, as that he fell down and burft; as most Expofitors both ancient and modern fuppofe. Or elfe he threw himself down fome Precipice, png eveTo. And then the word aro muft here be used proverbially, to fignifie only in general that he deftroyed himself.

filver pieces, and faid, It is not lawful to put them into it is the price of the treasury, because blood.

put it into the Treafury among the Oblations confecrated to the Service of God, because it was the Price of Blood, having been given to procure a Man's being betray'd to Death. So religiously did those Hypocrites pretend to be cautious in difpofing of that Money, wherewith they had not fcrupled to procure the Death of an innocent Perfon. 7. Upon Confultation they refolved therefore to lay it out upon a piece of Land to bury Strangers in, and they field of blood unto bought therewith the Potters-Field.

8. And the Field was from thenceforward called Aceldema, that is, the Field of Blood.

9

10. Then was fulfilled that Pro

*

phecy, Zech. xi. 13. I took the thirty Pieces of Silver, the price of him that was valued, and gave them for the Potters Field, by the Command of the Lord.

4

II. Now when Jefus was brought before Pilate the Roman Governour, being accused of fetting up himself to be a King in Oppofition to Cæfar, Pilate asked him, faying; Do you pretend to be King of the Jews? Jefus faid; Tho' I appear to you a mean and contemptible Perfon, yet 'tis true that I am a King; only my Kingdom is not indeed of this World.

7 And they took counfel, and bought with them the potters field, to bury ftrangers in.

8 Wherefore that field was called, The

this day.

9 (Then was fulfilled that which was fpoken by Jeremy the Prophet, faying, thirty pieces of filAnd they took the thirty pieces of filver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Ifrael did

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'Tis poffible that fome of that Prophecy, which goes under the Name of Zechary, might be indeed Jeremiah's (as Mr. Mead thinks ;) or that Zechary might have this paffage from Jeremy, (as Grotius conjectures.) But Bifhop Hall, with others, fuppofes that the Transcriber of this Verfe millook Zps for Ips, as he fays he had feen it abbreviated in a very old Manufcript.

thou

Chap. XXVII. thou the king of the Jews? And Jefus faid unto him, Thou fayeft. 12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13 Then faith Pilate unto him, Heareft thou not how

many things they witness against thee? 14 And he answered to never a word, infomuch that the governour marvelled greatly. 15 Now at that feaft the governour was wont to release

unto the people a prifoner, whom they

would.

16 And they had then a notable prifoner, called Barabbas. 17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate faid unto them, Whom will ye that I releafe unto you? Barabbas, or Jefus, which is called Chrift?

18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

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St. MATTHEW.

12. But when the Chief-Priests and Elders continued ftill to accufe him, and lay many things to his Charge; Jesus, knowing their unreasonable Malice, and the manifeft improbability of their Accufations, refused to return any more Answers.

13. Then faid Pilate; Why do you
not anfwer? Do you not hear how many
Accufations they bring against you?

fo that Pilate greatly wondred what his
14. But Jefus ftill continued filent;
meaning fhould be.

15. Now it was the Cuftom, that
at every Paffover, the Governour gra-
tified the People with pardoning and re-
leafing one of the Prisoners; whom they
should choose.

16. And it happened that there was at that time a notorious Malefactor, called Barabbas, in Prison for having been at the Head of a great Sedition,

17. When therefore Pilate faw, that tho no Capital Crime was prov'd againft Jefus, yet the Chief of the Jews were obftinately bent to have him put to Death, and would hear no Reason ; he thought of this Expedient; to propofe to the People Jefus and Barabbas, that they might choose which of them they would have released; thinking that furely they would choose Jefus, rather than fuch an infamous Malefactor as Barabbas.

18. For Pilate perceived plainly, by the whole carriage of the matter, that Jefus was brought before him merely through the Envy and Malice of the Chief-Priefts and Scribes, who were enraged at the Efteem which his Works and Doctrine had gained him among the People.

VOL. I.

19. And

199

19. And Pilate was the more confirmed in his Opinion, by this Accident. As he was fitting upon the Bench, there came a Meffenger from his Wife, to defire him not to have any Hand in any thing that should be done against that Innocent Perfon; for fhe had been much troubled in a Dream about him that Morning. God fo ordering things by his fpecial Providence, that there fhould be from all fides Evidence of, Fefus's Innocence, and of the Jews in

vincible and inexcufable Malice.

20 & 21. Pilate therefore hoping to get Jefus released by this Expedient, propofed Jefus and Barabbas together, that the People might choose which of them they would have released. But the Chief-Priefts and Elders ftrongly urged the People, and, contrary to Pilate's Expectation, prevailed upon them to ask Barabbas, and not Jefus. 22. Then faid Pilate; What fhall I do then with Jefus? They all faid with one confent, Let him be crucified.

23. Pilate faid; Why, what Capital Crime have ye covicted him of? I do not fee that any thing worthy of Death, according to the Roman Laws, is proved against him. But they cried out with fo much the greater Rage and Madness; Away with him, Crucify him. 24. Then Pilate, feeing that he could not prevail with the People to fet Jefus free, but that the Tumult increased to fuch a degree as even to endanger a Sedition, yielded to their Importunity; yet with a Proteftation of his own difLike of the Fact. For, taking Water and washing his Hands openly before the Multitude, he faid; I am guilty of this innocent Man's Death; Be ye anfwerable for it.

not

19 When he was fet down on the

Judgment-feat,

his

wife fent unto him,

faying, Have thou nothing to do with that juft man: for I have fuffered many things this day in a dream,because of him.

20 But the chief priefts and elders perfwaded the multitude that they fhould ask Barrabbas, and deftroy Jesus.

21 The governour anfwered and faid unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I releafe unto you? They faid, Ba

rabbas.

22 Pilate faith unto them, What fhallI do then with Jefus, is called which Chrift? they all fay unto him, Let him be crucified.

23 And the governour faid, Why,what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, faying,Let him be crucified.

24 J When Pilate faw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, faying, I am innocent of the blood of this juft perfon: fee ye to it.

25 Then

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