Chapter Verfe mocked him, they took the robe off from him,

6

' and put his own raiment on him, and led him " away to crucify him,' It is obferyable that Matthew and Mark fay this arraying and mockery of Jefus, was done by the foldiers, after Pilate had scourged and given him up. Luke, on the contrary fays nothing of the fcourging, and as to the arraying and mockery, he fays it was done by Herod previous to his fending him back to Pilate. St. John's account, I have already fhewn, differs from them all. He fays, that after fcourging; arraying and mockery was done by order and in the prefence of Pilate, who led him forth and fhewed him, in that condition, to the Jews. Matthew and Mark fay he was led away immediately to be crucified. John records two examinations after the fcourging, &c. Matthew proceeds xxvii. 32 — And as they came out they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by 33 to bear his crofs.

34

35

36

unto a place called

name; him they compelled And when they were come Golgotha, that is to fay, a

place of a skull, they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink, And they crucified him, and parted his garments, cafting lots that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets-They parted my garments among them, and upon my vefture did they 'caft lots. And fitting down, they watched him 'there.' Mark tells us that they gave him to

drink wine mingled with myrrh;' and adds-Chapter Verse but he received it not. And when they had cru

cified him, they parted his garments, cafting lots upon them, what every man should take, and it was the third hour, and they crucified ' him.' (John tells us it was after the fixth hour.) Luke, firft telling us, that they compelled Simon to bear the crofs after Jefus, adds a converfation omitted by the others, viz.-' And there followed ⚫ him a great company of people; and women, which also bewailed and lamented him. Jefus turning unto them, faid, Daughters of Jerufalem weep not for me, but weep for your

But

⚫ felves, and for your children. For behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say ; 'Bleffed are the barren, and the wombs that

never bare, and the paps which never gave fuck. Then fhall they begin to fay to the mountains, fall on us and to the hills, cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, 'what fhall they do in the dry.' (Whether by this prophecy, was meant the deftruction of the world, or of Jerufalem only; is not clear; much lefs fo is the last fentence.) And there were also two other malefactors led with him to be put to ' death.' The tranflation fhould have beenand there were also two others, malefactors, &c. As it ftands Luke calls Jefus a malefactor. Now as to these two malefactors St. Matthew faysThen were there two thieves crucified with him: xxvii. 38

M 4

one

Chapter Verfe one on the right hand, and another on the left.

And they that paffed by, reviled him, wagging

xxvii. 39 their heads and faying; Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, fave

40

thyfelf if thou be the Son of God, come 41 down from the crofs. Likewife alfo the chief priests mocking him, with the fcribes and elders 42faid, He faved others; himself he cannot fave:

if he be the king of Ifrael, let him now come

• down from the cross and we will believe him, 43 He trufted in God; let him now deliver him if

44

he will have him; for he faid, I am the Son of 'God. The thieves alfo which were crucified

with him, caft the fame in his teeth.' St. Mark's account is-' And with him they crucified two 'thieves; the one on his right hand, and the ⚫ other on his left. (Here he adds the prophecy.) And the scripture was fulfilled, which faithAnd he was numbered with the tranfgreffors. And they that paffed by, railed on him, wag'ging their heads, and faying-Ah thou that destroyeft the temple, and buildest it in three days; fave thyfelf, and come down from the crofs. Likewife alfo the chief priests mocking, 'faid among themselves, with the fcribes, He faved others, himfelf he cannot fave. Let 'Chrift the king of Ifrael defcend now from the cross, that we may fee and believe.' The word Chrift, (omitted by Matthew) explains their meaning fully. They did not fuppofe a king,

when

when nailed to a crofs, had power to release himfelf but they expected, he, who had profeffed much greater powers, would now have done fo; had he been really Chrift, the Son of God: more efpecially as they propofed it a teft upon which depended their converfion. Mark concludes

And they that were crucified with him, reviled him. St. Luke's account of this matter, differs materially-And when they were come to the place which is called Calvery, (the other 'three call it Golgotha) there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then faid JefusFather, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' This humane, this generous, this noble prayer, efcaped the memory of three evangelifts: could not John, who it feems, was prefent, remark fo remarkable, fo excellent a prayer? Strange that Luke only fhould record it: but he had fome learning, and is the only one who has given us an intelligible account of the examination before Pilate, already noticed. Luke goes on- And they parted his raiment, and caft lots, and the people stood beholding: and the rulers alfo with them derided him, faying, He 'faved others; let him fave himfelf: if he be

Chrift the chofen of God. (He fays nothing of the belief to enfue.) And the foldiers also 'mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, and faying, If thou be the king of

• the

the Jews, fave thyfelf.' After reciting the inscription; he gives us a fingular account of the malefactors, totally different, and contradictory to the records of Matthew, and Mark. (John fays nothing of their behaviour.) And one of the 'malefactors which were hanged, railed on him faying, If thou be Chrift, fave thy felf and us. But the other answering, rebuked him faying, ⚫ Doft thou fear God, feeing thou art in the fame ⚫ condemnation? and we indeed juftly: for we have the due reward of our deeds; but this

6

man hath done nothing amifs. And he faid unto Jefus-Lord remember me when thou 'comeft into thy kingdom. And Jefus faid unto him, Verily I fay unto thee, to day thou fhalt be with me in Paradife. Thus we find St. Luke hath not only made one of the malefactors repentant, but hath given him an immediate and glorious reward. Matthew and Mark dispatched them both in a state of reprobation and from John's account we can determine nothing; all he fays concerning them, is-They crucified

him, and two other with him, on either fide

one, and Jefus in the midft.' It is very extraordinary that John, who was prefent, fhould omit this extraordinary tranfaction, and likewise the fingular speech already noticed; and that both fhould be recorded by Luke, and Luke only. But we have in more places than one, occasion to remark that Luke was good at embellishment:

and