Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/206

 though "the  chief  priests  and  the  scribes  stood  by, earnestly  accusing  Him"  (Luke  xxiii.  10),  He  refused to utter  a  word  in  His  own  defence. Admire and  imitate the courage  and  constancy  of  His  mind,  which  could not be  overcome  either  by  flattery  or  ill-usage. Learn, also, to  be  reserved  with  persons  of  impure  conduct, unless you  have  certain  hopes  of  converting  them. Reflect also what  a  punishment  to  the  sinner,  when  Christ speaks no  more  to  His  hardened  conscience.

III. "And Herod,  with  his  soldiers,  despised  Him,  and mocked  Him,  putting  on  Him  a  white  garment." (Luke xxiii. 11.)  The  eternal  Wisdom  of  God  is  deemed  a fool,  and  considered  as  one  who  from  simplicity  had called Himself  a  king,  and  is  treated  as  such  by  the  king and his  whole  court,  who  took  delight  in  insulting  Him. Thus attired,  Christ  is  sent  back  again  to  Pilate,  and  proclaimed, as  He  passed  along,  to  be  an  idiot  and  an  imaginary king. " The  word  of  the  cross  to  them  indeed  that perish  is  foolishness,  but  to  them  who  are  saved"  that  is, to us,  "it  is  the  power  of  God." (1 Cor.  i.  18.)  Good Lord, is  it  thus  that  you  attempt  to  cure  my  pride  and arrogance? With how  much  truth  did  thy  Apostle  say, " If  any  man  among  you  seem  to  be  wise,  let  him  become a  fool,  that  he  may  be  wise." (1 Cor.  iii.  18.)

I. "Upon  the  solemn  day,  the  governor  was  accustomed to  release  to  the  people  one  prisoner,  whom  they would." (Matt, xxvii.  15)  Hence,  desirous  of  rescuing Jesus, whose  innocence  was  perfectly  evident,  Pilate  put Him in  competition  with  Barabbas,  a  seditious  assassin. He then  asked  the  Jews  which  of  the  two  he  should