A Golden Chain

Now follows the second policy of Pilate. For when he saw the first would not prevail, then he took a new course: for he took Jesus into the common hall and scourged him, and the soldiers platted a crown of thorns and pu• ⟨p. 322⟩it on his head, and they put on him a purple garment,¹ and said, Hail King of the Jews, and smote him with their rods. And thus he brought him forth before the Jews, persuading himself that when they saw him so abased, and so ignominiously abused, they would be content therewith, and exact no greater punishment at his hands: thinking thus to have pacified the rage of the Jews and so to have delivered Christ from death, by inflicting upon him some lesser punishment. This policy is as it were a looking glass, in which we may behold of what nature and condition all plots and policies of men are, which are devised and practised without the direction of Gods word. In it we may observe two things: the first is, the ground thereof; which is a most silly, simple, or rather senseless argument. For he reasoneth us:² I find no fault in this man, therefore I will chastise him and let him go. A man would hardly have thought, that one having but common sense, would have made such a reason, much less a gre•t judge sitting in the room of God. But in him we may behold and see the ground of all humane policy which is beside the word of God, namely the foolish and blind reason of men. The second thing to be considered is, the proceeding and issue of this policy. Pilate must either whip Christ being innocent; or put him to death: which are both sins and great offences. Now he maketh choice of the lesser, which is to whip him, and is persuaded that he ought to do so: whereas of two sins or evils, a man ought to do neither. And in doing this, Pilate begins to make a breach in his conscience; and that is the fruit that all politics reap of their devises, which proceed by the light of their own reason, without the word of God. By this example, we are admonished of two things: first, that before we enterprise any business, we must rectify our judgements by Gods word. David was a most wise King, and no doubt, had withal a grave and wise counsel, but yet he preferred the word of God before all, saying,