Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

Caiaphas had a reserve, which he knew should do the business in that Assembly; he adjured him by God,¹ to tell him if he were the Christ: I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of God: The holy Jesus being adjured by so sacred a Name, would not now refuse an answer; but he confessed himself to be the Christ, the Son of the living God: and this the High Priest was pleased (as the design was laid) to call Blasphemy; and in token thereof, he rends is clothes, prophetically signifying that the Priesthood should be rent from himself.

Caiaphas had a reserve, which he knew should do the business in that Assembly; he adjured him by God,¹ to tell him if he were the Christ: I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of God: The holy Jesus being adjured by so sacred a Name, would not now refuse an answer; but he confessed himself to be the Christ, the Son of the living God: and this the High Priest was pleased (as the design was laid) to call Blasphemy; and in token thereof, he rends is cloaths, prophetically signifying that the Priesthood should be rent from himself.

1. 1Mat. 26.63.

¹We are taught in all this quietly to suffer wrong: If my Adversary should write a Book against me, surely I would take it upon my shoulder (saith Job) and bind it as a Crown to me; it is impossible, if we are Christ's servants, to live in this world without false accusations: come, let us take heart, and in some cases, say not a word; since he that was most innocent, was most silent, why should we be too forward in our excuses? I know there is a time to speak, as a time for silence; if it may tend to God's honour, and to the spreading of God's truth, and that right circumstances do concur, it is then time to open our mouths, though we let in death. So did our blessed Saviour: O let us learn of him, and follow his steps!