The harmony of the Gospels in the holy history of the humiliation and sufferings…

6. The timous and speedy death of Jesus, by the wonderful and merciful providence of God prevented that Roman and Jewish cruelty in breaking his legs. That he dyed sooner then they looked for, or then malefactors were wont to die, or then the Thieves did, appeareth evidently, because Pilate marvelled, and would not believe Joseph, who begged his dead body, until he called the Centurion that had charge of the watch, and he affirmed that he was dead. We see that the Romans used cruelty in putting malefactors to death by long tortures, Math. 18.34. executors are called tormentors, and when they desire to dispatch them, they broke their legs, to torture them to death, by torturing their Limbs furthest from their heart, when as a touch upon the head, would presently finish their life, but Christ escaped this, by a divine hand.

6. The timous and speedy death of Jesus, by the wonderful and merciful providence of God prevented that Roman and Jewish cruelty in breaking his legs. That he dyed sooner then they looked for, or then malefactors were wont to dy, or then the Theevs did, appeareth evidently, because Pilate marvailed, and would not believe Ioseph, who begged his dead body, until he called the Centurion that had charge of the watch, and he affirmed that he was dead. We see that the Romans used cruelty in putting malefactors to death by long tortures, Math. 18.34. executors are called tormentors, and when they desire to dispatch them, they broke their legs, to torture them to death, by torturing their Limbs furthest from their heart, when as a touch upon the head, would presently finish their life, but Christ escaped this, by a divine hand.

The occasion that moved Pilate to command, that they should be so killed, and hastened to their death, was, the Jews request that their legs might be broken, the reason which they proposed was, because of the approach of the Sabbath, and it was the time of their Passover feast.