The Fountain of Life Opened

Secondly, We shall next enquire what hand the divine providence had in this business.

And indeed, the providence of God in this hour acted gloriously, and wonderfully these five ways.

First, In over ruling the heart and hand of Pilate, in that draught and stile of it, and the contrary to his own inclination. I doubt not but Pilate himself was ignorant of, and far enough from designing that which the wisdom of Providence aimed at,¹ in this matter. He was a wicked man, he had no love to Christ. He had given Sentence of death against him. Yet this is he that proclaimed him, to be Jesus, King of the Jews. It so over ruled his Pen, that he could not write what was in his own heart and intention, but the quite contrary; even a fair and public Testimony to the Kingly office of the Son of God, This is the King of the Jews. Secondly, Herein the wisdom of providence was gloriously displayed, in applying a present, proper, public remedy, to the reproaches ⟨p. 361⟩and blasphemies which Christ had then newly received, in his name and honour. The superstitious Jews wound him, and Heathen Pilate prepares a plaster to heal him. They reproach, he vindicates. They throw the dirt, he washes it off. O, the profound and inscrutable wisdom of providence! Thirdly, Moreover, providence eminently appeared at this time, in keeping so timorous a person, a man of so base a spirit, that would not stick at any thing to please the people, from receding, or giving ground in the least to their importunities. Is Pilate become a man of such resolution and constancy? Whence is this? But from the God of the Spirits of all flesh. Who now flowed in so powerfully upon his Spirit, that he could not choose but write: and when he had written, had no more power to alter what he had written, that he had to refuse to write it. Fourthly, Herein also much of the wisdom of providence appeared, in casting the ignominy of the death of Christ upon those very men who ought to bear it. Pilate was moved by divine instinct, at once to clear Christ, and accuse them. For it is, as if he had said you have moved me to Crucify your King, I have Crucified him, and now let the ignominy of his death rest upon your heads, who have extorted this from me. He is righteous, the crime is not his but yours. Fifthly, And lastly, the providence of God wonderfully discovered it self, (as before was noted) in fixing this Title to the Cross of Christ, when there was so great a confluence of all sorts of people, to take notice of it.