The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

Hitherto of the Title and Incarnation of our Redeemer: his Humiliation follows, in the next Articles: where the Creed proceeds in this order. First his abasement is set down in the sum or general consideration of it, in these words, He suffered under Pontius Pilate. Then is mentioned divers of the chief parts of his sufferings, viz. He was crucified, dead, and buried, and descended into Hell. In the sum of all, he shows what befell him, and when: what befell him, and so he suffered, meaning that he was put to endure misery: and when he suffered, and that was under▪ Pontius Pilate: and that time is especially mentioned for two Reasons: 1. Because the chiefest parts of his sufferings then fell out. 2. Because thereby the Christian Churches have occasion to observe the fulfilling of the old Prophecies at the time of Christs coming, and suffering in the flesh: for Jacob said, that Shiloh must come when the Sceptre was departed from Judah, Gen. 49. And the Prophet Isaiah ⟨p. 302⟩said, that the bud or branch should arise and grow, when the tree of Jesse and his house was so wasted, as nothing was left but the bare stock or root, Isaiah 11. 1. This was now fulfilled, for Pontius Pilate was Governor of Judah under the Roman Emperor, and none of the Tribe or Stock of David bare any office of government in that State: God is true in his words, and when the Church seems to be most afflicted and forlorn, God can make salvation to appear: and therefore in the most desperate afflictions we should learn to trust upon God, who will not forsake his people for ever: and yet another thing may be noted too, and that is, that when God did send his Son to deliver his people, it was not to deliver them from temporal distress, but to bring them spiritual and eternal salvation, and yet they had no cause to complain. So it may be with us: it is enough in desperate distresses, if God will do good to our souls, though he do not for the time release or free our bodies. Thus of that circumstance of the time, only for the titles here given to this Ruler, know that Pilate was his proper name, and Pontius he is called of the place where he was borne, which was Pontia, an Island that lay near to Italy: This man was Governor after Valerius Cratus, and come into his place about eight years before Christ died upon the Cross.