Now, if his conduct was reprehensible, if it afforded grounds for a _legal accusation_, why was not that course taken openly? Why not try him for the acts committed by him, and for his public discourses? Why employ against him subterfuges, artifice, perfidy, and violence? for such was the mode of proceeding against Jesus.
Let us now take up the subject, and look at the narratives which have come down to us. Let us, with Mr. Salvador, open the books of the Gospels; for he does not object to that testimony; nay, he relies upon it: "It is by the Gospels themselves," says he, "that I shall establish _all the facts_."
In truth, how can we (except by contrary evidence, of which there is none) refuse to place confidence in an historian, who tells us, as Saint John does, with affecting simplicity: "He that saw it bare record, and his record is true, and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe." John xix. 35.
Who will not be surprised to find in this case the odious practice of employing hired informers? Branded with infamy, as they are in modern times, they will be still more so when we carry back their origin to the trial of Christ. It will be seen presently, whether I have not properly characterized by the name of hired informers those emissaries, whom the chief priests sent out to be about Jesus.
We read in the evangelist Luke, chap. xx. 20: _Et observantes miserunt insidiatores, qui se justos simularent, ut caperent eum in sermone, et traderent illum principatui et potestati præsidis_. I will not translate this text myself, but will take the language of a translator whose accuracy is well known, Mr. De Sacy: "As they only sought occasions for his destruction, they sent to him _apostate persons who feigned themselves just men_, in order to _take hold_ of his words, that they might deliver him unto magistrate and into the power of the governor." And Mr. De Sacy adds--"if there should escape from him the least word against the public authorities."
This first artifice has escaped the sagacity of Mr. Salvador.
Section II.--THE CORRUPTION AND TREACHERY OF JUDAS.
According to Mr. Salvador, the senate, as he calls it, did not commence their proceedings by arresting Jesus, as would be done at the present day; but they began by passing a preliminary decree, that he should be arrested; and he cites, in proof of his assertion, St. John xi. 53, 54, and St. Matthew xxvi. 4, 5.