The obfervation has a ftill farther intendment. Many, who ftand high in the charity of men, will be caft out of God's prefence, as vile and abominable; while others, whofe characters feem doubtful, or who are condemned by a cenforious world, will be found to glory, honour and praise at the coming of Chrift. Some boafting, felf-confident profeffors will be driven away as odious hypocrites; while diffident, doubting, trembling fouls, will be received as pure and upright before God. Some who have been favored with good inftructions, virtuous examples, and every advantage of a religious education, will be excluded from heav en; while others, furrounded with difficulties, opposed by temptations, and almost unaided by human means, will so strive as to prefs in at the ftrait gate. Some, who fuftained a fober character, and regularly attended on the ordinances of God's houfe, will be found but formalifts and hypocrites; while others, whose visible character was for a time far more exceptionable, will by the renewing and fanctifying grace of God be brought to glory.

Truft not then in the opinion which men may form of you, or the applause which they may beftow upon you-truft not in your external advantages, your good education, or your regular and orderly manner of life. See that the love of religion poffefs your hearts, and the fear of God govern your actions. Paul fays, "To me it is a fmall thing, that I fhould be judged of man's judgment; yea, I judge not mine own felf; for he that judgeth me is the Lord, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifeft the counfels of the heart."

It is an awful thought that any, who have enjoyed your advantages and opportunities, and

who, in addition to thefe, have experienced the inward awakenings and excitations of the divine fpirit, as has been the cafe with fome of youperhaps with many, should, after all, be fhut out of heaven. Some fuch unhappy instances, doubtlefs, there will be. Take heed that you add not to the number.

How you fhall enter in at the ftrait gate, the Saviour himself has taught you. His command is, “Strive to enter in." This striving, you have feen, is fomething more, than asking for admiffion; for fome who thus feek to enter, will not be able. It is fomething more, than hearing Chrift teach, and eating and drinking in his prefence; for fome who can plead this, will be fhut out. What is it then? It is renouncing all iniquity with godly forrow, devoting yourselves unrefervedly to a holy life, and purfuing this life faithfully to the death. The workers of iniquity muft depart from Chrift. They who do the will of God, will be received into the heavenly kingdom.

Some, when they hear that they must strive, entertain too limited an idea of the matter, as if ftriving confifted in fervour of prayer, and extraordinary attention to certain devotional exercifes. If these were all, why were the perfons mentioned in our text repulfed? Prayer and attendance on ordinances are but a part of the business. They are means, and useful means when applied in feafon, and with a view to the end. But to complete the idea of ftriving, there must be a steady perfevering engagednefs in the whole work of religion, without exception against any part of it. The word rendered, Strive, is borrowed from the publick games then in ufe. It alludes to the exertions with which combatants in a race or conflict, ftrove for the maftery. How did racers VOL. V.

Y

ftrive for the prize proposed to them? Was it merely by earnest intreaties to the mafter of the games, that he would adjudge the prize to them? No: it was by entering the lifts with resolution, throwing off every weight that might impede their running the race with activity and constan cy, and pursuing it to the end. "Know ye not, that they who run in a race, run all; but one" only "receiveth the prize?" In the Christian race, there is a prize for all who will run: “So run that ye may obtain." "Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but you an incorruptible. Run not as uncertainly; ftrive not as one that beateth the air. But keep under your bodies and bring them into fubjection, left, after all your hopes and profpects, you fhould be caftaways."

SERMON XIII.

Pilate's Infeription on the Cross of Christ.

A Communion Sermon.

JOHN xix. 19—22.

And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross; and the writing was, "Jefus of Nazareth the King of the Jews" This title then read many of the Jews, for the place where Jefus was crueified was nigh to the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, "the King of the Jews" but that he said, "I am the King of the Jews." Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.

The Meffiah was foretold, in ancient pro

phecy, under the character and title of a king, whofe government fhould extend to all nations, but should be exercised in a peculiar manner over the Jews. His extenfive dominion is described in the fecond Pfalm; "I have fet my king upon my holy hill of Zion. Afk of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy poffeffion." In the ninth chapter of Ifaiah, he is described as fitting, on the throne of David, and reigning over the houfe of Ifrael: "Unto us a child is born; unto us a fon is given; and the government fhall be on

his shoulder; his name fhall be called the prince of peace; of the increase of his government and peace there fhall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to order and establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever."

As the Meffiah was to make his perfonal appearance in Judea, and there first to display the bleffings of his fpiritual kingdom, he is described as eminently the king of the Jews. But the glori ous things foretold concerning this Spiritual king. dom, the Jews underftood in a temporal and worldly fenfe. They imagined, that he would erect his throne in Jerufalem, their capital city; would deliver them from the oppreffion of the Roman government, and would reduce all nations into a state of fubjection to them.

When Jefus appeared and wrought miracles among them, and proclaimed the near approach of the kingdom of God, many were in high expectation, that they should foon fee him at the head of their nation, fpreading his dominion over the world. And impatient at his delay, they would have taken him by force and made him a king. But when they found, that their worldly expectations were not to be answered, mortified at their disappointment, they called him a deceiver, and fought his deftruction. And, among other accufations, they alledged, that he had called himself a king, and thus had spoken against the authority of Cefar.

If Jefus had actually affumed the regal power in Judea, and had begun to raise an army for the expulfion of the imperial authority, they would have been highly gratified with the defign, and would have reforted by thousands to his ftandard. But because he disclaimed all temporal dominion,