THE STRAIT GATE.
“STRIVE TO ENTER IN AT THE STRAIT GATE; FOR MANY, I SAY UNTO YOU, WILL SEEK TO ENTER IN, AND SHALL NOT BE ABLE.”—LUKE 13:24
These are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and are, therefore, in a special manner to be heeded; besides, the subject matter of the words is the most weighty, to wit, how we should attain salvation and, therefore, also to be heeded.
The occasion of the words was a question which one that was at this time in the company of the disciples put to Jesus Christ; the question was this, “Lord, are there few that be saved?” (verse 23) A serious question, not such as tending to the subversion of the hearers, as too many nowadays do, but such as in its own nature tended to the awakening of the company to good, which called for such an answer that might also profit the people. This question also well pleased Jesus Christ, and he prepared and giveth such an answer as was without the least retort or show of distaste; such an answer, I say, carried in it the most full resolve to the question itself and help to the persons questioning. “And he said unto them, Strive to enter in,” &c. The words are an answer and an instruction. First. An answer, and that in the affirmative; the gate is straight—many who seek will not be able, but few shall be saved. Second. The answer is an instruction also; “strive to enter in,” &c., good counsel and instruction; pray God to help me, my reader, and all that love their own salvation, to take it.
[FIRST. THE WORDS BY WAY OF EXPLICATION.]
FIRST. The general scope of the text is to be considered, and that is that great thing—salvation; for these words do immediately look at, point to, and give directions about salvation: “Are there few that be saved? Strive to enter in at the strait gate.”
The words are to direct us not only to talk of or to wish for but to understand how we shall and to seek that we may be effectually saved and of the greatest importance. To be saved! What is it like being saved? To be saved from sin, from hell, from the wrath of God, from eternal damnation, what is like it? What is it like to be made an heir of God, of his grace, kingdom, and eternal glory? And yet all this is included in this word saved, and in the answer to that question, “Are there few that can be saved?” Indeed this word SAVED is but of little use in the world, save to them that are heartily afraid of damning. This word lies in the Bible as excellent salves lie in some men’s houses, thrust into a hole, and not thought on for many months because the household people have no wounds or sores. In time of sickness, what so set by as the doctor’s glasses and gally-pots full of his excellent things? But when the person is grown well, the rest is thrown to the dunghill.
O, when men are sick of sin and afraid of damning, what a text is that where this word saved is found! Yea, what a word of worth, goodness, and blessedness is it to him that lies continually upon the wrath of a guilty conscience? “But the whole need, not a physician”; therefore, he only knows what saved means, that knows what the hell, death, and damnation mean. “What shall I do to be saved?” is the language of the trembling sinner. “Lord save me” is the language of the sinking sinner, and none admire the glory that is in that word saved, but such as see, without being saved, all things in heaven and earth are emptiness to them. They also believe themselves privileged in all the blessedness wrapped up in that word, bless and admire God who saved them. Since the thing intended, both in the question and the answer is no less than the soul’s salvation, I beseech you to give the more earnest heed. (Heb 12) But,
SECOND. I found four things in the words to come to the particular phrases in the words and to handle them in an orderly. First. An intimation of the kingdom of heaven. Second. A description of the entrance into it. Third. An exhortation to enter into it. And Fourth, A motive to enforce that exhortation.
[AN INTIMATION OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.]
First, an intimation of the kingdom of heaven, for when he saith, “Strive to enter in,” and in such phrases, there is supposed a place or state, or both, to be enjoyed. “Enter in”; enter into what, or whither, but into a state, place, or both? Therefore, when you read “enter in,” you must say that good things are certainly included in the text that are not yet expressed. “Enter in”; into heaven, that is the meaning, where the saved are, and shall be; into heaven, that glorious place, where God, Christ, and angels are, and the souls or spirits of just men made perfect. “Enter in”; that thing included, though not expressed in the words, is called in another place, the Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the general assembly and church of the firstborn written in heaven. (Heb 12:23) And therefore the words signify unto us, that there is a state most glorious, and that when this world is ended; and that this place and state are likewise to be enjoyed, and inherited by a generation of men forever. Besides, this word, “enter in,” signified that salvation to the full is to be enjoyed only there and that there only is eternal safety; all other places and conditions are hazardous, dangerous, full of snares, imperfections, temptations, and afflictions, but there all is well; there is no devil to tempt, no desperately wicked heart to deliver us up, no deceitful lust to entangle, nor any enchanting world to bewitch us. There all shall be well to all eternity. Further, all the parts of and circumstances that attend salvation are only there to be enjoyed; there only is immortality and eternal life; there is the glory and fulness of joy and the everlasting pleasures; there is God and Christ to be enjoyed by open vision, and more; there are the angels and the saints; further, there is no death, nor sickness, no sorrow nor sighing forever; there is no pain, nor persecutor, nor darkness, to eclipse our glory. O, this Mount Zion! O, this heavenly Jerusalem! (2 Cor 5:1-4, Psa 16:11, Luke 20:35,36, Heb 12:22-24)
Behold, therefore, what a great thing the Lord Jesus hath included by this little word, “IN.” In this word is wrap up whole heaven and eternal life; even as there are other little words in the holy Scriptures of truth: where he saith, “Knock, and it shall be opened unto you,” and “the election hath obtained it.” This should teach us not only to read but to attend in reading; not only to read but to lift up our hearts to God in reading; for if we are not heedful, if he gives us not light and understanding, we may easily pass over, without any great regard, such a word as may have a glorious kingdom and eternal salvation in the bowels of it; yea, sometimes, as here, whole heaven is intimated, where it is not at all expressed. The apostles of old did use to fetch great things out of the Scriptures, even out of the very order and timing of the several things contained therein. See Romans 4:9-11, Galatians 3:16,17, Hebrews 8:13. But,
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