[Why should we strive?]
"Strive to enter in." By these words, the Lord Jesus also gave a sharp rebuke to those professors who did not have eternal glory but other temporal things in their eyes because of all the bustle they made about religion. Some there be, what a stir they make, what a noise and clamor, with their notions and forms, and yet perhaps all is for the loaves because they have eaten of the loaves and are filled. (John 6:26) These strive indeed to enter, but it is not into heaven; they find religion hath a good trade at the end of it, or they find that it is the way to credit, repute, preferment, and the like, and therefore they strive to enter into these. But these have not the strait gate in their eye, nor yet in themselves have they love to their poor and perishing souls; wherefore this exhortation nipped such by predicting their damnation.
"Strive to enter in." These words also sharply rebuke them who content themselves as the angel of the church of Sardis, did, to wit, "to have a name to live and be dead" (Rev 3:1), or as they of the Laodiceans, who took their religion upon trust, and were content with a poor, wretched, lukewarm profession; for such as these do altogether unlike to the exhortation in the text, that says, Strive, and they sit and sleep; that says, Strive to enter in, and they content themselves with a profession that is never like to bring them thither.
"Strive to enter in." Further, these words put us upon proving the truth of our graces now; I say, they put us upon the proof of the truth of them now; for if the strait gate be the gate of heaven, and yet we are to strive to enter into it now, even while we live, and before we come thither, then doubtless Christ means by this exhortation, that we should use all lawful means to prove our graces in this world, whether they will stand in the judgment or no. Strive to enter in; get those graces now that will prove true graces then, and therefore try those you have; and if, upon trial, they prove not right, cast them away, and cry for better, lest they cast thee away when better are not to be had. "Buy of me gold tried in the fire"; mark that. (Rev 3:18) Buy of me faith and grace that will stand in the judgment; strive for that faith; buy of me that grace, and also white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, that the shame of thy wickedness doth not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see. Mind you, this advice is right, striving to enter.
But you will say, How should we try our graces? Would you have us run into temptation to see if they are sound or rotten?
Answ. You need not run into trials; God ordained that enough of them shall overtake you to prove thy graces either rotten or sound before the day of thy death; sufficient to the day is the evil thereof, if thou hast but a sufficiency of grace to withstand. I say thou shalt have trials enough overtake thee to prove thy grace sound or rotten. Thou mayest, therefore, if God shall help thee, see how it is like to go with thee before thou goest out of this world, whether thy graces be such as will carry thee in at the gates of heaven or not.
But how should we try our graces now?
Answ. (a.) How dost thou find them in outward trials? See Hebrews 11:15,16. (b.) How dost thou find thyself in the inward workings of sin? (Rom 7:24) (c.) How dost thou find thyself under this world's most high enjoyment of grace? (Phil 3:14)
But what do you mean by these three questions? I mean, graces show themselves in these seasons, whether they be rotten or sound.
(a.) How do they show themselves true under the first of these?
Answ. By mistrusting our own sufficiency, crying to God for help, desiring rather die than bringing dishonor to the name of God, and counting that, if God be honored in the trial, thou hast gained more than all the world could give thee. (2 Chron 20:12, 14:11, Acts 4, 20:22, 2 Cor 4:17,18, Heb 11:24,25)
(b.) How do they show themselves to be true under the second?
Answ. By mourning, confessing, striving, and praying against them; by not being content, shouldst thou have heaven if they live, and defile thee; and by counting of holiness the greatest beauty in the world; and by flying to Jesus Christ for life. (Zech 12:10, John 19, Heb 12:14, Psa 19:12)
(c.) How do they show themselves true under the third?
Answ. By prizing the true graces above all the world, praying heartily that God will give thee more, and not being content with all the grace, thou canst be capable of enjoying heaven and glory on this side. (Psa 84:10, Luke 17:5, Phil 3)
"Strive to enter in." The reason why Christ added these words, "to enter in," is obvious, to wit, because there is no true and lasting happiness on this side heaven; I say, none that is both true and lasting, I mean, as to our sense and feeling as there shall [be]; "For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come." (Heb 13:14) The heaven is within, strive therefore to enter in; the glory is within, strive therefore to enter in; the Mount Zion is within, strive therefore to enter in; the heavenly Jerusalem is within, strive therefore to enter in; angels and saints are within, strive therefore to enter in; and, to make up all, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that glorious Redeemer, is within, strive therefore to enter in. "Strive to enter in." "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." Without are also the devils, and hell, and death, and all damned souls; without is howling, weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth; yea, without are all the miseries, sorrows, and plagues that an infinite God can in justice and power inflict upon evil and wicked generation; "Strive therefore to enter in at the strait gate." (Rev 22:15, Matt 25:41, Rev 12:9, Is 65:13,14, Matt 22:13, Deu 29:18-20)
