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The Strait Gate

by John Bunyan

[SECOND. THE WORDS BY WAY OF OBSERVATION.]

I come now to give you some observations from the words, and they may be three.

FIRST. When men have put in all the claim they can for heaven, but few will have it for their inheritance. 'For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.' SECOND. Great, therefore, will be the disappointment that many will meet with at the day of judgment: 'For many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.' THIRD. Going to heaven, therefore, will be no trivial business; salvation is not got by a dream; they that would then have that kingdom must now strive lawfully to enter: 'For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.'

FIRST. I shall speak chiefly, and yet but briefly, to the first of these observations; to wit, That when men have put in all the claim they can to the kingdom of heaven, but few will have it for their inheritance. The observation standeth of two parts. First. That the time is coming, when every man will put in whatever claim they can to the kingdom of heaven. Second. There will be but few of them that put in claim thereto, that shall enjoy it for their inheritance.

[First. ALL WILL PUT IN WHAT CLAIM THEY CAN TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.]

I shall speak but a word or two to the first part of the observation, because I have prevented my enlargement thereon by my explication upon the words; but you find in the 25th of Matthew, that all they on the left hand of the Judge did put in all the claim they could for this blessed kingdom of heaven. If you should take them on the left hand as most do, for all the sinners that shall be damned, then that completely proveth the first part of the observation; for it is expressly said, 'Then shall they,' all of them jointly, and every one apart, 'also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thus and thus, and did not minister unto thee?' (Matt 25:44) I could here bring you in the plea of the slothful servant, the cry of the foolish virgins; I could also here enlarge upon that passage, 'Lord, Lord, have we not eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets?' But these things are handled already in the handling of which this first part of the observation is proved; wherefore, without more words, I will, God assisting by his grace, descend to the second part thereof, to wit,

[Second. THERE WILL BE BUT FEW OF THEM THAT PUT IN CLAIM THERETO THAT WILL ENJOY IT FOR THEIR INHERITANCE.]

I shall speak distinctly to this part of the observation, and shall first confirm it by a Scripture or two. 'Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.' (Matt 7:14) 'Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.' (Luke 12:32) By these two texts, and by many more that will be urged anon, you may see the truth of what I have said.

To enlarge, therefore, upon the truth; and, First, more generally; Second, more particularly. More generally, I shall prove that in all ages but few have been saved. More particularly, I shall prove but few of them that profess have been saved.

[First, Generally--in all ages but few have been saved.]

1. In the old world, when it was most populous, even in the days of Noah, we read but of eight persons that were saved out of it; well, therefore, might Peter call them but few; but how few? why, but eight souls; 'wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water.' (1 Peter 3:20) He touches a second time upon this truth, saying, He 'spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.' (2 Peter 2:5) Mark, all the rest are called the ungodly, and there were also a world of them. These are also taken notice of in Job, and go there also by the name of wicked men: 'Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood, which said unto God, Depart from us, and what can the Almighty do for them?' (Job 22:15-17)

There were therefore but eight persons that escaped the wrath of God, in the day that the flood came upon the earth; the rest were ungodly; there was also a world of them, and they are to this day in the prison of hell. (Heb 11:7, 1 Peter 3:19,20) Nay, I must correct my pen, there were but seven of the eight that were good; for Ham, though he escaped the judgment of the water, yet the curse of God overtook him to his damnation.

2. When the world began again to be replenished, and people began to multiply therein: how few, even in all ages, do we read of that were saved from the damnation of the world!

(1.) One Abraham and his wife, God called out of the land of the Chaldeans; 'I called,' said God, 'Abraham alone.' (Isa 51:2)

(2.) One Lot out of Sodom and Gomorrah, out of Admah and Zeboim; one Lot out of four cities! Indeed his wife and two daughters went out of Sodom with him; but they all three proved naught, as you may see in the 19th of Genesis. Wherefore Peter observes, that Lot only was saved: 'He turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemning them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly, and delivered just Lot, that righteous man.' (Read 2 Peter 2:6-8) Jude says, that in this condemnation God overthrew not only Sodom and Gomorrah, but the cities about them also; and yet you find none but Lot could be found that was righteous, either in Sodom or Gomorrah, or the cities about them; wherefore they, all of them, suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. (verse 7)

(3.) Come we now to the time of the Judges, how few then were godly, even then when the inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel! 'the highways' of God 'were' then 'unoccupied.' (Judg 5:6,7)

(4.) There were but few in the days of David: 'Help, Lord,' says he, 'for the godly man ceaseth, for the faithful fail from among the children of men.' (Psa 12:1)

(5.) In Isaiah's time the saved were come to such a few, that he positively says that there were a very small number left: 'God had made them like Sodom, and they had been like unto Gomorrah.' (Isa 1:8,9)

(6.) It was cried unto them in the time of Jeremiah, that they should 'run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth, and I will pardon it.' (Jer 5:1)

(7.) God showed his servant Ezekiel how few there would be saved in his day, by the vision of a few hairs saved out of the midst of a few hairs; for the saved were a few saved out of a few. (Eze 5:5)

(8.) You find in the time of the prophet Micah, how the godly complain, that as to number they then were so few, that he compares them to those that are left behind when they had gathered the summer- fruit. (Micah 7:1)

(9.) When Christ was come, how did he confirm this truth, that but few of them that put in claim for heaven will have it for their inheritance! But the common people could not hear it, and therefore, upon a time when he did but a little hint at this truth, the people, even all in the synagogue where he preached it, 'were filled with wrath, rose up, thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill,' whereon their city was built, 'that they might cast him down headlong.' (Luke 4:24-29)

(10.) John, who was after Christ, saith, 'The whole world lieth in wickedness; that all the world wondered after the beast; and that power was given to the beast over all kindreds, tongues, and nations.' Power to do what? Why, to cause all, both great and small, rich and poor, bond and free, to receive his mark, and to be branded for him. (1 John 5:10, Rev 13:3,7,16)

(11.) Should we come to observation and experience, the show of the countenance of the bulk of men doth witness against them; 'they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not.' (Isa 3:9) Where is the man that maketh the Almighty God his delight, and that designeth his glory in the world? Do not even almost all pursue this world, their lusts and pleasures? and so, consequently, say unto God, 'Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways; or, What is the Almighty that we should serve him? It is in vain to serve God,' &c.

So that without doubt it will appear a truth in the day of God, that but few of them that shall put in their claim to heaven will have it for their inheritance.

Before I pass this head, I will show you to what the saved are compared in the Scriptures.

[To what the saved are compared in Scripture.]

1. They are compared to a handful: 'There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains,' &c. (Psa 72:16) This corn is nothing else but them that shall be saved. (Matt 3:12, 13:30) But mark, 'There shall be a handful': What is a handful, when compared with the whole heap? or, what is a handful out of the rest of the world?

2. As they are compared to a handful, so they are compared to a lily among the thorns, which is rare, and not so commonly seen: 'As the lily among thorns,' saith Christ, 'so is my love among the daughters.' (Cant 2:2) By thorns, we understand the worst and best of men, even all that are destitute of the grace of God, for 'the best of them is a brier, the most upright' of them 'as a thorn- hedge.' (Micah 7:4, 2 Sam 23:6) I know that she may be called a lily amongst thorns also, because she meets with the pricks of persecution. (Eze 2:6, 28:24) She may also be thus termed, to show the disparity that is betwixt hypocrites and the church. (Luke 8:14, Heb 8) But this is not all; the saved are compared to a lily among thorns, to show you that they are but few in the world; to show you that they are but few and rare; for as Christ compares her to a lily among thorns, so she compares him to an apple-tree among the trees of the wood, which is rare and scarce; not common.

3. They that are saved are called but one of many; for though there be 'threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number,' yet my love, saith Christ, is but one, my undefiled is but one. (Cant 6:8,9) According to that of Jeremiah, 'I will take you one of a city.' (Jer 3:14) That saying of Paul is much like this, 'Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?' (1 Cor 9:24) But one, that is, few of many, few of them that run; for he is not here comparing them that run with them that sit still, but with them that run, some run and lose, some run and win; they that run and win are few in comparison with them that run and lose: 'They that run in a race run all, but one receives the prize'; let there then be 'threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number,' yet the saved are but few.

4. They that are saved are compared to the gleaning after the vintage is in: 'Woe is me,' said the church, 'for I am as when they have gathered the summer-fruits, as the grape-gleanings' after the vintage is in. (Micah 7:1) The gleanings! What are the gleanings to the whole crop? and yet you here see, to the gleanings are the saved compared. It is the devil and sin that carry away the cartloads, while Christ and his ministers come after a gleaning. But the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim are better than the vintage of Abiezer. (Judg 8:2) Them that Christ and his ministers glean up and bind up in the bundle of life, are better than the loads that go the other way. You know it is often the cry of the poor in harvest, Poor gleaning, poor gleaning. And the ministers of the gospel they also cry, Lord, 'who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?' (Isa 53:1) When the prophet speaks of the saved under this metaphor of gleaning, how doth he amplify the matter? 'Gleaning-grapes shall be left,' says he, 'two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the Lord.' (Isa 17:6) Thus you see what gleaning is left in the vineyard, after the vintage is in; two or three here, four or five there. Alas! they that shall be saved when the devil and hell have had their due, they will be but as the gleaning, they will be but few; they that go to hell, go thither in clusters, but the saved go not so to heaven. (Matt 13:30, Micah 7) Wherefore when the prophet speaketh of the saved, he saith there is no cluster; but when he speaketh of the damned, he saith they are gathered by clusters. (Rev 14:18,19) O sinners! but few will be saved! O professors! but few will be saved!

5. They that shall be saved are compared to jewels: 'and they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels.' (Mal 3:17) Jewels, you know, are rare things, things that are not found in every house. Jewels will lie in little room, being few and small, though lumber takes up much. In almost every house, you may find brass, and iron, and lead; and in every place you may find hypocritical professors, but the saved are not these common things; they are God's peculiar treasure. (Psa 135:4) Wherefore Paul distinguisheth betwixt the lumber and the treasure in the house. There is, saith he, in a great house, not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honour, and some to dishonour. (2 Tim 2:20) Here is a word for wooden and earthy professors; the jewels and treasures are vessels to honour, they of wood and earth are vessels of dishonour, that is, vessels for destruction. (Rom 9:21)

6. They that shall be saved are compared to a remnant: 'Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.' (Isa 1:9) A remnant, a small remnant, a very small remnant! O how doth the Holy Ghost word it! and all to show you how few shall be saved. Every one knows what a remnant is, but this is a small remnant, a very small remnant. So again, 'Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.' (Jer 31:7) What shall I say? the saved are often in Scripture called a remnant. (Eze 9:4,8, Isa 10:20-22, 11:11,16, Jer 23:3, Joel 2:32) But what is a remnant to the whole piece? What is a remnant of people to the whole kingdom? or what is a remnant of wheat to the whole harvest?

7. The saved are compared to the tithe or tenth part; wherefore when God sendeth the prophet to make the hearts of the people fat, their ears dull, and to shut their eyes, the prophet asketh, 'How long?' to which God answereth, 'Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, and the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land. But yet,' as God saith in another place, 'I will not make a full end,' 'in it shall be a tenth, - so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.' (Isa 6:10-13) But what is a tenth? What is one in ten? And yet so speaks the Holy Ghost, when he speaks of the holy seed, of those that were to be reserved from the judgment. And observe it, the fattening and blinding of the rest, it was to their everlasting destruction; and so both Christ and Paul expounds it often in the New Testament. (Matt 13:14,15, Mark 4:12, Luke 8:10, John 12:40, Acts 28:26, Rom 11:8) So that those that are reserved from them that perish will be very few, one in ten: 'A tenth shall return, so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.' *

* Lowth's translation of this passage in Isaiah 6:13 not only confirms Bunyan, but exhibits his view in a more prominent light:--'And though there be a tenth part remaining in it, even this shall undergo a repeated destruction; yet as the ilex and the oak, though cut down, hath its stock remaining, a holy seed shall be the stock of the nation.'--Ed.

I shall not add more generals at this time. I pray God that the world be not offended at these. But without doubt, but few of them that shall put in their claim for heaven will have it for their inheritance; which will yet further appear in the reading of that which follows.

[Second. Particularly--but few of them that profess have been saved.]

Therefore I come more particularly to show you that but few shall be saved. I say, but few of professors themselves will be saved; for that is the truth that the text doth more directly look at and defend. Give me, therefore, thy hand, good reader, and let us soberly walk through the rest of what shall be said; and let us compare as we go each particular with the holy Scripture.

1. It is said, 'The daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.' (Isa 1:8) The vineyard was the church of Israel, the cottage in that vineyard was the daughter of Zion, or the truly gracious amongst, or in that church. (Isa 5:1) A cottage; God had but a cottage there, but a little habitation in the church, a very few that were truly gracious amongst that great multitude that professed; and had it not been for these, for this cottage, the rest had been ruined as Sodom: 'Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us,' in the church, a very few, they had been as Sodom. (Isa 1:9) Wherefore, among the multitude of them that shall be damned, professors will make a considerable party.

2. 'For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant of them shall return,' 'a remnant shall be saved.' (Isa 10:22, Rom 9:27) For though thy people Israel, whom thou broughtest out of Egypt, to whom thou hast given church-constitution, holy laws, holy ordinances, holy prophets, and holy covenants; thy people by separation from all people, and thy people by profession; though this thy people be as the sand of the sea, 'a remnant shall be saved'; wherefore, among the multitude of them that shall be damned, professors will make a considerable party.

3. 'Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them.' (Jer 6:30) The people here under consideration are called, in verse 27, God's people, his people by profession: 'I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know, and try their way.' What follows? They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders, reprobate silver; the Lord hath rejected them. In chapter 7, verse 29, they are called also the generation of his wrath: 'For the Lord hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.' This, therefore, I gather out of these holy Scriptures,--that with reference to profession and church-constitution, a people may be called the people of God; but, with reference to the event and final conclusion that God will make with some of them, they may be truly the generation of his wrath.

4. In the fifth of Isaiah, you read again of the vineyard of God, and that it was planted on a very fruitful hill, planted with the choicest vines, had a wall, a tower, a wine-press belonging to it, and all things that could put it into right order and good government, as a church; but this vineyard of the Lord of hosts brought forth wild grapes, fruits unbecoming her constitution and government, wherefore the Lord takes from her his hedge and wall, and lets her be trodden down. Read Christ's exposition upon it in Matthew 21:33, &c. Look to it, professors, these are the words of the text, 'For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.'

5. 'Son of man,' said God to the prophet, 'the house of Israel is to me become dross, all they are brass and tin, and iron and lead, in the midst of the furnace they even are the dross of silver.' (Eze 22:18) God had silver there, some silver, but it was but little; the bulk of that people was but the dross of the church, though they were the members of it. But what doth he mean by the dross? why, he looked upon them as no better, notwithstanding their church-membership, than the rabble of the world, that is, with respect to their latter end; for to be called dross, it is to be put amongst the rest of the sinners of the world, in the judgment of God, though at present they abide in his house: 'Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross; therefore I love thy testimonies.' (Psa 119:119)

God saith of his saved ones, 'He hath chosen them in the furnace of affliction.' The refiner, when he putteth his silver into his furnace, he puts lead in also among it; now this lead being ordered as he knows how, works up the dross from the silver, which dross, still as it riseth, he putteth by, or taketh away with an instrument. And thus deals God with his church; there is silver in his church, aye, and there is also dross: now the dross are the hypocrites and graceless ones that are got into the church, and these will God discover, and afterwards put away as dross. So that it will without doubt prove a truth of God, that many of their professors that shall put in claim for heaven, will not have it for their inheritance.

6. It is said of Christ, his 'fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather his wheat into the garner, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.' (Matt 3:12) The floor is the church of God: 'O my threshing, and the corn of my floor!' said God by the prophet, to his people. (Isa 21:10) The wheat are these good ones in his church that shall be undoubtedly saved; therefore he saith, 'Gather my wheat into my garner.' The chaff groweth upon the same stalk and ear, and so is in the same visible body with the wheat, but there is not substance in it: wherefore in time they must be severed one from the other; the wheat must be gathered into the garner, which is heaven; and the chaff, or professors that want true grace, must be gathered into hell, that they may be burned up with unquenchable fire. Therefore let professors look to it! *

* How solemn the thought--there is but little wheat in comparison with all the grass and vegetable produce of the earth; and in the harvest how much chaff and straw, which grew with the wheat, will be cast out! Well may it be said, Look to it, professors.--Ed.

7. Christ Jesus casts away two of the three grounds that are said to receive the word. (Luke 8)

The stony ground received it with joy, and the thorny ground brought forth fruit almost to perfection. Indeed the highway ground was to show us that the carnal, whilst such, receive not the word at all; but here is the pinch, two of the three that received it, fell short of the kingdom of heaven; for but one of the three received it so as to bring forth fruit to perfection. Look to it, professors!

8. The parable of the unprofitable servant, the parable of the man without a wedding garment, and the parable of the unsavoury salt, do each of them justify this for truth. (Matt 25:24,29, 22:11-13, 5:13) That of the unprofitable servant is to show us the sloth and idleness of some professors; that of the man without a wedding garment is to show us how some professors have the shame of their wickedness seen by God, even when they are among the children of the bridegroom; and that parable of the unsavoury salt is to show, that as the salt that hath lost its savour is fit for nothing, no, not for the dunghill, but to be trodden under foot of men; so some professors, yea, and great ones too, for this parable reached one of the apostles, will in God's day be counted fit for nothing but to be trodden down as the mire in the streets. O the slothful, the naked, and unsavoury professors, how will they be rejected of God and his Christ in the judgment! Look to it, professors!

9. The parable of the tares also giveth countenance to this truth: for though it be said the field is the world, yet it is said, the tares were sown even in the church. 'And while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.' (Matt 13:24,25) Object. But some may object, The tares might be sown in the world among the wheat, though not in the churches. Answ. But Christ, by expounding this parable, tells us the tares were sown in his kingdom; the tares, that is, the children of the devil. 'As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.' (verse 30,39- 43) Look to it, professors!

10. The parable of the ten virgins also suiteth our purpose; these ten are called the kingdom of heaven, that is, the church of Christ, the visible rightly-constituted church of Christ; for they went all out of the world, had all lamps, and all went forth to meet the bridegroom; yet behold what an overthrow the one-half of them met with at the gate of heaven; they were shut out, bid to depart, and Christ told them he did not know them. (Matt 25:1-13) Tremble, professors! Pray, professors!

11. The parable of the net that was cast into the sea, that also countenanceth this truth. The substance of that parable is to show that souls may be gathered by the gospel--there compared to a net--may be kept in that net, drawn to shore, to the world's end, by that net, and yet may then prove bad fishes, and be cast away. The parable runs thus:--'The kingdom of heaven,' the gospel, 'is like unto a net which was cast into the sea,' the world, 'and gathered of every kind,' good and bad, 'which when it was full, they drew to shore,' to the end of the world, 'and sat down,' in judgment, 'and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.' Some bad fishes, nay, I doubt a great many, will be found in the net of the gospel, at the day of judgment. (Matt 13:47,49) Watch and be sober, professors!

12. 'And - many shall come from the east and from the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out.' (Matt 8:11,12) The children of the kingdom, whose privileges were said to be these, 'to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises.' (Rom 9:4) I take liberty to harp the more upon the first church, because that that happened to them, happened as types and examples, intimating, there is ground to think, that things of as dreadful a nature are to happen among the church of the Gentiles. (1 Cor 10:11,12) Neither, indeed, have the Gentile churches security from God that there shall not as dreadful things happen to them. And concerning this very thing, sufficient caution is given to us also. (1 Cor 6:9,10, Gal 5:19-21, Eph 5:3-6, Phil 3:17,19, 2 Thess 2:11,12, 2 Tim 2:20,21, Heb 6:4-8, 10:26-28, 2 Peter 2, 3, 1 John 5:10, Rev 2:20-22)

13. The parable of the true vine and its branches confirm what I have said. By the vine there I understand Christ, Christ as head; by the branches, I understand this church. Some of these branches proved fruitless cast-always, were in time cast out of the church, were gathered by men, and burned. (John 15:1-6)

14. Lastly, I will come to particular instances.

(1.) The twelve had a devil among them. (John 6:70) (2.) Ananias and Sapphira were in the church of Jerusalem. (Acts 5) (3.) Simon Magus was among them at Samaria. (Acts 8) (4.) Among the church of Corinth were them that had not the knowledge of God. (1 Cor 15:34) (5.) Paul tells the Galatians that false brethren crept in unawares; and so does the apostle Jude, and yet they were as quick-sighted to see as any now-a-days. (Gal 2:4, Jude 4) (6.) The church in Sardis had but a few names in her, to whom the kingdom of heaven belonged. 'Thou hast a few names, even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.' (Rev 3:4) (7.) As for the church of the Laodiceans, it is called 'wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.' (Rev 3:17) So that put all things together, and I may boldly say, as I also have said already, that among the multitude of them that shall be damned, professors will make a considerable party; or, to speak in the words of the observation, 'when men have put in all the claim they can for heaven, but few will have it for their inheritance.'

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