[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)