The works of the Rev. John Wesley, Vol. 03 (of 32)

by John Wesley

5. And many there be who go in at that gate: many who walk in that way. Almost as many as go in at the gate of death, as sink into the chambers of the grave. For it cannot be denied, (tho’ neither can we acknowledge it but with shame and sorrow of heart) that even in this, which is called a Christian country, the generality of every age and sex, of every profession and employment, of every rank and degree, high and low, rich and poor, are walking in the way of destruction. The far greater part of the inhabitants of this city, to this day live in sin; in some palpable, habitual, known transgression of the law they profess to observe: yea, in some outward transgression, some gross, visible kind of ungodliness or unrighteousness; some open violation of their duty, either to God or man. These then, none can deny, are all in the way that leadeth to destruction. Add to these those who have a name indeed that they live, but were never yet alive to God: those that outwardly appear fair to men, but are inwardly full of all uncleanness: full of pride, or vanity; of anger, or revenge; of ambition, or covetousness: lovers of themselves, lovers of the world, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. These indeed may be highly esteemed of men; but they are an abomination to the Lord. And how greatly will these saints of the world, swell the number of the children of hell? Yea, add all, whatever they be in other respects, whether they have more or less of the form of godliness, who being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, as the ground of their reconciliation to God and acceptance with him, of consequence have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness which is of God by faith. Now all these things being joined together in one, how terribly true is our Lord’s assertion, Wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat.

6. Nor does this only concern the vulgar herd, the poor, base, stupid part of mankind. Men of eminence in the world, men who have many fields and yoke of oxen, do not desire to be excused from this. On the contrary, many wise men after the flesh, according to the human methods of judging, many mighty, in power, in courage, in riches, many noble are called: called into the broad way, by the world, the flesh and the devil; and they are not disobedient to that calling. Yea, the higher they are raised in fortune and power, the deeper do they sink into wickedness. The more blessings they have received from God, the more sins do they commit: using their honour or riches, their learning or wisdom, not as means of working out their salvation, but rather of excelling in vice, and so insuring their own destruction.

II. 1. And the very reason why many of these go on so securely in the broad way, is because it is broad: not considering that this is the inseparable property of the way to destruction. Many there be, saith our Lord, who go in thereat: for the very reason why they should flee from it; Even because strait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

2. This is an inseparable property of the way to heaven. So narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, unto life everlasting; so strait the gate, that nothing unclean, nothing unholy can enter. No sinner can pass thro’ that gate, until he is saved from all his sins, not only from his outward sins; from his evil conversation received by tradition from his Fathers. It will not suffice, that he hath ceased to do evil, and learned to do well. He must not only be saved from all sinful actions, and from all evil and useless discourse; but inwardly changed, throughly renewed in the spirit of his mind. Otherwise he cannot pass thro’ the gate of life, he cannot enter into glory.

3. For narrow is the way that leadeth unto life: the way of universal holiness. Narrow indeed is the way of poverty of spirit, the way of holy mourning: the way of meekness, and that of hungring and thirsting after righteousness. Narrow is the way of mercifulness, of love unfeigned; the way of purity of heart; of doing good unto all men, and of gladly suffering evil, all manner of evil for righteousness-sake.

4. And few there be that find it. Alas! how few find even the way of Heathen honesty? How few are there, that do nothing to another, which they would not another should do unto them? How few, that are clear before God, from acts either of injustice or unkindness? How few, that do not offend with their tongue; that speak nothing unkind, nothing untrue? What a small proportion of mankind, are innocent even of outward transgressions? And how much smaller a proportion have their hearts right before God? Clean and holy in his sight? Where are they, whom his all-searching eye, discerns to be truly humble? To abhor themselves in dust and ashes, in the presence of God their Saviour? To be deeply and steadily serious, feeling their wants, and passing the time of their sojourning with fear? Truly meek and gentle, never overcome of evil, but overcoming evil with good? Throughly athirst for God, and continually panting after a renewal in his likeness? How thinly are they scattered over the earth, whose souls are inlarged in love to all mankind? And who love God with all their strength, who have given him their hearts, and desire nothing else in earth or heaven? How few are those lovers of God and man, that spend their whole strength in doing good unto all men? and are ready to suffer all things, yea, death itself, to save one soul from eternal death?

5. But while so few are found in the way of life, and so many in the way of destruction, there is great danger, lest the torrent of examples, should bear us away with them. Even a single example, if it be always in our sight, is apt to make much impression upon us: especially when it has nature on its side; when it falls in with our own inclinations. How great then must be the force of so numerous examples, continually before our eyes; and all conspiring together with our own hearts, to carry us down the stream of nature? How difficult must it be, to stem the tide, and to keep ourselves unspotted in the world?

6. What heightens the difficulty still more is, that they are not the rude and senseless part of mankind, at least not these alone, who set us the example, who throng the downward way: but the polite, the well-bred, the genteel, the wise, the men who understand the world: the men of knowledge, of deep and various learning, the rational, the eloquent! These are all, or nearly all, against us. And how shall we stand against these? Do not their tongues drop manna? And have they not learned all the arts of soft persuasion? And of reasoning too: for these are versed in all controversies and strife of words. It is therefore a small thing with them to prove, that the way is right, because it is broad: that he who follows a multitude, cannot do evil, but only he who will not follow them: that your way must be wrong, because it is narrow; and because there are so few that find it. These will make it clear to a demonstration, that evil is good, and good is evil: That the way of holiness is the way of destruction, and the way of the world, the only way to heaven.

7. O how can unlearned and ignorant men, maintain their cause against such opponents! And yet these are not all with whom they must contend, however unequal to the task. For there are many mighty, and noble, and powerful men, as well as wise, in the road that leadeth to destruction. And these have a shorter way of confuting, than that of reason and argument. They usually apply, not to the understanding, but to the fears of any that oppose them. A method that seldom fails of success, even where argument profits nothing: as lying level to the capacities of all men: for all can fear, whether they can reason or no. And all who have not a firm trust in God, a sure reliance both on his power and love, cannot but fear to give any disgust to those, who have the power of the world in their hands. What wonder therefore if the example of these is a law, to all who know not God?

8. Many rich are likewise in the broad way. And these apply to the hopes of men, and to all their foolish desires, as strongly and effectually, as the mighty and noble to their fears. So that hardly can you hold on in the way of the kingdom, unless you are dead to all below, unless you are crucified to the world and the world crucified to you, unless you desire nothing more but God.