9. For how dark, how uncomfortable, how forbidding is the prospect on the opposite side? A strait gate! A narrow way! And few finding that gate! Few walking in the way. Besides, even those few, are not wise men, not men of learning or eloquence. They are not able to reason either strongly or clearly; they cannot propose an argument to any advantage, they know not how to prove what they profess to believe; or to explain even what they say they experience. Surely such advocates as these, will never recommend, but rather discredit the cause they have espoused.
10. Add to this, that they are not noble, not honourable men: (if they were, you might bear with their folly.) They are men of no interest, no authority, of no account in the world. They are mean and base, low in life; and such as have no power, if they had the will to hurt you. Therefore there is nothing at all to be feared from them: and there is nothing at all to hope. For the greater part of them may say, silver and gold have I none: at least a very moderate share. Nay, some of them have scarce food to eat or raiment to put on. For this reason, as well as because their ways are not like those of other men, they are every where spoken against, are despised, have their names cast out as evil, are variously persecuted, and treated as the filth and offscouring of the world. So that both your fears, your hopes, and all your desires, (except those which you have immediately from God) yea, all your natural passions continually incline you to return into the broad way.
III. 1. Therefore it is, that our Lord so earnestly exhorts, Enter ye in at the strait gate. Or (as the same exhortation is elsewhere expressed) Strive to enter in. Ἀγωνίζεσθε εἰσελθεῖν. Strive as in an agony. For many, saith our Lord, shall seek to enter in, indolently strive, and shall not be able.
2. ’Tis true, he intimates what may seem another reason for this, for their not being able to enter in, in the words which immediately follow these. For after he had said, Many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able, he subjoins, When once the master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without (ἄρξησθε ἔχω ἐστάναι. Rather, Ye stand without; for ἄρξησθε seems to be only an elegant expletive) and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us: he shall answer, and say unto you, I know you not. Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity. Luke xiii. 26, &c.
3. It may appear, upon a transient view of these words, that their delaying to seek at all, rather than their manner of seeking, was the reason why they were not able to enter in. But it comes, in effect, to the same thing. They were therefore commanded to depart, because they had been workers of iniquity, because they had walked in the broad road: in other words, because they had not agonized to enter in at the strait gate. Probably they did seek, before the door was shut: but that did not suffice. And they did strive, after the door was shut. But then it was too late.
4. Therefore, strive ye now, in this your day, to enter in at the strait gate. And in order hereto, settle it in your heart, and let it be ever uppermost in your thoughts, that if you are in a broad way, you are in the way that leadeth to destruction. If many go with you, as sure as God is true, both they and you are going to hell. If you are walking as the generality of men walk, you are walking to the bottomless pit. Are many wise, many rich, many mighty or noble travelling with you in the same way? By this token, without going any farther, you know, it does not lead to life. Here is a short, a plain, an infallible rule, before you enter into particulars. In whatever profession you are engaged, you must be singular or be damned. The way to hell has nothing singular in it; but the way to heaven is singularity all over: if you move but one step towards God, you are not as other men are. But regard not this. ’Tis far better to stand alone, than to fall into the pit. Run then with patience the race which is set before thee, tho’ thy companions therein are but few. They will not always be so. Yet a little while and thou wilt come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first born, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.
5. Now then, strive to enter in at the strait gate, being penetrated with the deepest sense, of the inexpressible danger your soul is in, so long as you are in a broad way: so long as you are void of poverty of spirit, and all that inward religion, which the many, the rich, the wise account madness. Strive to enter in, being pierced with sorrow and shame, for having so long run on with the unthinking crowd, utterly neglecting if not despising that holiness, without which no man can see the Lord. Strive as in an agony of holy fear, lest, a promise being made you of entering into his rest, even that rest which remaineth for the people of God, you should nevertheless come short of it. Strive in all the fervor of desire, with groanings which cannot be uttered. Strive by prayer without ceasing, at all times, in all places lifting up your heart to God, and giving him no rest, till you awake up after his likeness and are satisfied with it.
6. To conclude. Strive to enter in at the strait gate, not only by this agony of soul, of conviction, of sorrow, of shame, of desire, of fear, of unceasing prayer, but likewise by ordering thy conversation right, by walking with all thy strength, in all the ways of God, the way of innocence, of piety and of mercy. Abstain from all appearance of evil: do all possible good to all men: deny thyself, thy own will, in all things, and take up thy cross daily. Be ready to cut off thy right hand, to pluck out thy right eye and cast it from thee: to suffer the loss of goods, friends, health, all things on earth, so thou mayst enter into the kingdom of heaven.