SERMON XXXI.
UPON OUR LORD’S SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
Discourse XI.
Matt. vii. 13, 14.
Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way which leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
1.OUR Lord having warned us of the dangers, which easily beset us at our first entrance upon real religion, the hindrances which naturally arise from within, from the wickedness of our own hearts: now proceeds to apprize us of the hindrances from without, particularly ill example and ill advice. By one or the other of these, thousands who once ran well, have drawn back unto perdition: yea, many of those who were not novices in religion, who had made some progress in righteousness. His caution therefore against these, he presses upon us, with all possible earnestness, and repeats again and again, in variety of expressions, lest by any means we should let it slip. Thus, effectually to guard us against the former, Enter ye in, saith he, at the strait gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. To secure us from the latter, beware, saith he, of false prophets. We shall at present consider the former only.
2. Enter ye in, saith our blessed Lord, at the strait gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
3. In these words we may observe, first, The inseparable properties of the way to hell: Wide is the gate, broad the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat: secondly, the inseparable properties of the way to heaven: Strait is that gate, and few there be that find it: thirdly, a serious exhortation grounded thereon, Enter ye in at the strait gate.
I. 1. We may observe, first, The inseparable properties of the way to hell: Wide is the gate and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat.
Wide indeed is the gate, and broad the way that leadeth to destruction. For sin is the gate of hell, and wickedness the way to destruction. And how wide a gate is that of sin? How broad is the way of wickedness! The commandment of God is exceeding broad, as extending not only to all our actions, but to every word which goeth out of our lips, yea, every thought that rises in our heart. And sin is equally broad with the commandment, seeing any breach of the commandment is sin. Yea, rather it is a thousand times broader: since there is only one way of keeping the commandment: for we do not properly keep it, unless both the thing done, the manner of doing it, and all the other circumstances are right. But there are a thousand ways of breaking every commandment: so that this gate is wide indeed.
3. To consider this a little more particularly. How wide do those parent sins extend, from which all the rest derive their being? That carnal mind, which is enmity against God, pride of heart, self-will and love of the world? Can we fix any bounds to them? Do they not diffuse themselves thro’ all our thoughts, and mingle with all our tempers? Are they not the leaven which leavens, more or less, the whole mass of our affections? May we not, on a close and faithful examination of ourselves, perceive these roots of bitterness, continually springing up, infecting all our words, and tainting all our actions? And how innumerable an offspring do they bring forth, in every age and nation? Even enough to cover the whole earth with darkness and cruel habitations.
4. O! who is able to reckon up their accursed fruits? To count all the sins, whether against God or our neighbour, not which imagination might paint, but which may be matter of daily, melancholy experience? Nor need we range over all the earth to find them. Survey any one kingdom, any single country, or city or town, and how plenteous is this harvest? And let it not be one of those, which are still overspread with Mahometan or Pagan darkness: but of those which name the name of Christ, which profess to see the light of his glorious gospel. Go no farther than the kingdom to which we belong, the city wherein we are now. We call ourselves Christians: yea, and that of the purest sort; we are Protestants; reformed Christians! But alas! who shall carry on the reformation of our opinions into our hearts and lives? Is there not a cause? For how innumerable are our sins? And those of the deepest dye? Do not the grossest abominations of every kind, abound among us from day to day? Do not sins of every sort cover the land, as the waters cover the sea? Who can count them? Rather go and count the drops of rain, or the sands on the sea-shore. So wide is the gate, so broad is the way that leadeth to destruction.