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T H E "Enter ye in 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."– Matthew 7:13, 14 By J O H N.B U N Y A N. |
[AN INTIMATION OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.]
irst. An intimation of the kingdom of heaven; for when he saith,
"Strive to enter in," and in such phrases, there is supposed a place or
state, or both, to be enjoyed. "Enter in"; enter into what, or whither,
but into a state or place, or both? and therefore when you read this word, "enter
in," you must say there is certainly included in the text that good thing that
yet is not expressed. "Enter in"; into heaven, that is the meaning, where
the saved are, and shall be; into heaven, that place, that glorious place, where
God, and Christ, and angels are, and the souls or spirits of just men made perfect.
"Enter in"; that thing included, though not expressed in the words, is
called in another place, the Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the general assembly
and church of the first-born which are written in heaven. (Heb 12:23) And therefore
the words signify unto us, that there is a state most glorious, and that when this
world is ended; and that this place and state are likewise to be enjoyed, and inherited
by a generation of men for ever.
Besides, this word, "enter in," signifieth that salvation to the full is
to be enjoyed only there, and that there only is eternal safety; all other places
and conditions are hazardous, dangerous, full of snares, imperfections, temptations,
and afflictions, but there all is well; there is no devil to tempt, no desperately
wicked heart to deliver us up, no deceitful lust to entangle, nor any enchanting
world to bewitch us. There all shall be well to all eternity. Further, all the parts
of, and circumstances that attend salvation, are only there to be enjoyed; there
only is immortality and eternal life; there is the glory and fulness of joy, and
the everlasting pleasures; there is God and Christ to be enjoyed by open vision,
and more; there are the angels and the saints; further, there is no death, nor sickness,
no sorrow nor sighing for ever; there is no pain, nor persecutor, nor darkness, to
eclipse our glory. O this Mount Zion! O this heavenly Jerusalem! (2 Cor 5:1-4, Psa
16:11, Luke 20:35,36, Heb 12:22- 24)
Behold, therefore, what a great thing the Lord Jesus hath included by this little
word, "IN." In this word is wrapt up a whole heaven and eternal life; even
as there is also by other little words in the holy Scriptures of truth: as where
he saith, "Knock, and it shall be opened unto you," and "the election
hath obtained it." This should teach us, not only to read, but to attend in
reading; not only to read, but to lift up our hearts to God in reading; for if we
be not heedful, if he gives us not light and understanding, we may easily pass over,
without any great regard, such a word as may have a glorious kingdom and eternal
salvation in the bowels of it; yea, sometimes, as here, a whole heaven is intimated,
where it is not at all expressed. The apostles of old did use to fetch great things
out of the Scriptures, even out of the very order and timing of the several things
contained therein. See Romans 4:9-11, Galatians 3:16,17, Hebrews 8:13.
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