Chapter 109

1. They will put on all the confidence they can, they will trick and trim up their profession, and adorn it with what bravery they can. Thus the foolish virgins sought to enter in; they did trim up their lamps, made themselves as fine as they could. They made shift to make their lamps to shine awhile; but the Son of God discovering himself, their confidence failed, their lamps went out, the door was shut upon them, and they were kept out. (Matt 25:1-12)

2. They will seek to enter in by crowding themselves in among the godly. Thus the man without the wedding garment sought to enter in. He goes to the wedding, gets into the wedding chamber, sits close among the guests, and then, without doubt, concluded he should escape damnation. But, you know, one black sheep is soon seen, though it be among a hundred white ones. Why, even thus it fared with this poor man. “And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man that had not on a wedding garment.” He spied him presently, and before one word was spoken to any of the others, he had this dreadful salutation, “Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having on a wedding garment?” 11

“And he was speechless”; though he could swagger it out among the guests, yet the master of the feast, at first coming in, strikes him dumb; and having nothing to say for himself, the king had something to say against him. “Then the king said to the servants,” the angels, “Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt 22:11-13)

3. They will seek to enter in by pleading their profession and admittance to the Lord’s ordinances when they were in the world. “Lord, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets”; we sat at thy table, and used to frequent sermons and Christian assemblies; we were well thought of by thy saints, and were admitted into thy churches; we professed the same faith as they did; “Lord, Lord, open unto us.”

4. They will seek to enter in by pleading their virtues; how they subjected [themselves] to this ministry, how they wrought for him, what good they did in the world, and the like, but neither will this help them; the same answer that the two former had, the same have these—“Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matt 7:22)

5. They will seek to enter in by pleading excuses where they cannot evade conviction. The slothful servant went this way to work, when he was called to account for not improving his Lord’s money. “Lord,” says he, “I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed, and I was afraid,” &c., either that I should not please in laying out thy money, or that I should put it into hands out of which I should not get it again at thy need, “and I went and hid thy talent in the earth; lo, there thou hast that is thine”; as if he had said, True, Lord, I have not improved, I have not got; but consider also I have not embezzled, I have not spent nor lost thy money; lo, there thou hast what is thine. (Matt 25:24-28) There are but few will be able to say these last words at the day of judgment. The most of professors are for embezzling, misspending, and slothing away their time, their talents, their opportunities to do good in. But, I say, if he that can make so good an excuse as to say, Lo, there thou hast that is thine; I say, if such an one shall be called a wicked and slothful servant, if such an one shall be put to shame at the day of judgment, yea, if such an one shall, notwithstanding this care to save his Lord’s money, be cast as unprofitable into outer darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, what will they do that have neither taken care to lay out, nor care to keep what was committed to their trust?

6. They will seek to enter in by pleading that ignorance was the ground of their miscarrying in the things wherein they offended. Wherefore, when Christ charges them with want of love to him, and with want of those fruits that should prove their love to be true—as, that they did not feed him, did not give him drink, did not take him in, did not clothe him, visit him, come unto him, and the like—they readily reply, “Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?” (Matt 25:44) As who should say, Lord, we are not conscious to ourselves that this charge is worthily laid at our door! God forbid that we should have been such sinners. But, Lord, give an instance; when was it, or where? True, there was a company of poor sorry people in the world, very inconsiderable, set by with nobody; but for thyself, we professed thee, we loved thee, and hadst thou been with us in the world, wouldst thou have worn gold, wouldst thou have eaten the sweetest of the world, we would have provided it for thee; and therefore, Lord, Lord, open to us! But will the plea do? No. Then shall he answer them, “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these” my brethren, “ye did it not to me.” This plea, then, though grounded upon ignorance, which is one of the strangest pleas for neglect of duty, would not give them admittance into the kingdom. “These shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.”

I might add other things by which it will appear how they will seek to enter in. As,

1. They will make a stop at this gate, this beautiful gate of heaven. They will begin to stand without at the gate, as being loath to go any further. Never did malefactor so unwillingly turn off the ladder when the rope was about his neck, as these will turn away in that day from the gates of heaven to hell.

2. They will not only make a stop at the gate; but there they will knock and call. This also argueth them willing to enter. They will begin to stand without, and to knock at the gate, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. This word, Lord, being doubled, shows the vehemency of their desires, “Lord, Lord, open unto us.” The devils are coming; Lord, Lord, the pit opens her mouth upon us; Lord, Lord, there is nothing but hell and damnation left us, if, Lord, Lord, thou hast not mercy upon us; “Lord, Lord, open unto us!”

3. Their last argument for entrance is their tears, when groundless confidence, pleading of virtues, excuses, and ignorance, will not do; when standing at the gate, knocking, and calling, “Lord, Lord, open unto us,” will not do, then they betake themselves to their tears. Tears are sometimes the most powerful arguments, but they are nothing worth here. Esau also sought it carefully with tears, but it helped him nothing at all. (Heb 12:17) There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth; for the gate is shut for ever, mercy is gone for ever, Christ hath rejected them for ever. All their pleas, excuses, and tears will not make them able to enter into this kingdom. “For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”

[Import of the words SHALL NOT BE ABLE.]

I come now to the latter part of the words, which closely show us the reason of the rejection of these many that must be damned; “They will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”

A hypocrite, a false professor, may go a great way; they may pass through the first and second watch, to wit, may be approved of Christians and churches; but what will they do when they come at this iron gate that leadeth into the city? “There the workers of iniquity are fallen, they are cast down, and shall not be able to rise!” (Psa 36:12)

“And shall not be able.” The time, as I have already hinted, which my text respecteth, it is the day of judgment, a day when all masks and vizards shall be taken off from all faces. It is a day wherein God “will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsel of the hearts.” (1 Cor 4:5) It is also the day of his wrath, the day in which he will pay vengeance, even a recompence to his adversaries.

At this day, those things that now these “many” count sound and good, will then shake like a quagmire, even all their naked knowledge, their feigned faith, pretended love, glorious shows of gravity in the face, their holiday words and specious carriages, will stand them in little stead. I call them holiday ones, for I perceive that some professors do with religion just as people do with their best apparel—hang it against the wall all the week, and put it on on Sundays. For as some scarce ever put on a suit but when they go to a fair or a market, so little house religion will do with some; they save religion till they go to a meeting, or till they meet with a godly chapman. O poor religion! O poor professor! What wilt thou do at this day, and the day of thy trial and judgment? Cover thyself thou canst not; go for a Christian thou canst not; stand against the Judge thou canst not! What wilt thou do? “The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.” 12 “And shall not be able.” The ability here intended is not that which standeth in carnal power or fleshly subtlety, but in the truth and simplicity of those things for the sake of which God giveth the kingdom of heaven to his people.

There are five things, for the want of which this people will not be able to enter.

1. This kingdom belongs to the elect, to those for whom it was prepared from the foundation of the world. (Matt 25:34) Hence Christ saith, when he comes, he will send forth his angels with a great sound of trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to another. (Matt 24:31) And hence he saith again, “I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains, and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.” “They shall deceive, if it were possible, the very elect.” “But the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.” (Rom 11:7)

2. They will not be able to enter, because they will want the birthright. The kingdom of heaven is for the heirs—and if children, then heirs; if born again, then heirs. Wherefore it is said expressly, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” By this one word, down goes all carnal privilege of being born of flesh and blood, and of the will of man. Canst thou produce the birthright? But art thou sure thou canst? For it will little profit thee to think of the blessed kingdom of heaven, if thou wantest a birthright to give thee inheritance there. Esau did despise his birthright, saying, What good will this birthright do me? And there are many in the world of his mind to this day. “Tush,” say they, “they talk of being born again; what good shall a man get by that? They say, no going to heaven without being born again. But God is merciful; Christ died for sinners; and we will turn when we can tend it, 13 and doubt not but all will be well at last.” But I will answer thee, thou child of Esau, that the birthright and blessing go together; miss of one, and thou shalt never have the other! Esau found this true; for, having first despised the birthright, when he would afterwards “have inherited the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” (Gen 25, Heb 12:16,17)

3. They shall not be able to enter in who have not believed with the faith of God’s operation; the faith that is most holy, even the faith of God’s elect. “He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36) But now this faith is the effect of electing love, and of a new birth. (John 1:11-13) Therefore, all the professors that have not faith which floweth from being born of God, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

4. They shall not be able to enter in that have not gospel-holiness. Holiness that is the effect of faith is that which admits into the presence of God, and into his kingdom too. “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection, on such the second death,” that is, hell and eternal damnation, “hath no power.” (Rev 20:6,14) Blessed and holy, with the holiness that flows from faith which is in Christ; for to these the inheritance belongs. “That they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified, by faith,” saith Christ, “that is in me.” (Acts 26:18) This holiness, which is the natural effect of faith in the Son of God, Christ Jesus the Lord will, at this day of judgment, distinguish from all other shows of holiness and sanctity, be they what they will, and will admit the soul that hath this holiness into his kingdom, when the rest will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

5. They shall not be able to enter in that do not persevere in this blessed faith and holiness; not that they that have them indeed can finally fall away, and everlastingly perish; but it hath pleased Jesus Christ to bid them that have the right to hold fast that they have: to endure to the end; and then tells them they shall be saved—though it is as true that none is of power to keep himself; but God worketh together with his children, and they are “kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation,” which is also laid up in heaven for them. (1 Peter 1:3-5)

“The foolish shall not stand in thy sight; thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” (Psa 5:5) The foolish are the unholy ones, that neither have faith, nor holiness, nor perseverance in godliness, and yet lay claim to the kingdom of heaven; but “better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right.” (Prov 16:8) What is it for me to claim a house, or a farm, without right? or to say, all this is mine, but have nothing to show for it? This is but like the revenues of the foolish; his estate lieth in his conceit. He hath nothing by birthright and law, and therefore shall not be able to inherit the possession. “For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”

Thus you see, that the non-elect shall not be able to enter, that he that is not born again shall not be able to enter, that he that hath not saving faith, with holiness and perseverance flowing therefrom, shall not be able to enter; wherefore consider of what I have said.

[SECOND. THE WORDS BY WAY OF OBSERVATION.]

I come now to give you some observations from the words, and they may be three.

FIRST. When men have put in all the claim they can for heaven, but few will have it for their inheritance. “For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” SECOND. Great, therefore, will be the disappointment that many will meet with at the day of judgment: “For many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” THIRD. Going to heaven, therefore, will be no trivial business; salvation is not got by a dream; they that would then have that kingdom must now strive lawfully to enter: “For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”

FIRST. I shall speak chiefly, and yet but briefly, to the first of these observations; to wit, That when men have put in all the claim they can to the kingdom of heaven, but few will have it for their inheritance. The observation standeth of two parts. First. That the time is coming, when every man will put in whatever claim they can to the kingdom of heaven. Second. There will be but few of them that put in claim thereto, that shall enjoy it for their inheritance.

[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)

(3.) Come we now to the time of the Judges, how few then were godly, even then when the inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel! “the highways” of God “were” then “unoccupied.” (Judg 5:6,7)

(4.) There were but few in the days of David: “Help, Lord,” says he, “for the godly man ceaseth, for the faithful fail from among the children of men.” (Psa 12:1)

(5.) In Isaiah’s time the saved were come to such a few, that he positively says that there were a very small number left: “God had made them like Sodom, and they had been like unto Gomorrah.” (Isa 1:8,9)

(6.) It was cried unto them in the time of Jeremiah, that they should “run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth, and I will pardon it.” (Jer 5:1)

(7.) God showed his servant Ezekiel how few there would be saved in his day, by the vision of a few hairs saved out of the midst of a few hairs; for the saved were a few saved out of a few. (Eze 5:5)

(8.) You find in the time of the prophet Micah, how the godly complain, that as to number they then were so few, that he compares them to those that are left behind when they had gathered the summer-fruit. (Micah 7:1)

(9.) When Christ was come, how did he confirm this truth, that but few of them that put in claim for heaven will have it for their inheritance! But the common people could not hear it, and therefore, upon a time when he did but a little hint at this truth, the people, even all in the synagogue where he preached it, “were filled with wrath, rose up, thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill,” whereon their city was built, “that they might cast him down headlong.” (Luke 4:24-29)

(10.) John, who was after Christ, saith, “The whole world lieth in wickedness; that all the world wondered after the beast; and that power was given to the beast over all kindreds, tongues, and nations.” Power to do what? Why, to cause all, both great and small, rich and poor, bond and free, to receive his mark, and to be branded for him. (1 John 5:10, Rev 13:3,7,16)

(11.) Should we come to observation and experience, the show of the countenance of the bulk of men doth witness against them; “they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not.” (Isa 3:9) Where is the man that maketh the Almighty God his delight, and that designeth his glory in the world? Do not even almost all pursue this world, their lusts and pleasures? and so, consequently, say unto God, “Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways; or, What is the Almighty that we should serve him? It is in vain to serve God,” &c.

So that without doubt it will appear a truth in the day of God, that but few of them that shall put in their claim to heaven will have it for their inheritance.

Before I pass this head, I will show you to what the saved are compared in the Scriptures.

[To what the saved are compared in Scripture.]

1. They are compared to a handful: “There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains,” &c. (Psa 72:16) This corn is nothing else but them that shall be saved. (Matt 3:12, 13:30) But mark, “There shall be a handful”: What is a handful, when compared with the whole heap? or, what is a handful out of the rest of the world?