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Observe here, 1. The unwearied pains and diligence of our holy Lord in preaching and publishing the glad tidings of the gospel to lost sinners: He went through the cities and villages teaching; not in great and populous cities only, but in poor and obscure villages also; not preaching by his exemplary life only, but by his holy doctrine likewise. Let such preachers, who look upon the work of preaching as the least part of their business, consider the indefatigable pains which our Lord took in that work; and how will his diligence shame our negligence!
Observe, 2. A curious question put to our Saviour concerning the number of those that should be saved, whether they should be few or many: Lord, are there few that be saved?
Where note, how curiously inquisitive we naturally are after the knowledge of things that do not concern us, how forward to pry into unrevealed secrets, and to search into God's hidden counsel; it concerns us rather to understand what sort of persons shall be saved, than how many shall be saved, and to make sure that we be of that sort.
Observe, 3. Our Saviour gives no direct answer to the curiousity of this inquiry, but turns his speech from him to the people: Jesus said unto them, strive to enter in at the strait gate, etc. For the clear understanding of which expression we must know, that Christ alludes to the feasts and marriage suppers among the Jews: they that were invited did enter by a gate which was very strait and narrow; and as soon as the invited were once entered, the gate was shut, and opened no more. Here Christ bids them strive to enter into the kingdom of heaven, before the gate is shut against them, and their entrance, by means of their coming too late, be made impossible to them: Strive to enter...for many will seek, etc.
Where note,
1. The metaphor which Christ is pleased to set forth heaven, and the happiness of a future state, by; he compares it to a strait gate: to a gate, to denote the possibility of entering; to a strait gate, to denote the difficulty of entrance: a gate supposes the entrance possible, but a strait gate bespeaks the entrance difficult.
2. Here is a duty urged and enforced upon all those that expect the happiness of another life, and desire to enter in at this strait gate, and that is, a diligent and industrious striving: Strive to enter in at the strait gate.
3. We have a forcible argument and motive to excite and quicken us to the practice of this duty, drawn from the paucity, or small number, of those that shall obtain salvation in a dying hour: Many will seek to enter in, but shall not be able.
Learn thence,
1. That heaven or the happiness of a future state, is attainable.
2. That it is not attainable without labor and difficulty.
3. That all those difficulties may be happily overcome by a diligent and industrious striving.