John Bunyan: The Strait (or Narrow) Gate Part 7

About the Author

John Bunyan (1628-1688) was one of the greatest preachers of the seventeenth century, and despite his humble beginnings and lack of formal education, has also been called "the most wonderfully gifted spiritual writer since the days of the Apostles." Next to the Bible, his Pilgrims Progress has been translated into more languages, and has passed through more editions (about four hundred), than any other book in the world. That book, along with his Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners and Holy War, are the records of his own deep spiritual experience, in which a profane and sinful man after a number of false conversions was wonderfully tranformed. He was later asked to preach to a small congregation, and after preaching to the brethren five years, and working at his trade (as a "tinker," one who repaired pots and pans) for the support of himself and family, he was arrested and thrown into Bedford jail twelve years (1660-1672) for "teaching men to worship God contrary to the law." During those years he continued to write, his only books being the Bible and Concordance, and Foxe's Book of Martyrs. He would have been released any day if he had promised not to preach; but he felt called of God to the work of the ministry, and he continually replied to his jailors, "If you release me today, I will preach again tomorrow." The renowned John Owen said that he would gladly relinquish all his learning for the tinker's preaching abilities.

THE STRAIT GATE
OR,
GREAT DIFFICULTY OF GOING TO HEAVEN

Plainly proving, by the Scripture, that not only
the Rude and Profane, but many great Professors,
will come short of that Kingdom.

By John Bunyan

Part 7: Many Called But Few Chosen

"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.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: An Explanation of the Text

Part 3: Heaven, Hell, & the Professing Christian

Part 4: This Thing You Lack

Part 5: Called Out From the World

Part 6: Scriptural Illustrations of the Saved

Part 7: Many Are Called But Few Are Chosen

Part 8: Why Many Miss Heaven

Part 9: Words of Warning

Part 10: Concluding Thoughts

PART Seven: Many Called but Few Chosen

Therefore I come more particularly to show you, that but few will be saved. I say, but few of professors themselves will be saved; for that is the truth that the text doth more directly look at and defend. Give me therefore thy hand, good reader, and let us soberly walk through the rest of what shall be said; and let us compare as we go each particular with the Holy Scripture.

It is said, "The daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city," (Isaiah 18). The vineyard was the church of Israel (Isaiah 5:1); the cottage in that vineyard was the daughter of Zion, or the truly gracious amongst, or in that church. A cottage; God had but a cottage there, but a little habitation in the church, a very few that were truly gracious amongst the great multitude that professed; and had it not been for these, for this cottage, the rest had been ruined as Sodom: “Except the Lord of Hosts had left in us, in the church, a very few, they had been as Sodom” (Isaiah 5:9). Wherefore among the multitude of them that shall be damned, professors will make a considerable party.

"For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, remnant shall return, a remnant shall be saved," (Isaiah 10:22; Romans 9:27). For though thy people Israel whom thou broughtest out of Egypt, to whom thou hast given church-constitution, holy laws, holy ordinances, holy prophets, and holy covenants; thy people by separation from all people, and thy people by profession; though this thy people be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved; wherefore, among the multitude of them that shall be damned, professors will make a considerable party.

"Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them” (Jeremiah 6:30). The people here under consideration are called in Jeremiah 6:27, God's people, his people by profession: “I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know, and try their way.” What follows? They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders, reprobate silver; the Lord hath rejected them. In Jeremiah 7:29, they are called also the generation of his wrath: “For the Lord hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.” This, therefore, I gather out of these holy Scriptures, — that with reference to profession and church-constitution, a people may be called the people of God; but, with reference to the event and final conclusion that God will make with some of them, they may be truly the generation of his wrath.

The saved are as the remains of God’s vineyard. In Isaiah 5, you read again of the vineyard of God, and that it was planted on a very fruitful hill, planted with the choicest vines, had a wall, a tower, a winepress belonging to it, and all things that could put it into right order and good government, as a church; but this vineyard of the Lord of hosts brought forth wild grapes, fruits unbecoming her constitution and government, wherefore the Lord takes from her his hedge and wall, and lets her be trodden down. Read Christ's exposition upon it in Matthew 23:23, etc. Look to it, professors, these are the words of the text, “For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”

“The house of Israel is to me become dross,” said God to the prophet, “all they are brass and tin, and iron and lead, in the midst of the furnace they are the dross of silver” (Ezekiel 22:18). God had silver there, some silver, but it was but little; the bulk of that people was but the dross of the church, though they were the members of it. But what doth he mean by the dross? why he looked upon them as no better, notwithstanding their church-membership, than the rabble of the world, that is, with respect to their latter end; for to be called dross, it is to be put amongst the rest of the sinners of the world, in the judgment of God, though at present they abide in his house: “Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross; therefore I love thy testimonies” (Psalm. 119:119).

God saith of his saved ones, "He hath chosen them in the furnace of affliction." The refiner, when he putteth the silver into his furnace, he puts lead I also among it; now this lead being ordered as he knows how, works up the dross from the silver, which dross, still as it riseth, he putteth by, or taketh away with an instrument. And thus deals God with his church; there is silver in his church, ay, and there is also dross; now the dross are the hypocrites and graceless ones that are got into the church, and these will God discover, and afterwards put away as dross. So that it will without doubt prove a truth of God, that many of their professors that shall put in claim for heaven, will not have it for their inheritance.

It is said of Christ, “His fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather his wheat into his garner, but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12). The floor is the church of God: “O my threshing, and the corn of my floor!” said God by the prophet (Isaiah 21:10) to his people. The wheat are those good ones in his church that shall be undoubtedly saved; therefore he saith, “Gather my wheat into my garner.” The chaff groweth upon the same stalk and ear, and so is in the same visible body with the wheat, but there is not substance in it: wherefore in time they must be severed one from the other; the wheat must be gathered into the garner, which is heaven; and the chaff, or professors that want true grace, must be gathered into hell, that they may be burned up with unquenchable fire. Therefore let professors look to it.

Christ Jesus casts away two of the three grounds that are said to receive the word (Luke 8). The stony ground received it with joy, and the thorny ground brought forth fruit almost to perfection. Indeed the highway ground was to show us, that the carnal, whilst such, receive not the word at all; but here is the pinch, two of the three that received it, fell short of the kingdom of heaven; for but one of the three received it so as to bring forth fruit to perfection. Look to it, professors.

The parable of the unprofitable servant, the parable of the man without a wedding-garment, and the parable of the unsavory salt, do each of them justify this for truth (Matthew 25:24, 29; Matthew 22:11-13; also Matthew 5:13). That of the unprofitable servant is to show us the sloth and idleness of some professors; that of the man without a wedding-garment, is to show us how some professors have the shame of their wickedness seen by God, even when they are among the children of the bridegroom; and that parable of the unsavory salt is to show, that as the salt that hath lost its savor is fit for nothing, no, not for the dunghill, but to be trodden under foot of men; so some professors (yea, and great ones too, for this parable reached one of the apostles) will in God's day be counted fir for nothing but to be trodden down as the mire in the streets. Oh! the slothful, the naked, and unsavory professors, how will they be rejected of God and his Christ in the judgment! Look to it, professors.

The parable of the tares also giveth countenance to this truth: for though it be said, the field is the world, yet it is said, the tares were sown even in the church: "And while men slept, the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way," Matthew 13:24, 25. But some may object, The tares might be sown in the world among the wheat, though not in the churches. But Christ, by expounding this parable, tells us, the tares were sown in his kingdom; the tares, that is, the children of the devil, Matthew 13:30, 39. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world: “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:40-44). Look to it, professors.

The parable of the ten virgins also suiteth our purpose: these ten are called the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 25:1), that is, the church of Christ, the visible rightly-constituted church of Christ; for they went all out of the world, had all lamps, and all went forth to meet the bridegroom; yet behold what an overthrow the one-half of them met with at the gate of heaven; they were shut out, bid to depart, and Christ told them he did not know them, ver. 10, 11. Tremble, professors! Pray, professors!

The parable of the net that was cast into the sea (Matthew 13:41-42), that also countenanceth this truth. The substance of that parable is to shew, that souls may be gathered by the gospel, there compared to a net, may be kept in that net, drawn to a shore, to the world's end, by that net, and yet may then prove bad fishes, and be cast away. The parable runs thus: — “The kingdom of heaven, the gospel, is like unto a net which was cast into the sea, the world, and gathered of every kind, good and bad, which when it was full, they drew it to shore, to the end of the world, and sat down, in judgment, and gathered the good into vessels, and cast the bad away.” Some bad fishes, nay, I doubt a great many, will be found in the net of the gospel, at the day of judgment. Watch and be sober, professors.

"And many shall come from the east and from the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; and the children of the kingdom shall be cast out" (Matthew 8:12). The children of the kingdom, whose privileges were said to be these, — to whom pertained the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promise, Romans 9:4. I take liberty to harp the more upon the first church, because that what happened to them, happened as types and examples, intimating, there is ground to think, that things of as dreadful a nature are to happen among the churches of the Gentiles (1 Corinthians 10:11-12). Neither, indeed, have the Gentile churches security from God that there shall not as dreadful things happen to them. And concerning this very thing, sufficient caution is given to us also (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-7; Philippians 3:10, 11; 2 Thessalonians 2:11, 12; 2 Timothy 2:20, 21; Hebrews 6:4-9; and 581026>Hebrews 10:26-28; 2 Peter 2 and 2 Peter 3.; 1 John 5:10; Revelation 2:20-22).

The parable of the true vine and its branches confirms what I have said, John 15:1-6. By the vine there I understand Christ, Christ as head; by the branches, I understand his church. Some of these branches proved fruitless castaways, were in time cast out of the church, were gathered by men, and burned.

Lastly, I will come to particular instances. (1) In the Gospel accounts, the twelve had a devil among them, John 6:70. (2) In the book of Acts, Ananias and Sapphira were in the church of Jerusalem, Acts 5:3, and Simon Magus was among them at Samaria, Acts 8:4. (3) In the Epistles of Paul: Among the church of Corinth were them that had not the knowledge of God, 1 Corinthians 15:5. Paul tells the Galatians that false brethren crept in unawares; and so does the apostle Jude, and yet they were as quick-sighted to see as any nowadays, Galatians 2.; Jude 1:3, 4, 6. (4) In the Letters to the seven churches in the book of Revelation: The church in Sardis had but a few names in her, to whom the kingdom of heaven belonged: "Thou hast a few names, even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy." As for the church of the Laodiceans, it is called "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked," Revelation 3. So that put all things together, and I may boldly say, as I also have said already, that among the multitude of them that shall be damned, professors will make a considerable party; or, to speak in the words of the observation, When men have put in all the claim they can for heaven, but few will have it for their inheritance.



	About the Author John Bunyan (1628-1688) was one of the greatest preachers of the seventeenth century, and despite his humble beginnings and lack of formal education, has also been called "the most wonderfully gifted spiritual writer since the days of the Apostles." Next to the Bible, his Pilgrims Progress has been translated into more languages, and has passed through more editions (about four hundred), than any other book in the world. That book, along with his Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners and Holy War, are the records of his own deep spiritual experience, in which a profane and sinful man after a number of false conversions was wonderfully tranformed. He was later asked to preach to a small congregation, and after preaching to the brethren five years, and working at his trade (as a "tinker," one who repaired pots and pans) for the support of himself and family, he was arrested and thrown into Bedford jail twelve years (1660-1672) for "teaching men to worship God contrary to the law." During those years he continued to write, his only books being the Bible and Concordance, and Foxe's Book of Martyrs. He would have been released any day if he had promised not to preach; but he felt called of God to the work of the ministry, and he continually replied to his jailors, "If you release me today, I will preach again tomorrow." The renowned John Owen said that he would gladly relinquish all his learning for the tinker's preaching abilities. THE STRAIT GATE OR, GREAT DIFFICULTY OF GOING TO HEAVEN Plainly proving, by the Scripture, that not only the Rude and Profane, but many great Professors, will come short of that Kingdom. By John Bunyan Part 7: Many Called But Few Chosen "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. Table of Contents Part 1: Introduction Part 2: An Explanation of the Text Part 3: Heaven, Hell, & the Professing Christian Part 4: This Thing You Lack Part 5: Called Out From the World Part 6: Scriptural Illustrations of the Saved Part 7: Many Are Called But Few Are Chosen Part 8: Why Many Miss Heaven Part 9: Words of Warning Part 10: Concluding Thoughts PART Seven: Many Called but Few Chosen Therefore I come more particularly to show you, that but few will be saved. I say, but few of professors themselves will be saved; for that is the truth that the text doth more directly look at and defend. Give me therefore thy hand, good reader, and let us soberly walk through the rest of what shall be said; and let us compare as we go each particular with the Holy Scripture. *It is said, "The daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city,"* (Isaiah 18). The vineyard was the church of Israel (Isaiah 5:1); the cottage in that vineyard was the daughter of Zion, or the truly gracious amongst, or in that church. A cottage; God had but a cottage there, but a little habitation in the church, a very few that were truly gracious amongst the great multitude that professed; and had it not been for these, for this cottage, the rest had been ruined as Sodom: “Except the Lord of Hosts had left in us, in the church, a very few, they had been as Sodom” (Isaiah 5:9). Wherefore among the multitude of them that shall be damned, professors will make a considerable party. *"For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, remnant shall return, a remnant shall be saved,"* (Isaiah 10:22; Romans 9:27). For though thy people Israel whom thou broughtest out of Egypt, to whom thou hast given church-constitution, holy laws, holy ordinances, holy prophets, and holy covenants; thy people by separation from all people, and thy people by profession; though this thy people be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved; wherefore, among the multitude of them that shall be damned, professors will make a considerable party. *"Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them”* (Jeremiah 6:30). The people here under consideration are called in Jeremiah 6:27, God's people, his people by profession: “I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know, and try their way.” What follows? They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders, reprobate silver; the Lord hath rejected them. In Jeremiah 7:29, they are called also the generation of his wrath: “For the Lord hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.” This, therefore, I gather out of these holy Scriptures, — that with reference to profession and church-constitution, a people may be called the people of God; but, with reference to the event and final conclusion that God will make with some of them, they may be truly the generation of his wrath. *The saved are as the remains of God’s vineyard.* In Isaiah 5, you read again of the vineyard of God, and that it was planted on a very fruitful hill, planted with the choicest vines, had a wall, a tower, a winepress belonging to it, and all things that could put it into right order and good government, as a church; but this vineyard of the Lord of hosts brought forth wild grapes, fruits unbecoming her constitution and government, wherefore the Lord takes from her his hedge and wall, and lets her be trodden down. Read Christ's exposition upon it in Matthew 23:23, etc. Look to it, professors, these are the words of the text, “For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” *“The house of Israel is to me become dross,”* said God to the prophet, “all they are brass and tin, and iron and lead, in the midst of the furnace they are the dross of silver” (Ezekiel 22:18). God had silver there, some silver, but it was but little; the bulk of that people was but the dross of the church, though they were the members of it. But what doth he mean by the dross? why he looked upon them as no better, notwithstanding their church-membership, than the rabble of the world, that is, with respect to their latter end; for to be called dross, it is to be put amongst the rest of the sinners of the world, in the judgment of God, though at present they abide in his house: “Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross; therefore I love thy testimonies” (Psalm. 119:119). *God saith of his saved ones, "He hath chosen them in the furnace of affliction."* The refiner, when he putteth the silver into his furnace, he puts lead I also among it; now this lead being ordered as he knows how, works up the dross from the silver, which dross, still as it riseth, he putteth by, or taketh away with an instrument. And thus deals God with his church; there is silver in his church, ay, and there is also dross; now the dross are the hypocrites and graceless ones that are got into the church, and these will God discover, and afterwards put away as dross. So that it will without doubt prove a truth of God, that many of their professors that shall put in claim for heaven, will not have it for their inheritance. It is said of Christ, “His fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather his wheat into his garner, but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12). The floor is the church of God: “O my threshing, and the corn of my floor!” said God by the prophet (Isaiah 21:10) to his people. The wheat are those good ones in his church that shall be undoubtedly saved; therefore he saith, “Gather my wheat into my garner.” The chaff groweth upon the same stalk and ear, and so is in the same visible body with the wheat, but there is not substance in it: wherefore in time they must be severed one from the other; the wheat must be gathered into the garner, which is heaven; and the chaff, or professors that want true grace, must be gathered into hell, that they may be burned up with unquenchable fire. Therefore let professors look to it. *Christ Jesus casts away two of the three grounds that are said to receive the word* (Luke 8). The stony ground received it with joy, and the thorny ground brought forth fruit almost to perfection. Indeed the highway ground was to show us, that the carnal, whilst such, receive not the word at all; but here is the pinch, two of the three that received it, fell short of the kingdom of heaven; for but one of the three received it so as to bring forth fruit to perfection. Look to it, professors. *The parable of the unprofitable servant, the parable of the man without a wedding-garment, and the parable of the unsavory salt,* do each of them justify this for truth (Matthew 25:24, 29; Matthew 22:11-13; also Matthew 5:13). That of the unprofitable servant is to show us the sloth and idleness of some professors; that of the man without a wedding-garment, is to show us how some professors have the shame of their wickedness seen by God, even when they are among the children of the bridegroom; and that parable of the unsavory salt is to show, that as the salt that hath lost its savor is fit for nothing, no, not for the dunghill, but to be trodden under foot of men; so some professors (yea, and great ones too, for this parable reached one of the apostles) will in God's day be counted fir for nothing but to be trodden down as the mire in the streets. Oh! the slothful, the naked, and unsavory professors, how will they be rejected of God and his Christ in the judgment! Look to it, professors. *The parable of the tares* also giveth countenance to this truth: for though it be said, the field is the world, yet it is said, the tares were sown even in the church: "And while men slept, the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way," Matthew 13:24, 25. But some may object, The tares might be sown in the world among the wheat, though not in the churches. But Christ, by expounding this parable, tells us, the tares were sown in his kingdom; the tares, that is, the children of the devil, Matthew 13:30, 39. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world: “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:40-44). Look to it, professors. *The parable of the ten virgins* also suiteth our purpose: these ten are called the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 25:1), that is, the church of Christ, the visible rightly-constituted church of Christ; for they went all out of the world, had all lamps, and all went forth to meet the bridegroom; yet behold what an overthrow the one-half of them met with at the gate of heaven; they were shut out, bid to depart, and Christ told them he did not know them, ver. 10, 11. Tremble, professors! Pray, professors! *The parable of the net that was cast into the sea* (Matthew 13:41-42), that also countenanceth this truth. The substance of that parable is to shew, that souls may be gathered by the gospel, there compared to a net, may be kept in that net, drawn to a shore, to the world's end, by that net, and yet may then prove bad fishes, and be cast away. The parable runs thus: — “The kingdom of heaven, the gospel, is like unto a net which was cast into the sea, the world, and gathered of every kind, good and bad, which when it was full, they drew it to shore, to the end of the world, and sat down, in judgment, and gathered the good into vessels, and cast the bad away.” Some bad fishes, nay, I doubt a great many, will be found in the net of the gospel, at the day of judgment. Watch and be sober, professors. *"And many shall come from the east and from the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; and the children of the kingdom shall be cast out"* (Matthew 8:12). The children of the kingdom, whose privileges were said to be these, — to whom pertained the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promise, Romans 9:4. I take liberty to harp the more upon the first church, because that what happened to them, happened as types and examples, intimating, there is ground to think, that things of as dreadful a nature are to happen among the churches of the Gentiles (1 Corinthians 10:11-12). Neither, indeed, have the Gentile churches security from God that there shall not as dreadful things happen to them. And concerning this very thing, sufficient caution is given to us also (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-7; Philippians 3:10, 11; 2 Thessalonians 2:11, 12; 2 Timothy 2:20, 21; Hebrews 6:4-9; and 581026>Hebrews 10:26-28; 2 Peter 2 and 2 Peter 3.; 1 John 5:10; Revelation 2:20-22). *The parable of the true vine and its branches* confirms what I have said, John 15:1-6. By the vine there I understand Christ, Christ as head; by the branches, I understand his church. Some of these branches proved fruitless castaways, were in time cast out of the church, were gathered by men, and burned. *Lastly, I will come to particular instances.* (1) In the Gospel accounts, the twelve had a devil among them, John 6:70. (2) In the book of Acts, Ananias and Sapphira were in the church of Jerusalem, Acts 5:3, and Simon Magus was among them at Samaria, Acts 8:4. (3) In the Epistles of Paul: Among the church of Corinth were them that had not the knowledge of God, 1 Corinthians 15:5. Paul tells the Galatians that false brethren crept in unawares; and so does the apostle Jude, and yet they were as quick-sighted to see as any nowadays, Galatians 2.; Jude 1:3, 4, 6. (4) In the Letters to the seven churches in the book of Revelation: The church in Sardis had but a few names in her, to whom the kingdom of heaven belonged: "Thou hast a few names, even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy." As for the church of the Laodiceans, it is called "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked," Revelation 3. So that put all things together, and I may boldly say, as I also have said already, that among the multitude of them that shall be damned, professors will make a considerable party; or, to speak in the words of the observation, When men have put in all the claim they can for heaven, but few will have it for their inheritance.