Placeholder ImageAbout 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 2 : AN EXPLANATION OF THE TEXT

Table of Contents

PART TWO: AN EXPLANATION OF THE TEXT

To come to the particular phrases in the words, and to handle them orderly, in the words I find four things:  (1) An announcement of the kingdom of heaven; (2) A description of the entrance into it; (3) An exhortation to enter into it; and, (4) A motive to enforce that exhortation.

There is an Announcement of the Kingdom of Heaven.

There is A Description of the Entrance into it.

There is The Exhortation, which is, to Strive to Enter in.

But Why Should We Strive? 

We should strive because the thing for which you are here exhorted to strive, is worth the striving for; it is for no less than for a whole heaven, and an eternity of felicity there.  Strive, because otherwise the devil and hell will assuredly have thee:  "He goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  Strive, because every lust strives and wars against thy soul. The flesh lusteth against the spirit:  “Dearly beloved, I beseech you (said Peter), as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul,” (Galatians 5:17).  Strive, because thou hast a whole world against thee. The world hateth thee if thou be a Christian; the men of the world hate thee; the things of the world are snares for thee, even thy bed and table, thy wife and husband, yea, thy most lawful enjoyments, have that in them that will certainly sink thy soul to hell, if thou dost not strive against the snares that are in them (Romans 11:9).  Strive, because there is nothing of Christianity got by idleness. “Therefore be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises”" (Romans 12:11, Hebrews 6:12).

"Strive to Enter In."

By these words also the Lord Jesus giveth sharp rebuke to those professors that have not eternal glory, but other temporal things in their eye, by all the bustle that they make in the world about religion. Some there be, what a stir they make, what a noise and clamor, with their notions and forms, they find religion hath a good trade at the end of it; or they find that it is the way to credit, repute, preferment, and the like; and therefore they strive to enter into these. But these have not the strait gate in their eye, nor yet in themselves have they love to their poor and perishing souls; wherefore this exhortation nippeth such, by predicting of their damnation.

There is the Motive which our Lord urges
to Reinforce his Exhortation.

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