The strait gate, or, Great difficulty of going to Heaven plainly proving

But to come to the particular phrases in the words, and to handle them orderly in the words I find four things.

But to come to the particular phrases in the words, and to handle them orderly in the words I finde four things.

1. An intimation 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.

1. An intimation 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 inforce that exhortation.

First, 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 whether 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's 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. And therefore the words signify unto us, that there is a state most glorious, and that when this world is ended; and that ⟨p. 7⟩