Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

⁵ But he had been swollen up by pride, and by this swelling could not return by the strait way. He who became the Way, cries out, “Enter in by the strait gate.” He tries to enter in, the swelling impedes him; and his trying is so much the more hurtful, in proportion as the swelling is a greater impediment. For the straitness irritates his swelling; and being irritated he will swell the more; and swelling more, when will he enter in? So then let him bring down the swelling.

And how? Let him take the medicine of humility; let him against the swelling drink the bitter but wholesome cup; drink the cup of humility. Why does he squeeze himself? The bulk, not for its size, but for its swelling, does not allow him. For size has solidity, swelling inflation. Let not him that is swollen fancy himself of great size; that he may be great, and substantial, and solid, let him bring down his swelling. Let him not long after these present things, let him not glory in this pomp of things failing and corruptible; let him hearken to Him who said, “Enter in by the strait gate,” saying also, “I am the Way.” For as if some swollen one had asked, “How shall I enter in?”

He says, “'I am the Way.' Enter in by Me; Thou walkest only by Me, to enter in by the door.” For as He said, “I am the Way;” so also, “I am the Door.” Why do you seek whereby to return, whither to return, whereby to enter in? Lest you should in any respect go astray, He became all for you. Therefore in brief He says, “Be humble, be meek.” Let us hear Him saying this most plainly, that you may see whereby is the way, what is the way, whither is the way. Whither would you come?

But perhaps in covetousness you would possess all things. “All things are delivered unto Me of My Father,” says He. It may be you will say, “They were delivered to Christ: but are they to me?” Hear the Apostle speak; hear, as I said some time ago, lest you be broken by despair; hear how you were loved when you had nothing to be loved for, hear how you were loved when unsightly, deformed, before there was ought in you which was meet to be loved. You were first loved, that you might be made meet to be loved.

For Christ, as the Apostle says, “died for the ungodly.” What! will you say that the ungodly deserved to be loved? I ask, what did the ungodly deserve? To be damned. Here you will answer, Yet, “Christ died for the ungodly.” Lo, what was done for you when ungodly; what is reserved for you now godly? “Christ died for the ungodly.” You desired to possess all things; desire it not through covetousness, seek it through piety, seek it through humility. For if you seek thus, you shall possess. For you shall have Him by whom all things were made, and with Him shall possess all things.