Use 4

Hence see the reason why so few are saved, namely, because there are but a very few that attain to sound and saving faith. Many are called, but very few of those many are chosen and effectually worked upon (Matthew 20:16; [reconstructed: Matthew 22:14]). Heaven is well compared to a stately palace, with a narrow portal: hence so few enter it. The gate is narrow, the way is narrow, and few there be that find it (Matthew 7:14). There are but a very few that shall be saved. Christ's flock is called but a little flock (Luke 12:32). Sometimes scarce discernible, as in the old world, but eight persons saved from the universal deluge. Noah condemned a whole world of wicked people by his contrary courses, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith (Hebrews 11:9). Though Christ has ever had a church in the world, yet many times it has been brought to a very low ebb: sometimes overrun with idolatry, paganism, [reconstructed: heresy]. Hierom complained in his days that the whole world was turned Arian. And Basil, lamenting the obscurity of the church, cried out, "Ecclesias suas prorsus dereliquit Dominus?" — Has God utterly forsaken his church? It is the miserable portion of the greatest part of the world that they shall be damned!

Such as have surveyed the known parts of the world inform us that if the known parts of the world were divided into thirty-one parts, the Christians' part is but as five to thirty-one. The Mahometans are as six, and the idolaters as nineteen. And among the Christian part of the world, the greatest part by far is overrun with Antichristian idolatry. The smallest part are Protestants. And among the Protestant professors, all are not covenanters in church fellowship, and in some churches the most are the worst. Chrysostom solemnly professed in a sermon to the people of Antioch (where he was beloved and did much good) that he could not be well persuaded that a hundred among them should be saved, and he doubted of them too, though there were many thousands in the place. And thus it may be of the many thousands in one city — possibly not a hundred saved of the many hundreds in one town. Possibly, as in Abraham's suit for Sodom, not ten righteous in the place. How many families passed over, and possibly not one in a family saved. Look into the greatest assemblies, the largest meeting-places, thronged with multitudes of hearers — it may be but here and there one pricked at the heart by the word of faith. Look into churches: many sit down at the feast of the gospel, but it may be but here and there one with his wedding-garment on. It is not every one that cries Lord, Lord, that shall enter into the Kingdom of God. There are many professors, but few sincere converts, and many believers who shall never be saved. And the reason is because of the difficulty of attaining saving faith — therefore so few are saved.