The porch, at which was an ascent to the temple, had a gate
belonging to it. This gate, according to the prophet Ezekiel, was
six cubits wide. The leaves of this gate were double, one folding
this way, the other folding that. Ezek. 40:48.
Now here some may object, and say, "Since the way to God by these
doors was so wide, why doth Christ say the way and gate is narrow?"
ANSWER. The straitness, the narrowness, must not be understood of
the gate simply, but because of that cumber that some men carry with
them that pretend to be going to heaven. Six cubits! What is sixteen
cubits to him who would enter in here with all the world on his
back? The young man in the gospel who made such a noise for heaven,
might have gone in easy enough, for in six cubits breadth there is
room; but, poor man, he was not for going in thither unless he might
carry in his houses upon his shoulders too; and so the gate was
strait. Mark 10:17-23.
Wherefore, he that will enter in at the gate of heaven, of which
this gate into the temple was a type, must go in by himself, and not
with his bundles of trash on his back; and if he will go in thus, he
need not fear but there is room. "The righteous nation that keepeth
the truth, they shall enter in."
They that enter in at the gate of the inner court must be clothed in
fine linen; how then shall they go into the temple that carry the
clogs of the dirt of this world at their heels? Thus saith the Lord,
"No stranger uncircumcised in heart, or uncircumcised in flesh,
shall enter into my sanctuary."
The wideness, therefore, of this gate, is for this cause here made
mention of, namely, to encourage them that would gladly enter
thereat according to the mind of God, and not to flatter them that
are not for leaving off all for God.
Wherefore let such as would go in remember that here is room, even a
gate to enter at, six cubits wide. We have been all this while but
on the outside of the temple, even in the courts of the house of the
Lord, to see the beauty and glory that is there. The beauty hereof
made men cry out and say, "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord
of hosts; my soul longeth, yea, fainteth for the courts of the
Lord;" and to say, "A day in thy courts is better than a thousand."