And when you are to dye, speak well of God, and of the ways of godliness to all that are about you. Christians should now labour so to live, as there may appear a mighty difference between their deaths, and the death of others; whereas ordinarily such is the vanity and drossiness of the hearts of Christians in their lives, as when they come to dye, they are so heavy and sad, as if no such things were prepared for them. In 2 Pet. 1. 11. the Apostle having exhorted them before to add one grace to another, and to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure, says he, So an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: Christians should labour so to live, as when they come to dye, they may not only have an entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord administered unto them, but that they may have an entrance administered unto them abundantly: Many make shift to get to heaven, but they have not an entrance administered abundantly. As a Ship may make shift to get into harbour, but with the Anchors lost, and Cables rent, and Sails torn, and the Masts broke; another Ship comes in with the Sails up, and the Flags up, and Trumpets sounding, and comes bravely into Haven; so much difference is sometime between true Christians; some through carelessness, and unbelief, and sadness, and sullenness of Spirit, although they make shift with much ado to get into Heaven, yet so as ⟨p. 705⟩their anchor of hope was even gone, and they had little or no comfort at all; but those that have added one virtue to another, and have been diligent to make their calling and election sure, they come to Heaven with much glory and joy, and that should be our care so to live in adding one grace to another, that when we dye our deaths may be glorious.
And when you are to dye, speak well of God, and of the ways of godliness to all that are about you. Christians should now labor so to live, as there may appear a mighty difference between their deaths, and the death of others; whereas ordinarily such is the vanity and drossiness of the hearts of Christians in their lives, as when they come to dye, they are so heavy and sad, as if no such things were prepared for them. In 2 Pet. 1. 11. the Apostle having exhorted them before to adde one grace to another, and to give all diligence to make their calling and election sure, says he, So an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: Christians should labor so to live, as when they come to dye, they may not onely have an entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord administred unto them, but that they may have an entrance administred unto them abundantly: Many make shift to get to heaven, but they have not an entrance administred abundantly. As a Ship may make shift to get into harbor, but with the Anchors lost, and Cables rent, and Sayls torn, and the Masts broke; another Ship comes in with the Sayls up, and the Flags up, and Trumpets sounding, and comes bravely into Haven; so much difference is sometime between true Christians; some through carelesness, and unbelief, and sadness, and sullenness of Spirit, although they make shift with much ado to get into Heaven, yet so as ⟨p. 705⟩their anchor of hope was even gone, and they had little or no comfort at all; but those that have added one vertue to another, and have been diligent to make their calling and election sure, they come to Heaven with much glory and joy, and that should be our care so to live in adding one grace to another, that when we dye our deaths may be glorious.
