II. There are beside these, some remarkable. Internal differences in the dissolution of good men; the sum whereof is in this,
1. That some gracious Souls have a very hard, strait, difficult entrance into Heaven: just as it is with Ships that sail by a very bare wind, all their art, care, and pains, will but just weather some head-land or Cape: they steer fast by some dangerous Rock or Sand, and with a thousand fears and dangers, win their Port at last. Saved they are, but yet ⟨p. 249⟩(to use the Apostles phrase) scarcely saved, or saved as by fire. And this difficulty ariseth to them from one or all these causes:
(1) It ordinarily ariseth from the weakness of their faith, which is in many Souls without either the light of evidence, or strength of reliance: neither able to dissolve their doubts, nor steadily repose their hearts, and thus they die, much at the rate they lived, poor doubting and cloudy, though gracious Souls. They can neither speak much of the comfort of past experiences, nor of the present foretasts of Heaven.
(2) The violent assaults and batteries of temptations make the passage exceeding difficult to some. O the sharp conflicts and dreadful combats many poor Souls endure upon a death-bed! O the charges of hypocrisy fortified by neglects of duty, formality, and bye-ends in duty, falls into sin after conviction and humiliation, &c. all which the Soul is apt to yield to, and admit the dreadful conclusion.
These are the last, and therefore oft-times the most violent conflicts. The malice, of Satan will send them halting to Heaven, if he cannot bar them out of it.
(3) To conclude. The hidings of Gods face, puts terror into the face of death, and makes a dying day a dark and gloomy day. All darkness disposes to fear, but none like inward darkness. They must, like a Ship in distress, venture into the Harbour in the dark, though they see not their Landmarks.
2. But others have the privilege of an [Greek or Hebrew], easy death, a comfortable and sweet passage into glory, through the broad gate of assurance, 2 Pet. 1.11. Even an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom. What a difference doth God make, not only betwixt those that have grace, and those that have none; but betwixt gracious Souls themselves in this matter! The things which usually make an easy passage to Heaven are
(1) A pardon cleared, Isai. 33.24.
II. There are beside these, some remarkable. Internal differences in the dissolution of good men; the sum whereof is in this,
1. That some gracious Souls have a very hard, strait, difficult entrance into Heaven: just as it is with Ships that sail by a very bare wind, all their art, care, and pains, will but just weather some head-land or Cape: they steer fast by some dangerous Rock or Sand, and with a thousand fears and dangers, win their Port at last. Saved they are, but yet ⟨p. 249⟩(to use the Apostles phrase) scarcely saved, or saved as by fire. And this difficulty ariseth to them from one or all these causes:
(1) It ordinarily ariseth from the weakness of their faith, which is in many Souls without either the light of evidence, or strength of reliance: neither able to dissolve their doubts, nor steadily repose their hearts, and thus they die, much at the rate they lived, poor doubting and cloudy, though gracious Souls. They can neither speak much of the comfort of past experiences, nor of the present foretasts of Heaven.
(2) The violent assaults and batteries of temptations make the passage exceeding difficult to some. O the sharp conflicts and dreadful combates many poor Souls endure upon a death-bed! O the charges of hypocrisie fortified by neglects of duty, formality, and bye-ends in duty, falls into sin after conviction and humiliation, &c. all which the Soul is apt to yield to, and admit the dreadful conclusion.
These are the last, and therefore oft-times the most violent conflicts. The malice, of Satan will send them halting to Heaven, if he cannot bar them out of it.
(3) To conclude. The hidings of Gods face, puts terror into the face of death, and makes a dying day a dark and gloomy day. All darkness disposes to fear, but none like inward darkness. They must, like a Ship in distress, venture into the Harbour in the dark, though they see not their Landmarks.
2. But others have the priviledge of an 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, easy death, a comfortable and sweet passage into glory, through the broad gate of assurance, 2 Pet. 1.11. Even an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom. What a difference doth God make, not only betwixt those that have grace, and those that have none; but betwixt gracious Souls themselves in this matter! The things which usually make an easy passage to Heaven are
(1) A pardon cleared, Isai. 33.24.
