Page:Race for eternal life.pdf/4

 judgment! Multitudes come to heaven's gates, and there stand crying, Lord, Lord, when they have nothing but rebukes for their pains: depart from me! you come too late-you run too lazily the door is shut. O sad state of these that run and miss! Therefore, if you will have heaven, you must run for it-"So run that you may obtain."

3. Because the way is long; there is much work to do: there are many steps to be taken by those that intend to be saved. Out of Egypt thou must run a long journey through the vast wilderness, before thou come to the land of promise.

(4.) They that will go to heaven must run for it; because, as the way is long, so time, in which they are to get at the end of it, is very uncertain When death comes, away thou must go, whether thou art provided or not; and therefore look to it it is not good dallying with the salvation or damnation of thy soul.

(5.) They that will have heaven, must run for it; because the devil followeth them. He goeth about, seeking whom he may devour, and I will assure you, the devil is nimble; he can run apace he has overtaken many, turned up their heels, and given them an everlasting fall. Hell also has : wide mouth: it can stretch itself farther than you are aware of: and as the angel said to Lot, Loo not behind thee, neither tarry thou in all the plain lest thou be consumedː so say I to thee, Take heed, tarry not, lest the devil, hell, death, an the fearful curses of the law overtake thee, an throw thee down in the midst of thy sins, so a never to rise again. If this were well considered then thou, as well as I, wouldst say, They the will have heaven, must run for it.