24 Dr. Manton's Sermon, afide every weight, and the fin that cloth fo eafilybefet us : I fhould have come to the pofitive, Let us run with patience the race that is fet before us ; there is the duty, Let us run the race that is fet before us : and there is the manner of the duty, Let us run with patience. I fhould have fhown you, that a Chriffians lire is like a Race from Earth to Heaven, in a way ofholinefs, and exercire of grace. This Race it continues as long as we continue in the world, from our Nativity, to our Death ; after death the {bile is ended. Now in this race we Muff run, and fo run that we may obtaine the Crown, i Cor. 9.24. Running is a motion, and a fpeedy motion ; there is no lying, fitting, or fianding, but ail! there muff be running : We. mull make a further progrefs in the way toHeaven,forgetting,thofe things which are behind, and reaching forth unto thole things which are before,Phil.3.13. The Runner was not toenquire howmuch ofthe way already was pall., but to ftrain himfelf to overcomewhat was yet behind : And fo fhould we confider what fins are yet to be mortified, what dities yet untouched, almoff untouched; what hard coati:161s are yet tobe undergone, and ftill to hold on our way without twining afide, or halting, becaufe-of difficulties, dircouragements, ftumblingblocks. And there are fellows and co-partners with us, that run this Race, ithwhomwe may firive in a holy emulation, who fhould go for- wardeft, who fhould be moff forward in the courfe ofpleafing God: 0 Chriftians ! there are many contentions amongft us, but when fhall we have this holy contention? Heb. 1o. 24. In a Race there is the Agonetbeta, the Judge of the fports : fo here God obferves all; no matter what the fianders by fay, the judge of the fports mull de- cide who hunt havethe Crown, i Cor. 4. 3,4. And then at the end of the Race, there is the Crown, 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. Ihave fought a good fight, Ihave finifhedmy courfe, Ihave kept the Faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteourads, e7c. in a Race there are cpeRatours : fo there are here, God, Angels, and Men, 'Col'. 4. 9. We are a fpeacle to the World, to Angels, and to men, &c. Thus for the firnifitude of our Race in our way to Heaven. Now wherein it differs. This is a Race, not undertaken out ofwanionneffe, but out of ne- eeffity: God hath called us to this courfe ; and if we run not in this Race, we are undone for ever. And in other Races, but one had the Crown ; here all are crowned, 2 Tim. 4. 8. though they be not fo eminent as the Apofile ; here all are crown'd that run in the man- ner God bath required : Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righ- teournefs, which the Lord the righteous Judge .fhall give me at that day,, 'Ind not to me onely,,butunto them that love his appearing. For
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