SAINTS COMPARED TO RUNNERS. Book IV· THE CELESTIAL RACE: Or, THE SAINTS COM!'ARED TO RuNNERs. Know ye"''' that they which run in a Race run all, but one receiveth the Prize : So run that ye may obtain, I Cor. ix. 4· Let tts lay ajide every Weight, and the Sin which doth fa' eajily befet us; and let us nm with Patience tbe Race that is Jet before us, Heb. xii·. I. CHRISTIANITY, or the Life of ~ Chriftian, is in thefe Scriptures compared tO~ Race: So run that ye may obtain. A Chriftian is compared to a Man that runs a Race. What Sort of Race the Apoftle principally alludes to, is not, as we conceive, fq material; belides, many worthy Men do not agree about it, fome being fubjeet to think the Apoftle alludes to the Olympic Games. We fhall therefore run the Parallel, with refpeCl: to fuch Things concerning a Race, which all generally agree in. To run, is variouOy taken in Scrip[llre. L To break through, Pfal. xviii. 29. ~. To ftrive with the greateft Speed and Celenty, or to make hafte, Prov. i. 26. 2 Kings iv. 22. 3· Eagerly in AffeCtion to be earned after, I Pet. iv. 4 · 4· To pafs )Vithout Let, Pfal. cxlvii. IS· 5· To labor with Earneftnefs. 6. To go forward, Gal. v. r. · MET A PH 0 R. I. A Man that runs in a Race, takes great Care to begin well. It behoves him to be exaCt in his fetting ovt. I. In refpect of Time. 2. In refpeCl: of Place; he obferves the Pl~ce from whence he muft begin to run. A little Time loft at the Beginning of a Race is dangerous. PAR ALL EL. I. S 0 a Chriftian ought to take great Care how h~ hegins or Jets out in the Race towards eter– nal Life. I . In refpeC1: of Trme, it behoveth him to fet Out early enough ; he mufl not defer the great Concernment of his Soul : Delays are dangerous. seek the Lord wbiijl be may be found, ea// upon him wbiijl he is near, Ifa. lv. 6. I love them that ltYUe me, and they that feek me early, foal/ find me, Prov. viii. Behold, now is the accepted '1 ime; beh,ld, now is the Day of Salvation! 2 Cor. vi. 2. Some Men begin too late, they mind not the Call of God. 'I'o·day if ye will hear his Voice, hardm 110 t your Hearts. /3ecaufe I haw called, and )'e have refufed, &c.--I will alfo laugh at your Calamity. '!'hen they foal! call upqn me 1 but I will not alljwer, Prov. i. 24> 28, 1 . They ought to obferve the !-'lace from which they muft depart. He that would go to Zion, mu[[ leave Baby/on; as he would go to Zoar, fo he mull: depart o~t of Sodom. He muft leave the 'Way of Stn, yea, all the evtl Courfes, Cuftoms, Traditions, and In– ventions of Men: Ye did rtm well, &c. I!. A Man that runs in a ){ace, I!. So a Chriftian ought to know the Way to ought to know .the Way well which Salvation, to be well inftruCl:ed in the Pat)l of eter– he is to run ; tf the Path be not nal Lrfe. Chnfl tS the Way : No Man, faith he plain before him, he is not like to cometb unto the Father, but by me, ]ohn xiv. 6: win the Prize. '!'here tS no other Name under Heaven given, whereby we mufl be fave4, //{Is iv. I2. r. Chrift is the Way, as a Prieft, who offered himfelf up as a Sacrifice to God for us, to atone anq make Peace between the Farher and us. 2. Chnfl is the vVay as a King, who hath appointed us Laws and Ordinances, which we muft obey and follow, to manifefl: our SubjeCl:iofl unto hrm:. I will run the TVay of thy Commandments, Pfal. cxix. 3· As a Prophet, who hath latd down all Rules and heavenly DJreCl:tor.s necelfary for us i!l Matters of faith and PraCtice, whom we mufl hear in all Things. 4- Chrift is the Way, in that holy Example he hath left, that we fhould follow his Steps. A Saint obfervcs the very Footfl:eps of Chrift, and of the Primirive Church; he fees the rrqoq old W;1y plain before him, as it is recorcied in the h.ol~Scripture, and thereby k~oweth whtch Way to fteer h1s Courfe, /lfjs 111. 23. I Pet. p. 21. Ill. AMan thotruns in a~ace, Ill So aMan that would fet OPt in the fpiritllal muftfe~ tQ put Jttmlelt tn a fitEqu1Race, or tn a fpeec1y Courfe towards Salvation, page. He pms off his upper mu ll cafl off the Rags of his own Righteoufnefs, and I
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