Book IV. SAINTS coMPARED TO RUN NE R .S. 727 MET A PH 0 R. Cloathes, and gets meet and necef– fary Garments for the purpofe; be– caufe the Cloathes that a·Man ufu– ally wears, would much encumber him in h\s Running. IV. AMan th'lt would run in a Race, fo as to obtain the Prize, muft lay alid~ all Weights wharfo– ·ever: For all know, that if a Man have a Weight or Burden on him, it will greatly hinder or obftruCl: him in his running; nay, if he do not caft it off, it will foon caufe him to be weary, and faint in the Way. PAR ALL EL. and put on the Righteoutnefs of J efH Chrift by Faith; for that Garment, with the Garment of Holinefs and Humility, is only necdfary, and muft be pm on by all that run the Race fet before them, fo as ro obtain the Prize, Rom. xiii. 14. IV..~o a Chri(ban that would · run in this hea– venly Race, muft caft off every fpiritual 'A1eighc. This the Apo(l:Je directly counfels the Saints to do: Let us lay ajide every Weight, and the Sin thct d,th fo eajily befet us; and let us run with Prltiell{e the Ra{e Jet before us, Heb. xii. '· Now thete Weighcs are, J. The inordinate AffeCl:ions. Our Hearrs muft nor be fee upon Things below, not inordi– nately upon Father or Mother, Son or Daqghter, Houfe or Land; for he whofe Heart runs out in a covetous Manner after the World, as rhe Prophet fhews, is like a Man that is laden with thick Clay, Hab. ii. 6. It is impollible for a Man eo run this Race with the World upon his Back. What was it that weighed down the young Man in the Gofpel, that came running to Chrift, who feemed to be in a full fpeed towards eternal L1te? Was it not the inordinate Love to the World? 2. Sin; Sin is a Weight: '!hat Sin that doth fo eajily bejel us. Some underftand, the Sin of Unbelief is meant hereby; mhers, a Man's Conftitmion Sin, or the Sin of his Nature, that which he is moO: eafily overtaken with, whether it be Pride, Paffion, &c. Sin, yea, every Sin muft be caft off, rake it how you will, though I rather adhere to the latter, if a Man would fo run as to obtain; for nothing like Guilt rends to make a Chriftian grow weary, and faint in his Mind. V. A Man that would run fo as V. So a Chriftian mufl take heed he be not over- \O obtain the Prize, muft not be charged in a fpiritual SeQfe; there is a fpiritual overcharged with inordinate EatSenfo; there is fpiritual Gluttony and Drunken– ing and Drinking; for Experien<e nets fpoken of in Scripture. Hence faith our Sa– fhews, /low (hat unAts a Man for vior, 'l'ake heed to yourfelves, left at any 'l'imeyour running a Race, or for any other Hearts be o·vercharged with Surfeiting, Drunken– Enrerprize whatever. Anda Man nefs, and the Cares of this Life, and fo that Day that flriveth for Mafltr)', is tempecome upon you unawares, Luke xxi. 24. What is rateirz all[hings. meant by Surfeiting, Drunkennefs, &c. but all Kind of loofe Living, 1 'J'hejf. v. 7· Wanton Riotoufnefs, excenive Delight in, or Defire after the Pleafures of this ~Vorld, &c, Or on the other Hand, 'being overwhelmed, and lorely afflicted or perplexed with in– qrdinate Cares about earthly Matters? All thefo Things muft be avoided by thofe, who would run the fpiritual Race fo as to obtain the Prize. VI. A Man that would run in a VI. So a Chrillian muft run with fpeed, he muft Face, lo as to obtain the PFize, be very diligent, fwifr-footed, which is Ggnified by muft fee he doth not ldfen his Pace; running; and alfo he muft be even in his Courle. he muft run fwiftly, and run conHe muft not be like the Galatians, Gal. v. 7· only frantly; if he loiter, or grow carerun well for a Time, but continue always to the lefs, an.' idle, no wonder if he End the famo Pace, i.e. keep in a conltant Courfe !ofe the Prize. of godly Zeal and Holinefs, according to that of the Apoftle, We diftre that every one ofyou do jhew the fame Diligence, to the full AJ!urance of Hope to the End, Heb. vi. iJ, Some IV!en feem very zealous in a Fit, they are all on a .FJame, as it were~ none more forward and lively in God's Way,, and in his holy \'Vorfhip, than they; but on a fudden oft-times, as hath been obferved, they flag, and grow weary. It may be, as the Proverb i,, a ~ealous Apprentice, a lukewarm Journeyman, and a quite cold Maller. VJI. A Man that would run fo VII. So a Chriftian, that runs the heavenly 'IS to obtatn the Pnze, ought to be Race,. ought to labor after fpiritual Srrenath: Be llrong and heal;hy. A diftemperflrong in the Lord, and in the Power of hi':Might ed Perfon, or one that falls fick in Eph. vi. 10. 'l'hou therefore, my Son, be flrong ;~ the Way, JS not hkely to obtatn the Grace that zs m Chrifl Jejits, 2 'J'im. ii. 1. Dif– the Prize; aconfumprive Man, or tempers are as apt to fe1ze upon the Soul, as
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