Book IV. S A I N T S coMPARED To R U N N E R S. 729 MET 1\ PH 0 R. XII. Some Men that have run in a Race, have run for a great Prize, yea, for a Crown, as fame have obferved, and when they have won it, have been praifed exceed– ingly, it being e!teemed a mighty Honor; it hath not only enriched them, but been to their great Renown and Glory. PARALLEL. . XII. So the Saints of God, who run this hea– venly Race, run for a great Prize, viz. a Crown of Glory. And e·very Man that j/riveth for the Maj/ery, is temperate in all 'Things: Now they do it to obtain a corruptible Crown, but we an incor– ruptible, 1 Cor. ix. 25. Be thou faithful unto Death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life, Rev. x. I have, faith Paul, fought the good Fight, I have finijhed my Courfe, I have kept the Faith: Hence– forth there iJ laid up for me a Crown of Righteouf– nefs, which God the righteous Judge will give me at that Day, and not to me only, but unto all them alfo that love his Appearing, 2 'Tim. iv. 7, 8. This Prize will not only en– rich the Soul that obtains it, bur raife his Renown and Glory to Eternity. He fhall be honored of all, nay, he is the Man whom the King delights to honor: 'They jhall fit down with Chrij/ on his 'Throne, &c. Rev. iii. 2 r. XIII. The Man that runs, who XIII. So a true Chrillian, who refolves for refolves to win the Prize, breaks Heaven, he makes halle, he breaks through all through all Difficulties, will not Difficulties, and regards not the golden Balls Satan regard any vain Allurements, but throws in his Path, viz. none of the vain Allure– preifes on with his utmo.ft Strength, ments of this World, but with his uttermoft Celerity and Speed imaginable; the Strength, Celerity, and Eagernefs of Affection, Thoughts of the rich Prize anipreifeth forward. I prefs towards the Mark, &c. mating his Mind, and prompting Phi!. iii. 1 +· He flrives to enter in at _the j/rait him on fo to do. Gate, Malt. vii. q. He flrives againft Satan, againfl: the V\7 orld, againft Sin, ihives in Hearing, in Praying, being greatly animated and encouraged thus to do, by feeing him who is invi!iblt, to the natural Eye, and by having a Sight of the excellent Reward, or that glorious Crown and Kingdom he knows he fl1all receive, when he comes to the End of the Race, Heb. xi. MET A PH OR. I. SOME Men in running a Race do their bell ; they do what– ever in them lieth to obtain the Prize, but neverthelefs lofe it. I!. Many run in a Race, but one on!y obtains the Prize. D IS PAR IT Y. I. BUT now a Chrillian, whoever he be, that doth his bell, does what he can in all Up– rightnefs of Heart, to believe, to clofe in with Chrill, to love, ferve, and obey him, fhall never mifs of eternal Life, John x. 2. Ram. viii. 1. Never was any Man damned, faith a worthy Mi– niller, that did what he could to be faved. II. But though Thoufands run in this fpiritual Race, yet they may all obtain the Prize. N F E R E N C E ~ I. WE may _infer from hence,_ That the_Workand Bufinefs of a Chriftian ·is hard . and difficult; Heavep IS not obtamed without runnmg, wre!liing, ftnving, warrmg, &c. I!. That many ProfeJTors, who fet out Heaven-ward, and run well a little while, are not like norwith!l:anding to obtain eternal Life; it is only he that endureth to the End, that fhall be faved, Matt. xxiv. Ill. It may alfo inform us what the Reafon is, that fo many Perfons "faint or arow weary in this fpiritllal Race. (r.) Their Weights which they have upon them mayoc– ca!ion It. Or~ (z.) The Way_ being bad, or up-hill. (3.) Their not being tempe– rate m_ all Thmgs. (4.) Thm bemg difeafed or lame. (5.) Satan beguiling them with hiS golden Balls. (6.) They being not thoroughly affected with the Worth of that glonous. Pnze they run for. ((·) By means of their trulling in their own Strength, &c. (8.) 1 hm growmg lazy, lovmg prefent Eafe, &c. (9.) And lalllv, which is the Sum_ of all, their not being truly converted, never effeCtually wrought upon by the Splflt of Grace. IV. It may ferve to ftir us all up to the greatell Diligence imaginable, to the End. Whatfoever we meet with in the \Vay, Heavc:n will make amends tor all. S Z S:\INTS • I
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=