and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel of
Christ." Not to run a little now and then, by fits and starts, or
half-way, or almost thither, but to run for my life, to run through
all difficulties, and to continue therein to the end of the race,
which must be to the end of my life. "So run that ye may obtain." And
the reasons are:

(1.) Because all or every one that runneth doth not obtain the prize;
there may be many that do run, yea, and run far too, who yet miss of
the crown that standeth at the end of the race. You know all that run
in a race do not obtain the victory; they all run, but one wins. And
so it is here; it is not every one that runneth, nor every one that
seeketh, nor every one that striveth for the mastery that hath it.
"Tho a man do strive for the mastery," saith Paul, "yet he is not
crowned, unless he strive lawfully"; that is, unless he so run, and so
strive, as to have God's approbation. What, do you think that every
heavy-heeled professor will have heaven? What, every lazy one? every
wanton and foolish professor, that will be stopt by anything, kept
back by anything, that scarce runneth so fast heavenward as a snail
creepeth on the ground? Nay, there are some professors that do not go
on so fast in the way of God as a snail doth go on the wall; and yet
these think that heaven and happiness is for them. But stay, there are
many more that run than there be that obtain; therefore he that will
have heaven must run for it.

(2.) Because you know, that tho a man do run, yet if he do not
overcome, or win, as well as run, what will they be the better for
their running? They will get nothing. You know the man that runneth,
he doth do it to win the prize; but if he doth not obtain it, he doth
lose his labor, spend his pains and time, and that to no purpose; I