The doctrine is this: THEY THAT WILL HAVE HEAVEN, MUST RUN FOR IT; I say, they that will have heaven, they must run for it. I beseech you to heed it well. 'Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run ye.' The prize is heaven, and if you will have it, you must run for it. You have another scripture for this in the 12th of the Hebrews, the 1st, 2d, and 3rd verses: 'Wherefore seeing we also,' saith the apostle, 'are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.' And LET US RUN, saith he. Again, saith Paul, 'I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, so fight I,' &c.
[II. THE WORD RUN OPENED.]
But before I go any further, observe,
First—FLYING—That this running is not an ordinary, or any sort of running, but it is to be understood of the swiftest sort of running; and therefore in the 6th of the Hebrews it is called 'a fleeing'; that 'we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us.' Mark, 'who have fled.' It is taken from that 20th of Joshua, concerning the man that was to flee to the city of refuge, when the avenger of blood was hard at his heels, to take vengeance on him for the offence he had committed; therefore it is a RUNNING or FLYING for one's life. A running with all might and main, as we use to say. So run!
Second—PRESSING—this running in another place is called a pressing. 'I press toward the mark' (Phil 3:14); which signifieth, that they that will have heaven, they must not stick at any difficulties they meet with; but press, crowd, and thrust through all that may stand between heaven and their souls. So run!
Third—CONTINUING—this running is called in another place, 'a continuing in the way of life. If ye continue in the faith grounded, and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel' of Christ (Col 1:23). 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.'
[III. SEVERAL REASONS FOR CLEARING THIS DOCTRINE.]
And the reasons for this point are these,
First. Because all or every one that runneth doth not obtain the prize; there 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 that 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 (Luke 13). Though a man do strive for the mastery, saith Paul, 'yet he is not crowned, except he strive lawfully'; that is, unless he so run, and so strive, as to have God's approbation (2 Tim 2:5). What, do you think that every heavy-heeled professor will have heaven? What, every lazy one; every wanton and foolish professor, that will be stopped by anything, kept back by anything, that scarce runneth so fast heaven-ward as a snail creepeth on the ground? Nay, there are some professors 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.
Second, Because you know that though a man do run, yet if he do not overcome, or win, as well as run, what will he be the better for his running? He will get nothing. You know the man that runneth, he doth do it that he may win the prize; but if he doth not obtain, he doth lose his labour, spend his pains and time, and that to no purpose; I say, he getteth nothing. And ah! how many such runners will there be found at the day of judgment! Even multitudes, multitudes that have run, yea, run so far as to come to heaven gates, and not able to get any further, but there stand knocking, when it is too late, crying, Lord, Lord, when they have nothing but rebukes for their pains. Depart from me, you come not here, you come too late, you run too lazily; the door is shut.[3] 'When once the master of the house is risen up,' saith Christ, 'and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us, I will say, I know ye not, Depart,' &c. (Luke 13:25). O sad will the estate of those be that run and miss; therefore, if you will have heaven, you must run for it; and 'so run that ye may obtain.'