ever he is pleased to inflict. I am now, in the

Second place, To illustrate the fitness and propriety of this similitude; and to show, that the Christian life doth very much resemble a race in several important rospects.

which are not warranted by the word of God, I am hopeful that this hint may not be altogether unuseful. Let the holy Scriptures be your constant study; and what these enjoin, observe with all the care and accuracy you are capable of. Let this be your business, to find out the duty of every season; and when you have found it, then do and spare not. Thus shall you run lawfully; and every step you make shall be an advance towards the prize.

tained, either are already perfect; but for getting the things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, let us press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.' "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Our present attainments, instead of a resting-place, should only serve as a scaffolding to raise us up higher; and the nearer we advance to the prize, the more quick and accelerated should our motion be. Which leads me to mention another remarkable property in which the Christian life resembles a race; namely,

Thus, for example, one in running a race must strictly observe the course that is marked out to him: he is not at liberty to choose his own ground, but must confine himself to that which the judges have Again; as running a race is a swift and agreed upon; otherwise let him run ever constant progression, so ought the life of so fast, he can acquire no right or title to a Christian to be. "Whatever our hands the prize. Now here the resemblance is find to do, we must do it with all our most exact. There is a certain limited might." And we need never go far off to way in which the Christian must run, em- find work; there is enough on every side phatically called the way of God's com- of us to keep us constantly employed. mandments. This we must keep with the | Let us not then be slothful in business, utmost precision, "neither turning aside but "fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." to the right hand nor to the left.” Mere" Let us never think we have already atactivity will not avail us: we may be very keen and busy; but if we are not busy according to rule, we only lose our labor: God can never accept it as a service done to him. It is absolutely necessary that we be always in a readiness to answer that question, "Who hath required this at your hand?" Nothing is left to our own humor or fancy: "The law of the Lord is perfect; " and it is equally dishonored when we pretend to add to it as when we take from it. Arbitrary rules of strictness, for which we have no war rant in the word of God, are dangerous things, and seldom fail in the issue to supplant that religion which is solid and saving. By this officious overdoing, the That there is no gaining the prize unchurch of Rome grew up by degrees into less we hold out to the end. It signifies that monster which it is now become; for nothing to start briskly, and to run fast a I am fully persuaded, that all those child- great part of the way; the whole ground, ish superstitions, which have long been you know, must be passed over, otherwise advanced above the laws of God, were the person is reputed not to have run at first introduced, many of them with a real all. So it is in the Christian race. design, and all of them under the specious pretext of giving aid to the divine law, and facilitating the observance of it. I am very sensible, that the humor of the present age doth not run this way: few need a caution against being "righteous overmuch." Nevertheless, as some serious, well-meaning people may be in dan ger of making snares for their own consciences, by laying down rules of conduct

The

temporary profession, or practice of religion, will not avail us; we must persevere to the last; for it is only he who endureth to the end that shall be saved: "To him that overcometh," said our blessed Lord, "will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my father in his throne." The charge, as I formerly observed to you, runs in these words: "Occupy till Í

3dly. They who run in other races have nothing but toil and labor till they obtain the prize; but in the Christian race, the exercise itself carries part of the reward in its bosom: "Wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." Christ's yoke is easy, his burden is light, and his commandments are not grievous. Hear what holy David says,

Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage."-Sometimes, indeed, they have dark nights and stormy weather; "without are fightings, and within are fears." But this is not the constant fear of them all, nor perhaps of any of them at all times: they have their seasons of joy as well as of grief: and they have this to comfort them amidst all their troubles, even the assurance that they shall work together for their everlasting benefit. Which leads me to mention a

4th. Distinguishing property of the Christian race; namely, the certainty of gaining the prize at last. Did the Christian run in his own strength, he might not only doubt but despair of success: but his whole dependence is on that almighty Saviour, upon whom the Father hath laid his help He goes up through the wilder

1st. In other races, though many may start, and hold out to the end; yet none but the foremost receiveth the prize: Know ye not, saith the Apostle, in the first part of the verse, that they which run in a race, run all, but one receiveth the prize; whereas it is quite otherwise in the Christian race. There may be a great disparity among the candidates, but every one who endureth to the end shall be saved. He who is faithful over a little, shall be as certainly rewarded, as he who is faithful over much; each shall receive a crown as large as he can wear: Whosoever doth faithfully, is accounted by the Judge to have done well: for we find the same salutation that was addressed to the servant who had improved the many tal-ness, leaning upon the beloved; and thereents, addressed likewise to him who had improved the few: "Well done," (though not so much done) yet still it is said, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Hence, 2dly. They who run in the Christian race have no envy, no jealousy among themselves; far less do they molest and hinder one another: on the contrary, the stronger help forward the weaker, and give them all the assistance and encouragement in their power. Now, in other races it is not so; the fall of one candidate gives joy to the rest; but they who run for the heavenly prize, would carry all the world along with them if they could. As the Psalmist " was glad when they said unto him, Let us go into the house of the Lord; so every sincere candidate for immortal glory rejoiceth when he hears of many travellers by the way; and is ready to say to every one he meets, O come and let us go together to the Zion above, that city of the great King, where true riches and honors are only to be found.

fore, under his felt weakness, and when every thing around him wears the most discouraging aspect, he is sometimes enabled to triumph in the language of Paul, and to say, as he did, "I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me. Perseverance is not only the duty, but the privilege of all who set themselves in good earnest to run for heaven: and though the law of God obligeth them, and the new nature habitually inclines them, "to keep under the body, and to bring it into subjec tion;" yet they have far better security than any efforts of their own. Omnipo.. tence is their guardian; and they are kept. by the power of God, through faith unto salvation." These, my brethren, are some of the endearing peculiarities of the Christian race: Let me now exhort you, in the

Third place, So to run that you may at length obtain. And, for this end, let us consider,

1st. That many eyes are upon us: We are surrounded with spectators, who nar

way.

rowly observe every part of our behavior. | do likewise? We see plainly from their The holy angels, those ministering spirits success, that there are no unsurmountable sent forth to minister to the heirs of sal-obstacles in the The saints now in vation, look on us with a friendly concern; heaven were once in the same condition and as they rejoice at the first conversion with ourselves; they were men of like of a sinner, so we may reasonably suppose, passions, and exposed to the same temptathat all our strayings from the path of tions. The grace that saved them is life are sorrowfully remarked and lament- equally sufficient to save us; and (glory ed by them. On the other hand, those to God) it is as ready to be dispensed to malignant powers of darkness, which con- us, if we ask and seek, and knock for it, stantly go about "seeking whom they may as they did. devour,' are no less attentive to our conduct. They too mark our steps, though from a different principle: not to help, but to ensnare us; not to applaud our fidelity and diligence, but to find matter of censure and accusation against us. Above all, the great and omniscient God hath his eye continually upon us; "he compasseth our path, and he is acquainted with all our ways." He besets us behind and before, and so holds us by his right hand, that we cannot fly from his presence, nor find any covering so thick as to hide us from his sight. Think of this, my brethren, and judge whether we have not cause to be continually on our guard. We perform every action, not only in the sight of innumerable witnesses, but in the presence of that glorious Being, by whom our final doom shall be pronounced: Ought we not then to quit ourselves like men? There is something in this motive so awful, and at the same time so animating, that I should think I affronted your reason, if I spent time in the illustration of it. We must feel its influence as soon as it is named: Did we see with our bodily eyes what we profess to believe, we should not wait for an exhortation to " run the race set before

us."

Where are all those illustrious persons recorded in Scripture? Where are the patriarchs, the prophets, and the apostles of our Lord? Where are those heroic spirits, of whom we read in the 11th chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews, "who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, and turned to flight the armies of the aliens ?" Where are those faithful martyrs, "who had trial of cruel mockings, and scourgings, yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment; who were stoned, who were sawn asunder, who were tempted, who were slain with the sword; who wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented; of whom the world was not worthy?" Where are those holy souls, with whom we ourselves were personally acquainted, and whom we dearly loved, but who are now separated from our society, and have left us behind them in this vale of misery and tears? They are surrounding the throne of God most high, singing the song of Moses and of the Lamb; ascribing glory to him who washed them from their sins in his own blood, and made them kings and priests unto God, even his Father. Look above you, O Christians! to this glorious company; and the desire of being one day joined to them will reconcile you to all the hardships of the Christian course, and make you run with patience the race set before you.

Consider, in the 2d place, That many have already run this race, who are now in possession of the glorious prize. Paul exhorted the Christians in his day to be "followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises." The way to heaven was not then an untrodden path; a great cloud of witnesses had passed that road before the Apostle began to write: Consider, in the 3d place, Who are your and we may reasonably conclude, that vast fellow-travellers. You are not only going multitudes have been following them dur- to a glorious and triumphant society, but ing the seventeen hundred years which you go in company with persons of the have elapsed since that time. And shall greatest dignity and worth, not their example encourage us to go and saints, those excellent ones in the earth,"

even the

to be obtained. This is no other than paths. Lead me in thy truth, and guide "heaven itself; "eternal life;" " an ex- me; for thou art the God of my salvation, ceeding and eternal weight of glory;" "an on thee do I wait all the day."—Amen. incorruptible crown; an undefiled inheritance;" "a glory which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither can the heart of man conceive. "It doth not yet appear," saith the apostle John, "what we shall be; but we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." Then shall we be

thoroughly changed into the image of our ROMANS XII. 11.-"Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. We shall love him without measure, and praise him without end; we shall serve him without weariness, and those manifold imperfections which stain our most holy duties while on earth. Nay, our bodies being raised by the power and spirit of our Redeemer, who is the "plague of death, and the destruction of the grave," shall be fashioned like unto his own glorious body; whose presence we shall for ever enjoy, and whose matchless love, that passeth knowledge, we shall eternally celebrate with the church of the first-born.