1 Cor. 9.24
So run, that you may obtain.

That Christianity is a race, and heaven the goal, and we, all of us, they that are to run, is an ordinary allegory in Scripture and sermons, which you have none of you but heard. And that in this race all that run do not obtain, no more than they do that run in other races, every one sees, and every one can tell you. "Not every one," we told you the last day; not they that run only with their tongues, run they "Lord, Lord," never so fast; not many others that run further than so you will hear anon, and too common experience can inform you.

But how so to run as to obtain is not a piece of so common knowledge. Hic labor, hoc opus est. This is the Apostle's business,--a business ordinary Christians are not sufficiently skilled in, it is to be feared; or if sufficiently skilled in, not so practised in, but that they want a voice both behind and before them to tell them, "this is the way" they are to walk in. "This is the way, walk in it," so and "so run that you may obtain."

Were we to run in those Olympic games (which S. Paul here seems to allude to), they who were practised in those sports and exercises were fittest to instruct us how so to run as to be conquerors there. But being now to run the [432/ 433] true Olympic; that is, the heavenly race, the true race to heaven that true Olympus, which that poetical did but shadow--this our Apostle, that great wrestler, "not against flesh and blood" (though in another sense against that too), "but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness," whose whole life was nothing else but a continual exercise of all the hardships in the Christian course, who so gloriously "fought the good fight," and "finished his course," can best teach us how to do so too. With this prerogative too above the cunningest of those Olympic masters, that they cannot so instruct their scholars that they shall be sure of the prize they run for, though they run never so accurately to their rules; many there running and but one obtaining; but here, by S. Paul's direction, we may all "run" and all "obtain." For to that purpose only are we invited and directed to "run," that we "may obtain."

Yet true it is, as we may all "obtain," so we may not; and it will be but a spur to us to fear it, one spur to hasten and quicken us in our course. S. Paul had such a one now and then to make him "run." He had "run" much, "from Jerusalem round about unto Illyricum;" yet, lest he had or should "run in vain," he gathers up his heels and to Jerusalem he goes again, to see whether he had not "run" so, or might not at the last; and notwithstanding all his great pains and care in the Gospel of Christ, in preaching it freely too, "without any charge" to the Corinthians, applying himself to all ways and means to gain them, and becoming anything to make them Christ's, he yet tells us what ado he kept with his body, lest when he had done all, he "should be a castaway."

But that such a one he should not be, he had some hope, that he should be a partaker rather of the Gospel in its re-ward as well as in its work, in the verse before the text. This is the other spur to him in his course--must be to us, that we thus quickened to our race, and by these two, hope to obtain and fear to lose, as by two leaden plummets, in each hand one, to poise us as we "run," may so "run" as to "obtain."

We "may obtain," that is our hope; yet it is but "may," that is our fear; yet no fear at all, if we "run" but so as [433/434] we should; if we observe but the Apostle's outwj, is way and mode. To "obtain" or get to heaven is a work of labour and business, not of pretence and talk. It was we lately told you to do somewhat; now you will find it to do much, to take some pains and "run" about it. It is a business of order and regularity, so and so, not any how to be performed. It is a work of time and forecast, that considers seriously what it is about; that casts which way to go, and whither we are going; what it is we aim at, and how to compass it; what it is we would "obtain," and how to " obtain" it.

Thus, whilst I have given the sum, I have given you also the division of the text, only I shall point out the parts again in order, and tell yon I shall observe,

I. That Christianity, or the Christian's course to heaven, is a work of labour and business,--it is to "run" and go.

II. That all pains and labour, every running, will not serve; it must be outwj; so and so, after a certain way, rightly ordered so as to "obtain;" such as is fit and propor-tionable to the end we aim at.

III. That this end we are to set before us, and so order all our course and courses towards it, to propound heaven for the end of all our actions.

IV. And then, lastly, to stir up our souls and bodies to it with this consideration of this "may;" this particle, which may serve both to awe and to encourage us, that from the hope that we "may," and the fear because it is no more than "may," not shall or must, we may be the more diligent in our course, and the more successful in our end; that we may be sure to "run" as to "obtain."

1. I begin at the Christian's course, to show you (1) what it is then (2) whither it tends. It tends to a crown, it tends to a reward, it tends to heaven, it tends to "obtain" it, but by pains and labour it is that it achieves it. It is a course of labour and pains that must bring us to heaven whereby only we can "obtain" it.

If Christianity be a course or race, as S. Paul styles it, it is a course of labour. Multa tulit fecitque puer, sudavit et alsit. Many a hot and cold sweat it has in it; much done, and much suffered in it from our childhood. Thence they begin to inure themselves to hardships and exercise that [434/435] intend to bear the garlands at those sports and games. There should we begin, too, to minister before the Lord with Samuel, when we are children. If we have not, our children may serve the Lord as he, did, girded with a "linen ephod;" their "loins girt" up for the course, even from their childhood; girt with white linen, pure and harmless innocence; with a "linen ephod" bound to holy exercises, to assist Eli the priest in the service of God, if it be but with short responsals and amens; girt and set betimes to God's service. The word "run" is no idle word; there is pains and labour in it. They much deceive themselves that think there is a Quis requisivit upon all hardships in Christianity, that when men tell them of any strictness or rigours there, answer presently, "Who has required it at your hands?" Who? Why, he has done it, who they say has not. Else, certainly, the Apostle would have spared himself as well as they; would not have been so often "beaten with rods" and laid on with stripes, so often "shipwrecked," "in journeyings" so often, "in perils" so often, "perils of waters" and "perils of robbers, in perils by his own countrymen, perils by the heathen, perils in the wilder-ness, perils in the sea, perils among false brethren;" he would not have been so often "in weariness and painful-ness, in watchings" so "often," so much "in hunger and thirst, in fastings"" so frequent, "in cold and nakedness" so commonly, "in deaths" so "oft," as he tells us he was, had the way to heaven been so easy as these men, that would not forego a jot of case or pleasure, of meat, or drink, or sleep, for heaven,--would have it. Nor would he have proved the course of his ministry to be God's, by his "patience, afflictions, necessities, distresses," by "stripes, imprisonments," tossings to and fro, by " labours," and "watchings" and "fastings," as he does, could he have told how to have proved it better. Nor would he have taken so much pains to keep under his body, to buffet and humble it as he does, ver.27 of this very chapter; were not this obtaining heaven some-what a hard and laboursome business. This is the course that brings thither, the course that, finished, brought him the "crowd of righteousness." "It is violence and force that take heaven," says our only Saviour. The way to it is not strewed with roses and violets, nor spread with carpets and [435/436] cushions, non jacet in molli, but with thorns, and briers, and craggy rocks.

There are works and duties of Christianity, that cannot be performed without much trouble. He must not fear his skin that puts himself into Christ's service; he must venture far, and hazard much sometimes, unless he will give out by the way and lose his reward. There is nothing so hard in human affairs but many fall into the spiritual and heavenly. The pursuit of worldly projects, those empty, unsatisfying, and troublesome nothings, coast us many a weary step, many a broken sleep, many a tired body; and can we think to obtain the fulness of the joys above, that fill and never fail, with less? Surely, did we consider the practice of those first Christian saints and martyrs, those daily pains and cares their days and nights were spent in, we would think our race to heaven another gates business, Christianity another manner of thing than we make it now-a-days, or are willing to conceive it.

Were there no other word than this trecete in the text, this "run" to express it, we might understand it to be a work of labour; and if we take it with that reference it has to the Olympic races, there are many things in the perform-ance that will sufficiently show it. What a deal of pains and care did they take first to fit and prepare themselves! And then, with what might and main did they pursue their course! How often have such racers been taken up at the goal so tired and spent that they have had much ado to recover their life or spirits! Ah! did we but half so much for heaven, there were no doubt of it.

Running, take we it how we will, is a violent exercise, that for the time employs all the parts and powers. It is that the Apostle would have here, that all the faculties and powers of our souls and bodies should be taken up in the business of heaven. Our heads study it, our hearts bend wholly to it, our affections strive violently after it, our hands labour for it, our feet run the ways of God's commandments to come to it, our eyes run down with water for it, and our bodies with sweat about it. It will cost somewhat more to come to heaven than a few good words at the last, than a 'Lord forgive me, and have mercy upon me,' when we are going out of the world, or than a hot fit or two of piety when [436/437] we are in it; or a cold and careless walking and straggling up and down in it throughout all our lives. Nay, more, it is not running over whole breviaries of prayers; it is not running over good books only neither reading and studying of good things, but running as we read, 'that all that run may read' in our running the characters of heaven. Would men but lay this to heart, that it is no such easy or perfunctory business to get thither, their courses would be better, their lives holier, themselves heavenlier than they are; nor would so many put off the work to the last cast, make a mere death-bed business of it, as if they then were fit enough to run God's ways when they cannot stir a hand or foot, whereby it is more to be feared they deceive themselves, and being then in no possibility to run, they go they know not whither.

II. And yet for all the pains and running we talk of, if now, secondly, it have not an outwj to rule and steer it, if it be not a "so" running, such a one as is light set to obtain, we had as good sit still. This "o to run," is (1.) to run lawfully. (2.) To run carefully. (3.) To run speedily. (-1.) To run willingly. (5.) To run stoutly. (6.) To run patiently. (7.) To run constantly, and to the end. To run (1.) lawfully, according to the laws and rules prescribed to obtain it. (2.) Carefully, the way to obtain it. (3.) Speedily, with the speed requisite to obtain it. (4.) Willingly, with spirit to obtain it. (5.) Stoutly, to endure any thing to obtain it. (6.) Patiently, to expect to obtain it. (7.) Con-stantly, not giving out till we obtain it.

Lawfully, according to the laws and rules of the race we are to run; "we are not crowned else," says our Apostle. Now, the laws of the Christian race are God's command-ments, according to which we are diligently to direct our steps; yet three laws there are more particular and proper to it--the law of faith, the law of hope, and the law of charity. These the three more peculiar rules of it:--We must "run" in a full belief of God's promises in Christ, that "in him they are yea, and in him amen;" that God will not let one tittle of them fall to the ground; "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith,"--of our course too. We must, secondly, run in hope, that through his grace we [437/438] also,--even we, though the most unworthy,--shall obtain, "laying hold upon the hope so set before us." And, thirdly, in charity must be our course. Though we strive for the mastery, it must not be in strife or envy, but in love and charity, in unity and peace, in "love unfeigned" ourselves, and "provoking one another" to it; no other strifes or provocation, but who shall go before one another in love, so keeping the "bond of peace," which once broken, our clothes and garments, which were tied up to us with it, as with a girdle, fall all down about us, and hinder us, both in our race and of our crown. Those who have broke this bond, and rent the Church's robes, and their own souls by their unhappy separations, will, after all their labour, with those in the Psalm, sleep their sleep, and find nothing;--nothing but that they have hindered both others and themselves of the crown of glory. Run we lawfully and orderly then--that first.

And (2) run we carefully too, neither to the right hand nor to the left; neither looking after sensual pleasures or worldly profits or sinful lusts; not turning aside after those golden balls, which the devil, the flesh, and world, are always casting in the way to hinder us, but straight on our course, carefully shunning all temptations, stumbling-blocks, and stones of offence, which are likely to trip up our heels and throw us in our race. "What carefulness," says S. Paul, "has your godly sorrow wrought!"--will earnest desire of a hea-venly crown, say I, work in you, if you would think upon it!

It would make you (3) gather up all your strength, set to all your force, put to all your speed; you would think you could not come soon enough to so glorious a goal. "Let us go speedily and pray before the Lord," say they in Zachary. "Make haste and come down," says our Saviour to Zacchaeus; as if he that meant to see Christ here at his own house, or hereafter in his, must make what haste he can. Running is our speediest motion; and the more haste to heaven, the better speed, though to earthly things the proverb says it is not; and the reason may be, indeed, because our swiftest motion is to be towards heaven, to be reserved for that.

Yet willingly (4) must it be; we must do it without whip or spur; they are for unreasonable beasts, and not for men in running. We are not to look that God should force and [438/439] drive us to his work; he loves no such workmen: a ready mind is God's sacrifice; he accepts no other: "If I do it willingly," says our Apostle, "I have a reward;" no reward else to be expected.

But (5) we must run stoutly too; bear arty thing, do any thing, endure; any thing for the crown of heaven--afflictions, persecutions, reproaches, any losses, any hardships, for the name of Christ. We must not be frighted out of our course of piety and religion by the threats of men, nor put out of it by the scoffs and flouts of standers-by, nor driven from it by the fear of danger and loss; nor diverted by the hope of earthly honour and preferment, nor flattered out of it by case and pleasure, nor fooled out of it by seducers and false guides; but bear up stoutly in our course against wind and weather, storm and tempest, men and devils.

And though some of these perhaps may somewhat hinder us in our course and make it the more difficult, and the way seem longer, yet (6) if we "run with patience," as our Apostle again would have us, "the race which is set before us;" if we give not over yet, but go on expecting, content however, though it be long, that we shall come at last, willing to suffer any thing, and stay any time that God would have us, we shall obtain at last; but if we give out we are lost for ever.

For (7) constantly, also, we are to run; not to run a while and then make a stand; now a spurt and then a spurt---Ubi nose currere ibi deficere incipis, says devout S. Bernard; "When we begin to slack our running, we begin to fail of our reward." If we give over here, if we did run well, and do not, S. Paul says we are bewitched, and will ask us too, as he did them, "Who has bewitched us, that we should no longer obey the truth," that we run no more? We must run constantly, and not give over; nay, and constantly also, and not give out. "He that continues to the end," is he only that shall be saved," that shall obtain the crown of life. Christ himself, who is our crown and our joy, he was obedient unto the death; and unless we be so too-unless we hold [439/440] the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end-we shall not be partakers of him; for they only are that do so. So now you have this oþtwj, the manner of your running, how it must be,--awfully, according to the rule that God has given, that we swerve not from it; carefully, in the way that God has set us, that we err not from it; speedily, that we come not when the doors are shut; cheerfully, that we may have a reward; stoutly, that we be not baffled in our course; patiently, that we faint not by the way; and constantly, that we fail not of our end--the salvation of our souls: "So run that ye may obtain."

Ay, but how may we obtain to run so? Why, do as the runners in races do: (1.) Diet our bodies; (2.) Exercise ourselves before; (3.) Consider, and contrive how we had best to run; and (i.) strip ourselves of all incumbrances that may hinder us in our speed; and, indeed, these may well go into the outwj, belong at least to the "so running" as has annexed to it the obtaining.

(1.) Diet we our bodies by temperance and abstinence. It is in the next verse, that "every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things." Abstinuit vino et venere, says the poet; he abstains from riot and drunkenness, runs not with the world into the "same excess of riot;" from chambering and wantonness, runs not to his neighbour's bed; a head full of drink, a belly full of meat, and a body weakened with lust, are fitter to lie down than to run. He that intends himself for a race, for this especially, must keep under his body, "and brink; it into subjection;" with S. Paul, ver. 27, keep it empty, and agile, and firm, and sound.

And (2) he must exercise himself for the race, that intends so to run as to obtain; they do so that run races, try and exercise before, keep themselves continually doing; and they that are skilful in the word of righteousness and successful in the work, have "their senses exercised to discern both good and evil," must "exercise themselves unto godliness;" exercise themselves day and night "in the law of God," and with S. Paul, again, "exercise" themselves "to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men."

(3.) Consider also and contrive we must, what way we had best to take how we shall avoid this "rock of offence," that [440/441] stone of stumbling, that hill of pride, that ditch of lust, those thorns in the flesh, those dangers by the way, those impediments and hindrances which are likest to interrupt or slacken us in our course, so to take all advantages, lay hold of all opportunities, catch all occasions of our advance in goodness, know where to haste, and where to slack, when to bear up, and when to put forward, when to spare, and when to put to all our strength. if we can but hit this outwj, this sic, this " so," this way, this order, no doubt either of our well running, or our sure obtaining; either so to run, or so obtain, as the test would have us.

And (4) after all this dieting, all this exercising of our-selves, and all this contrivance with ourselves, as the last preparation, or rather setting out to our course, we must divest and strip ourselves of all our cumbersome garments; "lay- aside every weight and the sin that does so easily beset us," as the Apostle speaks; "lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness," as S. James; put off all the works of darkness, put off the old man and put on the new, the new white robe of righteousness and holiness,--for in thin white vestments only did they use to run races,--having our joints suppled, and our bodies anointed with the sweet oil of holy resolutions, being first washed with the pure waters of repentance. It was an old ceremony,--in some Churches yet observed,--in baptism to anoint the baptized person in the name of the Lord, in token that he was now to address himself to the course, to run the race of Chris-tianity that was then set before him. You have now this oþtwj trecete complete; what it is "so to run," both in its setting out and in its moving on; we will now see what it will come to in the end, to "obtain."

Yet before I come to that, give me leave a little to sum up the whole manner of our running, by a kind of allego-rizing some several runnings in Scripture we may read of.

Leave we, then, first the oxen, and run we with Elisha after Elijah; leave we all secular and worldly business to tend upon the word of the Lord in the mouths of his prophets. Run we next with Laban to the well, to the well-springs of salvation. Rouse we up ourselves, then, out of our beds,--out of our drowsy dulness and earthiness,- [441/442] with young Samuel, and run to Eli the priest, to ask counsel of him, when God begins first to appear to us, that we may be instructed what to do. Run we, then, with little Zacchæus, and climb up into the tree; make our thoughts ascend, that we may see Christ. Run we, then, after him, with the people on foot, out of our cities; refuse no pains, nor think much to leave our houses awhile to overtake him. When we see good thoughts coming to us, run we as Abraham did to meet the angels; make haste to entertain them, and bow down ourselves before them, and entreat them to stay and tarry with us; run, then, presently, to the herd and fetch a calf and haste to slay and dress it for them, to the unruly herd of our sensual passions and affections, and mortify them and dress them better than heretofore. When any evil motions at any time arise, run we with David, and stand upon that Philistine and cut off his head, kill it in the cradle, nip it in the bud. When we fall into sin, run with Rebecca unto the well again, and draw thence the waters of repentance. If any temptation yet pursue us that we cannot resist, run we away with Jotham, and flee from it. When troubles come upon us, "run we to the hills, from whence cometh our help," "to the name of the Lord, as a strong tower," to our prayers. When we are in any good way of devotion and piety, run we "like the sun out of his chamber, and rejoice we like a giant to run our course." Run we like Joel's "horsemen," like Nahum's "lightning," in all good ways. If adversity betide us, run we like the rivers that the prophet David speaks of among the hills; hold up our heads still for all the sorrow. If prosperity engirt us, run we with Ahimaaz, "by the way of the plain," be lowly and humble in it and when any good befals us, run we with S. Peter and John unto the sepulchre; think we of our lives end, how little a while we may enjoy it; run we to our friends with Rebecca, and tell them of it, make them partakers of God's goodness too, that they may rejoice and praise God with us. In a word, in all distresses, in all necessities, run we with those Benjamites to the rock Rimmon--the rock, Christ Jesus--and abide there; not for some months or years, but forever; so "run" and so "obtain." There will all our running be at an end, and he and his salvation, he in his Father's [442/443] house is the end of all our running--that which we are to aim at, that which we are to run for.

Ill. For run for something we must, and we can run for nothing better. All men and creatures stir not from their place but for sonic end,--to obtain somewhat. But men and reasonable creatures propound it to themselves. I cannot tell you the several ends they do propound; but I can tell you the end they should propound. Or rather let S. Paul tell you, and you shall go no further for it than the very next verse, "a crown incorruptible." If you would yet know plainer what that is, look but to 2 Tim. ii. 10, and thus you find it, that ye may "obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory."

Indeed methinks the one only word of the test, this labhte, this "obtain," single, without any super-addition, is sufficient to express it all; for we obtain nothing till we obtain that. All that we get, or gain, or purchase, till we come to that, to the salvation in Christ, with eternal glory,--is not worth the name of obtaining, of katalabhte, all crowns and glories of the world but dross and dung, not worth the taking up; not anything worth obtaining in comparison of this "crown of glory."

Ut comprehendatis it is in Latin; and it is a word that the Schoolmen, whose business is to speak most accurately and distinctly, have always appropriated to the other life. There we are, first, only comprehensores, comprehensors,--that is, ob-tainers. Nay, S. Paul himself is so punctual too, that after all his pains in the Gospel of Christ, all his conformity to Christ, and the greatest height of perfection in Christ, that he was arrived at (which is a business and glory worth all the earth besides), says yet, Ou logixomai kateilhfenai, "I count not myself to have comprehended," or obtained (so it should be rendered), professes himself not to have obtained. Attained, perhaps, he will grant you, or apprehended, somewhat towards it; apprehended, peradventure, but not comprehended; elabou, but not katelabou - made way to his crown, but not come to it, not obtained it.

So you see what it is you are to run for. Not a crown of bays or laurel,--not the praise and commendations of men,--not any earthly honour, interest, or profit, -but [443/444] the honour of heaven, the praise of God, the crown of glory.

Not fading and decaying pleasures, such as the leaves of the trees, or the flower of the field, that give a verdant beauty and fragrant smell for a while and vanish, are we to set before us. Not the praise of men are we to rim our race, or do our works for; to be seen of men, and commended by them. "They," indeed, that do so, says Christ, "have their reward," but they had better be without it; for it is but apecete not katelabetbe: they have it away with them, and must look for no more; that is all they are like to have. They have "beaten the air," contrary to the Apostle, and with the air they are past away. Air they sought for, and air they only have--a little foolish and vain breath, for all their pains. They can show nothing that they have obtained; and the very praise they sought proves nothing too; for not he that man commends, "but whom the Lord commends," is only truly praised and commended. Not airy earthly ends (3) are we to run for; that is but currere in incertum, at the best, to "run as uncertainly," to "run" for uncertainties, things that it is a doubt whether we shall get in God's service (who rewards us better than with temporal rewards), and it is no doubt but they are most uncertain, and cannot comprehendi, be so laid hold on, that they will not flee away; things that we ourselves are to deny ourselves in God's service sometimes, such as it is a point of our running to run from, when they will hinder our course; and such as in such times as these are not to be expected by them that faithfully and stoutly run the Christian race, that hold out their course in true religion, and the obedience of Christ, and the communion of his Church. Heaven only it is we are to run to, and "Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith," our infinite and "exceeding great reward," and "the joy which was set before him," it is we are to look to; to no other recompense of reward, no other recompenser and rewarder.

But to him, and to that, lastly, now we are to look. If he himself set the joy of the right hand of the throne of God before his eyes, that he aught the better "endure the cross," and "despise the shame," and "so run the race " that his Father set him, as it is, Heb. xii. 2; If he had an eye to the [444/445] "recompense of reward," well certainly may we set such a consideration before us, and they talk they know not what that deny it. God allures us by rewards, and Christ himself preaching the Gospel began it with this encouragement to incite us to listen to it, because " the kingdom of heaven" was "at hand." Set we then those joys before us, and fear not; look we, in all our tribulations and sufferings, upon them, to comfort and uphold us, in all our difficulties to encourage us, in all our devotions to enflame us. Consider we, that all we do, that all we suffer, is nothing to be compared to the "crown of glory" that is "laid up" for us; that all our pains and labour, going, and running, and sweating, and blowing for Christ, is not to be mentioned or thought upon, so that at last we may "obtain."

1V. Yet to keep our spirits in awe, and keep down our pride, that is likely to arise sometimes upon our well running, and to make us diligent and constant in our course, let us remember, it is but a "may obtain" the while; we may miss as well, shall too, if we run not orderly, or give out. It is no more than " we shall reap if we faint not." If we fail or faint we shall not; our kingdom is removed, our crown is gone. "Work" we then our "salvation out with fear and trembling," as the Apostle advises us. That is the way to make us so to "run" as to "obtain." There is no such certainty to obtain as some imagine and delude themselves with; no peremptory decree for their obtaining, though they run how they will; nor any peremptory order neither that they shall run in their due time, whether they will or no; that God will force them either to the race or to the crown; either to "run" or to "obtain." It is a common, but the greatest vanity and fallacy in the world, to think to get to heaven without pains, to go thither with all kind of pomp, and ease, and pleasures,--to have our portion here and hereafter too. It is no such matter; the way is "strait" and narrow that leads thither," says he that came to show it; and a race here we have to run for it, and all the way but a "may," a possibility, or a probability, not a necessity to obtain it. Look we carefully to our feet, apply we ourselves diligently to our course, to run the ways of righteousness and peace, of holiness and salvation. Let us often look up [445/446] to heaven, and the "crown of glory laid up" there, to add wings and spirit to us; and look we also down sometimes to the dangers by the way, and fear ourselves, and mark our steps, lest we chance to stumble, and fall, to grow faint or weary; but that we may run lawfully, carefully, speedily, cheerfully, stoutly, patiently, and constantly to the end; that so running, we may obtain the end of our hopes, the crown of our joy, the salvation of our souls, and the redemption of our bodies, everlasting life, and eternal glory, which, &c.

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