The Heavenly Footman | Page 3

to venture thy soul upon a little uncertain time? Thirdly,

Dost thou know whether the day of grace will last a week longer or no?
For the day of grace is past with some before their life is ended; and if
it should be so with thee, wouldst thou not say, 'O that I had begun to
run before the day of grace had been past, and the gates of heaven shut
against me!' But, Fourthly, If thou shouldst see any of thy neighbors
neglect the making sure of either house or land to themselves, if they
had it proffered to them, saying, 'Time enough hereafter,'--when the
time is uncertain; and besides, they do not know whether ever it will be
proffered to them again, or no: I say, wouldst thou not call them fools?
And if so, then dost thou think that thou art a wise man to let thy
immortal soul hang over hell by a thread of uncertain time, which may
soon be cut asunder by death?
But to speak plainly, all these are the words of a slothful spirit. Arise,
man! be slothful no longer: set foot, and heart, and all, into the way of
God, and run. The crown is at the end of the race.
Farewell. I wish our souls may meet with comfort at the journey's end.
JOHN BUNYAN.
CHAPTER I.
HEAVEN MUST BE RUN FOR.
SO RUN, THAT YE MAY OBTAIN.--1 Corinthians ix. 24.
Heaven and happiness is that which every one desireth, insomuch that
wicked Balaam could say, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and
let my last end be like his!" Yet for all this, there are but very few that
do obtain that ever-to-be-desired glory, insomuch that many eminent
professors drop short of a welcome from God into this pleasant place.
The apostle, therefore, because he did desire the salvation of the souls
of the Corinthians to whom he writes this epistle, layeth them down in
these words, such counsel, as if taken, would be for their help and
advantage.
First, not to be wicked, and sit still, and wish for heaven; but to run for

it. Secondly, Not to content themselves with every kind of running; but,
saith he, "So run, that ye may obtain."
As if he should say, 'Some, because they would not lose their souls,
begin to run betimes; they run apace, they run with patience, they run
the right way; do you so run. Some run from both father and mother,
friends and companions, and this, that they may have the crown: do you
so run. Some run through temptations, afflictions, good report, evil
report, that they may win the pearl: do you so run. "So run, that ye may
obtain."'
These words are taken from men's running for a wager. A very apt
similitude to set before the eyes of the saints of the Lord. "Know you
not that they which run in a race, run all, but one receiveth the prize?
So run, that ye may obtain." That is, 'Do not only run, but be sure you
win as well as run;' "so run, that ye may obtain."
I shall not need to make any great ado in opening the words at this time,
but shall rather lay down one doctrine that I do find in them; and in
prosecuting that, I shall show you, in some measure, the scope of the
words.
The doctrine is this; THEY THAT WILL HAVE HEAVEN, MUST
RUN FOR IT.
I say, that they that will have heaven, 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: "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 so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one
that beateth the air."
But before I go any farther, let me explain the Nature and Reasons of
this Running.

As to its NATURE, this running is called,
1. Fleeing. Observe, 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
on the