Note: The 8th Chapter of Joshua is referenced in the phrase:
"It is taken from that xxth of Joshua"
THE HEAVENLY FOOTMAN
or, A Description of the Man That Gets to Heaven:
with Directions How to Run So As to Obtain
by
JOHN BUNYAN
"So run, that ye may obtain."--1 Cor. IX. 24.
THE AUTHOR'S EPISTLE TO ALL SLOTHFUL AND CARELESS PEOPLE.
Friends,
Solomon saith, that "the desire of the slothful killeth him;" and if
so, what will slothfulness itself do to those that entertain it? The
proverb is, "He that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame:"
and this I dare be bold to say, no greater shame can befall a man,
than to see that he hath fooled away his soul, and sinned away eternal
life. And I am sure this is the next way to do it; namely, to be
slothful; slothful, I say, in the work of salvation. The vineyard of
the slothful man, in reference to the things of this life, is not
fuller of briers, nettles, and stinking weeds, than he that is
slothful for heaven, hath his heart full of heart-choking and
soul-damning sin.
Slothfulness hath these two evils: first, to neglect the time in which
it should be getting heaven; and by that means doth, in the second
place, bring in untimely repentance. I will warrant you, that he who
should lose his soul in this world through slothfulness, will have no
cause to be glad thereat, when he comes to hell. Slothfulness is
usually accompanied with carelessness; and carelessness is for the
most part begotten by senselessness; and senselessness doth again put
fresh strength into slothfulness; and by this means the soul is left
remediless. Slothfulness shutteth out Christ; slothfulness shameth the
soul.
Slothfulness is condemned even by the feeblest of all the creatures.
"Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise." "The
sluggard will not plow, by reason of the cold;" that is, he will not
break up the fallow ground of his heart, because there must be some
pains taken by him that will do it; "therefore he shall beg in
harvest;" that is, when the saints of God shall have their glorious
heaven and happiness given to them; but the sluggard "shall have
nothing;" that is, be never the better for his crying for mercy;
according to that in Matthew xxv. 10-12.
If you would know a sluggard in the things of heaven, compare him with
one that is slothful in the things of this world. As 1. He that is
slothful is loath to set about the work he should follow; so is he
that is slothful for heaven. 2. He that is slothful, is one that is
willing to make delays: so is he that is slothful for heaven. 3. He
that is a sluggard, any small matter that cometh in between, he will
make it a sufficient excuse to keep him off from plying his work; so
it is also with him that is slothful for heaven. 4. He that is
slothful doeth his work by the halves: and so it is with him that is
slothful for heaven. He may almost, but he shall never altogether,
obtain perfection of deliverance from hell; he may almost, but he
shall never (without he mend) be altogether a saint. 5. They that are
slothful do usually lose the season in which things are to be done:
and thus it is also with them that are slothful for heaven; they miss
the seasons of grace. And therefore, 6. They that are slothful have
seldom, or never, good fruit; so also it will be with the
soul-sluggard. 7. They that are slothful, are chid for the same: so
also will Christ deal with those that are not active for him. 'Thou
wicked and slothful servant! out of thine own mouth will I judge thee.
Thou saidst I was thus, and thus; wherefore then gavest thou not my
money to the bank? &c. Take the unprofitable servant, and cast him
into utter darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth.'
What shall I say? 1. Time runs; and will ye be slothful? 2. Much of
your lives are past; and will you be slothful? 3. Your souls are worth
a thousand worlds; and will ye be slothful? 4. The day of death and
judgment is at the door; and will ye be slothful? 5. The curse of God
hangs over your heads; and will you be slothful? 6. Besides, the
devils are earnest, laborious, and seek by all means every day, by
every sin, to keep you out of heaven, and hinder you of salvation; and
will you be slothful? 7. Also, your neighbors are diligent for things
that will perish; and will you be slothful for things that will endure
for ever? 8. Would you be willing to be damned for slothfulness? 9.
Would you be willing the angels of God should neglect to fetch your
souls away to heaven, when you lie a dying, and the devils stand by
ready to scramble for them? 10. Was Christ slothful in the work of
your redemption? 11. Are his ministers slothful in tendering this unto
you? 12. And lastly, If all this will not move, I tell you God will
not be slothful or negligent to damn you, (their damnation slumbereth
not, 2 Pet. ii. 3;) nor will the devils neglect to fetch thee, nor
hell neglect to shut its mouth upon thee.
Sluggard! art thou asleep still? Art thou resolved to sleep the sleep
of death? Will neither tidings from heaven nor hell awake thee? Wilt
thou say still, yet a little sleep, a little slumber, and a little
folding of the arms to sleep? Wilt thou yet turn thyself in thy sloth,
as the door is turned upon the hinges? O that I was one that was
skilful in lamentation, and had but a yearning heart towards thee, how
would I pity thee! how would I bemoan thee! O that I could with
Jeremiah let my eyes run down with rivers of water for thee! Poor
soul, lost soul, dying soul, what a hard heart have I that I cannot
mourn for thee! If thou shouldst lose but a limb, a child, or a
friend, it would not be so much; but poor man, it is THY SOUL! If it
was to lie in hell but for a day, but for a year, nay, ten thousand
years, it would (in comparison) be nothing; but O it is FOR EVER! What
a soul-amazing word will that be, which saith, "Depart from me, ye
cursed, into EVERLASTING FIRE!" &c.
_Objection_. 'But if I should set in, and run as you would have me,
then I must run from all my friends; for none of them are running that
way.'
_Answer_. And if thou dost, thou wilt run into the bosom of Christ,
and of God; and then what harm will that do thee?
_Objection_. 'But if I run this way, then I must run from all my
sins.'
_Answer_. That is true indeed; yet if thou dost not, thou wilt run
into hell fire.
_Objection_. 'But if I run this way, then I shall be hated, and lose
the love of my friends and relations, and of those that I expect
benefit from, or have reliance on, and I shall be mocked of all my
neighbors.'
_Answer_. And if thou dost not, thou art sure to lose the love and
favor of God and Christ, the benefits of heaven and glory, and be
mocked of God for thy folly. "I will laugh at your calamity, and mock
when your fear cometh." If thou wouldst not be hated and mocked then,
take heed thou by thy folly dost not procure the displeasure and
mockings of the great God; for his mocks and hatred will be terrible,
because they will fall upon thee in terrible times, even when
tribulation and anguish take hold on thee; which will be when death
and judgment come, when all the men in the earth, and all the angels
in heaven cannot help thee.
_Objection_. 'But surely I may begin this time enough, a year or two
hence; may I not?'
_Answer_. First, Hast thou any lease of thy life? Did ever God tell
thee thou shalt live half a year, or two months longer? Nay, it may
be, thou mayst not live so long. And therefore, Secondly, Wilt thou be
so sottish and unwise, as 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 hope set before us." Mark, "Who have
_fled_." It is taken from that xxth 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 fleeing for one's life; a
running with all might and main, as we use to say. _So run_.
2. _Pressing_. This running in another place is called a pressing. "I
press toward the mark;" (Phil. iii.;) which signifieth that they that
will have heaven, 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_.
3. _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." 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 for this
point are these:
1. Because _every one that runneth doth not obtain the prize_. There
be many that do run, yea, and run far too, who yet miss 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. "Though 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
stopped by any thing; kept back by any thing; 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 though men do run, yet, _if they do not
overcome, or win, as well as run, what will they be the better for the
running_. They will get nothing. You know the man that runneth, doth
do it that he may 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
say, he getteth nothing. And ah! how many such runners will there be
found in the day of judgment? Even multitudes--multitudes that have
run, yea, run so far as to come to heaven's gates, are 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 in here; you come too late; you ran too
lazy; the door is shut!' "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;
he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not, depart," &c. O sad
will the state 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."
3. Because _the way is long_, (I speak metaphorically,) and there is
many a dirty step, many a high hill, much work to do; a wicked heart,
world, and devil to overcome. I say there are many steps to be taken
by those that intend to be saved, by running, or walking, in the steps
of that faith of our father Abraham. Out of Egypt thou must go
through the Red Sea; thou must run a long and tedious journey,
through the vast howling wilderness, before thou come to the land of
promise.
4. They that will go to heaven must run for it; because, as the way is
so long, so _the time in which they are to get to the end of it is
very uncertain_. The time present is the only time; thou hast no more
time allotted thee than that thou now enjoyest. "Boast not thyself of
to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." Do not
say, 'I have time enough to get to heaven seven years hence;' for I
tell thee, the bell may toll for thee, before seven days more be
ended. When death comes, away thou must go, whether thou art provided
or not. And therefore look to it; make no delays; it is not good
dallying with things of so great concernment as the salvation or
damnation of thy soul. You know he that hath a great way to go in a
little time, and less, by half, than he thinks of, had need to _run_
for it.
5. They that will have heaven must run for it; because _the devil, the
law, sin, death, and hell, follow them_. There is never a poor soul
that is going to heaven, but the devil, the law, sin, death, and hell,
make after that soul. "Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." And I will assure you the
devil is nimble; he can run apace, he is light of foot; he hath
overtaken many, he hath turned up their heels and hath given them an
everlasting fall. Also the law, that can shoot a great way: have a
care to keep out of the reach of those great guns, the ten
commandments. Hell also hath a wide mouth; it can stretch itself
farther than you are aware of. And as the angel said to Lot: "Take
heed, look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain," that
is, any where between this and heaven, "lest thou be consumed;" so
say I to thee. Take heed, tarry not, lest either the devil, hell,
death, or the fearful curses of the law of God, do overtake thee, and
throw thee down in the midst of thy sins, so as never to rise and
recover again. If this were well considered, then thou, as well as I,
would say, they that will have heaven must _run_ for it.
6. They that will go to heaven must run for it; because _perchance the
gates of heaven may shut shortly_. Sometimes sinners have not
heaven-gates open to them so long as they suppose; and if they be once
shut against a man, they are so heavy, that all the men in the world,
or all the angels in heaven, are not able to open them. "I shut, and
no man can open," saith Christ. And how if thou shouldst come but one
quarter of an hour too late? I tell thee it will cost thee an eternity
to bewail thy misery in! Francis Spira can tell thee what it is to
stay till the gates of mercy be quite shut; or to run so lazily, that
they be shut before thou get within them. What! to be shut out! What!
out of heaven! Sinner, rather than lose it, _run_ for it; yea, and "so
run that thou mayst obtain."
7. Lastly, Because _if thou lose, thou losest all_. Thou losest soul,
God, Christ, heaven, ease, peace, &c. Besides, thou layest thyself open
to all the shame, contempt, and reproach, that either God, Christ,
saints, the world, sin, the devil, and all, can lay upon thee. As
Christ saith of the foolish builder, so will I say of thee, if thou be
such a one who runs and misseth; I say, even all that go by will begin
to mock at thee, saying, This man began to run well, but was not able
to finish. But more of this anon.