THE SIXTH USE.—­Again, sixthly, You that are old professors, take you heed that the young striplings of Jesus, that began to strip but the other day, do not outrun you, so as to have that scripture fulfilled on you, “The first shall be last, and the last first:”  which will be a shame to you, and a credit for them.  What! for a young soldier to be more courageous than he that hath been used to wars!  To you that are hindermost, I say, strive to outrun them that are before you; and to you that are foremost, I say, hold your ground, and keep before them in faith and love, if possible.  For indeed, that is the right running, for one to strive to outrun another; even for the hindermost to endeavor to overtake the foremost; and he that is before should be sure to lay out himself to keep his ground, even to the very utmost.  But then,

THE SEVENTH USE.—­Again, How basely do they behave themselves, how unlike they are to win, that think it enough to keep company with the hindmost!  There are some men that profess themselves such as run for heaven as well as any; yet if there be but any lazy, slothful, cold, half-hearted professors in the country, they will be sure to take example by them.  They think, if they can but keep pace with them they shall do fair; but these do not consider that the hindmost lose the prize.  You may know it if you will, that it cost the foolish virgins dear for their coming too late.  “They that were ready, went in with him:  and the door was shut.  Afterward,” mark “afterward came the other (the foolish) virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.  But he answered and said, Depart, I know you not.”  ’Depart, lazy professors! slothful professors!’

Oh! methinks the word of God is so plain for the overthrow of your lazy professors, that it is to be wondered men do not take more notice of it.  How was Lot’s wife served for running lazily, and for giving but one look behind her, after the things she left in Sodom?  How was Esau served for staying too long before he came for the blessing?  And how were they served that are mentioned in the 13th of Luke, for staying till the door was shut?  Also the foolish virgins.  A heavy after-groan will they give that have thus stayed too long!  It turned Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt; it made Esau weep with an exceeding loud and bitter cry; it made Judas hang himself:  yea, and it will make thee curse the day in which thou wast born, if thou miss of the kingdom, as thou wilt certainly do, if this be thy course.  But,

THE EIGHTH USE.—­Again, How, and if thou by thy lazy running should’st not only destroy thyself, but also thereby be the cause of the damnation of some others?  For thou, being a professor, thou must think that others will take notice of thee; and because thou art but a poor, cold, lazy runner, and one that seeks to drive the world and pleasure along with thee; why, thereby others will think of doing so too.  ‘Nay,’ say they, ’why may not we, as well as he?  He is a professor,