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; and
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, he had need to run for it.

(5.) They that will have heaven, they 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 the soul. "The devil, your adversary, as a
roaring lion, goeth 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 thou keep out of the reach of those great guns, the
Ten Commandments. Hell also hath a wide mouth; it can stretch itself
farther that you are aware of. And as the angel said to Lot, "Take
heed, look not behind thee, neither tarry thou in all the plain" (that
is, anywhere between this and heaven), "lest thou be consumed"; so I
say to thee, Take heed, tarry not, lest either the devil, hell 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 all considered, then thou, as well as I, wouldst say, They
that will have heaven must run for it.

(6.) They that go to heaven must run for it; because perchance the
gates of heaven may be 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,
nor 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 gate of mercy be quite shut; or to run so lazily
that they be shut before you 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."