Jesus Himself took the castle of heaven first. It cost Him blood to get in and break open the doors. Now He stands in the entrance and cries, “Come in! I have broken the gate, I have won the city. Don’t be afraid!”

Heaven is very far away, and the way there is strewn with difficulties, even before we factor in our own lack of stamina and various disabilities. Will we ever make it to the finishing line in the Christian race? The Epistle to the Hebrews provides some good advice. In the following updated extract from a sermon preached by Samuel Rutherford in preparation for the communion at Kirkcudbright in 1634, Rutherford discusses what we must do, and how it’s possible for us to persevere, and win the prize of glory.

“Let us run the race.” But how shall we run? “So run that ye may obtain.” Many run in hope of heaven and get hell in the end. But hear what the Spirit of God says: “Lay aside every weight,” every clog.

Lay Aside Every Weight

What is the weight? The world, the love of riches and honour, and lusts. He speaks to us as to people having their backs burdened with clay, or clogged with heavy lumps of earth and great bunches of the world’s glory. For that matter, a number of devils of pride, lust, and covetousness hang on us. “Give them a shake,” says He, “Down with them! Let the ground bear them all!”

What then shall we do to be quit of these weights?

Watch Your Feet

The world is a foul way, like deep, watery new-tilled ground, where pound weights hang to the traveller’s heel and hold him back, and as he shakes off one, another comes on, so that he cannot go fast on his way.

The affections are the feet of the soul. Take heed to your feet, and come off the deep wet land. Use the world as if you used it not. There is a dry way to heaven! Hold off the deep way, and be content with food and raiment. Go the way that Christ and the saints went before you, who scarce ever wet their feet. Indeed, Jesus was never wet-shod in the world. He had so good mind of His errand and His home that the world got no room in His heart.

They who will not keep this clean dry causeway, it is no marvel to see them get stuck in the miry world, be drowned and never make it home. It is with many, as was said, “Their adulteries lie between their breasts” (Hos. 2:2) Is it any wonder to see such heavy-headed dolts get the maul in this race, like stiff horses unfit for a journey? And how can they so much as trot? They only walk in a circle!

Watch Your Conscience

Satan and the world will give you foul play. They will stick out their feet before you and make you fall. But don’t worry about that. Get up again!

But please beware of sore falls — sins against the conscience, light, and love. For the conscience is like an earthen vessel. If you break it you won’t be able to mend it again. Some in their race gave their conscience such a blow that they break their legs, and are never fit for the race again. Whatever you do, keep the conscience whole.

Keep Going

Cast off all things that make you heavy. Make yourself light, so that you may be nimble, and skip and spur away. Run, run! Don’t look behind you. Remember Lot’s wife. Although you are like to burst, don’t tarry. You will mend of a sweat and a heat. God has a napkin to rub the sweat off you, and He has a chair and a cushion for you for when the race is ended, and He will lay your head in His bosom. Put in a bit of effort in the daytime, for I promise you, you’ll get rest at evening.

Lay Aside the Sin That So Easily Besets Us

“Cast off the sin that doth so easily beset us,” or goes round about us. This is the body of sin that remains in our nature. The apostle speaks of it as if someone had us clasped in his arms, for original sin has us in fetters as captives.

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