their Crown by usurpation but by Election They are chosen to a Crown q 2. This Crown of Righteousnesse exceeds in purenesse Other Crowns are of a more feculent drossie mettle They have their troubles A Crown of gold cannot be made without thorns r Herein the Crown of Righteousnesse excells It is made of a purer metal there are no cares or crosses woven into it It fills the Soul with melody It banisheth all sorrow from the heart there can be no more sorrow in heaven then joy in hell 3. This Crown of Righteousnesse can never be lost or forfeited Other Crowns may be lost Å¿ The Crown is fallen from the head Lam. 5. 16. Henry the sixth was honoured with the Crowns of two Kingdoms France and England The first was lost through the faction of his Nobles the other was twice pluck'd from his head before his death t The Crown hath many heirs and successors How many have been deposed either by fraud or force But this Crown of Righteousnesse can never be lost God will not say Remove the diademe take off the Crown Ezek. 21. 16. This Crown is set upon the head of Christs Spouse and Christ will never depose his Spouse There 's nothing unlesse sinne can forfeit the Crown but Believers shal be so fixed in their Orbe of sanctity that they cannot have the least erring or retrograde motion 4. This Crown of Righteousnesse is a never-fading Crown w Other crowns are like a garland of flowers that soone withers Doth the Crown endure to all generations Prov. 27. 4. All outward glory passeth away as a swift stream or a ship in full saile Crowns wear away and tumble into the dust But this Crown of Righteousnesse Fades not x 1 Pet. 5. 4. Eternity is a jewell of the Saints Crown after Millions of yeares it will be as bright and splendent as at the first dayes wearing 5. This Crown of Righteousness doth not draw envy to it Davids own son envied him and sought to take his Crown from off his head A Crown of gold is often the marke for envy and ambition to shoot at But this Crown of Righteousnesse is free from envy The white Lilly of peace is a flower that grows in this Crown One Saint in glory shall not envy another y because all are Crown'd And though one Crown may be larger then another yet every one shall have as big a Crown as he is able to carry 6. This Crown of Righteousnesse makes a man blessed Earthly Crowns have no such virtue in them They rather make men cursed they are so heavy that they often sinke men into hell They make mens heads so giddy that they stumble and fall into Hurtfull lusts z But this Crown of Righteousnesse makes them blessed that wear it The Hebrew word to Crown signifies to Compass round Because the Crown doth compass them that wear it with terrene felicity The Saints shall have a sight of God to eternity a This is the encompassing Crown The Schoolmen place happinesse in the Vision of God b But besides the Saints shall {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} have such communications of divine excellencies as they are capable to take in This is the quintessence of blessednesse * Vse 1. Information and it hath four branches 1. It shews us that Religion is not imposed upon hard terms God doth not put us upon things unreasonable he doth not cut us out work and give no reward behold there is a Crown of Righteousnesse laid up * When wee hear of the doctrine of Repentance steeping our souls in brinish tears for sin the doctrine of Mortification pulling out the right eie wee are ready to crie out as they did This is an hard saying who can hear it No beloved Gods terms are not unreasonable he never sets us on work but we are sure of Double pay many sweet encouragements he gives us while we are doing the work hee often strews our ways with Roses shedding his love abroad into our hearts Rom. 5. 5. filling us with joy in believing Romanes 15. verse 13. Hee that hath the least mercie from God in this kinde will die in his debt but when wee look upon the recompence of reward which doth as far exceed our thoughts as it doth surpass our deserts Then surely we cannot say to God without wrong as he Mat. 25. 24. I knew thee that thou art an hard man If a King should bid one take up his staffe when it is fallen and for that should settle an annuity upon him for life this were not unreasonable When you have done all as our Lord Christ saith you are but unprofitable servants * What advantage do you bring to God Yet for this poor inconsiderable nothing there is a Crown laid up Sure God doth not invite you to your losse nor can you say he is a hard Master Satan who would discourage you from a strict holy life will he give bond to assure you of som hing equivalent to this Crown As Saul said in another sence Will the son of Jesse give you fields and vineyards and make you Captains of thousands * So will Satan who disparageth the waies of God give you Crowns to possesse will he mend your wages Alas you know what wages he paies his wages are death c and truly the lesse wages the better 2 Branch See here that which may raise in our hearts an holy indignation against sin it will make us forfeit our Crown Sin is not onely hateful in its own nature the most horrid ugly deform'd thing which made holy Anselm say That if hee should behold the pains of Hell on one side and the deformitie of Sin on the other and he must of necessitie choose one of these two I would saith he rather throw my self into hell then voluntarily commit one sin against God c But besides the intrinsecall-filth that is in sin it being the very spirits quintessence of evill this may cause in us an abhorrency of it Sin would degrade us of our honour it would pluck away our Crown from our head Thinke what will the end of sin be as Abner said to Joab will it not be bitternesse in the latter end f If men before they did commit sin would but sit down and rationally consider whether the present gain and sweetnesse in fin would make amends for the future losse I beleeve it would put them into a cold sweat and give some check to their unbridled affections Jacob tooke Esau by the heel O? do not look upon the smileing face of sin but take it by the heel look at the end of it It will bereaves us of our Crown And can any thing countervail this losse When a man is tempted to Pride let him remember this will swel his head so big that the Crown wilnot com on Wo to the Crown of Pride Isa. 28. 1. the
been by merit the Apostle should have said the wages of God is eternal life f Alas how can we merit a Crown before we merit we must satisfie but we have nothing to satisfie How can finite Obedience satisfie infinite Justice Besides what equalitie is there between our service and the reward What proportion between the shedding of a Tear and a Crown So that we cannot by our righteousnesse merit this Crown g I Answer therefore 2. Affirmatively it is called a Crown of righteousnesse in a double sence ◠Because it is Corona promissa it is a Crown promised h Revel. 2. 10. I will give thee a Crown God having made this promise h it is a righteous thing to bestow this Crown on us i 2. It is a Crown of righteousnesse because it is Corona acquisita a Crown purchased it is a Crown bought with the price of blood It was so bought as it was given else where were God's mercie And it was so given as it was bought else where were God's justice This Crown swims to us through the blood of a Saviour When Christ was hanging upon the Crosse he was purchasing a Crown for us and in this sence it is a Crown of righteousnesse it is righteous with God to give us the Crown which Jesus Christ hath paid for so dearly 3. This Crown is said to be laid up * The Crown is kept in reversion God doth not presently broach the full vessels of glorie he doth not presently install us into our honour it is Corona recondita a Crown laid up The Saints are heirs under age God doth not crown them till they are of age the sons of Kings are oft crown'd during their minoritie some have been crown'd in their cradle k but the heirs of glorie must be of perfect stature before they are crowned God will give his children the ring and the bracelets here some of the comforts of his Spirit but not the Crown we are all for present pay we are still putting off our repentance yet would bee putting on our Crown God will have us stay a while the Crown is laid up Quest But why is it laid up why is not the Crown presently put on Answ 1. It is not fit that we should yet wear it and that for two reasons 1. Our graces are imperfect in this life l they are in their infancie and minoritie therefore we are said to receive but primitias the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8. 23. non decimas saith Luther we are but Christians in fieri m we have onely some imperfect lineaments of grace drawn in us our graces are mingled with much corruption as Gold in the Oar is mingled with drosse the most refined soul hath some lees and dregs of sin left in it The life of grace is said to be hid Col. 3. 3. our faith is hid under unbelief as the corn is hid under the chaff now if God should set the Crown upon us in this life he should crown our sins as well as our graces Therefore the Crown is laid up 2. 'T is not fit that wee should yet wear the Crown for then it would take us off from doing our work wee should be idle in the Vineyard Who will take pains for a reward when he hath the reward already therefore the Crown is laid up Wee must run the race before wee wear the Crown 2 The Crown is laid up to make heaven the sweeter n The longer we stay for our Crown the sweeter it will be when it comes The absence of that which we desire doth but endear it to us the more when we enjoy it After all our sweating for heaven all our praying weeping fasting how welcom will a Crown bee Therefore it is that God though he will not denie yet hee will delay our reward 't is a Crown laid up Quest But if this Crown be laid up when shall wee wear it this brings me to the fourth and last particular in the Text 4. In that day o What day Die obitûs mei saith Tertullian In the day of my death Justinus and others are of opinion that the Saints shall not receive this Crown till the Resurrection But Hierom confutes this opinion p The Souls of the elect shall be presently Crown'd with joy and felicity The body indeed shall lie in the grave as in a bed of perfume till the resurrection q That this rerurrection shall be is clear r Therefore it is that some of the antients have called the grave {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a sleeping house because this body shall awake again and the Jewes called their burying place The house of the living s because they believed that life would come into them again at the resurrection and till then the bodies of the Saints must wait for their preferment but their Souls shall be immediately Crown'd after death Why else should Saint Paul desire to be dissolved if he were not presently Crown'd with glory It were better for believers to stay here if they should not be immediately with Christ Here they are daily improving their stock of grace they are increasing the jewels of their Crown though they sit in the valley of teares yet God often turns their water into wine they have many Praelibamina sweet tasts of Gods love they have the bunches of grapes If Pauls Soul should sleep in his body a drowsy opinion then when he desired to be dissolved he wished that which was to his losse but this Crown shall be given in that day die obitûs the day of our death It cannot be halfe a days journey between the Crosse and Paradise The words being thus opened fall into these three parts 1. Here is a glorious reward a Crown 2. The adjournying of this reward it is layd up 3. The persons on whom it is bestowed viz. Paul and the rest of believers For me and not for me onely but for all them that love Christ's appearing Doctr. That the righteous person shall wear the Crown of righteousnesse For the illustration of this I shall do four things 1. I shall enquire who this righteous person is 2. I shall evince it by Scripture that the righteous person shall wear this blessed Crown 3. I shall shew you wherein the reward of Glory is compared to a Crown 4. Wherein this Crown of righteousnesse excells and out-shines all earthly Crowns I. Who this {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or righteous person is I answer a man may be said to be righteous two ways 1. legally Thus Adam while he did wear the robe of innocence was legally righteous he had that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a law of holiness written in his heart and his life was a living commentary upon it He went exactly according to every institute of God as a well made Diall goes with the Sun
Crown of Pride will hinder him of the Crown of Righteousness When he is tempted to Lust let him remember that for the injoying the pleasures of sin for a season g he hazards a Crown of immortality h And is there so much sweetnesse in sin as is in a Crown When he is tempted to drunkennesse a sin that doth not onely unchristian him but un-man him i let him consider here it would uncrown him of his reason and afterwards un-crown him of his happinesse When he is tempted to swearing let him think with himself this is a sin which hath nothing to render it delightful Other sinns have a shew of pleasure and profit which is the k bait men are drawn with l But the swearer is brought to the devills hook without any bait O! is it not madnesse for these unfruitfull works of darknesse m to forfeit heaven How will the devill reproach and laugh at men That they should be so stupid as for a rattle to forego a Crown Like those Indians who for pictures and glasse-beads will part with their gold O! how should we hate sin which will take away our Crown from us 3. Branch See here the misery of a wicked man though he may be Coronis aureis donatus and flourish in his bravery while he lives yet when he dies he shall not have a Crown of Righteousnesse but Chaines of Darknesse n Death carries him prisoner to hell it leades him away to be Crucified The Egyptians as Plutarch reports at their feastes brought in a Death's-head with this Motto o Look upon this and proceed in your banquet The sinner who sports himselfe with sin and Crowns himselfe with Rose-buds in the mid'st of all his mirth and musick here 's a Death's head for him to look on The day of Death to him will not be a day of Inauguration but a day of Execution How can the wicked rejoyce Theophylact us'd to say his estate is miserable that goes laughing to hell We may say of this laughter it is mad Eccles. 2. 2. Suppose yee saw a man set in a rotten chair under him a fire burning over his head a Sword hanging by a twine thread and before him a table spread with variety of delicacies sure he would have but little stomack to eat sitting in that danger So it is with a sinner his Soul sits in his body as in a chair diseases like worms breed there under him hell fire is burning over his head not a Crown but a sword of Justice hangs when death breakes this chair of the body he falls into the fire this fire is unquenchable p Multitude of tears cannot extinguish it length of time cannot annihilate it Nor let the sinner expect any Charon to ferry him over that stygian-lake as some have vainly fancied q God hath the Keyes of hell Rev. 1. 18. and besides thedamned are bound hand and foot Matt. 22. 13. So that there can be no coming out O that this might scare and affrightmen from their evill courses The wicked when they are dying must say to their Souls as the Emperor Adrian r O my poor wandring Soul whither art thou going What will become of thee There remaines nothing for sinners but a certain fearfull looking for of judgment and fiery indignation Heb. 10. 27. God will not say to them Come hither and be Crowned but go ye cursed ſ 4. Branch It shews us as in a Scripture-Glasse the happinesse and nobility of a righteous person t In his life he wears Stolam justitiae a robe of righteousnesse And after death he weares Coronam justitiae A Crown of Righteousnesse I say 1. In his life time he weares a Robe of Righteousness Isa. 61 10. this is the righteousnesse of Christ in which he is look'd upon reputed as righteous as Christ himself 2 Cor. 5. 21. We are made the righteousnesse of God in him 'T is not said we are made the righteousnesse of Angels but of God 2. After death he wears a Crown of righteousnesse This Crown doth incircle all blessednesse within it u The Saints are not perfectly happie till death then comes the Crown Here we are but aeternitatis candidati candidates and expectants of heaven This is but seed-time we sow the seed of praier and water it with our tears the golden harvest is yet to reap The Crown is laid up When Craesus ask'd Solon whohe thought happie He told him one Tellus a man that was dead x So a Christian is not perfectly happie till death then the Crown shall be put on The Thracians in their funerals used musick and Theocritus observs that the Heathens had their {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or funeral banquet because of that felicitie which they supposed the parties deceased to participate of when the mantle of a Believers flesh drops off then shall his soul ascend in a triumphant chariot and the garland of glorie shall be set upon his head Vse 2. Trial. Examine your selves whether you are the heirs of this Crown Quest But how may that be known Answ. By this one note If you set the Crown on Christs head while you live he will set the Crown on your head when you die Have you wisdom to manage businesses of concernment strength to do duties resist temptations bear burdens you will not assume or arrogate any thing to your selves but let Christ wear the Crown y Thus Saint Paul 1 Cor. 15. 10. I labored more then they all and yet not I. This is the Inscription on Christ's vesture and on his thigh King of Kings Rev. 19. 16. Then we do what in us lies to make him King when we set the Crown of all upon his head King Canutus as Historians relate took the Crown off his own head and set it upon a Crucifix so a good Christian takes the Crown of honour and applause from his own head and sets it upon the head of Christ This is hard for flesh and blood to stoop to a proud heart will not easily part with the Crown he will commend Christ and bid others bow the knee onely in the throne he would be greater z But be assured there 's no way for us to reign with Christ but to let Christ reign here Vse 3. Exhortation and it exhorts us to four things 1. If there be a Crown laid up it calls for our love to God Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us * to give us a Crown This is the highest enobling of a creature If there be love in a Crumb what is there in a Crown If there be love in Pardoning-mercie what is there in Crowning-mercie †It is a favour that wee poor vermiculi worms and no men should be suffered to live but that Worms should be made Kings * that Christ should be arreigned and we adorned that the Curse should be laid
on his head and the Crown set on ours Behold what manner of love is this It is beyond all Hyperbole And should not this make our hearts reverberate and eccho back love * Oh Christians light your love at this fire as burning glasses when the Sun hath shin'd on them they burn God having so shin'd upon us in love let our hearts burn and our love to God must be divinely qualified 1. It must be a Genuine love we must not love him propter aliud for something else as a man loves a potion for health sake but as a man loves sweet Wine for it self We must love God for those intrinsick excellencies in him * which are so alluring and amiable 2. It must be a Voluntarie love a else it is not love but coaction It must come freely as water out of a Spring It must be a free-will offering not like the paying of a Tax 3. It must be an Exuberant love it must not bee stinted not a few drops but a stream it must like Nilus over flow the banks 4. It must be a Transcendent love it must be of no ordinary extraction but a choise intire superlative love we must not onely give God the milk of our Love but the cream not onely the truth of it but the spirits and quintessence I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine and the juice of my Pomgranates Cant. 8. 2. If the Spouse hath a cup which is more juicie and spiced Christ shall drink of that 5. It must be a most Intense ardent love The Sun shines as much as it can such must our love to God be ad ultimum virium it must boil over but never give over What unparallel'd love hath God shewn us Oh Christian answer love with love In love we may as Bernard saith reciprocate with God * If God be angry we must not be angry again but if God love us we must love him again O love God the Father who hath made this Crown for us love God the Son who hath bought this Crown for us love God the Holy Ghost who hath made us fit to wear this Crown 2 Branch Exhort Let us pant and breath after this happy condition b Doth not the heire desire to be Crowned Here we have a weight offin c In heaven a weight of glory d How should our souls be big with desire to be gon hence what is the world we so dote on 'T is but a spacious prison and should not we be willing to goe out of prison to be Crowned The bird desires to go out of the cage though it be made of Gold The Academicks compare the Soul of man to a fowle mounting with her wings aloft e Every Saint is a true bird of Paradise he is ever flying up towards heaven in ardent and zealous affections he longs to be out of this earthen cage of the body when with the Phaenix he shall receive his golden Coronet on his head and shine in glory as the Angels of God Tully observes that Scipio when his father had told him of ithat glory the soul should be invested with in a state of mmortality Why then saith Scipio do I tarry thus long upon the earth why do I not hasten to dye Methinks when we heare of this Crown of righteousnesse which will so infinitely enrich and adorn the Soul f it should make us weary of this world and long for the time of our solemn inauguration How did Paul desire to be dissolved g Would not a man be willing to hoise up Seales and crosse the waters though troublesome if he were-sure to be Crown'd assoone as he came at shore Why are our Souls so earthly h We love to be grazing in the worldes full pastures and are affraid to dye Most men look so ghastly at the thoughts of death as if they were rather going to the Crosse then the Crown O long for death The Apostle calls death a putting off our earthly Cloaths 2 Cor. 5. 4. This is all death doth to us if we are in Christ it puts off our cloaths and puts on a Crown This should make us say as Hilarion Go out my Soul go out why tremblest thou thou art going to receive a Crown A believer at death will be the happiest looser and the happiest gainer He will loose his sins he will gain Glory The day of death is the Saints Coronation day 3. Branch Learn so to deport and demeane your selves that this Crown of Righteousness may be set upon your heades when you dye Qu. How is that Answ. Do three things 1. If you would wear the Crown of Righteousnesse find in your hearts the work of Righteousness Isa. 32. 17. That is the work of Grace wrought in you and this Work must be evidenced by a mighty change which is somtimes called an ingrafting somtimes a Transforming Grace makes a Metamorphise p it produceth in the Soul a configuration and likeness to Christ first there must be a Consecrating work before a Crowning work We read in Scripture in the solemne inauguration of their Kings first they anointed them and then they Crown'd them Zâ—dock the Priest took an horn of oile out of the Tabernacle and anointed solomon and after that he was Crown'd So there must be the unction of the Spirit * q first God powrs on us the anointing oile of grace and after the horn of oile then coms the Crown 2. If you would wear the Crown of Righteousnesse then walk in the way of Righteousnesse Prov. 12. 28. This is called in Scripture a walking {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} after the Spirit Rom. 8. 1. As the people of Israel walked after the Pillar offire and the wisemen walked after the Star r which way the Star went they went And somtimes it is called a walking by rule Gal. 6. 16. Those that expect a Golden Crown must walk by a Golden rule Be sure you walk with Davids Candle and Lanthorn in your hand Psal. 119. 105. He that walks in the dark may soon be out of the way Walk {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Soberly in acts of temperance {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Righteously in acts of Justice {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Godly in acts of Piety * Walk as Christ did upon earth His life was as one saith purer then the Sun-beams Å¿ Copy out his life in yours Be assured you shall never partake of the priviledge of Christ's death unlesse you imitate the patterne of Christ's life Would you wear the Crown of Righteousnesse walk in the way of Righteousnesse but alas this is a very untroden way 1. Some know the way of Righteousnesse but do not walk in it like the Graecians of whom Plutarch speaks they knew what was honest but did it not 2. Others Commend the
THE CROWN OF Righteousness Set Forth In A SERMON PREACHED At Stephens Walbrook May 1. 1656. At the Funeral of Thomas Hodges ESQVIRE By THOMAS WATSON Minister of Stephens Walbrook in the Citie of LONDON 1 SAM. 2. 30. They that honour mee I will honour LONDON Printed for Joseph Cranford at the signe of the Kings Head in Pauls Church-yard Anno Dom. 1656. JUNE 10. 1656. Imprimatur Edmund Clamie TO THE Virtuous and my worthie Friend Mris MARY HODGES HONOURED FRIEND IT was not my intention when I preach'd this Sermon that it should go any further then the Pulpit But seeing you were pleased to request me to print it that I might herein gratifie your desire and exhibit a testimonial of that respect which I did bear to your deceased Husband I was willing to make it more publick and the Lord make it profitable You are sensible enough I doubt not of the late losse you have susteined I did therefore choose to treat on this subject that I might revive you with the hope of future gain not forgetting that of Solomon Prov. 31. 6. Give wine to those that be of heavie hearts The Jewes have this forme of Speech at their Funerals whereby they would chear up the party surviving Let thy consolation bee in heaven * so I say to you Look up to Heaven let the Crown laidup comfort you The Lord help you to make a sanctified use of this sad stroke of Providence learn dear Friend to make sure of Christ when you cannot make sure of other relations Faith will Contract you to CHRIST and if your Maker bee your Husband * Death shall not dissolve but perfect the Vnion Labour still to Anchor within the vail * 't is no casting Anchor downward wee break our earthly comforts while we lean too hard on them but I must not expatiate I have here presented you with the Sermon as I preach'd it onely I have cast in some few additionals which through straits of time I was then forced to omit The blessing of the Almighty rest upon you and let that golden Oil bee powred out upon your Posteritie * So praieth Your faithful friend and servant in the Lord THO. WATSON From my Study at Steph. Walbrook June 2. 1656. IN OBITUM Thomae Hodges ARMIGERI LAurus Apollinoi nemoris ditissima proles exulet crinem taxus opaca premat Et mea faerales humectent carmina guttae carmina lugubri commemoranda sono Nuper enim tristi noctis squalore sepultus eximiae cecidit maximus urbis honos Scilicet egregius generosi nobilis haeres quem tenuit verae Religionis amor Nullus amicorum lateri constantior haesit civibus aut passim clarior alter erit Non auri coluit radios nec pauper ut esset sponte tenebroso carcere clausit opes Sed bene divitiis quaesitis noverit uti sanctorum ut merit as possit habere preces Transegit placidam chastâ cum Conjuge vitam Exemplo natos consitiìsque regens Huc tamen O nigri rigor insatiabilis orci fatales ictos mors inopina dedit Ecce hic marmorea sopitum dormit in urnâ corpus at aethere as mens petit alta domus Illio terrestris discusso pondere limi exultat pseno necteris amne lavans O utinam digno celebrarem funus honore tacito cineri debita jura darem Non cuperem violas mollisve rosaria pesti nempe haec vix tumulo congrua dona forent Non caret unguentis nec picti floribus horti quem sequitur famae nobilioris odor Edm. Hall THE CROWN OF Righteousness 2 TIM. 4. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judg shall give me at that day THe wise GOD that he may invite and encourage the sons of men to holinesse of life is pleased to set before their eies the recompence of reward that if the equitie of his Precepts doth not prevail the excellencie of his Promise may God will have his people Voluntiers in Religion * not forced with fear but drawn with love therefore he works upon them in such a way as is most alluring and perswasive he would catch men with a golden bait and tempt them to obedience by shewing them what is laid up in heaven for them so in the Text Henceforth there is a Crown of Righteousnesse laid up c. A Crown Oh infinite for a Delinquent to have a pardon is well but to have a Crown set upon him is no lesse rare then stupendious A true Saint hath a double Crown one in this life the other laid up In this life he hath a Crown of Acceptance Ephes. 1. 6. He hath made us accepted in the beloved Some render the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} he hath made us favorites * here is the Crown of acceptance and in the life to come a Crown of Righteousnesse The glorie of heaven is represented in Scripture under various Similies and Metaphors Somtimes heaven is compar'd to a place of rest Heb. 4. 9. it is the souls center * Somtimes to an house not made with hands 2 Cor. 5. 1. Somtimes to an inheritance in light Golos 1. 12. and in the Text the glorie of heaven is set forth by a Crown the Circle is the most perfect figure * This blessed Crown doth incircle within it all perfection I shall first break up the ground of the Text by Explication then come to sow the seed of Doctrine 1. Henceforth * This word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} henceforth is a relative word either first it may bear date from the time of the Apostles conversion Henceforth there is laid up a Crown assoon as a man is implanted into Christ he stands intituled to a Crown Or secondly this word Henceforth may relate to the end of his race and fight Paul had run through all the several stages of Christianitie He had finished his course and from henceforth saith he there is laid up a Crown He knew his work was done and there was nothing now remaining but to step out of the world and put on his Crown 2. There is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness a Quest Why a Crown of Righteousnesse it is a Crown of mercie b a Crown that free grace bestows Why then is it called Corona justitiae a Crown of righteousness Answ 1. Negatively not that we can by our righteousnesse merit this Crown Bellarmine builds his Doctrine of Merit on this Text Aquinas and Bonaventure say that we merit this Crown ex condigno by way of condignitie But the whole current of our Orthodox Divines runs another way c And the Apostle makes a clear distinction between a reward bestowed by Merit and by Grace Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death but the guift d of God e is eternal life Had the reward