The Crown of Righteousness

JUNE 10. 1656. Imprimatur Edmund Clamie.

IN OBITUM Thomae Hodges ARMIGERI.

Edm. Hall.

THE CROWN OF Righteousness.

T He wise GOD, that he may invite and encourage the sons of men to holiness of life, is pleased to set before their eyes the recompense of reward, that if the equity of his Precepts doth not prevail, the excellency of his Promise may. God will have his people Volunteers in Religion, not forced with fear, but drawn with love; therefore he works upon them in such a way as is most alluring and persuasive: he would catch men with a golden bait, and tempt them to obedience by showing them what is laid up in heaven for them; so in the Text, Henceforth there is a Crown of Righteousness 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 less rare, then stupendous.

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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he hath made us favorites; here is the Crown of acceptance, and in the life to come a Crown of Righteousness. The glory of heaven is represented in Scripture under various Similies, and Metaphors: Somtimes heaven is compared 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 glory 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 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: as soon as a man is implanted into Christ, he stands entitled 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 Christianity. 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 ] Quest. Why a Crown of Righteousness? it is a Crown of mercy; 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 righteousness 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 condignity. But the whole current of our Orthodox Divines runs another way. 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 gift of God is eternal life. Had the reward been by merit, the Apostle should have said, the wages of God is eternal life. Alas! how can we merit a Crown? before we merit we must satisfy, but we have nothing to satisfy. How can finite Obedience satisfy infinite Justice? Besides, what equality 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 righteousness merit this Crown .

I Answer therefore 2. Affirmatively, it is called a Crown of righteousness in a double sense. • . Because it is Corona promissa, it is a Crown promised, Revel. 2. 10. I will give thee a Crown. God having made this promise, it is a righteous thing to bestow this Crown on us. 2. It is a Crown of righteousness, 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 mercy? 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 Savior. When Christ was hanging upon the Cross, he was purchasing a Crown for us: and in this sense it is a Crown of righteousness; 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 glory: he doth not presently install us into our honor: 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 crowned during their minority, some have been crowned in their cradle; but the heirs of glory 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 be 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; they are in their infancy and minority; 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, we have only some imperfect lineaments of grace drawn in us; our graces are mingled with much corruption, as Gold in the Oar is mingled with dross; 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. 'It is not fit that we should yet wear the Crown, for then it would take us off from doing our work; we 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. We must run the race before we wear the Crown.

2 The Crown is laid up to make heaven the sweeter. 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 welcome will a Crown be? Therefore it is that God, though he will not deny, yet he will delay our reward; 'tis a Crown laid up.

Quest. But if this Crown be laid up, when shall we wear it? this brings me to the fourth and last particular in the Text.

4. In that day ] 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 Jerome confutes this opinion 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. That this rerurrection shall be is clear. Therefore it is that some of the ancients have called the grave 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a sleeping house, because this body shall awake again, and the Jews 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 tears, yet God often turns their water into wine, they have many Praelibamina sweet tastes of God's love; they have the bunches of grapes; If Paul's Soul should sleep in his body (a drowsy opinion) then when he desired to be dissolved, he wished that which was to his loss, but this Crown shall be given in that day, die obitûs, the day of our death. It cannot be half a days journey between the Cross 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 laid up.

3. The persons on whom it is bestowed; viz. Paul, and the rest of believers. For me, and not for me only, but for all them that love Christ's appearing.

Doctr. That the righteous person shall wear the Crown of righteousness. For the illustration of this, I shall do four things.

1. I shall inquire who this righteous person is.

2. I shall evince it by Scripture, that the righteous person shall wear this blessed Crown.

3. I shall show you, wherein the reward of Glory is compared to a Crown.

4. Wherein this Crown of righteousness excels, and out-shines all earthly Crowns.

I. Who this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 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; but this is lost and forfeited.

2. A man is said to be righteous Evangelically: And this righteousness is twofold; either a righteousness by imputation. This righteousness is as truly ours to justify, as it is Christ's to give. Or 2. a righteousness by implantation. The one is by the merit of Christ: The other is by the Spirit of Christ. Now this implanted righteousness is in the Soul as an intrinsical quality; and if it be of the right kind, it must be there three manner of ways. 1. Righteousness must be in the Soul, Extensively, in every part; we do not call a Blackmore white, because he hath white teeth. Those are not said to be righteous, who can speak righteously, what are these white teeth? righteousness like a holy leaven must diffuse, and swell itself into every part, the understanding, will, affections. The very God of peace sanctify you wholly, 1 Thes. 5. 23. Therefore grace is called the new man. not a new eye, or a new tongue, but a new man. A Saint though he be righteous but in part, yet he is righteous in every part. 2. Righteousness must be in the Soul intensively. we call water hot, when it is hot in the third or fourth degree; he is not said to be righteous who is tepid and neutral in religion; This was Laodicea's temper, Lukewarm, Revel. 2. 16. I would thou wert cold or hot ver. 15. I would thou wert something; anything rather then lukewarm: Righteousness must rise up to some degree, David boiled over in holy zeal, Psal. 119. 139. My zeal hath consumed me. 3. Righteousness must be in the Soul Perseveringly. It must abide, and continue. He is not a righteous person, that is good only in a passion, either of fear or joy; hypocrites may seem righteous for a time, so long as the wind sits that way, but it is quickly over; they change apace; not unlike the herb Poleon whose leaves in the morning are white, at noon purple, at night blue; Thus they change in their goodness, and are of divers minds, as Joseph 's coat of divers colors. Hypocrites for the most part live to confute themselves; they are like Cataline of whom Salust observes, he had a good and hopeful beginning, but a bad end. I have read of a certain people in India called Pandorae, that have white hoar hairs in their youth, and in their old age black hairs. An emblem of hypocrites, who at first look white and fair like Saints, but in their elder years do blacken in wickedness; These men's religion was never in grain, they are only to be judged righteous persons, who with Job hold fast their integrity. Job 2. ver. 3. There is a great deal of difference between the motion of a Watch, and the beating of the Pulse: the one is quickly at an end, but the other proceeding from a vital principle, is permanent, and constant, as long as there is life the Pulse beats: True righteousness is a spiritual Pulse, which will be ever beating. So much for the first, who this righteous person is.

2. The second particular which I will but glance at, is, that the righteous person shall wear the Crown of righteousness. Jam. 1. 12. He shall receive the Crown of life. And Rev. 2. 10. I will give thee the Crown of life. By both which Scriptures you see, that a true Saint is heir to the Crown; The truth being so apparent; I may say as they did in another sense, What needs there further witness. ] I proceed therefore to the next thing.

3. To show you wherein the reward of glory is compared to a Crown. It is called here a Crown of Righteousness, and that in three respects. 1. a Crown is res splendida; the Crown-royal hung with jewels, is a splendid magnisicent thing. Thus the Crown of Righteousness is most orient, and illustrious. For the splendor of it, it is called a Crown of Glory. 1 Pet. 5. 4. It must needs be glorious, because it is a Crown of God's own making. Sin hath made us our Crosses, God hath made us our Crown. What are all the beauties, and glories of the world which have been esteemed most famous, in comparison of this Crown of Righteousness? The Temple of Diana, Mausolus Tomb, the Egyptian Pyramids, the Pillar of the Sun, which the Heathens offered to Jupiter. The glory of this Crown is inexpressible. were the Angels themselves sent from heaven, to give us a description of this Crown of Righteousness, they would sooner want words then matter. But here I must draw a veil, as not being able to give you the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or dark shadow of it; Nor can it be set out by all the lights of heaven; though every star were turned into a Sun.

2. A Crown is res ponderosa, a weighty thing. So is the Crown of Righteousness; Therefore it is called by the Apostle, a weight of Glory. We think our sufferings weighty, alas, they are light in comparison of our Crown; This Crown of Righteousness, is so weighty, that it would soon overwhelm us, if God did not make us able to bear it.] 3. a Crown is res honorifica an honorable thing. Thou Crownest him with honor Psal. 8. 7. Therefore when King Ahasuerus asked Haman, What shall be done to the man whom the King will honor? Haman could think of nothing more honorable then the Crown. Let the Crown royal which the King useth to wear be set upon his head Esther, 6. 8. A Crown is not for everyone, it will not fit every head; It is for Kings and persons of renown to wear. What great honor was it to wear the Olympic Crowns! To which the Apostle seems here to allude. A Crown is a badge and ensign of imperial honor. So this Crown of Righteousness is insigne honoris, it is an ensign of royalty and excellence. Only those who are, e regio Sanguine n • ti, born of God, and have the blood royal of heaven running in their Souls, do wear this blessed Crown. The men of the world may heap up Silver as dust, but the Crown God reserves only for them whom be hath made Kings. Rev. 1. 6.

4. The last thing is, to show you wherein this Crown of Righteousness exceeds, and out-shines all earthly crowns; That will appear in fix particulars. 1. This Crown of Righteousness is, lawfully come by. It is a Crown which God himself will set upon our head. The Lord, the righteous judge will give it me at that day, saith the Text. Therefore it is come by lawfully. Other crowns are often usurped; As histories abundantly witness; they may be called Crowns of unrighteousness, because they are unrighteously gotten. Julius Caesar was wont to say, For a Crown it was lawful to violate any Oath. The Saints have not their Crown by usurpation, but by Election; They are chosen to a Crown

2. This Crown of Righteousness exceeds in pureness. Other Crowns are of a more feculent, drossy mettle, They have their troubles. A Crown of gold cannot be made without thorns Herein the Crown of Righteousness excels. 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 Righteousness can never be lost or forfeited. Other Crowns may be lost. The Crown is fallen from the head. Lam. 5. 16. Henry the sixth was honored with the Crowns of two Kingdoms, France and England. The first was lost through the faction of his Nobles, the other was twice plucked from his head, before his death. The Crown hath many heirs and successors; How many have been deposed either by fraud, or force. But this Crown of Righteousness 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 Christ's Spouse, and Christ will never depose his Spouse. There's nothing unless sin can forfeit the Crown; but Believers shall be so fixed in their Orbe of sanctity, that they cannot have the least erring, or retrograde motion.

4. This Crown of Righteousness is a never-fading Crown Other crowns are like a garland of flowers that soon 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 sails; Crowns wear away and tumble into the dust: But this Crown of Righteousness Fades not. 1 Pet. 5. 4. Eternity is a jewel of the Saints Crown; after Millions of years, it will be as bright and splendent as at the first days wearing.

5. This Crown of Righteousness doth not draw envy to it. David's own son envied him, and sought to take his Crown from off his head. A Crown of gold is often the mark for envy and ambition to shoot at: But this Crown of Righteousness is free from envy. The white Lily of peace is a flower that grows in this Crown. One Saint in glory shall not envy another because all are Crown'd; And though one Crown may be larger then another, yet everyone shall have as big a Crown as he is able to carry.

6. This Crown of Righteousness makes a man blessed; Earthly Crowns have no such virtue in them; They rather make men cursed; they are so heavy that they often sink men into hell; They make men's heads so giddy, that they stumble and fall into Hurtfull lusts. But this Crown of Righteousness 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, This is the encompassing Crown. The Schoolmen place happiness in the Vision of God. But besides the Saints shall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , have such communications of divine excellencies, as they are capable to take in. This is the quintessence of blessedness.

Use. 1. Information, and it hath four branches. 1. It shows 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 Righteousness laid up. When we hear of the doctrine of Repentance, steeping our souls in brinish tears for sin; the doctrine of Mortification, pulling out the right eye, we are ready to cry out as they did, This is an hard saying, who can hear it? No beloved, God's 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, he often strews our ways with Roses, shedding his love abroad into our hearts, Rom. 5. 5. filling us with joy in believing, Romans 15. verse 13. He that hath the least mercy from God in this kind, will die in his debt: but when we look upon the recompense 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 staff 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 loss, 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 some hing equivalent to this Crown? As Saul said in another sense, Will the son of Jesse give you fields and vineyards, and make you Captains of thousands. So, will Satan who disparageth the ways of God give you Crowns to possess? will he mend your wages? Alas! you know what wages he pays, his wages are death, and truly the less 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 only hateful in its own nature, the most horrid, ugly, deformed thing; which made holy Anselm say, That if he should behold the pains of Hell on one side, and the deformity of Sin on the other, and he must of necessity choose one of these two; I would (saith he) rather throw myself into hell, then voluntarily commit one sin against God. But besides the intrinsical-filth that is in sin, (it being the very spirits & quintessence of evil) this may cause in us an abhorrency of it; Sin would degrade us of our honor, it would pluck away our Crown from our head; Think what will the end of sin be? as Abner said to Joab, will it not be bitterness in the latter end? If men before they did commit sin, would but sit down and rationally consider, whether the present gain and sweetness in fin, would make amends for the future loss, I believe it would put them into a cold sweat, and give some check to their unbridled affections. Jacob took 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 anything countervail this loss? When a man is tempted to Pride; let him remember this will swell his head so big, that the Crown will not come on; Woe to the Crown of Pride! Isa. 28. 1. the Crown of Pride will hinder him of the Crown of Righteousness. When he is tempted to Lust, let him remember that for the enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season, he hazards a Crown of immortality. And is there so much sweetness in sin, as is in a Crown? When he is tempted to drunkenness, (a sin that doth not only unchristian him but, un-man him) let him consider here it would uncrown him of his reason, and afterwards un-crown him of his happiness. When he is tempted to swearing, let him think with himself, this is a sin which hath nothing to render it delightful. Other sins have a show of pleasure and profit, which is the bait men are drawn with. But the swearer is brought to the devils hook without any bait. O! is it not madness for these unfruitful works of darkness to forfeit heaven. How will the devil 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 glass-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 Righteousness, but Chaines of Darkness. Death carries him prisoner to hell, it leads him away to be Crucified. The Egyptians as Plutarch reports at their feasts, brought in a Death'shed with this Motto; Look upon this, and proceed in your banquet. The sinner who sports himself with sin, and Crowns himself with Rose-buds, in the midst of all his mirth and music; 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 rejoice? Theophylact used to say, his estate is miserable that goes laughing to hell. We may say of this laughter, it is mad, Eccles. 2. 2. Suppose ye 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 stomach 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 breaks this chair of the body, he falls into the fire, & this fire is unquenchable. 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) God hath the Keys 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 evil courses! The wicked when they are dying must say to their Souls, as the Emperor Adrian; O my poor wandering Soul, whither art thou going? What will become of thee? There remains nothing for sinners, but a certain fearful 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.

4. Branch. It shows us, as in a Scripture-Glass, the happiness and nobility of a righteous person. In his life he wears Stolam justitiae, a robe of righteousness. And after death he wears Coronam justitiae, A Crown of Righteousness. I say 1. In his life time he wears a Robe of Righteousness, Isa. 61 10. this is the righteousness of Christ, in which he is looked upon & reputed as righteous as Christ himself. 2 Cor. 5. 21. We are made the righteousness of God in him. 'It is not said, we are made the righteousness of Angels, but of God. 2. After death he wears a Crown of righteousness. This Crown doth incircle all blessedness within it; The Saints are not perfectly happy 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 prayer, and water it with our tears, the golden harvest is yet to reap. The Crown is laid up. When Croesus asked Solon whohe thought happy? He told him one Tellus, a man that was dead. So a Christian is not perfectly happy till death; then the Crown shall be put on. The Thracians in their funerals used music; and Theocritus observs, that the Heathens had their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or funeral banquet, because of that felicity 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 glory shall be set upon his head.

Use 2. Trial. Examine yourselves 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 Christ's 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 anything to yourselves, but let Christ wear the Crown: 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 honor 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: only in the throne he would be greater. But be assured there's no way for us to reign with Christ, but to let Christ reign here.

Use 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-mercy, what is there in Crowning-mercy? It is a favor that we 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 echo back love. Oh Christians! light your love at this fire; as burning glasses when the Sun hath shined on them they burn: God having so shined 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 itself. We must love God for those intrinsic excellencies in him, which are so alluring and amiable.

2. It must be a Voluntarie love, 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 be stinted, not a few drops, but a stream; it must like Nile, over flow the banks.

4. It must be a Transcendent love; it must be of no ordinary extraction, but a choice, entire, superlative love; we must not only give God the milk of our Love, but the cream; not only the truth of it, but the spirits and quintessence. I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, and the juice of my Pomegranates, 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 unparalleled 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. Doth not the heir desire to be Crowned? Here we have a weight offin. In heaven a weight of glory. How should our souls be big with desire to be gone hence, what is the world we so dote on? 'It is but a spacious prison, and should not we be willing to go out of prison to be Crowned. The bird desires to go out of the cage, though it be made of Gold. The Academics compare the Soul of man to a fowl, mounting with her wings aloft: 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 Phoenix 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 die? Methinks when we hear of this Crown of righteousness, which will so infinitely enrich, and adorn the Soul, it should make us weary of this world, and long for the time of our solemn inauguration. How did Paul desire to be dissolved. Would not a man be willing to hoise up Seals and cross the waters, though troublesome if he were-sure to be Crown'd as soon as he came at shore. Why are our Souls so earthly? We love to be grazing in the worlds full pastures, and are afraid to die. Most men look so ghastly at the thoughts of death, as if they were rather going to the Cross, 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 clothes, 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 demean your selves, that this Crown of Righteousness may be set upon your heads, when you die. Qu. How is that? Answ. Do three things.

1. If you would wear the Crown of Righteousness, 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 sometimes called an ingrafting, sometimes a Transforming. Grace makes a Metamorphise; 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 solemn inauguration of their Kings, first they anointed them, and then they Crown'd them. Z • dock the Priest took an horn of oil out of the Tabernacle, and anointed solomon; and after that he was Crown'd: So there must be the unction of the Spirit , first God powrs on us the anointing oil of grace, and after the horn of oil, then coms the Crown.

2. If you would wear the Crown of Righteousness, then walk in the way of Righteousness Prov. 12. 28. This is called in Scripture, a walking 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 after the Spirit, Rom. 8. 1. As the people of Israel walked after the Pillar offire; and the wisemen walked after the Star; which way the Star went, they went. And sometimes 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 David's Candle and Lanthorn in your hand, Psal. 119. 105. He that walks in the dark, may soon be out of the way. Walk 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Soberly, in acts of temperance; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Righteously, in acts of Justice; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Godly, in acts of Piety. Walk as Christ did upon earth; His life was (as one saith) purer then the Sun-beams. Copy out his life in yours; Be assured you shall never partake of the privilege of Christ's death, unless you imitate the pattern of Christ's life. Would you wear the Crown of Righteousness; walk in the way of Righteousness; but alas this is a very untroden way. 1. Some know the way of Righteousness, but do not walk in it; like the Grecians, of whom Plutarch speaks, they knew what was honest, but did it not. 2. Others Commend the way of Righteousness, but do not walk in it; like those that taste and commend the wine but do not buy. 3. Others walk Antipodes, instead of walking in the way, they are good only at Crossing the way, they oppose the way of Righteousness, such are persecutors. 2 Tim. 3. 8. 4. Others walk a few steps in the way and then Go back again; These are apostates. 2 Tim. 4. 10. As if there were any going to heaven backward. 5. Others walk Half in the way, and half out; these are loose professors, who though in some dogmaticals they dissent not from us, yet under a notion of Christian liberty, they do walk carelessly, and presumptuously, crying up justification, that they may weaken the power of sanctification: They can take that liberty, which others tremble to think off; Surely were there no other Bible to read in, but the lives of some professors, we should read but little Scripture there. 6. Others walk soberly a while in the way, but on a sudden drinking in the poison of error, begin to be intoxicated with novel and dangerous opinions, who as the Apostle saith, Are turned aside after Satan. 1 Tim. 5. 15. Ignatius calls error the invention of the Devil. Basil calls it a Spiritual drunkenness; and when the head is giddy the feet must needs reel. Loos principles, breed loos practices. 7. Others instead of walking in the way, do Traduce & slander the way of Righteousness. The way of truth shall be evil spoken of, 2 Pet. 2. 2. or as it is in the Greek, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it shall be blasphemed. The men of the world give out, that the way of Righteousness is a solitary way, & makes them melancholy that walk in it, and that they must expect to loose their joy by the way; These forget that golden saying of Austin, when a man is converted, and turned to God, his joy is not taken away, but changed, 'tis more sublime, and pure; And doth not Solomon's Oracle tells us, that All the ways of God are pleasantness.

Take the most ruggid part of the way of religion, and it is pleasant walking; Holy weeping seems at first very uncouth and disconsolate, but how often, while the Saints weep for sin, doth the Lord make them weep for joy. The water of repentance like rose-water, while it drops from the still of the eye, sends forth a sweet smell, which refresheth the Soul with inward consolation. O what green branches! what full clusters of Grapes, hang all along as we are walking in the way of Righteousness: How then dare men calumniate?

8. Others Creep in the way, they do not walk; they go on but very slow, like the motion of the eighth sphere. Those who look on can hardly tell whether they make any progresseor no. They are dull in their heavenly motion, and had need often pray with David for God's free Spirit.

9. Others walk quite besides the way. Those are profane persons, who dedicate their lives to Bacchus, who border every step they take upon the Devils confines. They are like Asa, diseased in their feet; they walk as the Apostle saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 disorderly like soldiers that march out of rank & file. Jesus Christ doth not only send forth blood out of his sides to redeem us, but also water to cleanse us. 1 John 5. 6. They that have have not the power of the one to sanctify, may question the benefit of the other to save. O! all you that would wear the Crown of Righteousness, walk in the way of Righteousness; labor to keep up the credit of religion in the world; walk 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , exactly, walk so that if we could suppose the Bible to be lost, it might be found again in your lives. 2. If you would wear the Crown of Righteousness, put on the Armor of Righteousness. 2 Cor. 6. 7. The meaning is if will you have this Crown, you must fight for it. I have (saith Paul) fought the good fight ; a metaphor, as Chrysost. & Ambrose observe, taken from wrestlers, who when they had gotten the victory were Crown'd. 'It is Corona triumphalis, therefore the Saints in glory are set forth with Palms in their hands in token of Victory. Christians must strive as in the Olympic combats; they must not only be Ornati but Armati. Not only adorned with the jewel of knowledge, but Armed with the breast-plate of faith. Satan is a Lion in the way, there must be a pitched battle. This Crown is worth contending for; A Christian shines most in his spiritual armor. This is his sacred gallantry when he is like those soldiers Curtius speaks of , who did not look gay in gold and glittering apparel, but shined in their martial habit. The Crown in set upon the head of the conqueror; those delicatuli, those dainty silken Christians that live at ease, and will not make the least sally out against the enemy, they shall have no Crown, but be discarded for Cowards. Lycurgus would have no man's name written upon his Sepulcher, but his that died manfully in war; God will write no man's name in the book of life, but his that dies fighting. When the Saints after all their Spiritual battles shall come to heaven Conquerors, then (as it was said of Caesar, ) shall their ensigns of honor be hung up, then shall the Crown of Righteousness be set upon their head.

4. Branch, let this put spurs to our sluggish hearts, and make us act with all our might for God. What wrestling? What sweating? How should we 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 provoke ourselves to holiness? How should we spend, and be spent for Christ, how should we strive to bring in some Crown-revenues to our Lord and Master, when we consider, how infinitely it shall be rewarded. While we are laying out for God, he is laying up for us, henceforth there is a Crown laid up. How should this Crown add wings to prayer, and oil to the flame of our zeal? O Christian let thy head study for Christ, let thy tongue plead for him, let thy hands work for him! What honor & dignity hath been done to Mordecai saith King Ahasuerus, Esther. 6. 3. inquire what hath been done for God. Me thinks we should sometimes go aside into our closets and weep, to consider how little work we have done for God. Beloved, what a vast disproportion is there, between our work and our reward; our sweat and our Crown. And 'tis but a while, a very little while before the Crown shall be put on. The time is short, saith the Apostle. We are ready to strike sails, we are almost at shore, and then we shall be Crown'd. O! improve the present season for the glory of God; The Crown is hard by, you sails apace, work apace; and that I may put spirits into Christians, and quicken their obedience, consider this, the more work you do for God, the bigger Crown you shall wear. There are degrees of glory, he that with his pound gained five, was made ruler over five Cities; but he that with his pound gained ten, was made ruler over ten Cities. As one Star differs from another in glory, so one Crown differs from another in glory. If there are degrees of torments in hell, thenby the same reason there are degrees of glory in heaven. That there are degrees of torments is evident, Luke 20. ult. Who for pretence make long prayers, the same shall receive 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 greater damnation. They that do wrap sin in Religions mantle, that entitle God to their wicked nesse, shall have an hotter place in hell; even so there are gradations in happiness. How then should we abound in work, seeing we shall exceed in reward?

Use. Here is a Gospel-honey comb, dropping comfort into the hearts of the godly. How may this alleviate all the afflictions of this life, and make these waters of Marah sweet and pleasant to drink of, There is a Crown laid up. A Christian in this life hath something to grieve him, and yet something to comfort him. A true Saint is haeres Crucis, an heir of the Cross; if he wears any robes, they are bloody; if any Crown, 'tis of Thorns: but here is that may sweeten his sufferings, here is Wine mingled with his myrrh, he shall be crowned in Paradise; This my brethren may change our mourning into melody, our tears into triumph; though we bearth Cross, we shall wear the Crown. and these sufferings cannot continue long, if our life be short, our sufferings cannot be long: O how may this sweeten all the bitter cups we drink of! Cleopatra put a jewel in her cup which contain'd the price of a Kingdom: when we are drinking in our Wormwood cup, let this jewel be put into our cup to make it drink more pleasantly, There's a reward of glory. Though Death be in the Cup, here's Sugar lies at the bottom, Henceforth there is a Crown of Rightcousness laid up. So much for the Text, now to the occasion.

Sorrie I am to be an Actor in this mournful Scene; It might better have become some other, (grief often causing brokenness of expression) but I forbear to Apologize. We are here met to solemnize the Funerals of THOMAS HODGES Esquire, who I believe was not more generally known then loved. I shall not be such a 〈◊〉 as Homer of Achilles: what I shall speak of him now interred, shall be only some of my own observations. I hate to give flattering titles ; only seeing it is the last office of love I can do, suffer me to strew a few flowers upon his Hearse: The Jews did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Embalme the bodies of their Dead, and why may not Names be Embalmed.

1. He was not only a frequenter, but a very reverent hearer of the Word; and to my best observation did seem to receive the truth not only in the light of it, but in the love of it.

2. He was a great zealot, and opposite against error. He liked not to hear Heterodox Preachers, as knowing that smooth tongues could easily put off bad wares, he was a friend to Truth.

3. He was a great honourer and encourager of the lawfully Ordained Ministers; I seldom heard him speak of such as were conscientious without some testimony of respect; This I observed of him, he ever prized those Ministers most (not who did smooth their tongues Jer. 23. 31. or did use to gingle out their words in the Pulpit, whose preaching was rather musical, then medicinal, but) who did speak most to the conscience; It was a good sign of a spiritual appetite, that he liked rather the savoriness of the meat, then the garnishing of the dish.

4. He was vir sine fuco; a most true hearted man to his friend. He was no 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he knew not that art (which some have) at the same time to flatter, and hate. The Romans painted friendship with her hand upon her heart; An Hieroglyphical Emblem of a faithful friend, who fetcheth all words from the bottom of his heart. This our friend deceased would speak plainly what was in his mind. Not like those who have the honey of fair words in their mouth, and the sting of malice in their heart.

5. He was one that did not sinfully comply with the humors of men. There are too many who Froteus like, can change into any shape; who can sail with any wind, especially if it blows preferment; this I may say of him, though death did break him, the times could never bend him. He did often in my hearing b'ess God for that liberal allowance, which providence had carved out to him, nor did he desire to increase his estate by increasing his guilt.

6. He was very Charitable to the poor; The age we live in, though it hath the Lamp of Profession, yet little of the Oil of Charity; 'It is the sin of many rich men though they have a flourishing estate, yet they have a withered hand, and cannot stretch it out to good uses. It was a serious and weighty speech of Chrysostom. Feed (saith he) the hungry with your Charity while you live, that you feed not the fire of hell when you die. There was a Temple erected at Athens, which they called the Temple of mercy; it was dedicated to Charitable uses; And there could not be a greater reproach laid upon any man, then to upbraid him with this, that he had not been in the Temple of mercy. This may be the reproach of many rich men in this City, that though they sometimes visit God's Temple, in the frequenting public Ordinances, yet they are seldom or never seen in the Temple of mercy. They can drink in a full cup themselves, but will not let one drop fall beside to refresh the bowels of the poor; Their arguments conclude still in Celarent. As for this our friend deceased I must herein be his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and let it be his garland now he is gone. He had not only an Estate, but an heart; though I often went to him for works of Charity, he used not to make any excuse (which is only an handsome denial) but his fingers dropped with the myrrh of liberality, which is a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savor to God; He had indeed a free and noble spirit; he sailed equal between two rocks; he avoided vain profusness, he hated a sordid penuriousness. When I came to him on his death-bed, he told me that sin was the burden of his life, and that he cast himself only upon the merits of Christ, but saith he, How hard do I find it to believe; which words were dropped out with many tears. 'It is better to Complain then presume. I might expatiate but I shall here contract my sails. These things were commendable in him, and imitable by us. Here was good fruit which did adorn the Tree. It will be our wisdom to Copy out what we see good in others, and to walk so unblameably in holiness, that while we live we may have good hope through grace of a part and interest in Christ; and when we die, may receive that Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give at that day to all them who love his appearing.

In marg. pag. 12. for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .