The fight of faith crowned, or, A sermon preached at the funeral of that…

1. Believe that there is a Crown of Righteousness laid up for all that fight the good fight. Some of the Rabbins say, that the great dispute between Cain and Abel was about the world to come: Abel affirmed a Crown of recompense for the godly, Cain denied it. This truth concerning the real Elysian delights in reversion, should be graven upon our hearts as with the point of a diamond. Carnal persons look upon the felicities of the other world, but as a Platonical idea, or fancy; they do not see the Crown with bodily eyes, therefore they question it: The verity of the soul may as well be questioned, because being a spirit it cannot be seen: Doubting of Principles, is the next way to denying them. Let us set our seal to this, there is a Crown of Righteousness laid up. Where should our Faith rest but upon a Divine Testimony? The whole earth hangs upon the word of Gods Power, and shall not our Faith hang upon the word of his promise? Tit. 1. 2. ⟨p. 21⟩In hope of eternal life, which God who cannot lye hath promised. The Saints Crown is purchased by Christs blood, Ephes. 1. 14. and Christ will not lose his purchase. What was the end of Christs ascension? He went up to Heaven, not only to invest himself, but all believers with Glory; as an Husband takes up Land in another Country in the behalf of his Wife. What did Christ pray for, but that all the Saints might be with him? John 17. 24. And what Christ prayed for as he was man, he hath power to give as he is God: Besides, the Lord hath given us the unction of his spirit to prepare us, and the earnest of his spirit to assure us of happiness, 2 Cor. 1. 21. and he will not lose his earnest; so that the Crown of Righteousness shall indubitably be bestowed. To question this, is to destroy the main Article of our Creed, life everlasting. Such Atheists as judg the eternal recompenses fictions, put God to swear against them, that they shall never see life.¹

1. Believe that there is a Crown of Righteousness laid up for all that fight the good fight. Some of the Rabbins say, that the great dispute between Cain and Abel was about the world to come: Abel affirmed a Crown of recompence for the godly, Cain denyed it. This truth concerning the real Elyzian delights in reversion, should be graven upon our hearts as with the point of a diamond. Carnal persons look upon the felicities of the other world, but as a Platonical idaea, or fancy; they do not see the Crown with bodily eyes, therefore they question it: The verity of the soul may as well be questioned, because being a spirit it cannot be seen: Doubting of Principles, is the next way to denying them. Let us set our seal to this, there is a Crown of Righteousness laid up. Where should our Faith rest but upon a Divine Testimony? The whole earth hangs upon the word of Gods Power, and shall not our Faith hang upon the word of his promise?