A96098:56
The crown of righteousness. Set forth in a sermon preached at Stephens Walbrook, May…
The crown of righteousness. Set forth in a sermon preached at Stephens Walbrook, May 1. 1656. At the funeral of Thomas Hodges Esquire. / By Thomas Watson, minister of Stephens Walbrook, in the city of London.The crown of righteousness. Set forth in a sermon preached at Stephens Walbrook, May 1. 1656. At the funeral of Thomas Hodges Esquire. / By Thomas Watson, minister of Stephens Walbrook, in the citie of London.
London: printed for Joseph Crawford, 1656
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Why else should Saint Paul desire to be dissolved, if he were not presently Crowned 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 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 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.
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.