The crown of righteousness. Set forth in a sermon preached at Stephens Walbrook, May…

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 my self into hell, then voluntarily commit one sin against God. ^cBut 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 honour, 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? ^fIf 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 smiling face of sin, but take it by the heel, look at the end of it; It will bereaves us of our Crown. And can ⟨p. 15⟩any thing 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, ^ghe hazards a Crown of immortality. ^hAnd 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) ⁱlet 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