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

4. Branch. It shows us, as in a Scripture-Glass, the happiness and nobility of a righteous person. ^tIn his ⟨p. 17⟩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. 'Tis not said, we are made the righteousness of Angels, but of God. 2. After death he wears a Crown of righteousness. This Crown doth encircle all blessedness within it; ^uThe 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 who he thought happy? He told him one Tellus, a man that was dead. ^xSo a Christian is not perfectly happy till death; then the Crown shall be put on. The Thracians in their funerals used music; and Theocritus observes, that the Heathens had their [Greek or Hebrew], 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.

4. Branch. It shews us, as in a Scripture-Glasse, the happinesse and nobility of a righteous person. ^tIn his ⟨p. 17⟩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,