1 Peter 5:4

THou shalt loose nothing by all that restraint from base gain, 3 The advantage. and vain glory, and Worldly power. No matter, let them go for a Crown, that weighs them all down, that shall abide for ever. Oh! how far excellent! A Crown of Glory, pure unmixt glory without any ingrediency of pride or sinful vanity, or any danger of it. And a Crown that fadeth not, of such a flower as withers not, not a temporary garland of fading flowers, such. as all here are? Wo to the Crown of pride, Isa. 28. 1. Though it is made of flowers growing in a fat valley, yet their glorious beauty is a fading flower, but this fresh, and in perfect lustre to all eternity. May they not well trample on base gain and vain applause, that have this Crown to look to: They that will be content with those, let them be doing, but they have their reward, and its done and gone, when faithful followers are to receive theirs. Joys of royal pomp, marriages and feasts how soon do they vanish as a dream; that of Ahazverash, that lasted about half a year but then ended, and how many since that gone and forgot. But this day begins a triumph and a feast that shall never either be ended or be wearied of, still fresh new delights, all things here, the choicest pleasures, cloy, but satisfie not. Those above shall always satisfie and never cloy. When the chief Shepherd shall appear, and that shortly, this moment will shortly be out.

What is to be refused in the way to this Crown? all labour sweet for it. And what is there here to be desired to stay your hearts, that we should not most willingly let go, to rest from our labours and receive our Crown? Was ever any man sad that the day of his Coronation drew nigh? no envy, nor jealousies, all Kings, each his Crown, and each rejoycing in the glory of another, and all in his, who that day shall be all in all.