WHO WOULD NOT STRIVE TO HOLD FAST THEIR CROWN?
"Behold I come quickly," says our Saviour; "hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." There is a crown of righteousness, which the apostle says the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give him in that day, and not him only, "but all those who love his appearing." "He that overcometh" will receive that crown, and will be made "a pillar in the temple of God, and he shall go no more out." "The Lord will be his strength and song," and will become his "salvation," and will plant him in "a land flowing with milk and honey." On such, God will have "everlasting kindness," will have "mercy on them," and will "gather them as wheat into his garner."—Those that love the Lord will be "as the sun when he goeth forth in his might." They shall "shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." The "eternal God" will be their refuge, "and underneath are the everlasting arms." They "shall dwell in safety." They "shall inherit the earth and delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Because of them "the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose."—"The lame man shall leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." They will "arise and shine," their light being come, and the glory of the Lord being risen upon them; they "shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." "The Lord will be the refuge of his people." "The Lord will turn to the people a pure language, that they may call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent: for they shall feed and lie down, and none to make them afraid. Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O141Israel; be glad and rejoice with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments; he hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not see evil any more." Unto those that fear the Lord, the sun of righteousness will "arise with healing in his wings;" and they "shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall." "They will take the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever." "They will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." They "shall rejoice" and "shall sing for joy of heart."—They will be "blessed and holy," and on them "the second death will have no power." "They shall be priests of God, and of Christ, and shall reign with him"—"heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ."—"They shall have right to the tree of life, and shall enter in through the gates into the city;" and "the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters." "They will go forth with joy, and be led forth with peace." God will make them an "eternal excellence." Their "sun will no more go down, neither will their moon withdraw itself;" and the "days" of their "mourning shall be ended." "They" also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land forever."—The tabernacle of God will be with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." God will give "reward unto his servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear his name, small and great: and they will do his will "on earth as it is done in heaven." Then mortality will be laid aside; they will no longer inhabit "natural bodies," "but spiritual bodies"—not ethereal bodies, for our vile bodies will be changed into the likeness of Christ's glorified body; and we shall be like him, who was the "first fruits" of them that slept, and who told his disciples to handle him, for he was not a spirit; for a spirit had not flesh and bones as his spiritual body had. Then everything pertaining to decay being removed, the righteous will mount up on wings as eagles, they will run and not be weary, will walk and not faint." "O thou afflicted, tossed with the tempest, and not comforted! behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established; thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." Isa. liv. 14. "The blessing of God will be upon his people."—"He will put gladness in their hearts," and they "will lie down in peace." They will "shout for joy," because God defends them. They will be a little lower than the angels, and "crowned with glory and honor." Their "lines" will be fallen in "pleasant places," yea, they "will have a goodly heritage;" God will "choose their inheritance," the excellency of Jacob whom he loveth. Such will be the state and such the condition of those who hold fast, so that no man take their crown. With such promised joys to gain or lose, who can hesitate whether they will attempt to secure such a possession? Soon, ah soon, the day will come, when all efforts will be in vain; for when once the Master of the house has risen up and shut to the door, then those who stand without, will knock in vain for admittance. O be wise before it is forever too late.—Word of Warning, 1843.