Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 5.djvu/152

 look at all the crowns hanging in rows in heaven — very likely I did say it, but if not, I will say it now. Up, Christian, see the crowns all ready, and mark thine own; stand thou and wonder at it; see with what pearls it is be- dight, and how heavy it is with gold! And that is for thy head, thy poor aching head; thy poor tortured brain shall yet have that crown for its arraying!

And see that garment, it is stiff with gems, and white like snow ; and that is for thee ! "When thy week-day garment shall be done with, this shall be the raiment of thy everlasting Sabbath. When thou hast worn out this poor body there remaineth for thee "a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

Up to the summit, Christian, and survey thine inheritance ; and when thou hast surveyed it all, when thou hast seen thy present possessions, thy promised possessions, thine entailed possessions, then remember that all these were bought by the poverty of thy Savior! Look thou upon all thou hast and say, "Christ bought them for me." Look thou on every promise and see the bloodstains on it; yea, look, too, on the harps and crowns of heaven and read the bloody pur- chase! Remember, thou couldst never have been anything but a damned sinner unless Christ had bought thee! Remember, if he had re- mained in heaven thou wouldst for ever have remained in hell; unless he had shrouded and eclipsed his own honor thou wouldst never have had a ray of light to shine upon thee.