A gospel honeycomb

(Thomas Watson, "The Crown of Righteousness")

"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
 righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
 Judge, shall give me at that day!" 2 Timothy 4:8

Here is a gospel honeycomb, dropping comfort
into the hearts of the godly. How may this alleviate
all the afflictions of this life—and make these bitter
waters of Marah, become sweet and pleasant to
drink of! There is a crown laid up for me!

A Christian in this life, has something to grieve him
—and yet something to comfort him. A true saint is
an heir of the cross. If he wears any robes—they are
bloody. If he wears any crown—it is one of thorns.
But here is that which may sweeten his sufferings;
here is sweet wine mingled with his wormwood—
he shall be crowned in paradise! This, my brethren,
may change our mourning—into melody; and our
tears—into triumph! Though we bear the cross—
we shall wear the crown!

Our sufferings cannot continue long. If our life is
short—our sufferings cannot be long. Oh, how may
this sweeten all the bitter cups we drink of! Cleopatra
put a jewel in her cup which contained the price of a
kingdom. When we are drinking in our wormwood
cup—let this jewel be put into our cup to make it go
down more pleasantly—we will shortly have an eternal
reward of glory! Though bitterness is in the cup—sugar
lies at the bottom!

"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
 righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
 Judge, shall give me at that day!" 2 Timothy 4:8