Saints Compared to Kings

    SAINTS COMPARED TO KINGS

    "And hast made us unto God Kings and priests" &c., Re 5:10.

    THE Saints are in this place and some others called Kings, which is one of the highest titles among men.

    PARALLELS.

    I. Kings are usually highly descended, or are sons of nobles: so the Saints are all highly descended, they are born from above, born of God, and so may be said to be the offspring of heaven: "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God! Behold, now are we sons of God," &c., 1Jo 3:1-2.

    II. Kings have great attendants belonging to them: so the Saints have most great and glorious attendants belonging to them, viz., the holy angels. No Kings or monarchs on earth are honoured like the Saints and children of God, in respect of the excellency of their retinue. See Angels under the sixth head.

    III. Kings have their crowns, and do reign, or else expect to reign: so the Saints have a crown laid up for them: "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which God the righteous Judge shall give unto me at that day; and not to me only, but to all them also that love his appearance," 2Ti 4:18. "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life," Re 2:10. And as they shall have a crown, so they shall reign upon the earth as kings, Re 5:10.

    IV. Kings are the principal men on earth, far exceeding in honour and excellency all common people; so the Saints are the chief and principal ones, or the most excellent in all the earth; it may be said of them, as of Jabesh, "they are more honourable than their brethren," 1Ch 4:9-10. What base and ignoble persons are the wicked, to those noble souls! The ungodly, be they never so high and great in power and sovereignty, are compared to things very base, vile, and contemptible, as will hereafter be shown. "The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour," Pr 12:26.

    V. Kings sometimes meet with great trouble and sorrow after they are anointed, before they come to the quiet enjoyment of their crowns; they have been severely persecuted, and chased from one place to another, as king David particularly was: so the Saints of God, though they are anointed with the oil of gladness, and have an assurance given them of the crown of glory, meet with very great trouble in this world, being persecuted, tormented, afflicted, and sometimes having no certain dwelling-place, as is said of some of the ancient worthies, Heb 11.

    VI. Some Kings have possessed and reigned over many kingdoms, their dominions have been very great. The Saints are the heirs of a kingdom, nay, all the kingdoms under the whole heavens shall be given to them. "The kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ," &c., Re 11:15. "And the kingdoms, and dominions, and the greatness of the kingdom, under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the Saints of the Most High," &c., Da 7:27.

    VII. Kings have great and noble minds, they busy not themselves about mean matters: so the Saints have great and noble spirits; they converse about things above; being risen with Christ, their affections are not set upon things below, but seek those things that are above, where Christ is at the right hand of God, Col 3:1-2. "Our conversation is in heaven," &c., Php 3:20.

    VIII. Kings have many great and glorious privileges and prerogatives appertaining to them; how are they honoured and congratulated by the people! so have the Saints. They shall sit down with Christ on his throne; they shall judge the world; they shall be honoured by all; the wicked shall bend their knees before them in the day to come, &c.

    There are many great disparities, which we leave to the reader's observation.

    INFERENCES.

    I. Let not the Saints be discouraged, nor faint under their afflictions. What though David was hunted like a partridge on the mountains? he was the Lord's anointed for all that, and his exaltation followed: so it is but a little while, if you faint not, before God will exalt you.

    II. O what manner of love and grace is this! What! hath God made us his sons, heirs, joint-heirs with Christ! Hath he made us kings! and shall we reign! &c. What shall we render to the Lord? &c.

    III. This may quicken and stir up all the Saints to live as becomes their honourable calling and dignity. Hath God made us Kings, and shall we live like beggars? Far be it from noble-spirited Saints so to do.