Tropes and Figures — Benjamin Keach — Deadmen

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Tropes and Figures · Benjamin Keach

Saints compared to Heirs.

Rom. 8.17. If Children, then Heirs, &c.

Rev. 21.7, He that overcometh, ſhall be Heir of all things.

Note, The Saints of God are Heirs, Heirs of God, Heirs of all things, &c.

Heirs.	Parallel.
THe Firſt-born had a Princely Power and Dominion over their Brethren, who bowed down before them; they were next their Fathers in Honour.	THe Saints are made Kings to God, are called Kings and Princes:Iſa. 32.1. A King ſhall reign in Righteouſneſs, and Princes ſhall decree Judgment. They ſhall have Dominion over the Mighty of the Earth, in their Day. They are next to Chriſt in Honour,Rev. 3.21. and ſhall ſit upon the Throne with him.
II. The Firſt-born were Prieſts in their Father's Family, till the Levites came in.	II. The Saints are Prieſts as well as Kings to God:Rev. 1.6. 1 Pet. 2.5. He hath made us Kings and Prieſts, &c. They are called an holy Prieſthood, to offer up a holy and acceptable Sacrifice unto God.
III. The Firſt-born had the Inheritance; the reſt had but a Piece of Money. And to this day we ſee, that Men uſe to make their Inheritance over to the Firſt-born; and beſides the Inheritance, they had a double Portion of Goods.	III. The Saints have the eternal Inheritance made over to them; the World hath but a ſmall Allowance, for all they have amounts to no more than Vanity. God giveth himſelf, and all he hath, to Believers; they have a double Portion, an Hundred-fold in this Life, and in the World to come Life everlaſting.
IV. An Heir ſometimes ſtays a great while, before he comes to the full Poſſeſſion of the Inheritance; and until then he is under Tutors and Governors, and differeth but little from a Servant.	IV. The Saints patiently wait a while, (being under Age) before they come to the full Poſſeſſion of the Inheritance purchaſed for them by Chriſt; and until they come to full Age, they are under Tutors and Governors, who deal hardly with them, and they ſeem not to differ from Servants.
V. The Firſt-born had a peculiar Sort of Apparel, whereby they were diſtinguiſhed from others; ſuch was Eſau's goodly Raiment which Rachel put upon Jacob.	V. The Saints are cloathed with a goodly Raiment, viz. the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt: Holineſs is the Saints Livery, whereby they are diſtinguiſhed from the reſt of the World.
VI. The Firſt-Born had the Bleſſing annexed to them, and (unleſs they were ſupplanted, as Eſau was by Jacob) they were bleſt of their Father, eſpecially when their Fathers were at the point of Death.	VI. The Saints are the Bleſſed of the Lord; none can take either Birth-right or Bleſſing away from them; they are bleſſed, and ſhall be bleſſed. The Lord Jeſus bleſſed them at his Departure, and that Bleſſing ſhall never depart from them.
Heirs.	Diſparity.
AMong Men, all a Man's Children are not Heirs, nor can they fully poſſeſs the ſame Eſtate entirely to themſelves, as if but one had it.	BUt all the Saints are Heirs together, they are all Joynt-heirs, and yet every one hath all to himſelf: They have all one and the ſame Father, one and the ſame Chriſt, one and the ſame Spirit, the ſame Apparel, the ſame Grace; all one Faith, Hope, &c. all the ſame Promiſes, ſame Attendance, viz. the holy Angels; the ſame Crown, Kingdom, and Eternal Inheritance.
II. Heirs among Men have but a ſmall Inheritance. What is all this World? Luther called all the Turkiſh Empire, but a Cruſt God caſts to a Dog.	II. But the Saints are Heirs of all Things, Heirs of Heaven and Earth too, Heirs of God. And what is there more? what can a Man ask, or deſire to have? would he have more than all?
III. An Heir among Men is often deprived, by Force or Craft of his Title, and turned out of all.	III. But the Saints cannot by Force or Fraud be deprived of their Title to Eternal Life. That it may be ſure and firm to them, it is made over to them by the Oath of God. See Light in the Firſt Volume.