To be descended from that thievish crew who came over to England at the Norman Conquest is thought to be a high honor; but how much more is it to be descended from the King of kings! The blood imperial of heaven is in the veins of every regenerated man and woman. No matter though your garb be fustian, and your home be the abode of poverty, you are a prince of the blood royal the moment that you are born again and made a child of God, and adopted into the family of the Most High.
These are the princes of the living God; these are they who shall be crowned with immortal honor in the day of the Lord’s appearing. Though here they may live unknown and despised, yet angelic eyes detect them, and the whole world shall see them. “When he shall appear they shall appear with him in glory.”
Men court much the greatness, which comes by election. There are presidents of republics who become great by the national vote: it is no mean greatness to be dignified with imperial rank, not by the accident of birth, but by the well-earned respect of honest men. This is something that men may covet. Well, we have this very greatness put upon us by the election of God. Every one who believes in Christ Jesus was chosen in him from before the foundation of the world. What are the votes of men, what the applause of the many after all? The choice of God is most to be desired; because he hath set his love upon me my soul shall sing and rejoice. Election makes all the objects of it great. Now, as you think of your birth and your election in Christ Jesus, you can say, “thy gentleness hath made me great.”
From a sermon entitled "Divine Gentleness Acknowledged," delivered April 1, 1866. Image by bk86a under Creative Commons License.
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