ever splendid his gifts may be. But he thai has grace without gifts is alive to God, however unlearned and ignorant he may appear to man. And " a living dog is better than a dead lion." (Eccles. ix. 4.)
Let the religion which we aim to possess be a religion in which grace is the main thing. Let it not content us to be able to speak eloquently, or preach powerfully, or reason ably, or argue cleverly, or profess loudly, or talk fluently. Let it not satisfy us to know the whole system of Christian doctrines, and to have texts and words at our command. These things are all well in their way. They are[not to be undervalued. They have their use. But these things are not the grace of God, and they will not deliver us from hell. Let us never rest until we have the witness of the Spirit within us that we are " washed, and sancti- fied, and justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God." (1 Cor. vi. 11.) Let us seek to know that "our names are written in heaven," and that we are really one with Christ and Christ in us. Let us strive to be "epistles of Christ known and read of all men," and to show by our meekness, and charity, and faith, and spiritual-mindedness, that we are the children of God. This is true religion. These are the real marks of saving Christianity. Without such marks, a man may have abundance of gifts and turn out nothing better than a fol- lower of Judas Iscariot, the false apostle, and go at last to hell. With such marks, a man may be like Lazarus, poor and despised upon earth, and have no gifts at all. But his name is written in heaven, and Christ shall own him as one of His people at the last day.
362 EXFosrroBY thoughts.
Notes. Luke X. 17—20.
17. — \The seventy returned again.] How long the mission of the seventy lasted we do not know. It may be safely conjectured that it was of short duration.
18. — [/ beheld Satan as lightning faUy dc."] There are two mean- ings assigned by Commentators to these remarkable words.
Some think that our Lord is speaking of the effect produced on Satan's kingdom by the preaching of the seventy disciples : — " I saw in spirit, or with my mind's eye, Satan's power declining, and himself rapidly losing his dominion over men in conse- quence of your ministry." This is the view held by many modern Commentators, but it does not seem satisfactory. The strong language used Ijy our Lord will hardly admit of being explained and fined down by such an interpretation as this.
Others think that our Lord is speaking of what He had witnessed when Satan and his angels fell from heaven, and were cast down into hell, because they kept not their first estate. — " There was a time when I saw Satan, great and mighty as he was, fall suddenly from his high position, and become a lost spirit." This last interpretation appears to me far the more satisfactory of the two, and is that which is held by Cyprian, Ambrose, Chrysostom, Jerome, Gregory, Bede, Theo- phylact, Bernard, Erasmus, Pellican, Doddridge, Gill, and Alford.
The application of our Lord's words, assuming that He refers to Satan's original fall, is differently explained.
*
Theophylact, Heinsius, and Gill, consider that our Lord's meaning was; "Marvel not that the devils are subject unto you, for I beheld their prince fall, and it is no wonder that his servants now fall before ybu."
Cyprian, Jerome, Gregoiy, Bede, Erasmus, and Pellican, con- sider that our Lord's intention was to warn the disciples against vain glory ; " Be not puffed up because the devils are subject to you. Eemember that Satan fell through pride, as I myself saw."
I believe this last view to be the true one, and I think it is confirmed by St. Paul's warning to Timothy, when he bids him not make a novice a Bishop, lest " being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil." (1 Tim. iii. 6.)
19. — [Power to tread on serpents, dc.'] It may be doubted, whether these words are to be interpreted figuratively or literally. In favour of the literal view, may be placed our Lord's promise in Mark xvi. 18, and the fact that St. Paul took up a viper and was unhurt. (Acts xxviii. 6.) In favour of the figurative view, may be placed the fact, that Satan is called the " old serpent,"