Luke x. 20. Notwithstanding , in' this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice because your names arc written in heaven.
THERE is a holy jealousy which well becomes the ministers of God : for people are ever ready to pride themselves upon any distinctions which God may confer upon them, and to rest in the attainments they have made, instead of regarding them only as means to an ulterior good. It should seem that the seventy Disciples, who had been sent forth to preach the Gospel of the kingdom, were surprised when they found that devils and unclean spirits were subject unto them : and on their return to their divine Mas- ter, they could not help expressing the high gratifica- tion which this power had afforded them. Had their minds been more suitably affected, they would have rejoiced rather in the prospect which that circum- stance afforded them of the final triumphs of their Lord. Jesus therefore, in a kind and tender manner, corrected their views, and pointed out to them a more just ground of self-congratulation : assuring them in the mean time that their powers should be still more enlarged, and their victory over Satan be more complete. The caution given to them is appli- cable to Christians in every age : their comforts and successes are doubtless a proper subject of joy and thankfulness ; but it is the final success only that can make them completely happy ; and the only solid joy is that which arises from a well-founded expectation of happiness beyond the grave.
In confirmation of this truth, we would observe, I. That the enrolment of our names in heaven is a fact which may be known —
The names of all God's people are, as it were, written in his book —
[The names of all the tribes of Israel were registered in a book. It was of that book that Moses spake, when he desired God to blot him out of it rather than not forgive his offending people a. And as long as the Jewish states continued, such a book was carefully preserved b. Such a register God himself is represented as having formed of all his chosen peoj)le. His book is called " the book of life, of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world0." This book, as well as the books of
a Exod. xxxii. 32. b Isai. iv. 3. c Rev. xiii. 8.