could remove mountains and have, not charity, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” * The apostle here supposeth a person possessed of the most eminent miraculous gifts, yet wholly destitute of religion.  Could no such case happen, he would not have made the supposition.  He did not write to amuse, but to edify and instruct.

* 1 Cor xiii. 1, &c.

Some at Corinth prided themselves in their gifts and despised others —­perhaps men’s moral state was estimated by them.  Therefore did he show the use of those gifts—­that they were distinct from renewing grace—­that the latter was more excellent than the former; and that the possession of the latter could not be argued from the exercise of the former.

Those gifts were very useful at that day, and in that city, which was filled with idolatry, and almost the headquarters of paganism; but to the possessor they were of less value than Christian graces—­“Covet earnestly the best gifts; and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way”—­Namely, the charity described in the following chapter, of which we have been treating above.

To prevent the seventy from indulging the spirit which the apostle afterwards thus reproved at Corinth, was the design of the caution given them in the text.  Christ observed how they valued themselves on their gifts and checked the spirit its beginning. Rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you.

II.  We are to consider the command—­But rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

The names of the saints are represented as written in Heaven, This language is figurative, accommodated to human weakness.  God hath promised salvation to the faithful and caused them to hope in his mercy; but memorandums are not necessary to remind him of his promises, or records in heaven to entitle the faithful to the heavenly inheritance.  God’s counsels are always before him.  The phraseology of the text is borrowed from the customs of men, who need memorandums and records to secure the fulfillment of engagements.

When men are made free of a city, or state, they are enrolled in the archives of the community—­Thence probably the metaphorical language of the text, and similar scriptures:  For we often find matters which are determined in the divine councils represented as written in celestial records—­Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that thought on “his name.”  Zion is said to be “graven on the palms of his hands”—­The saints to be written “in the book of life—­The dead to be judged out of the things written in the books” which will be opened at the grand assize when the world will be judged in righteousness.