and true as done by us, all this is of and from the Lord alone; and therefore nothing is to be afcribed unto man. He has no merit, nothing to boaft of, or glory in, save the Lord his God.

And, lastly, Let us remember, that as we admit the love and truth of the Lord into our will and understanding, and our life is regulated thereby, we become the fervants and children of the Lord, our heavenly father and master; consequently, we shall receive the reward of faithful servants and obedient children-which will be no less than eternal conjunction with our God-the enjoyment of his kingdom-the glories, felicities, and honors thereofthe full fruition of his love and goodness and all this through the boundless ages of a never-ending eternity.

In the pleasing prospect of this superlative and unspeakable glory, may we be the faithful servants of our divine Lord-the obedient children of our heavenly Father-until meetened for heaven, we are called to his arms, to fit down in his kingdom, and be for ever happy! Amen.

SERMON

SERMON XIII.

THE TEMPLE CLEANSED;

OR,

THE HEART NO LONGER A HOUSE OF MERCHANDISE.

John ii. 16.

Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

We are informed in this chapter, that

the Lord Jesus went up to Jerufalem about the time that the Jews passover was at hand; a feaft which they kept yearly in remembrance of the destroying angel's passing by their doors, when all the first-born in Egypt were flain. About this time Jesus went into the temple at Jerufalem, and when he came there, "he found in the temple " those

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" those that fold oxen, and sheep, and doves, and "the changers of money, fitting: and when he "had made a scourge of small cords, he drove " them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and "the oxen, and poured out the changers money, "and overthrew the tables." And in Matthew and Mark it is added, " he said unto them, It is "written, my house shall be called the house of

prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” And, in the words of our text-" Take these "things hence; make not my Father's house an "house of merchandise."

It is obvious, that the temple at Jerufalem was built by the particular direction and command of the Lord, as a house of prayer and religious worship; that it was, therefore, holy and facred, and by no means ought to be profaned or defiled. But it was not only devoted to religious services, and sacred to the Lord-it was also, in every particular of it, representative. Its form, materials, utenfils, ceremonies, facrifices, offerings, and worship, were all representative of the Lord, his spiritual church, and the man of the church; and therefore it was most holy.

But the Jews, and even those who officiated in the service of the temple, were become so fenfual and evil, that they not only profaned their offices, and polluted the worship, but also defiled and profaned the temple itself, that holy place, devoted to God and his fervice only. They made it a place

of

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of traffic, a mere market, in which they bought and fold oxen, sheep, doves, and the like. Our Lord entering in, and beholding this facrilege and profanation, not only manifested his disapprobation, his indignation at their iniquitous conduct, but alfo his divine power and authority; for he made a fcourge of small cords, drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers money, and overthrew the tables. -I have frequently confidered this transaction, and have thought it as wonderful and fingular as almost any recorded in the four evangelifts.

Here is the Lord Jesus, who appeared as a man, and was looked upon as no more than a man, entering the temple, without any visible authority-not fustaining any civil office in Judea ; he takes a fcourge of cords, drives out all the buyers and fellers, scatters their money upon the floor, disperseth their oxen and sheep, and no one appears to make any resistance!-all are astonished— enraged but not a hand moved against him!When it was all over, they ask him, "What fign " shewest thou unto us, seeing thou doest all these " things?". This is all that we hear concerning it.But why did they not resist the Lord? Why did they suffer themselves to be forced out with a fcourge their oxen and sheep to be driven awayand their money scattered upon the ground? Why, firs, conscious guilt will fink the proudest mind, and make a coward of the stoutest heart. They knew

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that what they did was facrilegious and profane. By infernal demons prompted to this vile conduct, they fled with shame and wild confufion when Christ the God appeared.

There is much spiritual instruction to be gathered from these circumstances, some of which we shall notice presently.

We will proceed to our text-"Take these "things hence; make not my Father's house an " house of merchandise." In speaking from which we will,

First, Explain what is meant by the Father's house. Secondly, What by its being made a house of merchandise.

Thirdly, Confider what things are to be taken thence, and the reasons why.

And first, What is meant by the Father's house ?

The temple at Jerufalem, as I before observed, was in every particular representative; it was also a facred and holy building, as being built by the command and direction of the Almighty. And as divine representative worship was to be performed in it, consequently it ought not in any manner to be profaned. But when the real things which the temple represented are known, then we shall fee why it is called the house of God, and why it ought not to be polluted.

As