Matthew 21:12-16

Mat. 21:12-16. Concerning making Christ's house a den of thieves, etc. The apostate Jewish church that was in Christ's time, was in many things an image of the apostate Christian church, or rather the antichristian church; and among other things the Jews making Christ's Father's house a house of merchandise, and a den of thieves, was typical of what the clergy of the church of Rome do. And Christ's overthrowing them, and driving them out of the temple, is typical of what Christ hath done, and will further do, with respect to that church. It shows how displeasing and provoking to Christ their so doing is, how Christ abominates such practices. They sold doves in the temple, so the merchants of the church of Rome pretend to sell those things that are the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the heavenly dove. These gifts are called spirits in Paul's epistles, and so in the Revelations. The Spirit of God, with respect to his various gifts and operations, is called, " Seven spirits. " They do as Simon the sorcerer, who desired to buy a power to confer the gifts of the Holy Ghost on whosoever he would, to that end that he might make merchandise of them. So the clergy of the church of Rome sell baptism, regeneration, and salvation; they sell forgiveness of sin, the eucharist and ordination, consecration and extreme unction, etc. The Holy Spirit is the great commodity that their merchandise consists in.

Christ cast the Jewish merchants out of his temple; so Christ cast such merchants out of his church. When Christ came into his temple at Jerusalem, this was the effect; so when Christ returns into his church, after its great apostasy, this is the consequence. At the same time, the blind and the lame come to Christ, and he heals them; so when Christ comes to drive out the antichristian merchants out of his house, there will be a great flocking of poor miserable souls to Christ to be healed. At the same time also the children cry hosanna in the temple, and the priest and scribes are sore displeased, which are all typical of what will be when Christ comes to revive religion, and execute judgment on the Romish church. Then will the mouths of God's people be filled with praises to Christ, and there will be a remarkable fulfillment of that saying, "Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise;" which will greatly displease and provoke the chief priests and scribes of the church of Rome.

Because this was typical of something very remarkable that should surely come to pass in the church, therefore it was repeated, as Pharaoh's dream was, concerning the years of famine and plenty, for Christ drove out the merchants out of his temple once before. John 2:13-17.

Mat. 21:40-41