Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

320 ST. MATTHEW.
is instead of money ; collations, nominations, and
elections, made on any other motive than the glory
of God, and the good of the church—these are all
fatal and damnable profanations, of which those in
the temple were only a shadow.
" 13. And said unto them, It is written, My
house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye
have made it a den of thieves."
If to do common and ordinary actions in a temple,
which contained no more than a fi(£ure of the Chris-
tian mysteries, denominate a man a thief in God's
house ;
what name do those deserve, who, by criminal
and scandalous discourses, by lascivious looks and
shameful dresses, profane the churches where Christ
is present? They who are placed in the church on
purpose to serve souls, and do not do it; or who
enjoy the revenues of the church, and neglect the
service of it, are thieves in more senses than one.
" 14. And the blind and the lame came to him in
the temple ;
and he healed them."
Jesus Christ soon returns to his kind and chari-
table inclination, whatever cause of anger has been
given him : how can we refuse to imitate him with
respect to our brethren ? After having condemned
the profane use of the house of God, he shows what
is the holy and lawful use of it; namely, by prayer,
adoration, praise, and sacrifice, to use our utmost
endeavours to obtain the cure of those who are under
the blindness of sin, and the lameness of irregular
affections; or to enlighten them by the divine word.
" 15. 5f And when the chief priests and scribes
saw the wonderful things that he did, and the chil-
dren crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to
the son of David ; they were sore displeased,"