What was foretold in prophecy, is fulfilled in the faith and experience of saints. Here are two notes of attention. ‘Behold;’ it highly concerns thee; take special notice. When the Lord God, our Immanuel Jesus, came to his temple, he found the beautiful building in sad disorder; his spiritual worship lost, and ‘his house of prayer turned into a den of thieves.’ Behold, with a strong hand and stretched-out arm, with no weapon, but an insignificant scourge of small cords, he drove the multitude from the temple.

Happy for us, if this was our address to the Lord under every enterprise; how many distresses and difficulties should we avoid; how much more peaceful and comfortable should we be in our journey through life. It is a blessed thing to have an especial eye to God’s presence, as well as to his providence. The Lord may permit his children to succeed in their schemes and undertakings, in the course of his providence, when he doth not accompany their souls with his favour and presence.

When a poor sinner knows what human nature is, and sees his brethren and companions after the flesh, ‘living without Christ and without God in the world;’ making a mock at sin, and ridiculing the truths and ways of Jesus; and finds his own heart touched with a loving fear of the Lord, then he is ready to cry out. Whence is this? He can only say, Grace reigneth; the Sun of righteousness hath risen upon me.

The only living and true Cod, the great and essentially glorious Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit, is manifested to sinners, as dwelling in the man Christ Jesus. This is the peculiar and precious truth of the gospel, a glorious mystery known only to believing souls. All other pretended knowledge of God is but vain speculation and pompons ignorance, which dwell in men of corrupt minds, destitute of the truth.

We all naturally act from selfish principles, and with mercenary views, because we are under the legal covenant: ‘Do this and live.’ Hence saith one, ‘If doing righteousness and performing good works will not justify and save me, as good sit still and do nothing, no matter how wicked I am.’ Saith another, ‘To be sure, we are justified by faith only, but then I must fulfill the terms and conditions of the gospel, for my holiness and obedience secures my salvation.’

Sin viewed in the glass of God’s holy law, fills the soul with terror, works wrath in the conscience, and leaves the sinner under the curse without hope. But while the infinitely precious sacrifice of Jesus is beheld, sin appears exceeding sinful; the sinner is truly humbled, sin is loathed, Christ is cleaved to, and hope springs up in a sin-distressed conscience.