-There was, in fact, no more power necessary to create wine, and fill the pitchers without putting water into them, than to make an actual transmutation of water into wine. At least, by acting in this manner, he would have removed the suspicion of having made only a mixture.

In whatever manner the miracle may have been performed, it appears to have made some impression on those who saw it, or who heard it related. It is certain Jesus profited by it to extend his mission even to the capital of Judea; only giving time for his miracle to spread, in order to produce its effect. In expectation of this, he withdrew with his mother, brothers, and disciples, to Capernaum, where he remained till the festival of the passover (the time of which was near) should collect at Jerusalem a multitude of people, before whom he flattered himself with being able to operate a great number of marvels,

CHAPTER V.

JOURNEY OF CHRIST TO JERUSALEM-THE SELLERS

DRIVEN OUT OF THE TEMPLE-CONFERENCE

WITH NICODEMUS.

THE noise of the miracle at Cana having reached Jerusalem, by means of those who repaired to that city from Galilee, Jesus went there himself, accompa-. nied by some of his disciples; but of the number of the latter we are ignorant. It was, as has been mentioned, the time of the passover, and consequently, a moment when almost the whole nation were assembled in the capital. Such an occasion was doubtless favourable for working miracles. St. John accordingly affirms that Jesus performed a great number, without, however, detailing any of them. Several of the witnesses of Christ's power believed in him, according to our historian; but he did not place much confidence in them. The reason given for this is, "Because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man; for he knew what was in man."*-In short, he knew every thing, except the means of giving to those who saw his miracles the dispositions he desired.

St. John ii. 24 and 25.

But, how reconcile faith in the wonders performed by Jesus, in these new converts, with the bad dispositions they were known to possess? If he knew the state of mind of these witnesses of his miracles, why perform them with certain loss? In this there is a want of just inference in the writer, which must not, however, be imputed to Jesus. It is perhaps better not to refer to St. John in this matter, than to believe that his sagacious master would perform miracles without design, or for the sole pleasure of working them.

In the same journey to Jerusalem, Christ performed an exploit which is as great as a miracle, and evinces a very powerful arm. According to an ancient usage, merchants had established themselves, especially during the solemn festivals, under the porticos which environed the temple. They furnished victims and offerings to the devout, which they were to present to the Lord, in order to accomplish the ordinances of the law; and, for the accommodation of the Jews who repaired thither from different countries, and for their own interest, the priests had permitted the money changers to fix their offices in this place. Jesus, who on every occasion shewed himself but little favourable to the clergy, was shocked at this usage, which, far from being criminal, tended to facilitate the accomplishment of the Mosaical law. He made a scourge of ropes, and, displaying a vigorous arm on those merchants, drove them into the streets, frightened their cattle, and overturned the counters, without any, in their astonishment, being able to oppose his enterprise. It may be conjectured, the people had no reason to be displeased with the disturbance, and that they profited by the money and effects which Jesus overturned in the paroxysm of his zeal. No doubt his disciples did not

forget themselves on this occasion; their master could by this exploit make provision for them, especially if they had been in the secret, and enable them to defray all expenses during their residence in the capital.* Besides, they saw in this event the accomplishment of a prophecy of the Psalmist, who foretold, that the Messiah would be "eaten up with the zeal of the house of the Lord"a prophecy which was evidently verified by the uproar which Christ had occasioned. With respect to the merchants, it would appear they had not comprehended the mystic sense of this prediction, or at least they did not expect to see it verified at their own expence. In their first surprise, they did not oppose the unexpected attacks of a man who must have appeared to them a maniac; but, on recovering from their astonishment, they complained to the magistrates of the loss they had sustained. The magistrates, afraid, perhaps, of involving their authority, by punishing a man of whom the people had become the accomplice, or a fanatic whose zeal might be approved of by devotees, did not wish to use rigour for this time; they contented themselves with sending to Jesus, to know from himself by what authority he acted-"What sign (said they to Christ) shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?" On which Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple,

*St. Augustin says, that, of right divine, all things belong to the just:--a maxim founded on a passage in the Psalms, which states, that the just shall eat the fruit of the labour of the unrighteous. It is known that the Pope, by a bull given in favour of the kings of Castile, Arragon, and Portugal, fixed the line of demarcation, which was to rule the conquests each had gained over the Infidels. After such principles, is not the whole earth to become a prey to Christian rapacity

and in three days I will raise it up." But the Jews were not tempted to make trial of this; they took him for a fool, and returned, shrugging their shoulders. If, however, they had taken Christ at his word, they would have experienced great embarassment; for the gospel informs us, that it was not of the temple of Jerusalem he spoke, but of his own body. He meant his resurrection, says St. John, which was to happen three days after his death. The Jews had not sufficient discernment to divine this enigma, and the disciples themselves did not penetrate its true meaning till a long time after, when they pretended their master had risen from the dead. We cannot forbear admiring Providence, which, wishing to instruct, enlighten, and convert the Jewish people by the mouth of Christ, employed only figures, allegories, and enigmatical symbols, totally inexplicable by persons the most ingenious and most experienced.*

But though Jesus had the power of raising himself from the dead, he did not wish to employ this marvellous power in saving himself when in the hands of the

* Religion is by no means formed for even the most intelligent part of mankind, who, as well as the uninstructed, are utterly incapable of comprehending any of those aerial subtilties on which it rests. Who is the man that understands the doctrines of the spirituality of God; of the immateriality of the soul; or of the mysteries of religion --None indeed will pretend to this. Yet we find these theological speculations, which no one understands, have frequently disturbed the repose of mankind, through the stubborn dispositions of those who gave them credence. Even the women have believed themselves obliged to take a part in the quarrels, excited by idle contemplators, who are always of less utility to society than the meanest artizan.

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