First, then, I would make fome obfervations on the miracle

itself.

Verse 1 and 2. And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of JESUS was there. And both JESUS was called, and his difciples, to the marriage." By our LORD's being at a feaft we may learn, that feafting upon folemn occafions is not abfolutely unlawful: but then we must be exceeding careful at fuch feafons, that the occafion be folemn, and that we go not for the fake of eating and drinking, but to edify one another in love. Feafting in any, other manner, I think abfolutely unlawful for the followers of JESUS CHRIST: because if we eat and drink out of any other view, it cannot be to the glory of GoD. The Son of man, we know, “came eating and drinking." If a pharifee afked him to come to his house, our LORD went, and fat down with him. But then we find his difcourfe was always fuch as tended to the ufe of edifying. We may then, no doubt, go and do likewife.

We may observe farther, that if our LORD was prefent at a marriage feaft, then, to deny marriage to any order of men, is certainly a "doctrine of devils." "Marriage (fays the Apostle) is honourable in all." Our LORD graced a marriage feaft with his first public miracle. It was an inftitution of GOD himself, even in paradife: and therefore, no doubt, lawful for all chriftians, even for those who are made perfect in holiness through the faith of JESUS CHRIST. But then, we may learn the reason why we have fo many unhappy marriages in the world; it is because the parties concerned do not call JESUS CHRIST by prayer, nor afk the advice of his true difciples when they are about to marry: No; CHRIST and religion are the laft things that are confulted: and no wonder then if matches of the devil's making (as all fuch are, which are contracted only on account of outward beauty, or for filthy lucre's fake) prove moft miferable, and grievous to be borne.

I cannot but dwell a little on this particular, because I am perfuaded the devil cannot lay a greater fnare for young christians, than to tempt them unequally to yoke themselves with unbelievers as are all who are not born again of GOD. This was the fnare wherein the fons of GOD were entangled VOL. VI.

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before the flood, and one great caufe why God brought that flood upon the world. For what fays Mofes, Gen. vi. 2, 3. "The fons of God (the pofterity of pious Seth) faw the daughters of men, (or the pofterity of wicked Cain) that they were fair, (not that they were pious) and they took them wives of all which they chofe:" not which God chofe for them. What follows?" And the LORD faid, My spirit fhall not always ftrive with man, for that he alfo is flesh;" that is, even the few righteous fouls being now grown carnal by their ungodly marriages, the whole world was altogether become abominable, and had made themselves veffels of wrath fitted for deftruction. I might inftance farther, the care the ancient patriarchs took to chufe wives for their children out of their own religious families; and it was one great mark of Efau's rebellion against his father, that he took unto himfelf wives of the daughters of the Canaanites, who were ftrangers to the covenant of promise made unto his fathers. But I for bear. Time will not permit me to enlarge here. Let it fuffice to advise all, whenever they enter into a marriage state, to imitate the people of Cana in Galilee, to call CHRIST to the marriage: He certainty will hear and chufe for you; and you will always find his choice to be the beft. He then will direct you to fuch yoke-fellows as fhall be helps meet for you in the great work of your falvation, and then he will allo enable you to ferve him without diffraction, and cause you to walk, as Zachary and Elizabeth, in all his commandments and ordinances blameless.

But to proceed. Who thefe perfons were that called our LORD and his difciples to the marriage, is not certain. Some" (because it is faid, that the mother of JESUS was there) have fuppofed that they were related to the Virgin, and that therefore our LORD and his difciples were invited on her account. However that be, it fhould feem they were not very rich, (for what had rich folks to do with a defpifed JESUS of Nazareth, and his mean followers?) becaufe we find they were unfurnithed with a fufficient quantity of wine for a large company, and therefore," when they wanted wine, the mother of JESUS," having, as it fhould feem by her applying to him fo readily on this occafion, even in his private life, feen fome inftances of his miraculous power, "faith unto him, They

have no wine." She thought it fufficient only to inform him of the wants of the hoft, knowing that he was as ready to give as fhe to afk. In this light the bleffed Virgin's request appears to us at the first view; but if we examine our LORD's anfwer, we fhall have reafon to think there was fomething which was not right; for JESUS faith unto her, ver. 4. "Woman, what have I to do with thee?" Obferve, he calls her woman, not mother; to fhew her, that though fhe was his mother, as he was man, yet fhe was his creature, as he was GOD. "What have I to do with thee?" Think you that I must work miracles at your bidding? Some have thought that she spoke as though he had an authority over him, which was a proud motion, and our LORD therefore checks her for it. And if JESUS CHRIST would not turn a little water into wine, whilft he was here on earth, at her command, how idolatrous is that church, and how justly do we feparate from her, which prefcribes forms, wherein the Virgin is defired to command her Son to have compaffion on us!

But notwithstanding the holy Virgin was blameable in this refpect, yet the hath herein fet rich and poor an example which it is your duty to follow. You that are rich, and live in cieled houses, learn of her to go into the cottages of the poor; your LORD was not above it, and why fhould you? And when you do vifit them, like the virgin-mother, examine their wants; and when you fee they have no wine, and are ready to perish with hunger, fhut not up your bowels of compaffion, but blefs the LORD for putting it in your power to adminifter to their neceffities. Believe me, fuch vifits would do you good. You would learn then to be thankful that GOD has given you bread enough, and to fpare. And I am perfuaded, every mite that you beftow on feeding the hungry and cloathing the naked difciples of JESUS CHRIST, will afford you more fatisfaction at the hour of death, and in the day of judgment, than all the thousands fquandered away in balls and affemblies, and fuch like entertainments.

You that are poor in this world's goods, and thereby are difabled from helping, yet you may learn from the Virgin, to pray for one another. She could not turn the water into wine, but fhe could entreat her fon to do it and fo may you ; and

doubt not of the LORD's hearing you; for GoD has chofert the poor in this world, rich in faith and by your fervent prayers, you may draw down many a bleffing on your poor fellow-creatures. O that I may ever be remembered by you before the throne of our dear LORD JESUS! But what shall we say? Will our LORD entirely difregard this motion of his mother? No; though he check her with, "Woman, what have I to do with thee?" yet he intimates that he would do as fhe defired by-and-by "Mine hour is not yet come." As though he had faid, The wine is almost, but not quite out; when they are come to an extremity, and fenfible of the want of my affiftance, then will I fhew forth my glory, that they may behold it, and believe on me.

Thus, Sirs, hath our LORD been frequently pleased to deal with me, and, I doubt not, with many of you also. Often, often when I have found his prefence as it were hidden from my foul, and his comforts well nigh gone, I have went unto him complaining that I had no visit and token of his love, as ufual. Sometimes he has feemed to turn a deaf ear to my request, and as it were faid, "What have I to do with thee?" which has made me go forrowing all the day long; fo foolish was I, and faithlefs before him: for I have always found he Joyed me notwithstanding, as he did Lazarus, though he stayed two days after he heard he was fick. But when my hour of extremity has been come, and my will broken, then hath he lifted up the light of his bleffed countenance afresh; he has fhewed forth his glory, and made me afhamed for, difbelieving him, who often hath turned my water into wine. Be not, then difcouraged, if the LORD does not immediately feem to regard the voice of your prayer, when you cry unto him. The holy Virgin we find was not; no, fhe was convinced his time was the best time, and therefore, verfe 5. "faith unto the fervants, (O that we could follow her advice!) whatsoever he faith unto you, do it."

And now, behold the hour is come, when the eternal Son of GOD will shew forth his glory. The circumftance of the miracle is very remarkable; ver. 6. " And there were fet fix water-pots of water, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins a-piece." The manner of this purifying we have an account of in the other Evangelifts,

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Evangelifts, especially St. Mark, who informs us, that the pharifees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not; and when they come from the market, except they wash they eat not. This was a fuperftitious cuftom; but, however, we may learn from it, whenever we come in from converfing with thofe that are without, to purify our hearts by felf-examination and prayer; for it is hard to go through the world, and to be kept unspotted from it.

Obferve further, verse 7. "JESUS faith unto them," not to his own difciples, but unto the fervants of the house, who were strangers to the holy JESUS, and whom the virgin had before charged to do whatsoever he faid unto them; "Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them to the brim. And he faith unto them, draw out now, and bear to the governor of the feaft. And they bear it." How our LORD turned the water into wine we are not told. What have we> to do with that? Why fhould we defire to be wife above what is written? It is fufficient for the manifestation of his glorious godhead, that we are affured he did do it. For we are told, verse 9, 10. "When the ruler of the feaft had tafted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was (but the fervants that drew the water knew) the governor of the feaft called the bridegroom, and faith unto him, every man at the beginning doth fet forth good wine, and when they have well drunk, that which is worse; but thou haft kept the good wine until now."

To explain this paffage, you must obferve, it was the cuf ftom of the Ferus, nay even of the heathens themselves, (to the fhame of our christian baptized heathens be it spoken) at their public feafts to chufe a governor, who was to oversee and regulate the behaviour of the guests, and to take care that all things were carried on with decency and order. To this perfon then did the fervants bear the wine; and we may judge how rich it was by his commendation of it, "Every man at the beginning, &c." Judge ye then, whether JESUS did notfhew forth his glory, and whether you have not good reason, like the difciples here mentioned, to believe on him?

Thus, my brethren, I have endeavoured to make fome obfervations on the miracle itself. But alas! this is only the outward court thereof, the veil is yet before our eyes; turn

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that