of address, even to persons of high degree; and the Saviour uses it when, on the cross, he turned the attention of his mother to John, saying, "Woman, behold thy Son." The expression, "What have I to do with thee?" does not have, in the original, precisely the tone which the English words seem to express; but the translation is as near as any English phrase could approach to the exceedingly condensed form of expression. It was a mode of signifying an unwillingness to be interfered with, or dictated to, joined with some disapprobation. But in the case before us, the intimation annexed, that Christ would work a miracle, the time of which had not yet come, softens the disapprobation. There was evidently good reason for such disapprobation on the part of Christ. His mother sought to make an irreverent use of his divine power. She did not seek for a miracle that God might be honored, nor that the spectators might receive spiritual benefit; but she applied to her Son in some such way as she would have applied to a magician. All that she thought of was the consternation of her friends at finding that the principal means of entertaining the company had failed, and, therefore, she requested her Son to exert his miraculous power, and help them out of their difficulty. That this was her purpose in what she said to Christ, and not merely to make the casual remark, that the wine had failed, we learn from her secret admonition to the servants, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it," showing that she still expected him to work a miracle.

It was derogatory to the Saviour's character and office, that he should be a repairer of accidents, and put forth divine power merely to gratify wishes which had no higher end than relief from awkward embarrassments. Such was the limit of his mother's motives, and the Saviour stands before us in the true dignity of his nature and office, in reproving such motives. Whatever he may see fit to do afterward, let no one think that he is a mere convenient servant. He went to that wedding to work a miracle. He reproved the improper feelings and motives of his mother, and yet informed her that he should, in time, accomplish his purpose. Strange, that, after reading and considering this, so large a portion of our race have insisted on using Mary's advocacy with her Son in heaven, saying, Mother, command thy Son; and this addressed to one who showed herself to be an erring mortal, deserving of the Saviour's calm, respectful, dignified reproof.

Jesus proceeded to do as he had purposed, and changed a large quantity of water into wine. Six water pots of stone, used instead of cisterns or reservoirs, holding each about nine gallons of our measure, and kept near at hand, on account of the superstitious or ceremonial habits of the people to wash often, (as the evangelist says, "after the manner of the purifying of the Jews,") stood within or near the house. The servants were commanded by the Saviour to fill them with water; and they filled them (by his direction, no doubt) to the brim, leaving no ground for suspicion of any admixture. Without pronouncing any words of charm or incantation, Christ simply told the servants to draw, and to present the draught to him who presided at the table, usually some friend of the parties. He had, officially, a deep interest in the proceedings, and, on this occasion, unwittingly gave the strongest testimony to the perfection of the miracle.

The evangelist adds the following words to this account: "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory, and his disciples believed on him."

There is useful instruction to be derived from the simple act of this bridegroom and bride at Cana, in calling Christ to their wedding, and from his presence there.

I. AS CHRIST BEGAN HIS MIRACLES AT A WEDDING, WE MAY INFER THAT HE, AND HIS RELIGION, ARE FRIENDLY TO HUMAN HAPPINESS.

It cannot be supposed that it was by mere accident that the Saviour began his miracles at a wedding, rather than at the grave of Lazarus, or the gates of Nain. His brief sojourn on earth, after he had entered on his ministry, was only three years and a half. Now, considering what an eventful life that was to be, constituting the New Testament history, forming the basis for the opinions and feelings of all coming generations with regard to him, it was, no doubt, viewed, by infinite wisdom, as of the first importance that all his public acts should be arranged with regard to the best effect upon the great end for which he came into the world. Thus, though his daily life seems wholly unpremeditated, his great works accidental, depending only on his happening to meet this or that object of compassion, we must suppose that all was planned beforehand, and that it was the suggestion of divine wisdom and goodness that he should begin his miracles at a scene which, more than any other, interests every one, of whatever time or nation. The Saviour takes his place by the side of a bridegroom and bride, and at their wedding, in their presence, and for their happiness, he first manifests forth his glory; and his disciples, who had thus far believed through the testimony of John the Baptist, now receive him and testify of him as the Christ, from their own knowledge. He could have produced this effect on them and others, by casting out a devil, or destroying a herd of swine, or by curing the palsy, or opening a grave. "How great is his wisdom, and how great is his beauty." He goes to a wedding; he meets the human race, whom he came to bless, first of all, at a nuptial ceremony. He mingles his sympathies with their joys, before he mourns with them in their sorrows. He thus tells them that he has not come to look on the dark side of their condition alone, but to take a just view of it; to rejoice with them that rejoice, as well as to weep with them that weep, recognizing the truth, that there is much in this world to make us happy, and nothing more so than the love of kindred hearts, united in those bonds which the benevolent Creator constituted in Paradise. He has come to deliver us from hell, and he wishes us to know that there is a heaven. We are subject to miseries innumerable and great, our danger is fearful, our liability to eternal sorrow is alarming; but other things also are true, - that God loves us with a benevolent and compassionate love, seeks our perfect happiness, and would restore us to that which our first parents lost by the fall; and not only would he make us happy hereafter; he wishes us to know that the ways of wisdom, here, are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace; that religion is not only consistent with present happiness, but eminently promotes it; that Christ and religion do not frown upon human joys, but, on the contrary, purify them, hallow them, impart a zest to them, and give with them that richest and sweetest ingredient, a sense of God's approbation and love.