the good Wine until now. This Commenda- SER M tion of the Wine laft drawn, was intended

by the Governor of the Feast for the Bridegroom of Cana, to whom he spoke : But if we read it with a spiritual Eye, we shall eafily understand it as truer of Chrift, the heavenly Bridegroom of his Spouse the Church, who in every Oeconomy fo directs and governs his Affairs, that the better always fucceeds the worse. The Bondage of the Law fhall preçede and make Way for the Freedom of the Gospel; the Church Militant for the Church Triumphant, and even the Kingdom of Christ for that still more glorious State of Things which we know is to follow, when the Son fhall furrender up all to the Father; 1 Cor. xv. 28.

This Procedure of Chrift, with relation to his tempering his worfe Things with the Hopes and Expectation of better to come, may also be observed in his Dealings with Men in their several private and fingle Capacities His chofen Servants he tries with Afflictions and Temptations here, in order to reward their Perfeverance and Faith with endlefs Glory and Happiness hereafter: Whereas the Devil, on the contrary, deludes his Servants with every thing that is smooth and profperous

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XIII.

SER M. profperous in this World, in order to retain them secure to himself for the Extremity of Mifery and Wo in the next. The Rich-man, in the Parable, we are told, in his Life Time received his good Things, and Lazarus bis evil Things: But what was the Confequence, the following Words immediately declareBut now, he is comforted, and thou art tormented, Luke xvi. 25.

And thus we have feen from the Scripture we have been confidering the exceeding Tenderness and conjugal Affection of Christ to his Church. He faw her oppreffed by the Weight and Burden of a ceremonial Law, not able to bear up any longer, under it, but just upon finking, helplefs and weak. He refolved therefore in his Compaffion to pity her Eftate, to change her numerous and tiresome Rites for a more internal and fpiritual Law; and to enable her to keep it, determining to impart to her of his own Power and Strength, and in order to this, leaves his Father, comes down from Heaven, and efpoufes her to himself. And to this Affection and entire Devotion of himself to his Church it might poffibly be owing, that in the Paffage before us he shews fo cold a Regard to his Mother. For when, out of a charitable and friendly Defire to main

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tain the Decency of an hofpitable Entertain- SER M. ment, she sues to our Lord for a fupply of Wine, when what was provided in the Houfe was failed; Jefus faith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine Hour is not yet come. This being an Answer that feems to incline towards Harfhnefs and Severity; it has pretty much perplexed our Commentators, how to account for it: But if we bear in Mind this nearer Relation of Jefus to his Church, and read it, with one of the ancient Fathers *, with a Point of Interrogation; we may conjecture a little at our Lord's Intention. Woman, what have I to do with thee? Is not mine Hour yet come? For fo the Greek will bear to be rendered, and when fo rendered may be paraphrased thus. Woman, for now I must call thee by that Name, fince thy Relation to me, as Mother, continues no more: Thou haft born me, it is true, and nourished me up, with all imaginable Tenderness and Care: But thou knoweft there is a nearer Relation of Wife, a dearer Friend, for whom, by the exprefs Decree of God, both Father and Mother and all muft be left. The Wife I have chofen is infinitely nearer and dearer to me, than any Relation, meerly huGreg. Nyff

man,

SERM.

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man, can be conceived. I came down from Heaven to espouse her to myself, and left my Father's Bofom and Throne purely for her fake. For her fake thou knowest I have already taken on me my Office and Ministry, and therefore doft thou not think, that mine Hour is now come, to cleave unto her, and confequently to bid adieu to thee? Thou thinkeft I am here at a Wedding Feast only with a View to pay a Compliment to the Bridegroom and Bride: And therefore as thou art fenfible of the Power that is in me, thou wouldst have me exert it for the fake of fupplying them with a little Wine: But know that I came here with a deeper Design than is apprehended by either yourself or your Friends. It is my own Nuptials I defign to honour, and therefore if you defire or expect me to do any Miracle here, leave me to act in my own Method and Way; and take Notice, that whatever I think fit to do, I fhall do not fo much to celebrate their Marriage as to folemnize my own.

This may poffibly be our Saviour's Meaning in the short Answer he returned to Mary: And this being understood, every thing relating to the Mystery of the Miracle seems fufficiently explained. What then remains,

but,

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but by way of a practical Application at laft, SER M. to infer the Obligations that lye upon Chriftians (who are Members of this Spouse, whom Jefus has thus united to himself) to blefs his Name for the Mercy he has vouchfafed us, in appointing our Lot in thefe Times of Grace, and caufing us to be born in the Days of Light? Let me remind you then, that you have the Happiness to live, not under a Law that requires of you Duties you are not able to perform; but under a mild and gracious Difpenfation, which prescribes to you nothing, but what it affords you fufficient Grace and Strength to go through. See then that you make use of the Abilities that are indulged you; fince if Grace be offered, and you accept it not; you are in a worse Condition than those, who had not those Means allowed them. They that failed of performing the rigorous Judgments of the Law, can plead in their Excufe, that the Commands were burthenfome, and their Abilities weak: But negligent Chriftians have no fuch Plea, because their Duty is easy, and their Affistance great. The Law burthened Men with carnal Ordinances, and Ceremonies in themselves unprofitable: Ordinances which had indeed a Spiritual Meaning, but fuch as but few that were concerned in them ever understood.