38 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE of our BLESSED from the quantity ofwine which our Lord thus miraculoufly produced, that he would connive at intemperance, and furnilh the means of excefs: it rather ought to be con- cluded, that, by this miracle, he intended to make a feafonable and valuable prefent to his friends, which might ferve for their ufe when the folemnity of the featt was over. And, it may further be obferved, that by converting fo large a quantity of water into wine, our Lord prevented all objec- tions that might have been raifed againfl the miracle being true ; for a fmall quan- tity of wine might have been eafily pro- cured to carry on the deception, when fo large a quantity could not: fo that, if it be admitted that thefe water-pots were ever fo large, there can be no obje&ion raifed againft the defign of the miracle ; nor can it be charged with giving indul- gence to intemperance, any more than the plenty which the all-bountiful Creator fhowers upon the vineyard and the field : fo that, notwithflanding the obje&ions and cavils which may arife from falfe wif- dom, this firft miracle of our Lord appears to be, in every refpe&, worthy of God, and beneficial to man. The paffover, an annual feaft of the Jews, kept in commemoration of their prefervation, when the Egyptian firft-born were £lain by a ftroke from heaven, be- ing at hand, and our Lord defigning to be prefent at the feaft, he departed from Cana, and taking Capernaum in his way, he went to Jerufalem. He no fooner arrived at the chief city of the Jews, but he went to the temple, and, probably, it being the eve of the feaft, he found the facred apartments full of traders, money- changers, and merchants, who fold fuch things as would be wanted at the enfuing feftival. The holy JEsus was filled with indignation, to fee the facred place thus prophaned ; and immediately applied him- felf to cone& the abufe accordingly, he made a fmall whip, or fcourge, and affirm- ing the air and fervency of the ancient prophets, he drove this mercenary train out of the temple ; awed by his majeftic all-commanding appearance, they ran be fore him in a tumult ; the oxenand fheep affrighted, fled, and the owners after them ; overthrowing the tables of the money- changers, and pouring out their money upon the ground, npne daring to make refiflance ; the fellers of doves he allo urged to depart, commanding them all for the future, to take care how they made the temple of God an houfe of merchandife. The Jews perceiving a pro- mifcuous throng of people and cattle driving out of the temple in the utmoft áflonifhment and terror, and afterwards find- ing that Jesus had put them all into this hurry and confufion, by commanding them to depart from the temple, and had drove them before him ; they probably fum- moned a council, and demanded of him in form, by what authority he did this ; at the fame time requiring him to give them a fign, which fhould prove that he did it by a divine commiffion. Our Lord, on this occafion, only referred them to the miracle of his own refurreélion: Deflroy, faid he, this body, and I will raife it up in three days. The rulers of the Jews, miflakinghis meaning, concludedhis words had reference to the noble and magni- ficent temple built by Herod, and were very much furprifed at the affertion: Forty and fax years, Paid they, was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But though this anfwer of our Lord confounded the great men amongft the Jews ; the difciples of Jesus remem- bered a pillage in the Pfalms, which was clearly applicable to this part of our Redeemer's conduit, Thezeal of thine houfe has eaten me up. And, as this predi &ion ofour Lord was delivered in the flyle of the ancient prophets, whole prophecies were fometimes not underflood till they were fulfilled, this Paying of their Matter came frefh into their minds after his re- furre&ion, and confirmed them in their belief of the truth. - Though
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