^ To shroud ourselves in no false mist of holiness : to dare to show ourselves as we are, making no solemn affectation of reserve or difference from others ; to be found at the marriage-feast ; to accept the invitation of the rich Pharisee Simon, and the scorned Publican Zaccheus; to mix with the crowd of men, using no affected singularity, content to be creatures "not too bright or good for human nature's daily food " ; and yet for a man amidst it all to remain a consecrated spirit, his trials and his solitariness known only to his Father — a being set apart, not of this world, alone in the heart's deeps with God ; to put the cup of this world's gladness to his lips, and yet be unintoxicated ; to gaze steadily on all its grandeur, and yet be undazzled, plain and simple in personal desires ; to feel its brightness, and yet defy its thrall — this is the difficult, and rare, and glorious life of God in the soul of man. This was the peculiar glory of the life of Christ which was manifested in that first miracle which Jesus wrought at the marriage-feast in Cana of Galilee.^
4. It was the glory of condescending love. — The graciousness which Christ showed at that marriage-feast is neither more nor less than the boundless love of God, who could not live alone in the abyss, but must needs, out of His own Divine Charity, create the universe, that He might have somewhat besides Himself whereon to pour out the ocean of His love, which finds its own happiness in giving happiness to all created things, from the loftiest of rational beings down to the gnat which dances in the
^ F. W. Robertson.
I40 THE FIRST SIGN
sun, and, for aught we know, to the very lichen which nestles in the Alpine rock.
(1) We may see in Christ's condescending love at Cana a ray of that love which redeemed the world. He was present, in all senses, as one of the guests; and His conduct at the feast was marked by the tenderest consideration for the feelings of the poor family, who were making the best of their brief day of festive joy. He saved them from the disappointment of being unable to entertain their friends ; He added somewhat, we may well believe, to their household store besides; but He did this in such a manner as to hide His hand, and to lay them at the moment and before the guests under no embarrassing sense of obligation towards Himself. What is this but the glory of God's own bountiful Providence ? Man, when he would assist his brother man, too often parades his benevolence ; God gives us all that we have so unobtrusively that most of us altogether forget the Giver. We are the spoiled children of His love; we credit chance, or good fortune, or our own ienergy or far-sightedness, with the blessings which come only from Him. Yet He does not on that account inflict upon us the perpetual sense of our indebtedness.
(2) We have a token of His love in that He supplies the deficiencies of earthly sources. " The mother of Jesus saith unto him. They have no wine." The world's banquet runs out, Christ supplies an infinite gift. These great waterpots that stood there, if the whole contents of them were changed, as is possible, con- tained far more than sufficient for the modest wants of the little company. The water that flowed from each of them in obedience to the touch of the servant's hand, if the change were effected then, as is possible, would flow on so long as any thirsted or any asked. And Christ gives to each of us, if we choose, a fountain that will spring up unto life eternal. And when the world's platters are empty, and the world's cups are all drained dry. He will feed and satisfy the immortal hunger and the blessed thirst of every spirit that longs for Him.
(3) The revelation of the glory of the Son is not limited to the knowledge of the fact of His being, and of His presence in the midst ; it is a knowledge of the way in which He works, and an imitation of the same. At Cana of Galilee He was pleased to add to the world's joy ; He took compassion upon people whose
ST. JOHN II. II 141
cups were empty or half empty, and the more compassion, perhaps, because they were acting as if the cups were not empty. He made up that which lacked, and looked into the faces of the guests and said, "Lacked ye anything?" and every one could have answered, " Nothing, Lord, nothing ! " Hard by, on a neighbouring hillside, is a second town, little known but for His presence, where He occupied Himself in subtracting from the world's pain; from ISTain to Cana is a very short journey geographically : how far is it in everyday life ? When there is a wedding in one street, there is always a funeral in the next. Christ attends both, because to add to the world's joy and to subtract from its pain are the alternating currents of the Eternal Love; and it is in these ministries, which belong to one sacred Person, who is equally at home in either, because eternally occupied in both, that we see the glory of the Son, who would not tell us by precept to rejoice with them that do rejoice and to weep with them that weep, unless He had furnished the perfect example that corresponds to the perfect precept. Nevertheless, we do not chiefly, and certainly not only, call Him the Man of Sorrows, for His highest title is the Master of the Feast, the Bridegroom.