There is a marriage whereto we are invited, yea, wherein we are already interested, not as the guests only, but as the bride, in which there shall be no want of the wine of gladness. In Thy Presence, O Saviour, there is fulness of joy, and at Thy right hand pleasures for evermore. Blessed are they that are called to the Marriage Supper of the LAMB. How liberal are the provisions of CHRIST? If He had turned but one of these vessels, it had been a just proof of His power: now He furnisheth them with as much wine as would serve a hundred and fifty guests for an entire feast. Even the measure magnifies at once both His power and mercy. The munificent hand of GOD regards not our need only, but our honest affluence. The same bounty which expressed itself in the quantity of the wine, shows itself no less in the excellence. Nothing can fall from that Divine Hand, which is not excellent. O Blessed Saviour, how delicate is that new wine which we shall one day drink with Thee in Thy FATHER'S Kingdom! Thou shalt turn this water of our earthly affliction into that wine of gladness, wherewith our souls shall be satiate for ever. Prayer. O LORD JESUS CHRIST, the Bridegroom of the Church, and the Lover of all faithful souls, look down in mercy upon me, and supply all my defects. Enter Thou into my inmost heart, and cleanse it from every spot of sin, that it may become a fit habitation for Thee. Let Thy love so possess my soul, that it may be filled with all holy affections, and the water of earthly joy be changed into the wine of eternal gladness, by Thy indwelling Presence. And grant that when I shall put off this mortal body, I may for ever sit down at the marriage supper of the LAMB. Grant this, LORD, for Thy mercies' sake. Amen. O Holy JESUS, grant that I may one day behold Thy unveiled Face in celestial glory; and sit down with saints and angels at the Marriage Supper of Thee, the LAMB of GOD, and drink new wine in Thy Kingdom. Amen. CHAPTER XV. THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY.—PART I. THE LORD MANIFESTS HIS DIVINITY IN THE CLEANSING OF THE LEPER. Prophecy. THE SPIRIT of the LORD GOD is upon Me; because the LORD hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to comfort all that mourn-to give unto them the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Isa. lxi. 1—3. Gospel Narrative. (See also S. Mark i. 40-44; S. Luke v. 12-16.) When He was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, there came a leper and worshipped Him, saying, LORD, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean. And JESUS put forth His hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And JESUS saith unto him, See thou tell no man, but go thy way, show thyself to the Priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. And when JESUS was entered into Capernaum, there came unto Him a centurion beseeching Him, and saying, LORD, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And JESUS saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, LORD, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst come under my roof; but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me and I say unto this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When JESUS heard it, He marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily, say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And JESUS said unto the centurion, Go thy way, and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. Reflections. When the Evangelical Law had been given in the Mount, its confirmation by miracles ensued; for it is the office of a good teacher to commend his doctrine by facts. The LORD came down from the mountain, and the people followed Him; and for their edification He was moved to work a miracle. He gives authority to His words; for He is wonderful in His words, and also in His works. Without miracles His word would not be believed. He came down from the mountain of Divine excellence into the valley of humiliation; He emptied Himself, and took on Him the form of a slave. It was after His descent that the multitudes followed Him; and had He not come down, man would not have gone up to follow Him. He cleansed the leper, to show that the New Testament, and the grace of the Gospel, was above the Law; for the Law shut out the leper, but did not cure him. And behold there came a leper, and worshipped Him, saying, "LORD, if Thou wilt Thou canst make me clean." Here we have faith, humility, and prayer; and where these three meet, GOD will deny nothing. He fell on his face and worshipped in great humility, not hiding his spots, but humbly confessing and declaring them. Humble thyself in like manner, and thou shalt be heard. His shame for his spots did not stop his confession; but he showed his wounds and asked for a remedy. He did not say, "Heal me," but he left all to the will and power of GOD. Thou canst do all things; if Thou wilt, Thou canst. Let us learn from his words, not to ask the cure of our bodily infirmities, but leave all to God's good pleasure, Who knoweth seasons, and disposeth all in wisdom. JESUS had compassion on him, and put forth His hand and touched him, saying, I will, be thou clean. The hand of CHRIST touched the leper's flesh, and cleansed him forthwith. The touch of GOD is threefold, and very powerful. The first is that touch of the body whereby CHRIST healed all infirmities. The second is spiritual, such |