for he was pure, innocent, without the slightest blemish. He came to bear the sins of the people; to tear down the partition which guilty man had made between himself and God, to reconcile the justly offended Father to the rebellious son, to restore peace, order, and uniformity to the inhabitants of an earth, which had been desecrated by sin and guilt in their most hideous form. But the men in those days, although they saw signs and wonders, would not believe. Although the prophecies foretold, that the Saviour of the world would come in a meek and lowly manner, they refused to believe, that he was the Christ. It was prophesied, that the birth of our Saviour was to be miraculous, and "he was born of a virgin." It was predicted, that he was to be born in Bethlehem, and this prediction was fulfilled; it was predicted, that when a child, his life should be in danger; and Herod sought the life of the young child. It was prophesied, that distinguished persons should come from the East to worship the Messiah ; Behold there came wise men from the East to

Jerusalem, and after they found the child, "they fell down and worshipped him." The various offices, which the Messiah should fulfil, were also foretold by Isaiah, and in all the Gospels we find that he fulfilled them to the very letter.-Isaiah also prophesied, that he should be a Saviour; and St. Luke writes, "unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." He also prophesied, that he should work miracles. The miracle under our consideration is a sufficient fulfilment. He also said, that he should "be despised and rejected of men; the Son of man was rejected by the Jews. David prophesied, that he should be betrayed, and he was betrayed by one of his own friends. It was prophesied, that in the hour of danger, his disciples would forsake him; we read, that the disciples all forsook him and fled. The death and torments which he was to undergo, were all prophesied, and actually fulfilled upon the person of our Saviour. It was prophesied by David, that he should not see corruption; on the third day our Saviour rose

from the dead; and his very ascension was foretold by the same prophet. It was also prophesied, that he should come to judge the world; and we are told in the New Testament, that our Saviour shall judge the quick and the dead. Indeed, every event was foretold; every event was literally fulfilled. These were sufficient "signs" for the multitude to believe; and as for the "wonders," his whole life was made up of them. A day never passed, in which some miracle was not performed in the face of the whole world; indeed St. John tells us, that if all the works of our Saviour were to be recorded, the world itself could not contain the books, that would be written.

But can the words of our text apply to the present generation? It is a curious fact, that the Bible applies to every race of men; and should the world continue for years, scarcely to be numbered, that sacred book will be as applicable to each, as it has hitherto been. When our Saviour pronounced the words of our text, he might have meant them as a prophecy to future

generations; and judging from the conduct of men, we are almost inclined to think that he did. But what signs and wonders can we require? our Lord says, "unless ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." Have we not every and all evidence to prove to us, that Jesus was verily the Son of God? and are not the miracles or wonders which he performed, a sufficient proof that no other power, except that of Divinity, could bring them to pass? But he says, 66 except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." Would you see the signs, which proved Jesus God, when he was born in Bethlehem? would you see the light of that star, which directed the wise men from the East, to the manger where the babe was laid? Would you hear him at twelve years of age conversing with the learned doctors in the temple. Would you hear him, when he first entered upon his public ministry, declaring himself by the doctrines, which he taught, no less than a divine personage? Would you see these signs or would you see the wonders, which he wrought? How he turned the

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water into wine, or the second miracle which he did in Cana of Galilee, which is this night's subject of discourse? or would you see the maimed limb restored, the blind eye opened, the deaf ear invested with its original faculty, or the dumb suddenly speaking at his command, or the graves restoring the dead contained in them, or the unlooked-for joy infused into the soul of the widowed mother, or the disconsolate sisters receiving from the tomb their lost Lazarus? Would you see all these things? or is it “ except ye see signs and wonders, that ye will not believe?" But were it possible that you should see them, could we conclude that you would verily believe? But our Saviour says, "If ye believe not the prophets, ye would not believe, even though one should arise from the dead." But you are anxious to see these signs and wonders, for " except ye see these things, ye will not believe;" we will lead you then where you can gaze, and where your fathers before have gazed upon them; yes, we will lead you to your BIbles. There will see

you