Page images
PDF
EPUB

by the Spirit of God, and yet can give no account of the manner how it is done! Even in natural things, we see it to be thus: the wind bloweth, at uncertainties, from all coasts; thou hearest the sound, &c. How much more is it so in the supernatural works of God! his Spirit moves, where and how it pleaseth; and no man can understand the secret operation thereof,

III. 11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. Both myself, and the prophets that have been before me, speak that, which we know to be the truth of God; and testify that, which both he hath revealed to us, and which we have experimentally felt in ourselves: but ye, that are carnally minded and worldly wise, find no savour in our words, and believe not our witness.

III. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

And if, while I have only discoursed to thee of these principles of Christianity, which both our enlightened reason and experience can easily make good, thou believest not; but findest such difficulties, both in apprehension and assent; what likelihood, yea possibility, is there, that thou shouldst believe me, when I shall tell thee of the greatest mysteries of salvation, and of those high and incomprehensible matters of another world?

III. 13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven. These are things, whereof no man can tell thee, but He, that hath been in heaven; and no man hath been there to see them, but He, that is now come down from heaven, even that Son of Man, that talketh with thee, who, in respect of his Deity, is still in heaven.

III. 14, 15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

And, as the brazen serpent was erected by Moses in the wilderness, for the cure of those Israelites, that were stung with the fiery serpents, there; so must the Son of Man be lifted up, on the Cross, that all they, who are envenomed by that old serpent the Devil, and stung with the conscience of their sins, looking up unto him, by a true faith, may be healed and live for ever.

III. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

It was not the end and intention, that God had in sending his Son into the world, that the world should be condemned for not believing in him; but his holy and gracious drift and purpose therein was, that the world of mankind should by him be saved, in that, by a lively faith,they apprehend that Allsufficient Redeemer. III. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already.

Whosoever believeth in him, how great soever his unworthiness and iniquity be, yet shall not come into condemnation; but he,

that believeth not, is in a certain way of inevitable condemnation, and is left, without all remedy, in a state of eternal death.

III. 19, 20 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light. And this is that, which brings just condemnation upon the world of unbelievers; that, whereas the Son of God is come into the world, and hath sent his Gospel, the means of man's salvation, abroad into the world; yet, that men are so wedded to their own corruptions, that they would rather to continue in their ignorance and their known sins, than embrace the truth of God, and suffer the word of God to have his full effect in them: in which condition, while they do still persist, it cannot be otherwise, but they must needs hate that good word of God, whereby their wickedness is controuled; for every one, that doth evil, hateth the light. III. 22 And there he tarried with them, and baptized. And there he tarried with them, and, by the hands of his disciples, baptized many.

III. 27, 28 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. It is strange, that ye should still move these questions, after ye have had so full information from me; but I well see, it is not in the means: except God teach the heart from heaven, by his Spirit, all our instruction prevails not: ye yourselves can bear me witness, that I did always disclaim this honour, and said still, I am not the Christ, whom ye expect; I am only his servant and messenger, which am sent before to make way for him.

III. 29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

It is he, who is the true and only Bridegroom, and Husband of his spouse, the Church: this honour is proper to him therefore to enjoy her, whom he hath chosen and betrothed to himself in truth and righteousness: as for me, and all other his faithful servants, we are the friends and attendants of this Blessed Bridegroom; and therefore, as our duty is, we wait upon him, and hold it to be our greatest joy and glory, that we hear his voice, and that we see the happy success of this his Spiritual Marriage.

III. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

I came, but to notify him unto the world; which when I have done, I do most gladly give way and place to him, my God and Saviour. His glory shall increase every day, more and more; in that he shall be known for the Son of God, by his irrefragable miracles: my name and honour shall decrease every day, by the growth of his; in that the world shall find themselves mistaken in reputing me the Messiah, whom they shall now know to be only a servant to this Christ, whom I forerun and proclaim.

III. 31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the

earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

It is he, that cometh from above; and therefore justly hath this preeminence, that he is above all: as for me, and such as I am, we, howsoever our mission is from above, are but from the earth, weak, earthly creatures; and, being full of infirmities, speak as we are when we speak, as of ourselves, we speak nothing but earthly things; but He, being of the eternal substance of the Father, is far above all finite creatures, and therefore justly challengeth all answerable respects from us.

III. 33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

He, that hath believed and received this infallible testimony, which Christ giveth to himself from his Father, hath seconded the truth of God; and is so graciously accepted of him, that he is pleased to hold himself honoured by his subscription to and obsignation of his divine truth.

III. 34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

For this Son of God, whom the Father hath sent into the world, speaketh only the words of God; for God hath not, in any finite measure, communicated the graces of his Spirit unto Him, as he hath done to us, men; but hath endued him with an infinite proportion thereof, as in whom the Godhead dwelleth bodily.

IV. 4 And he must needs go through Samaria. Samaria lay right in his way from Judea to Galilee.

IV. 10 If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

If thou knewest what a gift it is, that God hath bestowed upon the world, in giving his Son to and for it; and, if thou couldest conceive that it is the same Son of God, that saith unto thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest rather have begged of me, and I would have given thee those spiritual waters of heavenly doctrine and divine grace, which arise from that Living Fountain, and spring forth to eternal life.

IV. 11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

The woman scoffingly replied unto him, Sir, you talk of living waters; where are they? These, that are here before you, for ought I see, are out of your reach: the well is deep, and you have nothing to take them up with; what do you therefore tell me of other living waters, better than these? whence should you have them?

IV. 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, &c?

Are you a greater and better man, than our father, the holy Patriarch Jacob, &c.

IV. 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give

him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. But, whosoever drinketh of this spiritual water, receiving into his soul my heavenly doctrine, and those holy graces of sanctification which I give to all mine, shall never have cause to complain of thirst any more; for that Spirit of mine, which I shall give him, shall not only refresh him for the present, but shall continue his unspeakable comforts, till he shall be possessed of eternal life.

IV. 15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

The woman, still scorning him, said, Sir, it were a good matter to light upon this sovereign water, that thou talkest of: where is it? or how should I come by it? I pray thee bestow some of it upon me, that I may save this labour of drawing, and trouble of thirsting any more.

IV. 18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

Thou hast had five husbands in succession, one after other; and now, thou livest in an adulterous manner, with one to whom thou wert never married; so as this man is but thy husband in pretence, not truly and lawfully.

IV. 19, 20 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Sir, I perceive, by this speech of thine, that thou art a Prophet; and canst tell strange, and absent, and future things: tell me then, what sayest thou to the main question, that is between us Samaritans and ye Jews, concerning the worship of God: we worship God in the temple built upon this mount Garizim, and we have by our fathers been taught so to do; ye contend, that Jerusalem is the place, where men ought to worship.

IV. 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, this circumstance of place shall not be long stood upon: believe me, ere long there shall be no strict limitations of place at all; so as, that God's worship should be confined to mount Garizim, or to Jerusalem.

IV. 22 Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

Ye, Samaritans, having mingled your religion with manifold superstitions and foul errors, have no true ground for the worship of God; neither indeed do ye know what ye worship: we, Jews, worship God according to the prescript of his own Law, in regard of the main substance of religion. Herein therefore we go beyond you Samaritans; that, with the Jews, as his peculiar people, hath God made that his covenant of grace and salvation; and that of their flesh and blood is that Messiah, which bringeth salvation to the world.

[blocks in formation]

IV. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

But the time is now at hand, when men shall not be so straitly confined to places, and to outward rites and ceremonies; but the true worshippers of God shall lift up pure hands every where, and, without regard of these legal observations, shall worship God the Father, in spirit and truth inwardly and sincerely for God takes pleasure in such suppliants; not regarding those that are altogether for outward formalities.

IV. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must wor ship him in spirit and in truth.

We, men, that are but flesh, it is no marvel if we be pleased with outward and carnal rites; but as for God, he is a Spirit, and therefore must needs like that service, which is most agreeable to his nature, spiritual: those then, that would worship him to purpose, must worship him, not formally but in truth, not outwardly but in spirit.

IV. 25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. I, that am a woman and a Samaritan, yet have been so far instructed in that part of religion, which is common to us with the Jews, as that I know the Messias is now upon coming, even he that is called the Christ; and that he, when he comes, will tell us all things.

IV. 35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for &c.

It is meet and requisite, that I should take all opportunities of doing my Father's will; even as when the corn is ripe, and the ears are white to the harvest, men neglect no time to reap it and gather it in.

IV. 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

Wherein also, ye, my Disciples, ought to imitate my seasonable care and diligence, for your own comfort and happiness: for, as in the harvest, he, that reapeth and gathereth in the corn, receiveth wages accordingly; so ye, that labour in this spiritual arvest, shall be sure of the reward of eternal life: that so, both those that have begun this good work, and ye that finish it, may rejoice together in your happy success.

IV. 37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

Many hands are employed in this great service, according to that usual saying, One soweth, and another reapeth.

IV. 38 I sent you to reap that whereon je bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

I sent others before you, both the ancient Prophets, and John Baptist, and my Seventy Disciples, to sow the seeds of Evange

« PreviousContinue »