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A WEAK STRIPLING IN GRACE THROUGH CHRIST CAN DEFEAT THE DEVIL.

JOHN iii. 34-iv. 3.

34 true. For he-whom God hath-sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the 35 Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath-given all-things 36 into his hand. He that-believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he thatbelieveth-not the Son shall-not-see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

(G. 15.) Jesus departs into Galilee; and, on his way, abides two days at Sychar in
Samaria-John not being yet cast into prison. John iv. 1--42.

1 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had-heard that Jesus made and 2 baptized more disciples than John, (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his dis3 ciples,) he-left Judæa, and departed again into Galilee.

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

God is true-so 2 Co. i. 18, .9-Christ is the truth," Jno. xiv. 6, § 87-was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers,' Rom. xv. 8-all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen,' 2 Co. i. 20the faithful and true witness,' Rev. iii. 14.

34. speaketh the words of God I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him,' De. xviii. 18 he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.' Jno. viii. 26, 40, § 55--so again Jesus testified that he was that Prophet, who spake that which the Father had commanded him to speak, xii. 49, § 85; and again xiv. 10, 24, § 87.

giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him-the Spirit was seen descending upon him bodily, Lu. iii. 22, § 8, p. 59, and not like tongues of fire, representing individual members. as on the disciples, Ac. ii. 3, comp. 1 Co. xii. of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace,' Jno. i. 16, § 7, p. 48-hath life in himself,' v. 26, § 23 all fulness, Col. i. 19 all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,' ii. 9-hath the seven spirits of God,' Rev. iii. 1, 5, 6.

'my beloved Son,' Mt. iii. 17, § 8, p. 60-my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him,' xii. 18, § 26-comp. Is. xlii. 1therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again,' Jno. x. 17, § 56 as the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you,' xv. 9, § 87-the full enjoyment of the love, in the perfected unity, xvii. 23, 4, § 87.

all things-so Mt. xi. 27, § 29; Jno. xiii. 3, § 87; xvii. 2, § ib. Heir of all things,' He. i. 2-for whom are all things,' ii. 10-as was predicted, Ps. ii. 8; viii. 5, 6; Da. vii. 14.

36. he that believeth on the Son, &c.-Ga. ii. 20, 'I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.'-See the contrast of the case of the believer as viewed in the Son of God, to that of man as inheriting curse from the first Adam,

Rom. v.

wrath-danger of incurring wrath for neglecting to embrace the Son, Ps. ii. 12-for holding the truth in unrighteousness, Rom. i. 18 for obeying not the truth, ii. 8, 9-coming wrath, 2 Th. i. 8, 9; Jude 15; Rev. vi. 15, .6; xiv. 9-11, .9, 20; xix. 15; xxi. 8. iv. 2. Jesus himself baptized not-see also as to

35. the Father loveth the Son-so ch. v. 20, § 23 Paul, 1 Co. i. 10-7. NOTES.

33. Hath set to his seal. To seal an instrument is to make it sure, to acknowledge it as ours, to take it as ours, and to pledge our veracity that it is true and binding as when a man seals a bond, a deed, or a will. Thus the meaning is: He who admits this doctrine doth thereby attest the truth of God in the fulfilment of his promises. The sealing is by the Spirit through faith.

34. Speaketh the words of God. The truth, or

substance of the law.

The Spirit. The Spirit of God. Though Jesus was God as well as man, yet as Mediator God anointed him, or endowed him with his Spirit, so as to be completely qualified for his great work.

[By measure. Not in a small degree. This is said with allusion to the prophets, the very greatest of whom were allowed by the Jewish rabbis to have only had the gifts of the Holy Spirit μrpov. Nay, the law itself they considered as only given ad mensuram.] 35. All things into his hand. As king and judge universal.

36. That believeth not. & areOwv. The word includes both incredulity and disobedience. The full sense of the passage is well expressed by Bp. Jebb as follows: He who with his heart believeth in the Son is already in possession of eternal life; he, whatever may be his outward profession, whatever his theoretic or historical belief, who obeyeth not the Son, not only does not possess eternal life, he does not possess anything worthy to be called life at all. But this is not the whole; for as eternal life is the present possession of the faithful, so the wrath of God is the present and permanent lot of the disobedient; it abideth on him, not being removed by the atoning merits of the Redeemer.'

[iv. 2. Though Jesus himself baptized not. Had Jesus himself baptized with water, men might have been still more in danger of confounding John's baptism with that which it was promised Jesus should administer, the baptism of the Spirit.' As it is, there is no necessity for confounding the sign with the thing signified-the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."

PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

[33 ver. He that has truly received the testimony of Jesus thereby signifies his belief that God will prove true to all the promises-that the prophetic word is a great reality, of the full accomplishment of which the fullest pledge is given in the first coming of Christ.]

[34 ver. Jesus, the Sent of God, the Messenger of the covenant, had not come to set aside the words of God spoken in covenant unto the fathers, but to declare them more plainly. They do greatly err, who suppose that the words of Jesus are not according to the words of God by his servants the prophets.]

Although the several members of Christ are given the Spirit only in measure, it was not so with Him in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; and from whom the body hath not yet received the fulness of the promised measure, which it is to receive when grown up unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

36 ver. How distinctive the state of him who believes on the Son. He hath everlasting life: and this must of course be manifested by his presenting a very different appearance from what he did when in spiritual death.

Let no man suppose that he can with impunity evade the great moral obligation of inquiring, with sincerity and earnestness, what is truth. Life can only come through the belief of the truth. Men need not wait to know whether they will be condemned or not: already the wrath of God abideth on man; and from this he can be set free only through Him who hath borne the curse of the law for us.

iv. 1-3 ver. Let us learn, from the example of Jesus, to avoid giving occasion to the enemy to sow dissension among the children of God.

If baptizing with water had been in truth an introduction into the kingdom of God, it is not likely that Jesus would so easily have been induced to cease the practice of the rite. And we are to observe, that he was not only careful to give no occaHEATHEN, HIS WONDERS, ETC.-Psa. xcvi. 3. [91

35 ver. Although we do not yet see all things put under Christ, yet assuredly they shall be.

DECLARE HIS GLORY AMONG THE

THE GRACELESS IS LIKE A GLASS HOUSE, THE FIRE IS NEVER OUT.

CHRIST IS NOT ONLY THE VESSEL WHICH CONTAINS THE WATER OF LIFE;

JOHN iv. 4-12.

4,5 And he must-needs ede go through Samaria. Then cometh-he to a-city of Samaria, which-is-called Sychar, near-to the parcel-of-ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being-wearied KEKOжLaкws with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it-was about the-sixth hour.

7 There-cometh a-woman of Samaria to-draw water: Jesus saith unto-her, Give me to8,9 drink. (For his disciples were-gone-away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto-him, How is it that thou, being a-Jew, askest drink of-me, which-am a-woman of-Samaria? for the-Jews have-no-dealings σvyxpwvra with-the10 Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto-her, 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 he11 would-have-given thee living water. The woman saith unto-him, Sir, thou-hast nothing to-draw-with, and the well is deep: from-whence then hast-thou that living 12 water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

5. Samaria-built by Omri, 1 Ki. xvi. 23, .4—taken 9. no dealings-trading dealings they had, but not by the king of Assyria, 2 Ki. xvii. 5, 6; xviii. 9-12-friendly intercourse; for the Samaritans were of given to be inhabited by the heathen, xvii. 24-.6-its foreign origin, superstitious, and idolatrous, 2 Ki. ruin had been predicted, Hos. viii. 5-7; Mic. i. 5-7 xvii. 24, 33-41; had ill-treated the Jews, Ezra iv. 1-6; -future restoration, Jer. xxxi. 4, 5-the gospel was to Neh. vi. 1-14. be preached in Samaria, Ac. i. 8; fulfilm. viii. 1, 4-25 -churches edified therein, ix. 31.

Sychar-called Shechem, Ge. xxxiii. 18, .9-Joseph

buried there, Jos. xxiv. 32.

that Jacob gave, &c.—this portion had been bought with money, Ge. xxxiii, 18-20; but had to be afterwards recovered with the sword-see Ge. xlviii. 22; also ch. xxxiv.

6. wearied-his becoming a wayfaring man predicted, Ps. ex. 7-touched with the feeling of our infirmities,' He. iv. 15-able to succour,' ii. 18.

7. draw water-see case of Abraham's servant, Ge. xxiv. 11-.3, 20, 43, .4; of Moses, Ex. ii. 15-.7-joy at the drawing of water out of the wells of salvation predicted, Is. xii. 3.

10. gift of God the Father gives the Holy Spirit to them that ask him, Lu. xi. 13, § 62-not to be purchased with money, Ac. viii. 20-is eternal life through Jesus Christ,' Rom. vi. 23. See Notes,

ver. 14.

wouldest have asked-invitation to ask, Is. lv. 1, &c.; Zech. x. 1- ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full,' Jno. xvi. 24, § 87.

living water-God the fountain of living waters,' Jer. ii. 13-fountain opened.... for sin and for uncleanness,' Zec. xiii. I-foreshadowed by the water from the rock that followed Israel in the wilderness, 1 Cor. x. 4-whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely,' Rev. xxii. 17.

NOTES.

5. Sychar. The place was originally called Exèu, Shechem,' or 'Sychar,' from the name of the person of whose family Jacob bought the land.-See Ge. xxxiii. 18. The name is supposed to have been altered by the Jews to Exap, to denote the drunkenness or the idolatry of the inhabitants.

Near to the parcel of ground. πλησίον του χωριού, 'near the heritage.' The word means, an estate in land,' and is properly denominated 'heritage,' agreeably to what we are told, Jos. xxiv. 32.

6. Jacob's well.-See GEOGRAPHICAL NOTICE, p. 98.

On the well. The Greek, exaestro, simply signifies he sat, not upon a stone, seat, or cushion, but as the circumstances of the case required, by the side of it, on the brink of it, upon the ground.

The sixth hour. According to St. John's computation of time, which is the modern, this would be at six o'clock in the evening; and this is the most usual time in the east for fetching water. After the autumnal equinox and near to midwinter, it would be necessarily dark; but after the vernal equinox and near to midsummer, it would still be open day.' -Greswell, Vol. II. p. 216. 7. Of Samaria. Not of the city of Samaria, but from the city of Sychar, in Samaria.

9. No dealings. The Jews say, 'It is an abomination to eat the bread or drink the wine of a Samaritan.'

Samaritans.-See ADDENDA, 'Samaritans,' p. 98. 10. Living water. i8wp lav, i.e., 'running water,' as that of fountains, and rivers, in opposition to dead, i.e., stagnant pools of water.-See Ge. xxvi. 19; Le. xiv. 5. The sanctifying and comforting influences

of the Holy Spirit, conferring, sustaining, and perfecting spiritual life.

[11. Hast nothing to draw with. The woman understood it in its natural sense, but our Lord employed it figuratively for twoTolour; it being his custom, from things corporeal, to stir up the minds of his hearers to the study and knowledge of things spiritual. It is, indeed, common in the Scriptures and the rabbinical writers to liken unto spring water that which refreshes and blesses the souls of men. -See Pr. x. 11, The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked; and especially Je. ii. 13, which seems the origin of the expression: an image most apt and expressive; since, in the hot countries of the east, pure water is reckoned among the blessings of life.] 12. Art thou greater? This has reference to what our Lord had just before said, 'If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee." The words following are as much as to say, 'It was good enough for our ancestor Jacob, who himself drank of it, &c.; which he would not have done, if he had known a better. If thou canst shew us a better, thou wilt, in that respect, be greater than Jacob.'

Our father Jacob. The Samaritans took it for granted that they were the children of Joseph; we have no evidence however that they were so: Ephraim had indeed been given this portion, but the whole seed of Ephraim had been cast among the Gentiles, Je. vii. 15; and these Samaritans who now dwelt in the portion of Ephraim appear to have been of Gentile origin.

Which gave us, &c.-See Ge. xlviii. 22.

PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

sion to its being said that he made disciples by that rite, but began very sedulously to explain that the water which was truly efficacious was the living water-that which springeth up unto everlasting life; not by the mere water wherewith he washed his disciples' feet, but by the word which he spake unto them. -Those who hate the gospel will always be exasperated at its success. And, if duty do not require us to stand, it is best to avoid their resentment by flight. 6-10 ver. Let us admire and imitate the diligence of the great Shepherd of the sheep in the ministry of the gospel: although weary and hungry and thirsty,

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he fully improves the opportunity given him of instructing a poor ignorant, superstitious, and sinful Samaritan woman.

Let us earnestly seek to know the gift of God, and Him through whom that gift is given, and we shall not fail to ask and obtain that rich consolation which can only come through the enjoyment of the Spirit of God in Christ Jesus.

11 ver. The woman of Samaria was a singular instance of mistaking the language of our blessed Lord when speaking of the living water-the Holy Spirit in his cleansing power and refreshing influence.

CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS MAKES US RIGHTEOUS.

HE IS ALSO THE MEDIUM THROUGH WHICH THE LIVING WATER IS CONVEYED.

5. SAMARIA.

built by Omri:-1 Ki. xvi. 23, .4, In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah. 24, And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.'

Ge. xlviii. 22, Moreover I have given to thee one portion Amorite with my sword and with my bow.'-See also above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the

ch. xxxiv.

6. WEARIED

his becoming a wayfaring man predicted :-Ps. cx. 7, He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head."

touched, &c. :-He. iv. 15, For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.'

able to succour :-He. ii. 18, For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.'

7. DRAW WATER.

taken by the king of Assyria:-2 Ki. xvii. 5, 6-see ch. xvii. p. (94). 5, Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. 6, In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.'-xviii. 9-12. 9, And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh see the case of Abraham's servant :-Ge. xxiv. 11-3, year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalma-20, 43, 4. 11, And he made his camels to kneel down neser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and without the city by a well of water at the time of the besieged it. 10, And at the end of three years they took evening, even the time that women go out to draw water. it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth 12, And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. 11, pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindAnd the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Asness unto my master Abraham. 13, Behold, I stand here syria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes: 12, because the city come out to draw water.' 20, And she hasted, they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.' of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor 43, Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall do them.' -see p. (95). come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink; 41, and she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master's son.'

given to be inhabited by the heathen:-2 Ki. xvii. 24-.6 its ruin had been predicted:-Ho. viii. 5-7. 5, Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency? 6, For from Israel was it also: the work man made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces. 7, For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it. yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.'-Mi. i. 5-7. 5, For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem? 6, Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof. 7, And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.'

future restoration:-Je. xxxi. 4, 5. 4, Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. 5, Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.'

the gospel was to be preached in:-Ac. i. 8, But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.'

fulfilment :-Ac. viii. 1, 4-25.

churches edified therein:-Ac. ix. 31, Then had the churches rest throughout all Judæa and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.'

SYCHAR.

called Shechem:-Ge. xxxiii. 18, .9. 18, And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan-aram; and pitched his tent before the city. 19, And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money.'

Joseph buried there :-Jos. xxiv. 32, And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.'

THAT JACOB GAVE, &c.

this portion had been bought with money:-Ge. xxxiii. 18-20, And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan-aram; and pitched his tent before the city. 19, And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money. 20, And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel.'

of Moses:-Ex. ii. 15-7. 15. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. 16, Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. 17, And the shepherds came and drove them. away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered

their flock.'

joy at the drawing of water, &c.:-Is. xii. 3, Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of

salvation.'

9. No DEALINGS.

trading dealings they had, but, &c.:-2 Ki. xvii. 24, 33-41-see p. (95).

had ill treated the Jews; they being not accepted by the Jews in the building of the temple, endeavoured to hinder it:-Ezr. iv. 1-6-see ADDENDA, p. 99, line 16.Ne. vi. 1-14-see ch. vi. p. (90).

10. GIFT OF GOD.-See Lu. xi. 13, § 62.

Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, benot to be purchased with money:-Ac. viii. 20, But cause thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.'

is eternal life, &c.:-Rom. vi. 23, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

WOULDEST HAVE ASKED.

invitation to ask:-Is. lv. 1, Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.'-Zec. x. 1, 'Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.'-See Scripture Illustrations.'

LIVING WATER.

God, the fountain of living waters :'-Je. ii. 13, For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.'

fountain opened:-Zec. xiii. 1, In that day there shall inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.' be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the

foreshadowed by the water from the rock:-1 Co. x. 4, And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.'

whosoever will:-Rev. xxii. 17, And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.'

NOTES.

10. LIVING WATER-Ge. xxvi. 19, And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing [or, living] water.'-Le. xiv. 5, And the priest [Continued-see next page.]

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[Continued from page 92.] shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water.'

12. our father Jacob:-Je. vii. 15, And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim.'

14. NEVER THIRST.

prediction as to deliverance from thirst:-Is. xlix. 10, "They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.'

confirmation:-Jno. vi. 35, § 43, And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.'-Rev. vii. 16, They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.'

SPRINGING UP.-See Scripture Illustrations.

waters issued out, &c. :-Eze. xlvii. 1, 'Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood to

ward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the

altar.'

a pure river, &c. :-Rev. xxii. 1, And he shewed me a

pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding

out of the throne of God and of the Lamb."

20. THIS MOUNTAIN.

appointed:-De. xxvii. 12, .3-see Note." -Jos. viii. 32-5. 32, And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel. 33, And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. 34, And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. 35, There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant [Heb. walked] among them.'

IN JERUSALEM.

appointed for united worship:-De. xii. 1-11. 1, 'These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth. 2, Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess [or, inherit] served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every_green tree : 3, and ye shall overthrow [Heb. break down] their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. 4, Ye shall not do so unto the LoRD your God. 5, But unto the place which the LoRD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: 6, and thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks: 7, and there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee. 8, Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes. 9, For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you. 10, But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; 11, then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD.' [12-22. the Lord chose Jerusalem:- Conditionally, 2 Chr. vii.

PSALM CXXXII. LORD, remember David, and all 2 his afflictions: how he sware unto the LORD, and 3 vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob; Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up 4 into my bed; I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or 5 slumber to mine eyelids, until I find out a place for

the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. 6 Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the 7 fields of the wood. We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool. Arise, O LORD, into 9 thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy 10 saints shout for joy. For thy servant David's sake Il turn not away the face of thine anointed. The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy 12 throne. If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children 13 shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore. For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his ha14 bitation. This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; 15 for I have desired it. I will abundantly [or, surely] bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. 16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her 17 saints shall shout aloud for joy. There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp (or, 18 candle] for mine anointed. His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish. shall choose Jerusalem again:-Zec. ii. 12, And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.'

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backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married under the new covenant:-Jer iii. 14-7. 14, Turn, O

unto you and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: 15, and I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. 16, And it shall land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind [Heb. come upon the heart: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; 17, At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of neither shall that be done [or, it be magnified] any more. the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart."

1

HOSEA VII.

1 A reproof of manifold sins. 11 God's wrath against them for their hypocrisy.

When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth 2without. And they consider not in their hearts that

I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my 3 face. They make the king glad with their wicked4 ness, and the princes with their lies. They are all

adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, 5 until it be leavened. In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he 6 stretched out his hand with scorners. For they have

made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait : their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morn 7 ing it burneth as a flaming fire. They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that call8 eth unto me. Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned. 9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth yet he knoweth not. it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.

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Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they 12 call to Egypt, they go to Assyria. When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise 13 them, as their congregation hath heard. Woe unto them for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken 14 lies against me. And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they 15 rebel against me. Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against 16 me. They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

WITH THEE IS THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE: IN THY LIGHT SHALL WE SEE LIGHT.-Psalm xxxvi. 9.

JOHN iv. 13-21.

13 thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto-her, 14 Whosoever drinketh of this water shall-thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall-give him shall-never eas Toy a@va-thirst; but the water that I-shallgive him shall-be in him a-well of-water springing-up aλouevov into everlasting life. 15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I-thirst not, neither come 16 hither to-draw. Jesus saith unto-her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. 17 The woman answered and said, I-have no husband. Jesus said unto-her, Thou-hast18 well-said, I-have no husband: for thou-hast-had five husbands; and he-whom thou19 now-hast is not thy husband: in that saidst-thou truly. The woman saith unto-him, 20 Sir, I-perceive Bewpw that thou art a-prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this moun21 tain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to-worship.

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

14. never thirst-prediction as to deliverance from thirst, Is. xlix. 10-confirm., Jno. vi. 35, § 43; Rev. vii. 16.

springing up 'rivers of living water,' Jno. vii. 38, .9, § 55-the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, xiv. 16, .7, § 87-waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward,' &c., Eze. xlvii. I-a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,' Rev. xxii. 1.

Jesus

ceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned,' 1 Co. ii. 14. 20. this mountain-Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal were the places where the tribes made a public recognition of the blessing and the curse-(appointed, De. xxvii. 12, .3); Jos. viii. 32—.5. in Jerusalem-a place west of Jordan, had been spoken of by Moses, as to be appointed for united worship, De. xii. 1-11-the Lord chose Jerusalem conditionally, 2 Ch. vii. 12-22-shall choose Jerusalem again,' Zec. ii. 12-under the new covenant, Je. iii.14--.7. NOTES.

15. give me, &c.-so had Jesus been misunderstood as to the new birth, Jno. iii. 4, § 12, p. 83; so as to the bread, Jno. vi. 34, § 43-the natural man re

12. And his children. ol viol, i.e., the family in general, including the servants, as in Ge. xlv. 11, And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. This, and the mention of the cattle conjoined, is agreeable to the simplicity of early times, especially in the east.

14. The water that I shall give him. Jesus here refers without doubt to his teaching, his grace, his Spirit, and the benefits which come into the soul that embraces his gospel. It is a striking image, and especially in eastern countries, where there are vast deserts and often a great want of water.

[Shall never thirst. où un dikhovels Tov alava, ie., shall have nothing more ever to desire.-See Rev. vii. 16. Meaning that the vivifying effect of the "word of life" shall be such as to satisfy the most ardent desires of the soul; which, placing its happiness in God and his worship, no other desire will be thought of. Also, that such is the nature of that truth, that by its purifying and sanctifying influence on the soul, it is, as it were, an ever-springing fountain of holy affections, producing comfort here, and everlasting happiness hereafter."]

16. Go, call thy husband. By thus shewing her that he knew her life, he convinced her that he was qualified to teach her the way to heaven. [18. Is not thy husband. OUR HOT σ. à. Is not [really] thy husband. It appears that the woman had been five times married; but whether those marriages had been dissolved by death, or by divorce, does not appear. Both might be the case; and as divorce was then shamefully prevalent, this implies no certainty of infidelity on the part of the woman.] 19. I perceive... a prophet. The woman is justly amazed that a stranger should be acquainted with the general tenour of her life-see ver. 29, p. 95. Such knowledge she knew could not be acquired but by Divine revelation, and therefore she justly inferred that Jesus must be at least a prophet; and, as such, be a proper authority to appeal to for the solution of the controverted question, as to the comparative holiness of the Jewish and the Samaritan places of common national worship.

meaning to intimate that the patriarchs had done it
also; Ge. xii. 6, 7, And Abram passed through the
land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Mo-
reh, .there builded he an altar unto the LORD.'
And of Jacob it is said, xxxiii. 20, 'And he erected
there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel."
In this mountain. Mount Gerizim, but a little
way from Sychar.
tain Abraham and Jacob had erected an altar, and
[The Samaritans maintained that on this moun-
offered sacrifices to Jehovah-see above; and there-
fore, that the Deity had willed blessing to be pro-
nounced from thence, and an altar to be erected,
alleging in proof De. xxvii. 4, 12, .3. 4, Therefore it
shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall
set up these stones, which I command you this day, in
mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plais-
ter.' 12, .3, These shall stand upon mount Gerizim
to bless the people, when ye are come over Jor-
dan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar,
and Joseph, and Benjamin: and these shall stand
upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher,
and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali:' and, in order to
'make surety doubly,sure,' interpolating the text at
ver. 4, and changing 7 Ebal, into D2, Gerizim.
Hence they called it the blessed mount,' the holy
place.' Not only did the Samaritans then worship
on mount Gerizim, but the remnant of them yet
subsisting continue to do so three times in the year,
with great solemnity. On this mountain Sanballat
had built a temple for his son-in-law Manasseh; it
was destroyed by John Hyrcanus, the high priest.
Sanballat was chief governor of the Cuthites, or
Samaritans, and a secret enemy to Nehemiah.]
Ye say. Ye Jews say.

In Jerusalem. As it was contemplated in the law
of Moses that there should be but one place to offer
sacrifice and to hold the great feasts, so it followed
that the Samaritans were in error in supposing that
their temple was the place.
21. Worship the Father. Both places were to be laid
waste, as being neglected of God; the worship offered
there being not in spirit and in truth.' It is worthy
of remark, that all worship is most carefully shut
out from the space formerly occupied by the temple
at Jerusalem, except that of Muhammed, which most
expressly refuses to acknowledge God as a Father.
PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

20. Our fathers. The Samaritans: perhaps also

12 ver. Our heavenly Father is not less provident with regard to his spiritual offspring who truly ask him for blessing, than was our father Jacob to his family, for whom it is said he provided the well at Sychar.

13, .4. Other delights perish in the using, and will be found wanting when those who have sought their enjoyment will stand most in need of comfort: but he who hath the Comforter hath that which shall rejoice him for ever.

We may learn here: 1st. That the Christian has a never-failing source of consolation, adapted to all times and circumstances.-2nd. That religion has its seat in the heart, and that it should constantly live there.-3rd. That it sheds its blessings on a world of sin, and is manifest by a constant life of piety, like an ever-bubbling spring.-4th. That its end is everlasting life. It will continue for ever; and whosoever drinks of it shall never thirst, for in him there is a pure fountain springing up into everlasting life.

I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA.-Rev. xxii. 13.

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I WILL GIVE UNTO HIM THAT IS ATHIRST OF THE FOUNTAIN OF THE WATER OF LIFE FREELY.-Rev. xxi. 6.

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