seed of David. 23. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall wor

ship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Phil. 3. 3. Father seeketh such to worship him. 24. God is a Spirit; and they that worship him, 2 Cor. 3. 17. must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Both Jews and Samaritans relied too much upon outward means, upon sacrifices and ceremonies and particular places of worship: whereas all such things were but as the signs and shadows of the truth as it is in Jesus; and the time was come, when these things should be done away, and the truth be plainly perceived, and God be served with a pure spiritual worship-the only worship that a pure Spirit can receive. Some outward ordinances would still remain, as suited to the weakness of the flesh; but they are all intended as helps, to lead the. mind and the spirit to God, ver. 25.

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. We shall know the truth then; whether thou hast rightly decided this point or not. 26. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he, am the Messiah, the Christ, the Redeemer of mankind. This was the first time that Jesus so declared Himself. 27. And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman; wondered because

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she was a Samaritan; yet no man, not one of the disciples, said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? They did not presume to enquire, concluding that what Jesus did would be right. 28. The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 29. Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Probably Jesus told her many more things than are here reported. 30. Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. Here we may properly stop.

No worship can be acceptable to God, unless it be a holy offering of the spirit; unless it come warmly and sincerely from the heart. Hear the complaint made by Jehovah himself, against his people of old, (Isaiah xxix. 13.) "This people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men :" they did not altogether neglect the worship of God; but they made. it only a cold, formal, outward service. They have had many imitators; have many at this day. Many are satisfied with the forms of godliness without the power. Outward helps and means are very necessary: buț there is great danger of our resting in them; of their occupying too much of our minds and affections, and

making us forget "the one thing needful" in devotion, the offering of "a pure heart fervently." (1 Pet. i. 22.) May we always solemnly remember, that God is a Spirit; and that our fellowship with him must be in spirit. If the body only be employed, there can be no truth in such worship; there is no offering made to God, nothing for Him to accept our service is then but sin; our very holy things are iniquity. Let us pray always for the spirit of prayer, and the spirit of praise. Let us pause and recollect; let us think upon God; who He is, what He is. "O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker" (Psal. xcv. 6.); kneel and worship in spirit and in truth.

LECTURE XIII.

While the woman of Samaria was gone away into the city, the following conversation took place between Jesus and His disciples.

CHAP. IV. 31.

31. In the meanwhile his disciples prayed him, entreated him, saying, Master, eat. 32. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34. Jesus saith

Job. 23. 12. unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

The disciples knew that Jesus must want food: He was weary, and required refreshment. But He intimates, that he had received better food than they were able to bring Him; namely, the satisfaction and delight of doing His heavenly Father's will; and of carrying forward that work of salvation, which He was sent into the world to accomplish. Jesus regarded not His own bodily comfort; He forgot the cravings of hunger and His need of rest, in the gracious employment of ministering to the good of souls. Something of the same kind is observable in His followers also: when the soul is intent on spiritual things, the wants of the body are less perceived, and its gratifications are comparatively disregarded. Our Lord now takes the opportunity of shewing the disciples, what need there was of diligent labour and what hope of immediate success.

35. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto Matt.9. 37. you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the Luke 10.2. fields; for they are white already to harvest.

The meaning may be this: the husbandman sows, and is content to wait four months for the harvest (which was the usual time, in that country, between sowing and reaping), but we need not wait at all; our harvest, the harvest

of souls, of people to be converted and saved, is ready to our hand. Look on the field of the world, and see how many there are to be collected; even the Samaritans are ready; multitudes of others are ready; we have as great a call for labour, as the husbandman has, who sees that his corn has grown white, and fit for the sickle.

36. And he that reapeth, in this harvest of the gospel, receiveth wages, and gathereth Dan. 12,3. fruit unto life eternal; that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37. And herein is that saying true, One soweth and another reapeth. 38. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour; other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

By those that "sowed and laboured," our Lord means, those who had prepared the way for the preaching of the gospel; the prophets and other holy men, especially John the Baptist. The sower and the reaper were both necessary; the one to prepare mankind, the other to follow up what was done, and gather the fruit of righteousness and salvation: so that both, without any envious comparison, should rejoice together in the work; and each would receive his due reward. There was an old proverb or saying, "One soweth and another reapeth," which was true in various senses, and true in