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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.

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 worship 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 harvest, 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 ye 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 Evangelical Doctrine in the hearts of men; and now ye are sent to perfect those good beginnings, which they have made: so as ye shall reap the fruit and comfort of that good counsel, and holy labours, which have been bestowed by others.

V. 1. After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Not long after this was the Jewish feast of Pentecost; at which time, and upon which occasion, Jesus, according to the Law, went up to Jerusalem.

V. 4. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: &c.

For an angel went down, at some seasons appointed by God, though not fixed, and foreknown by men; and, in testimony of his descent and presence, moved, and troubled the water of the pool: whosoever then first, &c.

V. 17. But Jesus answered them, My father worketh hitherto, and I work.

But Jesus answered and said, It would be very injurious in you, to think, that the divine works of God, my Heavenly Father, or those of mine, whereby I approve my Deity to the world, are any violation at all of the Sabbath day: rather, that day serves to set forth and celebrate these wonderful works, both of Him and Me.

V. 19. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Ye fix your eyes upon me, as a mere man, and look no further than the flesh that you see; but herein ye are foully deceived: it is the power of my invisible Godhead, whereby I do these wonderful works; for I and the Father are one indivisible essence, and our acts are no less inseparable: the Son can do nothing without the will and act of the Father; and, even as he is man, can do nothing, but what he seeth agreeable to the will and purpose of his Heavenly Father.

V. 20. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all

things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

For God the Father loveth the Son, even as man, and enableth him to all his wonderful works, which he doth; and will, by his power and authority, cause him to produce greater works than ye have yet seen, that ye may yet more be astonished with wonder.

V. 22. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.

For the Father, as by himself immediately, judgeth no man, but hath committed the power and managing of this work unto the Son; so as the Father, by the Son, judgeth the world.

V. 30. I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge and my judgment is just; because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

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Ye look upon me as a mere man, not knowing or considering that relation which I have to the Father, and that Deity which is veiled under this flesh: know ye therefore, that, in that hu man state which I have assumed, I can of myself do nothing; but, according to that I am directed, by that powerful and allwise Godhead, from the information whereof I judge and my judgment is just, because I seek not to please my own will, as man; but the will of my Eternal Father, which hath sent me.

V. 31, 32. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. For there is another that beareth witness of me; &c.

. If I should yield you this, that my testimony concerning myself is not to be admitted, as indeed amongst mere men that rule is but just and equal; ye know, that ye have no reason to press this upon me; for there is another that beareth witness of me, &c.

V. 33. Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. Ye sent unto John, to know his judgment of me: ye had not sent to him, if ye had not ascribed much to the authority of his testimony; and, behold, ye know, that he bare witness to the truth, and pointed unto me as that Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.

V. 34. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.

But it is not any human testimony, that I stand upon; neither is it the approbation of any mortal man, that can add any thing to me: but I speak this for your conviction, that ye may be induced to acknowledge the truth, and be saved.

V. 35, 36. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, &c.

John was indeed a zealous and holy man ; one that gave great light to God's Church in his time, burning with fervent

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