Lectures Upon John 4, Part 7 · Lecture 24
THE FOVRE AND TWENTIETH LECTVRE, ON AVGVST, XXIX. MDCIX.
IOH. IIII. XX.
Our Fathers worshipped in this mountaine, and yee say that in Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
WE hauehave already heard, that the Euangelist in this verse and the former, doth set downe the effects of that speech, whereby our Sauiour did discouer to this poore Woman, her secret sin, and reprooues her for it, and this he setteth forth in three notable fruits and signes of a true conuersion which it brought forth in her. 1. She acknowledgeth her sin. 2. She esteemeth farre more reuerently of Christ then she did before. 3. She seekes to him for instruction and resolution in a doubt that troubled her conscience. The two first we hauehave spoken of in the former verse. Now it remaines that we proceed to the third and last, as it is set downe in this verse. For this must needs be acknowledged another notable fruit of Gods Spirit, and signe of her conuersion, that (perceiuing him to be a Prophet, and one that through the diuine knowledge and holinesse that was in him, was not onelyonly priuy to all her secretest sins, but ready also to charge her with them, yet) she shrinkes not from him, nor leaues his company, but desireth further communication with him, and seekes instruction and resolution of him in a case of conscience that did most neerely concerne her. Now before we can well receiue that instruction, which the Holy Ghost intended to giuegive vsus in this verse, fiue questions must be answered for the opening and vnfolding of the meaning of the Text. 1. What the worship was that she here speakes of. 2. What mountaine was that she here speakes of. 3. Who were these Fathers that she saith did worship in that mountaine. 4. What mooued her to make any doubt of this matter. 5. Why seekes she to be instructed in this question rather then in any other.
For the first, the word that is heere vsed foreign signifieth properly Adoration, euen a bodily and outward worship, when by some reuerent Quest. 1.gesture of the body, we testifie the inward subiection and honour that in our hearts we beare vntounto God. Now because we can doe no part of worship and seruice vntounto God well, but there must be in it, euen some bodily signification of reuerence vntounto him, therefore also the whole worship we doe vntounto God, is oft called adoration: yet in this place, it is not put for the whole worship of God, but onelyonly for the most publike and solemne worship, which stood in sacrifices and ceremonies appointed by the Lord. For she knew well that there were many parts of Gods Worship which the Iewes did vse as well in any other place as in Ierusalem. They vsed to pray in the Synagogue, Matth. 6. 2. Yea and in their priuate houses also. Dan. 6. 10. They vsed to read and preach the Word in their Synagogues, Acts 15. 21. And they had Synagogues not in Ierusalem onelyonly, but in all parts of the world, at Damascus, Acts 9. 2. at Salamis, Act. 13. 5. at Antioch, Act. 13. 14. at Iconium, Act. 14. 1. at Thessalonica, Act. 17. 1. at Corinth, Act. 18. 17. at Ephesus, Acts 18. 19.
2. The mountaine that she speakes of here, was Mount Gerizim, as appeares, not onelyonly because both Iosephus, and the author of the Macabees, Quest. 2.2. Mac. 6. 2. doe affirme that the Samaritans Temple stood vponupon that mountaine, whose authority (though it be meerely humane, and therefore such as the conscience of man cannot rest vponupon, nor be conuinced by in the matter of faith or manners either, because we know all men are subiect vntounto errour, Rom. 3. 4. yet in a matter of fact and story is of some vse, as those ciuill stories and Chronicles were that we reade of in the holy Scriptures, namely that booke of the warres of the Lord mentioned, Num. 21. 14. and that booke of Iasher, Iosh. 10. 13. and that booke of the acts of Salomon mentioned, 1. King. 11. 41. But specially, because it is plaine by Iudg. 9. 7. that Mount Gerizim was the Mount that stood by this towne Sychem.
3. By their Fathers, shee meanes not onelyonly the true Ancestours of the Samaritans, which were Heathens and Infidells, as yee shall reade Quest. 3.2. King. 17. 24. But Iacob also and the Patriarches, as ye shall finde in the 12. verse.
For the fourth question. The reason of her doubt and scruple was this, 1. For Mount Gerizim, she had reason to thinke it was as holy a place as Quest. 4.Ierusalem, not onelyonly 1. because her true Ancestours had worshipped there and in the Temple that stood there; but 2. Specially, because it was the place that the Patriarches and Iacob himselfe had worshipped in, for it is said, Gen. 33. 18. 20. that Iacob hard by Sichem built an Altar, and called it, The mighty God of Israel; and it is very probable, that the place vponupon which he built that Altar, was this Mount Gerizim, which stood hard by Sychem; for the Patriarches (before the Temple was built) were wont to make choise of mountaines to serue God on, for the better stirring vp of their affections by the contemplation of Gods workes, and that by Gods owne direction also. 1. This is noted of Abraham, Gen. 12. 8. and 22. 2. Of Iacob, Gen. 31. 14. of the Israelites the posterity of Iacob, Exod. 3. 12. and in a fond imitation thereof that seemes to bee, that the idolatrous Iewes did offer incense and powre out their drinke offerings vponupon the roofes of their houses, Ier. 19. 13. 3. Besides vponupon this mountaine, the Lord had appointed that the Priests and Leuites should stand to blesse the people so soone as euer they were come to the Land of Canaan, Deut. 11. 29. and 27. 12. On the other side she had reason to doubt that Ierusalem was the place where this solemne seruice should be done vntounto God, because hee whom shee found to be a Prophet of God and all of his Religion, all the Iewes, did say so.
For the fifth and last question. It is no maruell though she (hauing the opportunity of such a Prophet) desire to be instructed in this question, and Quest. 5.resolued in this doubt, rather then in any other. For 1. Shee might well know by the bookes of Moses that there could be no attonement made betweene God and her, nor remission obtained of this hainous sinne, that her conscience was now touched with remorse of, but by a Sacrifice: all things by the law were purged with bloud (of a sacrifice) and without shedding of bloud there was no remission, Heb. 9. 22. 2. She might well know that God would accept of no Sacrifice, that was offered to him in any other place, then in that one place, he had chosen to put his name in. Marke how oft this commandement is repeated in one Chapter: Deut. 12. 5, 6, 11, 1;, 17, 26, 27. Yea, she knew that the Lord did account of all Sacrifices that were offered in any other place, besides that one place, that hee had chosen to put his name there, no better then of willfull murder: Leuit. 17. 4.
Hauing thus opened the meaning of the Text, let vsus now come to the instruction that the Holy Ghost intendeth to teach vsus in this Verse.
First, then in that this woman is not affraid of Christ, when she had found him to be a Prophet that had searched and troubled her conscience, but desires further speech with him, and seekes to hauehave her conscience healed by that very hand, that had wounded it; We learne:
That he that hath grace will not be affraid of, or shunne that ministrie, in which he hath felt the power of God rebuking and iudging him; ransaking Doct. 3.and troubling his conscience for sinne, but (of all others) will desire it most. See the proofe of this in all sorts of Iohn's hearers. He had preached the Law, Luke 3. 7. to 9. yea Luke 1. 17. in the spirit and power of Elias. Yet see Luke 3. 10. 12. 14. How all sorts seeke to him and depend vponupon him. See this also in such as heard Peter, when by his ministry they had beene pricked in their hearts with a effectuall sight and sense of their sins and of the wrath of God due to them for the same, they run to him for comfort rather then to any other man, and saith vntounto him and the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren what shall we doe? Acts 2. 37. This will better appeare by comparing it with the contrary. Vngodly men cannot endure such teachers, as doe with any power reprooue sinne, and preach the Law, as we may see in the example of Ahab, who for this cause could not endure Micaiah, 1. King. 22. 8. And of Felix, who when Pauls doctrine made his heart to tremble by putting him in minde effectually and in a powerfull manner of the chiefe sinnes he had beene most giuen vntounto, and of the dreadfull iudgement he must come to for them, would heare him no more, Act. 24. 26. But so will not they (as we hauehave heard) that hauehave truth of grace in them.
1. The sense of sinne, and trouble of conscience which Gods Spirit worketh in the Elect is euer mixed, with hope of mercy, and sense of Gods Reason.louelove, which keepes them from flying from God, or dispairing in his mercy: Psalme 2. 11. Euen in trembling they hauehave some ioy. He is called the comforter euen when he rebukes vsus for sinne, Iohn 16. 8, 9. when he makes them mourne for their sinne, as for their owne childe, yet he makes them supplicate and seeke to God: Zach. 12. 10. You shall see this in Peter, he was deepely touched with remorse for sinne, Marke 14. 75. Yet was hee of all the Apostles the forwardest in seeking to Christ, though Iohn did out-run him and gat to the Sepulcher before him, yet went he first into the Sepulcher, to see that there that might confirme him in the faith of the Resurrection of Christ, Ioh. 20. 6, 7.
2. The experience he hath that God worketh with such a Minister, must needs cause the childe of God to reuerence and like him, and to expect a blessing from him rather then from another. That is said to be the cause of the reuerence which the vnbelieuer did shew to the Prophets when hee was rebuked and iudged of them, 1. Corinthians 14. 25. This makes them to acknowledge them and reuerence them as able Ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter onelyonly, but of the spirit and power of God, 2. Cor. 3. 6.
3. He knoweth the Lords manner hath beene to heale his seruants by the very hand, by which he hath wounded them. The Prophet Gad was the man, by whom the Lord sent such a heauy message to Dauid: 1. Chron. 21. 10. 15. And he was also the man, by whom the Lord gaue him comfort, verse 18. Esay was the man by whom the Lord sent such a message to Ezechia, as made him weepe soare, Esay 38. 3. and Esay was the man by whom God gaue him comfort, Esay 38. 4. to 8.
1. This Doctrine serues for a Touch-stone whereby eueryevery one may try whether he hauehave any grace, or be still a carnall man dead in his sinnes. For Vse.by the iudgement thou hast, to discerne of true preaching, and of the Minister, which is most to be affected, thou mayest know thine owne state. If grace be in thy heart thou wilt affect that ministry the most, not that delighteth or tickleth the eare, no nor that which onelyonly brings thee to knowledge, but that wherein thou feelest the spirit and power of God working vponupon thy heart rebuking thee for sinne, wounding thy conscience and giuing thee no rest till it hauehave reformed thy heart. This Paul speakes of his owne Ministry, 1. Cor. 2. 4. My preaching (saith he) stood not in the inticing speech of mans wisedome, but in plaine euidence of the Spirit, and of power, and makes this a note of an able and sufficient Minister: 2. Cor. 3. 6. And of the Corinthians (he saith) that they were carnall men because they affected such a Ministry as had fine words but no power in it: 1. Cor. 3. 4. For though he nameth himselfe and Apollos there, he doth it but figuratiuely as he saith: 1. Cor. 4. 6. But the men they affected were not Paul nor Apollos, but their owne vaine-glorious teachers, whom he describeth: I will come and know, not the speech of these men that are puffed vp, but the power. For the Kingdome of God is not in word but in power, saith hee, 1. Cor. 4. 19, 20. Then the hearer that hath grace, when he comes to a Sermon, comes not to heare man, but God; not to heare what a man can say, or to iudge, what gifts the Preacher hath, but to heare what the Spirit speaketh to the Church: Apoc. 2. 7. He comes with that mind that Dauid did: Psalme 85. 8. I will heare what God the Lord will speake.
2. This Doctrine serues for reproofe and to discouer the hypocrisie of most men; to shew that most hearers hauehave no grace in them. For though 2.they be content to heare sometimes, and to heare ordinarily, yea, and to be at charge also with maintaining the Ministry of the Word among them, (as many most vngodly men that we hauehave read of in the word hauehave beene content to doe) yet in three things they shew themselues to be carnall and vngodly men. 1. In that in their hearing, they respect not edification but delight onelyonly, and the tickling of their eares. The word it selfe which is the food of our soules, they respect not so much as they doe the art, and eloquence, and other gifts of the man that doth deliuer it vntounto them; They esteeme much more of the sauce and cookery, then they doe of the meate it selfe. Yea, a carnall kind of teaching, wherein there is nothing but shew and ostentation of humane gifts (as wit, memorie, reading, eloquence, and the like) they doe preferre much, before that Ministry, wherein the euidence and power of Gods Spirit is seene and felt. For that teaching wherein there is nothing but the plaine interpretation of the Scripture, by Scripture, and application of it to the vse of the Church, they despise, and count it as the conceited Corinthians also did: 1. Cor. 1. 21. The foolishnesse of preaching. We grant that he that should conuert soules had need hauehave the tongue of the learned, Esay 50. 4. and that knowledge of the arts and tongues, are to be acknowledged excellent helpes and ornaments, vntounto a Preacher. Paul thankes God for the gift of tongues, 1. Cor. 14. 18. And also that without studie and reading, no man can be fit to performe this worke well, as is plaine by the charge the Apostle giues, 2. Tim. 4. 13. When thou commest to me, bring with thee the bookes, but specially the parchments. Paul himselfe made vse of bookes though he were so great an Apostle. Yet it is certaine, that the power of the Spirit of God, for the working vponupon the conscience, lyeth neither in the sentences of any Fathers or other Authors, nor in the art and eloquence of the Teachers, but in the Word it selfe, Luke 8. 11. The seede is the Word of God, Heb. 4. 12. The Word is liuely and mightie in operation, Psalme 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is that that conuerts the soule. Ierem. 23. 29. Is not my word like fire, and as a hammer? 2. In that they cannot endure that Ministry, that doth with any power reprooue sinne, specially those sinnes, themselues are giuen vntounto; but vse to indent with their teachers, and limit them, as they did of whom the Prophet speaketh, Esay 30. 10. They said vntounto the Prophets, prophesy not vntounto vsus right things, speake vntounto vsus smooth things, Prophesy deceits. 3. Though they doe both heare ordinarily, and in words also commend the faithfullest Ministers, yet in their deeds and vnreformed liues, they shame and disgrace their Teachers. The onelyonly good commendation and testimonie the people can giuegive their Teachers, is this, when the power and vertue of their Teachers Ministry, may appeare in the reformation of their liues. When it may be said to them: 2. Cor. 3. 2. Ye are our Epistle written in our hearts read and knowne of all men.