A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Part 1 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
HAving given the whole Story of the Baptist together, without any Interruption by other Intervening Paſſages; I now return to give the Relation of our Lord Jeſus's Life and Actions under the Second Paſſover, (about which time began the Baptist's eighteen Months Impriſonment) in thoſe few following Remarks, premiſing only this ſhort Preamble concerning the difference betwixt John Baptist and Jeſus Christ, to wit, the Former wrought no Miracle, as the Latter did many. Though John Baptist was declared by Christ to be the greatest among all that are born of Women, Mat. 11.9, 11. yet was it not given him to work Miracles, John 10 41. as Moſes, Elias, &c. had done; the Reaſon is ſuppoſed either, (1.) That He might not be mistaken for the Meſſiah, who yet got great Veneration by his Mortified Converſation. Or, (2.) That the Minds of the People might not be diſtracted betwixt John and Christ, as two contemporary competitors, therefore the Glory of Miracles was wholly reſerved to the Meſſiah: Or, (3.) That the First Miracles under the Diſpenſation of the Goſpel might be wrought by the Lord of the Goſpel. And (4.) God ſaw no need why the Baptist ſhould work any. The Expreſs Character of Christ is, [that he was Mighty in Deed and Word, Luke 24.19] as 'tis ſaid of Moſes, that (in the ſame words inverted) He was Mighty in Word and Deed, Acts 7.22. N. B. In thoſe two Characters, I obſerve this Criticiſm of three branches. 1. Theſe two Characters of Moſes and the Meſſias are recorded by one and the ſame Penman, for the Acts of the Apoſtles were writ by Luke who travell'd with Paul, Col. 4.14. & 2 Tim. 4.11. 2. In Moſes's Character, the words are Plural [foreign] mighty in Words and in Deeds, but in the Meſſia's Character they are Singular [foreign, &c.] mighty in Deed and Word. 3. Deed is placed before Word in the latter, but Words be ſet before Deeds in the former. The reaſon of this Inverſion in the order of Speech ſeems to be this. The ſame Penman Luke Characterizing Moſes in Stephen's Oration, Act. 7.22. ſpeaks of him as a Servant only, as the Apoſtle doth, Heb. 3.3, 5. Yet a Servant of the better ſort, a Man of Worſhip (as the word [foreign] ſignifies) or Moſes, the Man of God (as he is called) Deut. 33.1. Joſh. 14 6, &c. to ſhew that he was mighty, firſt in his Doctrine, and then in his Miracles. Therefore Words are ſet before Deeds in Moſes's Character, He was not a Man of Words only and not of Deeds alſo, for ſo he had been an inſipid and an inſignificant Cypher, or as the Vulgar Proverb is,
A Man of Words, and not of Deeds
Is like a Garden full of Weeds.
Say Well and Do Well, Fare, Fac. not ſay Much and Do Little: A good Walker is better than a good Talker.
But Moſes was mighty in that Meſſage of Words to Pharaoh [Let my People go, th…t they may ſerve me, ſaith the Lord] and this mighty Meſſage Moſes back'd with many mighty Miracles, even to the confounding of Pharaoh and his People, &c. Thus Moſes became a Man mighty firſt in Words and then in Deeds: But the Meſſiah is worthy of more Glory than Moſes, Heb. 3.3. for he is a Son, and ſo to be prefer'd before a Servant, yea God's Son▪ his only Son, yea God himſelf, as is proved by many Arguments, Heb. 1. &c. Chriſt was Himſelf the Word, John 1.1. & 1 John 5.7. the word eſſential, perſonal and enuntiative, therefore Luke (who was [foreign] Inſpired by the Holy Ghoſt in both theſe characters) ſaith, He was mighty in word, in the ſingular number, yet expreſſeth his being mighty in Deed firſt, becauſe (as may be ſuppoſed) his wonderful Incarnation and Hypoſtatical union of the two Natures, is ſuch a marvelous and mighty Deed as cannot be parallell'd in the whole World: Therefore is he call'd [Mighty in Deed and Word] with that additional clauſe [Before God and all the People] Luke 24.19. Moſes and the Meſſias were Similes alike, Deut. 18.15. but they were not pares equal, for Chriſt was a better Mediator, Heb. 7.22. and 9.15. &c and wrought better and mightier Miracles: Moſes turn'd Water into Blood, Exod. 7.20. but the Meſſias turn'd Water into Wine in Cana, as above, &c. that was ſuffocating, but this was cheering and cheriſhing the Spirit of Man. Beſide, Chriſt was more mighty in Deed (eſpecially in that of Redemption, which was but one entire and ſingular Deed) than ever any mortal man was. As never Man ſpake like him, John 7.46. So never Man did like him ſay they, Mark 2.12. How mighty Chriſt was in Deed his Miracles, and how mighty in Word, his Sermons and Conferences do graphically declare, All theſe have a comely Intertexture in Scripture-Record, his Miracles are ſo intermixed with his Sermons and Conferences, that we muſt take them up promiſcuouſly (as they fall out in order of Time) here in this diſcourſe, ſome whereof are already mentioned as to place, ſuch as the Miracles in Cana, Capernaum, &c. and his Conference with Nicodemus, &c. to which I add here that with Nathaniel; Whom Philip found and brings him to Chriſt, John 1.45. Grace is communicative [bonum eſt ſui Diffuſivum] no ſooner is Philip converted, he will not engroſs Chriſt to himſelf, no more than Andrew before, John 1.42. each of them bring their friend to Chriſt, who is not as Gold that may be Monopolized, but as Light whereof all may partake without wrong one to another. This young Convert ſtumbles upon the Threſhold, and his ſtumbling block was the ſame in ſubſtance with that of the Wicked Scribes, John 7.41. [Can any good come out of, &c.] yet with a better Heart, ver. 46. not out of malice, but from deſire to be reſolved concerning that common errour. But behold Chriſt's candour towards a doubting convert whom he ſaw honeſt Hearted, gives him his Hand in an high Encomium, ver. 47. where Chriſt wonders at his own work of Grace on Nathaniel. He objects [Whence knoweſt thou me]? ver. 48. Chriſt tells him, his Eye was upon him under the Fig-tree; whence Nathaniel believes him the son of God, who knew his heart before he ſaw his face. Chriſt thinks of us, when we little think of him. See Rom. 5.10. N. B. Note well. We ſhould be in the fear of Chriſt every where, who ſees us under Fig leaves, &c. then Nathaniel confeſſes him to be God in knowing Hearts; then Chriſt tells him how Himſelf was Jacob's Ladder to bring him to Heaven, v 49. &c. there being no back ſtairs thither.
Chriſt's Conference with Niende…us (before mentioned) John 3. doth likewiſe demonſtrate him to be mighty in …eed and Word. And no leſs doth that with the Woman of Samaria, John 4.7. &c. In which Hiſtory there are found theſe famous Remarks.
Firſt, God muſt be Truſted, but he may not be Tempted. The malicious Phariſees ſoon heard at Jeruſalem what Herod had done to the Baptiſt in Galilee for gathering (as was pretended of dangerous conſequence) ſo many Diſciples, and Jeſus alſo became an Eye ſore to them for gathering more Diſciples than John did. Hereupon Chriſt knowing this, and that he was in equal danger from thoſe envious ones, He withdraws from Judea and goes into Galilee, that he might be out of their reach, John 4.1, 3. N.B. Note well, As he did, ſo may we flee from Perſecution.
The Seco…d Remark is, Happy is the Place and People that lay in Chriſt's way. This was Samaria's happineſs, Chriſt muſt needs go through it, John 4.4. Where ever Chriſt comes to look with his look of love upon poor mortals, there do his footſteps drop ſome fatneſs, Pſ. 65.11. As David's Bowels yerned, ſaying [Is there yet any of the Houſe of Saul that I may ſhew kindneſs to them]? 2 Sam. 9.1, 3. So and much more do Chriſt's Bowels yern, ſaying [is there yet any of the Houſe of Adam, that I may ſhew the kindneſs of God to them]? Therefore muſt he needs look upon Samaria, &c.
The Third Remark is, Chriſt (God-Man) voluntarily ſubjected himſelf to undergo our Humane Infirmities, which are the fruits of Adam's eating the forbidden fruit. [He was wearied with his Journey,] John 4.6. Many a weary footſtep did Chriſt take to ſeek and ſave his loſt Sheep. He had travell'd at the firſt Paſſover from Capernaum (in Galilee) to Jeruſalem (to purge his Temple of the Money-Merchants, &c.) a Journey reckoned 56 Miles, and now again he travels from Judea by the way of Sychar and Samaria into Galilee again, with which Journey he waxed weary, ſo ſits him down upon the ſide of Jacob's Well to reſt him. This made him a more merciful High Prieſt, both apt and able to ſuccour us under our Infirmities, wherewith he was touched ſo far as ſin is not in them, Heb. 2.17. & 4.15. & 5.2. As thoſe that have been troubled with the Tooth-ach, can and will moſt pity ſuch as have it. Thus are we bid to pity thoſe in miſery, as being our ſelves in the body, to wit, the body of fleſh and frailty, Heb. 13.3.
The Fourth Remark is, Behold the ſweet concurrence of the various workings of Divine Providence. As Chriſt muſt needs go thither, and ſit there, ſo at that very juncture, The Samaritan Woman, muſt needs come thither and draw water there, ſo have an happy opportunity of holding a ſaving conference with Chriſt. 'Tis not in us to direct our own ſteps, Jer. 10.23. but they are ordered by the Lord, Pſal. 37.23. ſo were this Womans, though but a poor Tankard-bearer, yet Chriſt deſpiſeth her not, but is better to her than ſhe expected: She came only for periſhing Water, and well too ſhe might find that (ſeeing ſometimes droughts dry'd and drank up their Wells of Water) but ſhe met with Living Water which ſhe expected not, and which quenched her thirſt after Sin, &c. whereby ſhe underſtood, that a Cup of cold Water given to a Diſciple, ſhall not loſe its Reward, much leſs to Chriſt himſelf.
The Fifth Remark is, How poor became a rich Chriſt for us, to make us rich, 2 Cor. 8.9. here our Lord was not only weary with walking, but alſo thirſty, it being then Twelve a Clock (the Jews ſixth hour reckoning from ſix in the Morning) the hotteſt time of the day, his thirſt therefore made him ask a Cup of cold Water from this poor Pitcher-bearer. Oh Glorious condeſcenſion, not only that being a Jew-man ſhould ask Drink of a Samaritan Woman, (whereas the Samaritans took it ill they were ſo ſlighted by the Jews) John 4.9. but alſo that He, who was Lord of all, Acts 10.36. Heir of all things, Heb. 1.3. and on whom the Eyes of all Living Creatures do daily and duely wait for food in due ſeaſon, Pſal. 104.27, 28. & 145.15. N.B. ſhould thus wait here upon a poor Woman for a draught of Water. Oh love this Lord Jeſus all of us, who thus loved us, he was thirſty to quench our thirſt, &c.
The Sixth Remark is, Chriſt is the beſt gift that ever God beſtowed on man. [If thou kneweſt the gift of God] John 4.10. the love of God in giving Chriſt is a Sic without a Sicut, He ſo loved the World, John 3.16. as nothing in Nature can be found wherewith to parallel it. Chriſt is call'd the Benefit [Partakers of the benefit, 1 Tim. 6.2. that is, foreign, the beſt benefit in the whole World. God's Philanthropy (as 'tis call'd, Tit. 3.4. or love to men) did outſhine his love to Angels, who fell without a Redeemer: God gave not Chriſt for the benefit of their Redemption. Oh prize this gift and benefit above all, none like it, as 1 Sum. 21.9. none but Chriſt cry'd the Martyr.
The Seventh Remark is, We all are naturally prone to ſlight and ſhift off the offers of Chriſt and Salvation: Behold how witty this Woman was to reject Christ's offer of Grace, ſhe ſhifts it off with an armed Dilemma, a double horn'd Argument, (1.) Drawn from the dep…h of the Well, and his want of a Bucket (the Jews abhorring the uſe of Samaritan Veſſels, as well as Society with their Perſons) hence concluded, he could not perform his promiſed Living Waters. Thus thoſe Recuſant Gueſts vil…pended and made light of the Royal Supper, Mat. 22.3.5. And thus the Jews rendred themſelves unworthy of Eternal Life, Acts 13.46. The Apoſtle ſaith, this refuſing or ſlighting the Rich offers of Christ by frivolous excuſes, yet by plauſible pretences, is as much as our Souls are worth, Heb. 12.25. therefore have we need to look to it.
The Eighth Remark is, Worldly Profeſſors, as they boast of their Old Progenitore, ſo they can be content to take up with worldly Privileges: Thus thoſe Samaritans bore much upon their Father Jacob, though they were a degenerate people, 2 King 17.24, &c. Thus the Jews bragg'd, that they were Abraham's Seed, John 8.33, &c. yet looked no further than an Earthly Canaan. This was the other, and ſecond Branch of the Woman's Shifting Wit here, [art thou greater than Jacob, &c?] John 4.12. if not, how could Chriſt have better Waters to give? Jacob was content with this, for himſelf, his Children and Cattle to drink of, &c. But ſure I am, Jacob and all his Seed muſt have better Water than what Cattle drink of (to wit, the Water of Life;) though Worldlings can be content with Cattle-comforts.
The Ninth Remark is, Scoffing Conſciences ought to be ſmartly arouſed: 'Tis the Sentiment of ſome Learned Criticks, that this Samaritaneſs doth jeer our Saviour in her ſaying to him [Sir, give me this Water, &c.] John 4.15. Whereupon Christ turns ſhort upon her for her Ironical Taunt, and ſmites her Conſcience with theſe Powerful Words, [go call thy Husband, &c.] ver. 16. N. B. When the Heart is ſo stupified, as to deſpiſe Grace, it needs Corroſives rather than Cordials: When ſhe would have covered her Fault with a fallacy, ſaying [I have no Husband] ver. 17. Then Christ came cloſe to her Conſcience, anſwering, [Thou haſt had five Husbands, and he thou now haſt is not thy Husband, &c.] ver. 18. Some Women avoid (ſaith the Philoſopher) the Bed of one Man, that they may be made a Bed to many: Chriſt teaches Miniſters here to ſpeak home to the Heart; no… ſtriving ſo much to pleaſe the Athenian, with novelties, as to profit the Chriſtian, with Soul-ſearching Truths. This is the beſt way to do moſt good.
The Tenth Remark is, Oh how candid and condeſcending Chriſt is to wounded Conſciences, He hath a ſoft Hand for a ſore Heart; and ſo ſhould all his Miniſters have. Behold here a Miracle of Tender Mercy in the Meſſiah towards this Idolatrous Harlot: It was a great Favour in Chriſt to countenance that Sinful Woman (Mary Magdalen) that waſhed his Feet with her Tears (inſtead of Water) and wiped them with her Hair (for want of a Towel) kiſſing his Feet with her Mouth, when her Soul had received the Kiſſes of his Mouth, Cant. 1.1, 2. Luke 7.37.38, 44. We read not that the Virgin Mary did thus much, yet the Phariſees (thoſe Pictures of painted Piety or Hypocriſie) hardly cenſur'd Chriſt (their Better) for not kicking her out of his Preſence, ver. 39. as a lewd and light Huſwife. How much greater was Chriſt's candour and kindneſs to this Samaritan Adultereſs and Idolatreſs, who inſtead of demonſtrating her love to him (as Mary Magdalen did) had rejected his Grace with jeers, yet Chriſt mildly convinceth her, and as the compaſſionate Samaritan, Luke 10.33, 34. not only pours in the Wine, (or ſharpneſs of the Law) to ſearch, but alſo the Oyl (or ſweetneſs of the Goſpel) to ſupple this Samaritaneſſes Wounds. He inſtructs her in Caſes of Conſcience, from ver. 19, to 25. and is more plain to her, ver. 26. than to the ſtuborn Jews, John 10.24.
The Eleventh Remark is, What a wonderful Work is the Work of Converſion: Oh what a change of Heart and Life is wrought thereby. No ſooner had this Woman got a Right Underſtanding of the Meſſiah (from whom ſhe expected all ſaving Knowledge,) ver. 25. and her Affections fired with Deſires after him upon his manifeſtation of himſelf to her; Now ſhe leaves her Water-pot. ver. 28. ſhe had greater things in hand, and better things to look after. Grace is diffuſive, &c. her Heart was now ſet on Heaven, Col. 3.1. Earthly things (as Elijah's Mantle) drop off; ſhe ran, and cry'd up Chriſt (whom the Jews had rejected) to the Samaritans, whoſe Bible teſtified of him, &c. Thus the Diſciples left their All, when Chriſt call'd them effectually.
The Twelfth Remark is, Weak Means may (by God's Bleſſing) work great matters. This weak and (formerly) wicked Woman was very unlikely means to effect the bringing in whole ſhoals of Samaritan Proſelytes to Chriſt; but what cannot the Almighty do by any means, as here by her? ver. 29.30, 35, 39, 40. God oft raiſes Stately Structures out of Slender Foundations, though he without have us to do ſo. The Diſciples wondred Chriſt conferred alone with a Woman (there being no danger of kindling Concupiſcence in him) becauſe they knew not its tendency, ver. 27. Many believed on Chriſts both by the words of the Woman, ver. 39. and becauſe of his own word, ver. 41. which is the foundation of faith that comes by hearing, Rom. 10.17, Pſal. 19.7, &c.