dicule and contempt. Had there been no marks of truth upon it, or however had there been nothing of importance in it, they would have been justified in turning their backs upón her, either as an idle silly woman, or as one who had framed a design to deceive. But the contrary of this being the case, though still they must be supposed to have had their doubts, they were effectually secured from a trifling and indecent behaviour.

The probability of the story was a reason also for their inquiring into it. And indeed it was for this end that she related it. She did not desire them to lay a greater stress upon her testimony, than it would most naturally and reasonably bear. She did not wish them to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, and that his religion was true, because she said so. All she wanted of them was, to go and converse with him, and so to make trial for themselves. And there was every thing in the report itself, the circumstances of it, and her manner of delivering it, to provoke them to this. If the importance of any fact, if the probability of its being true, and if friendship for the person who relates it, may be justly deemed sufficient reasons to fix our attention to any matter; such reasons were all of them subsisting in the present case. It could not be denied that it was an important question, whether this was the Christ, the Saviour of the world; and if he were so, whether a great deal did not depend upon their knowing him, and believing in him. It could not be denied, as hath been shewn already, that it was both a possible and a probable thing that Jesus might be the person. Nor could it be denied farther, that there was some decent regard due to her as a neighbour and a friend. If therefore their attention had not been excited by these means, nor they prevailed on to go and see Christ, and to hear what he had to say, they had most certainly been culpable in a very high degree.

And then again, when they had been and heard Christ, and felt the power of his grace upon their hearts, the declaration of this woman served as a collateral evidence of the truth of the Christian doctrine, and had a happy tendency to confirm their faith in Jesus as the Messiah. They could not but re

flect upon it with pleasure, as the instrument of their conversion; and from a comparison drawn between their experience and hers, derive a farther proof of what they now firmly believed. Such then was the proper use, in the instance before us, of that authority, which under the present circumstances, might be deemed human and traditional. Let us now on the other hand,

2. Consider the difficulties attending this very extraordinary story; which might justify their withholding a full assent to it, till such time as they had themselves heard Christ, or had felt the immediate influence of his grace on their hearts. Her report that she had met with Jesus the Messiah at the well, though highly probable, and in her own apprehension unquestionably true; yet to the Samaritans, who were at present only inquirers about the fact, could be but doubtful and uncertain. It was natural enough for them to reason thus with themselves: "True, she can hardly be supposed to have framed this story with a view to impose upon us: Yet she herself may have been deceived; her passions may have got the better of her judgment; and while she verily believes she hath seen the Messiah, conversed with him, and been exalted to heaven by his discourse, it may have been no more than an illusion of the brain, or a violent sally of imagination. Besides, we have not yet had time to see the effect of this unusual conversion, in the general course of her behaviour. It is prudent therefore, at least for a while, to suspend our full assent, and to wait for farther evidence from the discourse of Jesus himself; especially as she tells us we have now a fair opportunity of seeing him with our own eyes, and conversing with him face to face." In this reasoning there was doubtless some force; not to say how natural it was for a depraved heart to suggest many other circumstances, which might tend to weaken her testimony.

Supposing then the Samaritans to have gone no farther than this, their doubts were of real use to them. For such a caution prevented their paying that regard to human authority, which was due only to divine. It secured them from the ill influence of a faith, which as it would have been merely tra

ditional, so would have produced no valuable fruit in their hearts or lives; a faith which would have been subject to continual fluctuation and change; and in short a faith which would have essentially injured them, by sealing them up in ignorance and sloth, and inspiring them with all the obstinacy of self-conceit, and with all the insolence of religious pride. From these evils, I say, this caution effectually secured them; while at the same time it disposed them to wish earnestly to come at the whole truth of the matter. And thus on the one hand, an assent to her testimony as far as it would go, and on the other hand, an unwillingness to rest their faith merely on her authority, produced the happy effect which the history mentions. They cheerfully fell in with her invitation: to Jesus they came: his discourse they heard: and, convinced by his mighty reasoning, and overpowered by his divine persuasion, they became his disciples. Which leads me now

SECONDLY, To consider the grand evidence upon which their faith of the mission and doctrine of Christ was built: and that was their own experience. Now, say they, we believe not because of thy saying; for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

The matter of which they were to make trial was what the woman had reported to them; that Jesus was the Messiah and the Saviour of the world, Gentiles as well as Jews; and that his doctrine was capable of producing those effects upon the minds of others, which she affirmed it had produced on hers. Now as to the first of these; since Christ, it is probable, wrought no miracles in this place (for we have no account of any) the evidence of it must have rested chiefly on the latter, the effects which they sensibly felt from his preaching on their own hearts. If Jesus then did indeed tell them,' as he had the woman, all things that ever they had done:' If he did, by the mighty energy of his doctrine upon their hearts, humble them for their sins before God: If, whilst they thus lay prostrate at the feet of mercy, he did relieve them of their fears with the hope of pardon and salvation through his mediation and grace: If he did secretly and powerfully so impress their minds with divine truths, as to excite in them an

hatred of sin, a love of holiness, a delight in God, and fervent aspirations of soul after the pure and unmixed pleasures of the heavenly world: If, in one word, his preaching, accompanied with the all-commanding influence of his grace, did beget in them principles of love and benevolence towards all around them, and especially those who were their fellow-heirs of eternal glory: If such, I say, were indeed the effects of his doctrine on their hearts, these effects must have furnished a clear and demonstrable proof, at least to themselves, of the truth of what Jesus had asserted, that he was the Christ the Saviour of the world. The conclusion was so natural and necessary, that they could not fail of inferring it. The reasoning must have touched all the inmost springs of their souls, and with divine evidence have overpowered every possible doubt that could arise in their breasts.

Nor have we any room to question, that such were the happy fruits of this memorable discourse our Saviour held with the Samaritans. On the contrary, as it is expressly said, They believed on him because of his own word; so their behaviour towards Christ himself, and the manner in which they address the woman, sufficiently shew them to have been under the influence of that divine temper we have been describing. As to Jesus; if they had found what the woman had reported of him not to have been true, they would have been apt to have treated him with indifference, if not contempt. But instead of this, struck with his divine glories, and charmed with that fulness of grace which ran through the whole of his discourse, they behave towards him with the utmost reverence and affection, earnestly beseeching him to tarry awhile with them, that they may reap farther benefit from his heavenly instructions, and may have an opportunity to gratify the overflowings of their zeal and love, by offering him in person some humble tribute of unfeigned gratitude and cheerful obedience. And then as to the woman, to whom under God they owed this happy experience, of which they now found themselves possessed; with what lively and genuine expressions of confidence, admiration and joy, do they address her in the text!"Now we no longer believe for thy saying. That in

deed we consider as the first mean of our conversion, and acknowledge our obligations to thy charity and love; but we have not, agreeably to thine own request, rested our faith there. We have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world." O the inward satisfaction, the heavenly pleasure they must have felt, while they thus poured out their hearts to the happy person, who first brought them acquainted with Christ! Every word seems to have been spoken with an energy, which shewed them to be under a divine influence, and to have drank into the same spirit which the woman herself expressed, when she left her water-pot, fled to the city, and in an ecstasy of joy cried out, Come, see a man who told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ a?

And here we might compare the evidence of authority and experience together, and shew in this instance particularly, the far superior advantage of the latter to the former. The testimony of the woman amounted to a probability; but this to a certainty. That excited their curiosity; but this gratified it. That put them upon the inquiry; but this possessed them of blessings more excellent than any they sought. That left them for a time in suspense-a suspense disagreeable indeed, yet useful and instructive; but this, whilst it relieved them of their anxious doubts, set their hearts entirely at ease. What shall I say? That was at most only capable of drawing off their attention for a while from the things of sense, and of laying a slender restraint upon their corrupt passions; but this fixed their hearts and desires to God, and determined them to pursuits truly noble and important. In one word, it produced in them the very opposite effects to those just mentioned of an historical and traditional faith. Instead of making them thoughtless and indolent, it made them inquisitive and diligent. Instead of puffing them up with pride and conceit, it rendered them humble and teachable. And instead of infusing into them a severe, uncharitable and persecuting spirit, it inspired them with the softer sentiments of forbearance, humanity, and love.

a Ver. 29.