The then existing exclusiveness, which separated the Jews from the Samaritans, on which the woman at the well referred the question to our Lord, have been thus traced to their religious prejudices. It appears from the Talmud, that, according to the traditions, it was held lawful for the Jews to make purchases of the Samaritans, as we observe from the disciples, who, while Jesus conversed with the woman, proceeded "into the city to buy meat." They were not allowed, however, to receive kindness from them, nor to drink or eat with them; but Christ, in this place, shows that He despised all such traditions as tended to stop the intercourse of courtesy and humanity amongst men'. It would be well if the followers of Christ would take example from this sad feud between the worshippers at Jerusalem and Gerizim, and not imitate these prejudices in matters of religious differences 2.

In the discourse with the woman of Samaria Jesus was clearly desirous of preparing her to receive His doctrine, by first convincing her that He was a prophet'. She had, probably, replied to our Lord's direction to "call her husband," in a flippant scoffing manner, in answer to a question, and to a person that she was careless whether she gave any answer to or no: but the Christ astonished and confounded her by ex2 Bishop Mann. Dr. Whitby.

1 Dr. Whitby.

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posing to her own gaze that He knew her to be an adulterous evil woman, thus telling her that which no mere stranger could have told her but by a spirit of prophecy : her conscience was at once awakened by the truth of the thing spoken, and she owns Him unhesitatingly for a prophet. Her mind is so entirely engrossed and taken up with all the things that were told her, that the slight incident is beautifully noticed, that she quite forgot the business that brought her to the well, and "left her waterpot" behind her when she left the well to call her friends". "And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in the saying of the woman: and many more believed because they heard Him themselves, and knew that He was indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world." The extent of believers thus obtained is finely described by the speech of the Lord, "Lift up your eyes and look on these fields, for they are already white with harvest;" long before the period that ye, in your limited view, look for any harvest, I see a plentiful garner before me. Let us not talk of eating meat, but let us fall to this heavenly work, which is My meat, for I am in the world to do the will of Him that sent Me".

* Dr. Lightfoot.

5 Dr. Clagett.

• Dr. Lightfoot.

SECT. XXIII.-Christ healeth the Ruler's Son at Capernaum. -John iv. 43-54.

OUR Saviour's having named that "there are yet four months, and then cometh harvest," shows us that He must have continued eight months at Jerusalem before He took His journey by Samaria into Galilee, because the time of the Jews' harvest was at the time of their Passover; therefore it was now about fourteen months since His baptism by John. This key is perhaps useful as illustrating our Lord's ministry, and fixing the conclusion of that of the Baptist'.

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The period of absence of Christ from Galilee, "His own country," was clearly noted with some impatience by the natives; for many had been at Jerusalem, and "had seen the things that He did there at the feast;" so that as soon as He arrived at Cana, where He had made the water wine," He was met by one of rank or high degree, (some think that he was of the household of Herod') called, in our version, "a nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum." He may, possibly, have followed Jesus from place to place; for, clearly, his request is one of the greatest urgency. Our blessed Lord, who, in His Divinity, knew always "what was in man,” and, in His great wisdom, knew how He might best advance His kingdom upon earth, heals the great man's son with a word, but without Dean Stanhope.

' Dr. Lightfoot.

K

vouchsafing to give him His presence. The Christ said to the anxious father, "Go thy way, thy son liveth." Though this was spoken at the distance of a day's journey from the scene of the illness, it was found that "the fever had left him," obedient to His command. The conversion of this nobleman and his family is the more remarkable, as he is the first of that quality or station who stands upon record for receiving the Gospel. In like manner, though Jesus is now in heaven, and we, who believe and make our petitions to Him, are on earth, He mercifully heareth the faithful man, and with a word of His gracious power, the sin which is repented of is pardoned and passed away. Let us then imitate the nobleman in our earnestness of address to the Lord, and let us "ask in similar faith, nothing wavering'."

SECT. XXIV.-Christ driven from Nazareth.

Luke iv. 16-30.

JESUS testified by anticipation before He arrived in Galilee, "that no prophet is received in his own country," and the event proved it. "He came to Nazareth where He had been brought up." He had avoided this place when He first came out of Judæa, because He knew it would seem strange in the eyes of his fellow-townsmen, that He, who had been a mere handicraftsman among them, should claim to be a • Dean Stanhope. Archbishop Sumner.

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preacher and a prophet; but now, that He had obtained a name throughout all the country thereabout, and had taught and been "glorified of all" in many synagogues, He comes to His own town to see how His doctrine would be received by them also2.

Jesus Christ, the example of all righteousness, is recorded, in this place, as having had "the custom" to go "into the synagogue on the Sabbath day." This is not a very difficult example to follow; yet how many resolutely, and without cause, neglect it! Although the Temple was the only place among the tribes where the legal sacrifices could be offered, yet the synagogue was the place of worship in which Moses and the Prophets were read and expounded. It is thought that they had existed in the land for a great many years, although the Old Testament does not speak of them; our version, indeed, speaks in the Psalms of "all the synagogues of God, having been burnt in the land;" but this is supposed rather to allude to the worship of God having been universally destroyed in the land, and to be more properly rendered "all the houses of praise." Indeed the Temple was so distant from many of the tribes, that it became of inevitable necessity for upholding the principles of religion, that there should be places set apart in every community for instruction in the word, although, in the Divine

2 Dr. Lightfoot.