18 SERMON II. JOHN 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. THERE is not a single incident in our lives, however trivial in its appearance; there is not a single want to which we are exposed, however common to us with others; nor a single benefit or supply that we receive, how little soever it be valued or regarded, but is calculated to convey an important lesson, and capable of being improved to our present and eternal happiness. Perhaps we might say, that the clearest views and most lively impressions concerning spiritual things—at least in their first beginnings-are such as have been associated with certain incidents in common life: which incidents, however likely in any other case to be for ever forgotten, as being in themselves trivial, are nevertheless rendered by this association incalculably the, most important of our lives. The several discourses of our blessed Lord, as they are recorded in Scripture, have a peculiar tendency to enforce the truth of this observation. He who knew the hearts, knew how to suit his discourses, so as to have easiest access to and make liveliest impressions on those hearts. He almost always took up the fact or incident which lay before him, just as it offered; and, in the most simple and natural manner, led the mind from the occurrences of common life, to the doctrines of revealed truth; from the fleeting shadows of this world, to the realities of that which is to come. It was on such an occasion that the words of the text were spoken. An occurrence of common life, as simple and natural as any we meet with in our daily experience; an occupation arising out of the most natural and universal of all the wants of the human species-the simple act of drawing water from a well-is made, by Him who spake as never man spake, to illustrate and enforce the nature and effects of the grace of God; to shadow forth its excellency by comparison, and to exhibit, in the most lively and striking manner, the freedom and the fulness of that salvation which He hath wrought out and proclaimed to man. But let us turn to the simple narrative of the holy Evangelist. When, therefore, the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples), he left Judea, and departed again unto Galilee.Thus we are informed as to the cause of his journey, namely, to avoid persecution; and also whither he was going, into Galilee. The narrative continues:- And he must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well; and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. Now, what could be more simple and natural than this whole account? Our blessed Lord, going on a journey in order to avoid the persecution of his enemies, as he passes through a neighbouring country, finding himself fatigued, sits down to rest beside a well; while his disciples go into a neighbouring town to buy necessary food. In the mean time, one of the inhabitants, a woman of the city, comes to the well for water; and our Lord, wearied and thirsty after his journey, asks her, as any traveller would under similar circumstances, for drink Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. It was a small request: he asked for that which was common to all. It was easy to be performed, particularly so by the woman; for she came there purposely to draw water for herself. It was an office of common humanity; for who could refuse a weary traveller, in a strange land, a cup of cold water? Yet the woman, instead of complying with his request, turns on him with what she evidently intends as a kind of reproach; which also, by thus reproaching him, conveyed the severest refusal she could give. Then saith the woman, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, a woman of Samaria? She reproaches him with breaking through the established custom of his countrymen; for the Jews (adds the Evangelist) have no dealings with the Samaritans. Small was the request of the Saviour of the world; and yet it was refused; refused by one whom it little became a sinner of that world; refused with reproach. But mark his conduct. True to his character, as the Son of God, who is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil, who maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust; he, far from even taking notice of the reproach or the refusal; forgetting altogether his weariness and his -- necessities-though pressed with thirst as well as fatigue, his mercy and compassion are turned in favour of the woman; and, in language kind beyond expression, he tells her of a treasure of which she knew not, but which He, and He alone, was able to bestow;-a treasure which, if she but asked of him, he would freely and readily give. If thou, saith he to the woman, 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. He is not only ready to give her this water on her asking for it, but he is more ready to give than she to ask. He not only her when she tells her that he would give it to asked; but he would also have her to ask, in order that he may give it; for had she known it, he says, she would have asked it: and he tells her of her ignorance, that she may ask. Our blessed Lord thus deals with this woman. She knows not, he tells her, God's gift; for she does not ask it. She knows not him, Jesus Christ, in whom, and through whom, the gift is; therefore she does not ask from Him. But let us consider the text more particularly: let us consider it in reference to ourselves. For this end it was written, even for our instruction. The same that spake to the woman of Samaria at the well, speaketh unto us this day through |