pleiely falling- away, and being lost, can be reconciled with any natural interpretation of this verse.
Zwingle thinks, with much probability, that the words " a fountain in him," point to the benefits which grace once received makes a man impart to others, as well as enjoy himself. See John vii. 38.
Rollock remarks on this verse, " Let me say in a word what I feel. "You will find nothing either in heaven or in earth, with which you will be satisfied and feel supplied, except Jesus Christ alone, with all that fulness of the Godhead which dwells in Him bodily."
Poole says, " He who receiveth the Holy Spirit and the grace thereof, though he will be daily saying give, give, and continually desiring further supplies of grace, yet he shall never wholly want, never want any good thing that shall be needful for him. The seed of God shall abide in him, and His water shall be in him a spring supplying him until he comes to heaven."
15. — [The woman saith^ c!:c.] In this verse, I think, we see the first sparks of good in the woman's soul. Our Lord's words aroused a desire in her heart for this living water of which He had spoken. She does what our Lord said she ought to have done at first. She "ajiks" Him to give her the water.
\_Give me this water.. ..that....thirst not....draw.] The motives of the woman in making this request are variously explained.
Some think, as Musculus, Calvin, Bucer, Brentius, Gualter, Lightfoot, Poole, and Dyke, that the request was made in a sarcastic and sneering spirit, as though she would say " Truly this water would be a fine thing, if we could get it 1 Give it me, if you have it to give."
Some think, as Augustine, Cyril, Bullinger, Rollock, Hilder- sam, Jansenius, and Nifanius, that the request was only the lazy, indolent wish of one who was weary of this world's labour, and yet could see nothing but the things of this world in our Lord's sayings, like the request of the Jews, " Evermore give us this bread." (John vi. 34.) It is as though she would say, " Anything to save me the trouble of coming to draw water would be a boon. If you can do that for me, do it." As Bengel says, " She wished to have this living fountain at her own house."
Some think, as Chrysostom, Theophylact, and Euthj'-miui?, that the request was really the prayer of an anxious soul, aroased to gome faint spiritual desires by the mention of eternal life. "Hast thou eternal life to bestow ? Give it to me."
I venture to think that none of these three views is quite
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correct. The true motive of the request was probably a vague feeling of desire thab the woman herself could hardly have defined. It is useless to analyze and scrutinize too closely the first languid and imperfect desires that arise in suuls when the Spirit begins His work of conversion. It is folly to say that the first movings of a heart towards Grod must be free from all imperfect motives and all mixture of infirmity. The woman's motives in saying *' Give me this water," were probably mixed and indefinite Material water was not out of her thoughts, and yet she had probably some desires after everlasting life. Enough for us. to know, that she asked and received, she sought and found. Our great aim mu-^t be to persuade sinners to apply to Jesus, and to say to Him, " Give me to drink." If we forbid them to ask anything until they can prove that they ask in a perfect spirit, we should do no good at all. It would be as foolish to scrutiinze the grammatical construction of an infant's cries, as to analyze the precise motives of a soul's first breathings after God. If it breathes at all and says, " Give," we ought to be thankful.
16. — [Jesus saith. ...go... .call. ..hushand... hither.] This verse begins an entirely new stage in the history of the woman's conversion. From this point we hear no more of " living water." Figurative language is dropped entirely. Our Lord's Avords become direct, personal, and plain. The woman had asked at last for " hving water." At once our Lord proceeds to give it to her.
Our Lord's reasons for bidding the woman to call her husband, have been variously interpreted. Some think that he only meant her to understand that He had spoken long enough to her, a solitary woman; and that before He proceeded further, she must call her husband to be a witness of the conversation, and to partake of the benefits He was going to confer. This seems the view of Chrysostom and Theophylact. — Others think, with far more probability, in my judgment, that our Lord's main object in naming the woman's husband, was to produce in her mind conviction of sin, and to show her His own divine knowledge of all things. He knew that she had no husband, and He purposely named him in order to touch her conscience. He always knew the thoughts of those to whom He spoke ; and He knew in the presmt case, what the effect of'H'S words would be. It would bring to light the woman's besetting sin. — It is as though He said, " Thou dost ask me for living water. Thou dost at last express a desire for that great spiritual gift which I am able to bestow. Well,- then, I begin by bidding thee know thyself and thy sinfulness. I will shov/ thee that I know thy spiritual disease, and can lay my finger on the most dangerous ailment of thy soul. Go, call thy husband, and come hither."
Let it be noted that the first draught of living water which 10
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