[Such indeed he was. In comparison of Him, all other gifts are as nothing ; nothing, in respect of internal worth ; and nothing, in respect of the benefits accruing from them. He is no other than " Jehovah's Fellow." Yet to such a degree did God love the world, that he gave Him, even his only- begotten Son, to become a man for us. Nor was it to instruct us only that God sent his Son, but to save us ; to save us by bearing our iniquities in his own body on the cross ; and by working out a righteousness, whereby we might be justified, and find acceptance with him. No other gift that God was able to bestow was of equal value with this, or could have effected this great end. Well, therefore, may all other gifts vanish from our sight before him, as the stars are eclipsed by the noon-day sun : and well may He, by way of eminence, be called " The gift of God."}
2. The Fountain of all good —
[Little did this woman think who it was that thus ad- dressed her. He appeared to be a mere man, needing a little water to quench his thirst: but he was indeed " the fountain of living waters a," the one only source of good to a ruined world. By " living water" we understand all the blessings of salvation; "all fulness" of which is treasured up in him at this moment: and " out of his fulness may every sinner in the universe receive."]
Our Saviour's address to her yet further shews us,
II. The benefits which will accrue to us from the knowledge of him —
If once we get a just view of his character,
1. We shall surely apply to him for his benefits —
[If temporal blessings, however great in value, were spread before us, we might conceive of their being beheld with indifference : a conviction of their emptiness might well raise our minds above them, so that we would not condescend even to ask for a participation of them. But can all the blessings of grace and glory be contemplated with indifference? Can we behold an inexhaustible treasure of them laid up expressly for us, and not desire them ? No : it would be impossible.; especially if we knew that they were all to be obtained by asking. To every creature under heaven may our Lord justly say, " If thou knewest what I have to bestow, thou wouldest ask of me." "We may as well suppose hell to be opened to our view, without calling forth a desire to escape it ; and heaven, without creating a desire to obtain it ; as imagine a view of
a Jer. i. 13.