arrogated to himself this power11. He actually exerted it while he continued upon earth1; and in a more abundant measure after his exaltation to heaven. The effusion of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost is expressly ascribed to himk. Hence we may understand why the Holy Ghost is so emphatically called the Spirit of Christ1.]
To excite her desire after it, he proceeded to set before her,
II. The properties it possesses —
Contrasting it with that which he had solicited at her hands, he told her it was,
1. Satisfying in its nature —
[Water from an earthly spring will quench the thirst only for a short time ; nor will it at all allay our appetite for other things. The men of this world are insatiable in their desire after the vanities of time and sense. The more they have of pleasure, riches, or honour, the more they want"1. But a draught of this living water will satisfy the soul: of this heavenly spring indeed, all who have once tasted, will wish to drink again ; yea, they will pant after it as the hart after the water-brooks. But their desire of earthly things will be greatly abated. The consolations of the Spirit will be regarded by them as the only satisfying portion11: they will make every thing else appear insipid, as the beholding of the meridian sun will obscure in their eyes the splendour of all inferior objects0.]
2. Heavenly in its tendency —
[The supplies of water in "a well" are constant and uniform : so the Spirit operates in the heart of man. There will indeed be seasons when his operations will be less mani- fest: but he will always reside in us as a principle of lifep: he will excite holy and heavenly affections in our breasts q: he will keep heaven itself in our viewr: and the one aim of all his motions will be to lead us to everlasting life : nor, if we cherish his motions, will he fail of bringing us to the posses- sion of its.]
Infer —
1. How glorious a person must Christ be !
h Thrice did he claim this authority in his conversation with the
Samaritan woman, and often afterwards in the plainest terms. John xv. 2G. and xvi. 7, 14.
1 John xx. 22. k Acts ii. 33. before cited.
1 1 Pet. i. 11. m Job xx. 22. n Jsai. lv. 2.
0 Ps. lxxiii. 25. Phil. iii. 7, 8. p John xiv. 16, 17.
i Gal. iv. 6. r Eph. i. 14. s Rom. viii. 13, 14.