had experienced in her soul. This is clear : for they them- selves said, that they had believed because of her word : so that she had not been a mere inquirer, but a preacher also. And this is the invariable effect of deep conviction on the mind ; it will stir up the person to make others acquainted with the same important truths as have been useful to his own soul. No truly enlightened person will keep his discoveries to himself. He will say to his friends and neighbours, " Come, and see." This is declared by our Lord in various parables d: and, in confirmation of it, the Church, in most appropriate and expressive language, says, " Draw me ; and we will run after thee." Draw me, and I will never be content to come alone : I will draw all I can along with me.]
We have hitherto noticed only the acts of this woman. But we should not entirely overlook her person and character, which may well supply us with our concluding observations.
Observe, then,
1. How unbounded is the mercy of our Lord Jesus
Christ—
[We have seen how his word wrought conviction on her soul ; and eventually imparted salvation to her, and to others by her means. But we have not sufficiently considered either who she was, An alien and a hostile Samaritan ; or what she was, Even such an abandoned wretch, that it was a shame even to be seen speaking to her. Yet to this woman did our Lord reveal himself more fully and plainly than he had done to any one of his Disciples e. How sweetly encouraging is this fact ! "Who that considers this, can despair ? Or, rather, who does not here see an intimation of the grace that should afterwards be shewn to the Gentiles, and of the mercy that should be exercised towards the chief of sinners? Know, then, that no past iniquities shall be any bar to your acceptance with him, if only you will humble yourselves before him, and believe in him, as the Christ, the Saviour of the world.]
2. What encouragement we all have to exert our- selves for him —
[It was but little that she knew : and little could be ex- pected from any testimony of hers. Yet, what she spoke sank down into the ears of all that heard it, and was rendered in- strumental to the bringing of them to Christ. Let none then
d The Lost Sheep, the Lost Piece of Money, and the Prodigal Son : Luke xv.
e ver. 26.