BY LATE REV. JOHN SINCLAIR, BRUAN, CAITHNESS.
PREACHED 26th JANUARY AND FOLLOWING SABBATHS IN 1840.*
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“Jesus answered and said unto her, if thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of Him and He would have given thee living water.”
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WE find in the fifth verse that Jesus came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, “near to the parcel of ground Jacob gave to his son, Joseph.” In Gen. xxxiii. 18-20, we have an account of this incident, “He built an altar and called the name, El-elohe-Israel,” God, the God of Israel. I cannot say that Jacob had any foreknowledge of what would take place here now, but no doubt he had an eye to Jesus, the Messiah, in whom God is the God of Israel. And Jesus, as God, knew then what He would do now. Some places were sacred, such as Mount Moriah, which is likely Calvary, and Araunah, which is Mount Zion. He makes “the place of His feet glorious.” Days were when the places of even the saints’ feet were sweet to others. Jerusalem was yet built in its own place, but because Christ is “Head over all things to the Church,” and is everywhere present, men are now to worship God not in this place nor at Jerusalem, but everywhere, “in spirit and truth.”
Jesus was weary with His journey. Notice here two things. First, His weariness purchased any ease His own get. “He took their infirmities and bear their sicknesses.” It is sweet to ride on Christ’s “own beast.” Take all things at His hands. Second, as He sweetened the grave, so He sweetened every suffering of His people by His own sufferings. He arrived at the well about the sixth hour. This was the very hour at which darkness began. His darkness was the procuring cause of His people’s light. The woman came
* These outlines are taken from the author’s own manuscript. Some abbreviations have been slightly enlarged. Further outlines on the same subject will appear in future. Mr. S. died, August 22nd, 1843. See “Ministers and Men in the Far North,” by Rev. Alexander Auld.
“to draw water.” A person may meet Him going to the well, others, such as the sons of Zebedee, met Him when they were at the fishing. “Jesus saith, Give me to drink.” He may ask any sacrifice, even life itself, but not the sacrifice of the soul; He desires its salvation. His disciples went “to buy meat,” He remained behind doing good. His bread was to do His Father’s will, and to finish His work. The minister was thirsty, but He got satisfaction to his soul and body. She gave Him a surly answer, or may be an answer in surprise. She perhaps saw something striking in His countenance. Jesus does not answer her in a similar fashion; His example to us is to overcome evil with good. He is kind even to the wicked; so ought we to be. The only danger is that they may think the kindness is done from esteem of them as righteous. Here lies a danger to both parties which is to be avoided. Jesus does not answer the woman’s inquiry but pursues His gracious end. He answered, but not her question, “If thou knewest the gift of God.” Ignorance was her loss. Ignorance is at the foundation of all destruction. It is far from being the mother of devotion, as the papists say.
(Second outline.)—We intend, if the Lord will, to show :—
- I. Some marks of ignorance.
- II. The danger of ignorance.
- III. Some things to be known.
We stated that ignorance was at the root of the destruction of every soul that perishes. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” This does not refer to the lack of the general knowledge even of divine truth. “Though,” says the apostle, “I have all knowledge and have not charity, I am nothing.” A person may have much speculative knowledge, and no saving knowledge. “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” They who hear Christ’s words, and do them not, build on the sand. But saving knowledge is the knowledge of Christ, “the gift of God.” “This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” Now there are two kinds of knowledge, and so two kinds of ignorance. There is sanctified saving knowledge, and it may have little outward knowledge along with it. “God hath chosen the foolish things to confound the wise.” These fools being in the way that is wisdom “shall not err therein.” They shall wander to glory. Unsanctified knowledge is that which is taught by the precept of men, and not by the Holy Ghost. It has no effect upon the heart. It is important therefore to know whether our knowledge is saving or not. Let us now endeavour to point out :—
I. Some marks of ignorance.
- All who are living in any known sin display ruinous ignorance.—“How long shall the wicked triumph? Understand ye brutish, and ye fools when will ye be wise.”—(Ps. xciv. 3-8.) They show their ignorance (1) in not knowing that such cannot see God. “If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not
hear me.” But He does hear His own people. “His ear is open to to their cry.” Or (2) they do not know that there is a God to punish sin. “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.” Therefore, “They are corrupt; they have done abominable works.” Or (3) they do not know the torments of the hell to which they are going. “I shall have peace, though I add drought to thirst.” If they had known the bitterness of the belly of eternity, sin would not be found so sweet in the mouth of time. Or (4) they do not know the sweetness of Christ. “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.” They shall not come hither to draw. Those delivered from this thirst will be sensible of a corrupt fountain within them, and shall mourn on account of it. “O wretched man that I am.” They will be grieved that sin is dwelling in them. The enemy, however, will be endeavouring to pour down the throat of the new nature that which is loathsome to its taste. The flood was sent after the woman so as to destroy the man-child.
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All unconcerned persons are ignorant.—”If thou hadst known even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong to thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.”—(Luke xix. 42.) The person who was never brought under soul concern, and was never made to find its salvation to be the great “one thing needful” is under soul-destroying ignorance. We hear now and then of a person under soul concern. Now if we were never under it in such a way as that it swallowed up all other things as Moses’ rod swallowed those of the Egyptians, we were never truly concerned and, therefore, have no hope of salvation. If, on the other hand, soul concern began with us early, then it will be the one important thing all through life. (1.) Because the soul is worth more than the whole world. “What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” If we had the soul on the one hand, and the world on the other, there would be no comparison in value. The world was made only to serve the soul. The world shall be burnt up, but the soul cannot be. (2.) Because time is only a shadow, a vapour in comparison with eternity. Then man is a fool to catch the vapour, and lose all the rest of time. O eternity, eternity! If soul concern is begun early, it is then the one important thing through life. So it was with John the Baptist. He gave his life at last. If this concern swallowed up all others, it will be in view night and day. Whatever joys or griefs we may have of an outward nature, they cannot quench this fire. If this point is not settled with us, let us examine whether our concern is based on the Word. Let us also ask ourselves the question, Is it still with us, the one thing needful, before which all other things yield?
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All those who have not been made fools in their own eyes are ignorant.—All such are in this state to whom their salvation under the concern spoken of did not seem beyond their knowledge as to
how it could be effected. “If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise.”—(1 Cor. iii. 18.) “Woe to them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight.”—(Isaiah v. 21.) “Now ye say, we see; therefore your sin remaineth.”—(John ix. 41.) Now the following are a few reasons why this is so:—(1) Because no man is born with saving knowledge. “There is none that understandeth.” “For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s colt.”—(Job xi. 12.) Therefore men must be made fools in their own eyes. (2) The Word alone is not sufficient to give saving knowledge. “Ye say we are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us.”—(Jer. viii. 8.) The Word contains all necessary knowledge, yet we need the Holy Ghost for making application of it to any particular case. (3) Therefore we must find all that we need. The Apostle Paul, the Ethiopian eunuch, the three thousand on the day of Pentecost, and the Philippian jailor, all had to cry, “What must we do to be saved?” All were at a loss here. Christ only could be their wisdom, and the Holy Ghost only can shew Christ. I shall now mention some of the consequences of being made a fool in one’s own eyes. (1) If you are made a fool in your own eyes you are often in a strait between sin and duty. So were Solomon, Paul, and other saints. Other persons are confident in themselves. You will not be so, if you are without the Word for the course you would pursue. (2) If you are made a fool in your own eyes, you are often in a strait how to kill sin. —”What shall I do to be saved?” “Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Here wisdom is needed to the very last. (3) If you are made a fool, you see your own ignorance. “So foolish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee.”—(Psalm lxxiii. 22.) “I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.”—(Proverbs xxx. 2.)
- All who are not praying for the Spirit are ignorant. “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him.” Be our knowledge what it may, it is not saving without this. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” No man by nature has the Spirit. And it is a mark of the world that they cannot receive Him.—(John xiv. 17.) Whatever else a person is praying for, if he is not praying for the Spirit, all is worth nothing.
Observe the following reasons:—(1) Because without the Spirit there can be no new birth. It is folly to look for heaven without that in the face of the double affirmation of the Judge. “Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” “Except a man be born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” This folly is ruinous. Oh! if we could but keep this one point in view. (2) Because there is no sanctification without Him. “Through sanctification of the Spirit.” No sin is mortified without Him. “If ye through the
Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body.” Till the Spirit apply the Word to the soul it will never sanctify. Not a drop of blood will be drawn till the Word of God enter the joints and marrow. (3) Because there is no right prayer without the Spirit. “We know not what to pray for as we ought.” There is no humility, faith, or fervency without the Spirit. The world who are not seeking Him have not the Spirit, and Christ prays not for them. They have the Spirit who are truly seeking Him. One mark of these is that they are weary of their own spirit. It is not the natural man who receives the things of the Spirit, and therefore he has not the Spirit. Examine this one point and see to it.
II. The danger of ignorance. Many think to screen themselves under ignorance. “We are ignorant, but the Lord is merciful.” Now, the Scripture says the very reverse. “It is a people of no understanding, therefore, he that made them will not have mercy on them.”—(Is. xxvii. 11.) (1) Man had knowledge given him. It was a part of that image in which he was created. But he tore it from him, and now stands blind by his own deed. When we cannot understand our own case or the Scriptures then guilt is proved. “We willingly are ignorant.” (2) We do not love to get knowledge. “How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity, and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge.” We hate the Word in which knowledge is conveyed. We hate prayer, the other means of obtaining knowledge. And we also hate to turn from sin at His reproof. Say, do we not hate knowledge, and then are we not guilty? (3) We reject Him in whom “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid.” God has made Christ Jesus wisdom to us. In Him we find the knowledge of ourselves, of Christ as the way, of the Father, of heaven and hell, of time and eternity. Now we do worse than Adam did. Not only do we dash away the image of God given by His Word, but also the rent heart of Jesus Christ in which we might read the knowledge of God. He rent his heart that we might read what He knew of the Father. Now, guilt infers danger. Observe two respects in which ignorant sinners lie under danger. (1) The Lord will have “no mercy on them.”—(Is. xxvii. 11.) The charge is ignorance with all its train of evils. The sentence is heavy. “He that made them will not have mercy.” And who then can? What is the matter? “They will not come unto me that they might have life.” However ignorant, if they would come, there would be hope. “O draw me, we will run after thee.” As many as will not come to Christ of this ignorant people they shall have no mercy while in this state of ignorance. If any seek mercy He will give knowledge. When they will be “taught of the Lord,” then they shall cry, “Teach thou me.” (2) The second respect in which there is danger is that of destruction. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”—(Hos. iv. 6.) God’s people were a heavy burden to the priests. Yet many of the priests were like the people.
Come direct to Christ Himself. Every man is his own priest now. Get Him who is made wisdom to the ignorant.
III. Application.—Consider James i. 5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him.” (1) If any man, woman, or child, any ignorant person, lack wisdom, (2) let such ask of God. Let them ask in private or in public. Look not to man but ask of Him. (3) He gives for nothing; He has pay in His hand. (4) He upbraideth not; He does not use upbraiding language. He will not say “Get you gone,” if you come for wisdom. (5) The full promise is for those asking in faith. In Christ, the door, the Father has all and is reconciled. Christ has pardon for guilt. He has the spirit of wisdom above measure. He has so to every comer, however unworthy. There is no want but may be supplied in Christ. It is greater honour to Him to bring fools nigh. It has seemèd good to the Father to hide these things from the wise and the prudent, and to reveal them unto babes.
(Third outline.)—We intend further to show:—
I. Some things which the Bible testifies respecting “the gift of God,” under these heads:—
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In what way God gave “the gift.”
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What things are in “the gift.”
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First let us consider in what way God gave “the gift.”
We need not stay long to show that the gift is His own Son. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son.” Indeed, the Spirit is often called a gift, but only through the Son. “Because thou thoughtest that the gift of God may be purchased with money.” But even here the Spirit is a gift through the Son. Although a creature, then, could know of this gift, unless he knew the way of getting it, that is, not with money, he would do as Simon Magus did, seek it in a wrong way. Let us see then what the Scriptures say of the way in which He gave the Son.
(1.) The Father gave the Son with his “whole heart and whole soul.”—(Jer. xxxii. 40, 41.) “I will make an everlasting covenant with them.” “I will plant them in their land assuredly with my whole heart and my whole soul.” The everlasting covenant is the fountain from which this blessed stream of ‘planting’ flows, but the stream cannot be greater than the fountain; therefore, the covenant in which the Father gave the Son is “with his whole heart and whole soul.” Now, what is His whole heart and whole soul, but all His attributes? When a person does anything with his whole heart it is with the consent of all the faculties or powers of his soul. So when Jehovah does anything with His whole heart it is with the consent of all His attributes. When He created man He could do it with His whole heart, because there was nothing in Himself to oppose the work. But after sin entered, the attributes of justice, righteousness, holiness, and truth, all stood back and would not consent to give any favour to man.
Now, in giving Christ, the Father had in the gift what fully satisfied all the attributes. “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Wherefore, at the Saviour’s birth there was “glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, goodwill towards men.” Hence Col. ii. 9.—”For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Everything that makes up or constitutes God dwells in Him, and in Him his people are complete or full, because they receive “of his fulness and grace for grace.” (1) The goodness of God gave Him, or He gave Him in goodness. “Thou art good, and thou doest good.” He has a good heart. It is the sum of His glory. “I will make all my goodness pass before thee.”—(Ex. xxxiii. 19). It is His very nature. It is His glory. “There is none good but one, that is God.” Hence it was natural for God to give His Son. I mean, he acted from His very nature in giving Him. Judgment is His strange work, but goodness is natural to Him. He does good. It is His work, His common work. His goodness is His glory. Therefore, when goodness gave the Son, God committed to Him His very glory in respect of everyone who receives Him. The Mediator takes hold of this, “I have glorified thee upon the earth.” Hence learn (1) the greatness of His goodness. “Oh how great is thy goodness!” It appears in giving his Son for wicked wretches. Here we may say, “Behold the goodness and severity of God.” He was severe to His own Son, O! not against His will, that He might be good to them who are made to ask of Him. “He spared him not.” Goodness and severity both are seen on Calvary more than in heaven and hell! His nature is truly wonderful. “Canst thou by searching find out God?” (2) Those who ask of Him will glorify Him, because Christ is entrusted with God’s glory in and for them. “This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.” “They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness.” Here are two pleas for a throne of grace; the nature of His goodness, “Thou art good and ready to forgive,” and the manifestation of His glory, “What wilt thou do for thy great name?” (3) Learn to delight in His great goodness. “They delighted themselves in thy great goodness.” But let it be through the right channel—Christ, or else it will degenerate into carnality. When the Lord was good unto them it was said of others that they “waxed fat and kicked.” (4) Learn, hence, to flow to this goodness. “They shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord for corn and wine and oil and barley.” When many flow together then is the better success. See Pentecost, and see Kilsyth. Oh! our meetings, our meetings! How little fruit! Remember goodness is God’s very nature. So we find so much laid in His goodness as well as graciousness. “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore will he teach sinners in the way.”
(2.) The love of God gave the Son, or He gave Him in love. “God so loved the world.” It is an amazing love. He loved
His own Son with everlasting infinite love, yet He so loved the world. It passeth knowledge. If we would measure it we cannot, but would run into error about it. Only you may behold it, taste it and know it. You may taste it as you would taste the waters of the ocean. The gift of the Son was very freely done. What is done in love is done freely. One cannot do anything in love, and not do it freely. Something may be done in pity or mercy, and not freely, but if in love then it is done from the bottom of the heart. We may think and speak of the love of God, but, if we would feel this love to the full, we could not stand it for a moment. It does not seek a price. “The Father himself loveth you.” “I will love them freely.” This love is inexpressible and inconceivable. It is everlasting and eternal. It is sovereign, free, and immutable. It is also a love of complacency, it is infinite in measure and rests in its objects in Christ.
(3.) Mercy gave Him up, or He was given in mercy. Hence He and the blessings in Him are called “the sure mercies of David.” The mercy of God has in it a multitude of mercies. It is tender mercy and is kept for thousands. It endures for ever, and is well suited to meet the misery of its objects. Never any one came that was shut out at this door of mercy. Mercy is written about the door. This is the signpost, “the sure mercies of David.” The throne of grace has these two marks—mercy and grace.
(4.) Justice gave Him up, or He was given up in justice. Hence “He laid on him the iniquity of us all.” As He got authority to receive all comers, and none could enter without pardon, justice counted over to Him all their crimes, and laid them on Him. Hence He knew the bitter cup of wrath. There was not one sin but He knew of. You need not be hiding them. If a sinner had known this that there was no stop, for the sake of justice to the Spirit, he would have asked for the Spirit. Be sure and take all your sins with you, when you ask the Spirit to mortify them.
(5.) Righteousness gave Him up, or He was given in righteousness. Hence “it became him to fulfil all righteousness.” There is not one commandment but He fulfilled. He magnified the law. He gave millions to the law for pence. Now, the Holy Ghost may be given because Jesus is glorified, and has glorified the law. If we had known this, we would have asked of Him the Spirit of obedience, the living water for a well-spring of keeping the law and for sealing in the faith.
(6.) Holiness gave Him up, or He was given up in holiness. Hence Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word. This is the opening of the fountain for sin and uncleanness. He undertook to make them pure. He is made their sanctification. Now, if we had had known this, we would have been saying, “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.” There is no stop here on account of former defilement.
(7.) Truth gave Him up, or He was given up in truth. Hence, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He came in the flesh to fulfil the truth of God. So, “Truth springs from earth. Mercy looks down from heaven.” If one under sentence of death got word that another had actually died in his room, he would have asked a testimony of the case. So here, He gives the testimony, “I am He that was dead and is alive again.”
(8.) Wisdom gave Him up, or He was given up in wisdom. So He is “the wisdom of God.” He is made wisdom to us. So if you are a fool come here for wisdom. This shuts out every objection.
(9.) Power also gave Him up, or He was given up with the consent of God’s power. This is “the power of God” which is “unto salvation.” It will conquer all opposition to Christ in the salvation of sinners. The Father has promised the Son: “I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” His very power is pledged for this end.
(10.) He is given freely, without money and without price. He is given to all in offer, which authorises all to come. “Ho, everyone.” “If any man thirst.” The gift is, as it were, thrown down. Let any take it.
(11.) It is a gift without repentance. God made the Son a priest without repentance, and He will never seek to recall Him from anyone to whom He has been once given. He may recall everything but this, and shall recall everything unless we have this. “He that hath not from him shall be taken away even that he hath.” Unless we have the Son we have no life. Profession, talents, all will be taken away. “If we knew this we would have asked of him, and he would have given us living water.”
Application.—(1) Thrice happy they who are made to seek Him. They will get “grace for grace.” “Out of his fulness they will be filled with all the fulness of God.” (2) Miserable they who seek Him not. They shall die in their sins, and God will pursue them with all His arrows. (3) Then “seek him while he may be found, call on him while he is near.” Cry to Him “out of the depths.”
May He bless His word, and to His name we desire to give everlasting praise.—Amen.
ANOTHER sort of folk cover over their pride with a vizon of humility, and cry forth, Christ is a king, and they are sitting upon a dunghill. How can they consent to so great and high a match! If they were queens they would do it. But, O that such would consider that while they seek anything in themselves to commend them to Christ, they will still stagger and stay away. But let them lay aside their coyness and once come to Him and match with Him, and He will make them queens, and matches meet for Himself.—James Renwick.