and look on the fields, for they are white already to harvest, &c. These words relate to a new church from the Lord; that it is at hand, is signified by the fields which are white already to harvest; they of that church who are in the spiritual affection of truth, and thence in heaven, are understood by the words, he who reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto eternal life; and the Lord himself, from whom that affection of truth and heaven are, is signified by Him who soweth rejoicing together. Ap. Ex. 695.

These words were spoken by the Lord concerning a new church about to be established by Him; that the establishment of that church is now at hand, is understood by the words, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white already to harvest; to teach those who are about to be of that church, and as the Lord saith elsewhere, to collect and gather them together into the garner, is signified by reaping; that they who teach, thus who collect and gather together, are not themselves, but the Lord, since whom the disciples have converted to the church, the Lord hath prepared to receive by the angels, that is, by divine truths from the Word, these things are understood, by one sowing and another reaping. I sent you to reap that for which ye have not laboured; others have laboured, but ye are entered into their labours. Ap. Ex. 911.

CHAPTER IV.

Translator's Notes and Observations.

VERSE 6. But the fountain of Jacob was there. Jesus therefore, being weary with the journey, sat thus at the fountain. In the common version of the New Testament, what is here rendered fountain is called well, but the original Greek is nyn, which properly signifies a fountain, or water springing or bubbling up, whereas a well is expressed by the term peap, which occurs at verses 11 and 12, and denotes water in a state of mere stagnation. A fountain therefore, or anyn, in it's internal sense, is expressive of an order of truth more connected with good, than what is expressed by the term well, or opɛap, on which account the two terms ought not to be confounded. together, but kept distinct.

Verse 26. Jesus saith unto her, I am, that speaketh to thee. In the common version of the New Testament, the latter words of this verse are thus expressed, I that speak unto thee am [he], but in the original Greek they are thus expressed, Eyw εu, & Aaλwr σo, which literally is, in the English language, I am that λαλων σοι, speaketh to thee. Thus the blessed Jesus, on this, as on other occasions, asserts His supreme divinity, by taking to himself the emphatical appellation of I AM, so peculiarly characteristic of ESSENTIAL DEITY.

Verse 29. Come, see a man who hath told me all things whatever I have done. Is not this the CHRIST? These words, it is plain, cannot be understood literally, since it is impossible to suppose that the BLESSED JESUS literally told the Samaritan woman all that she had ever done. But the case appears to be this, that the words of the BLESSED JESUS had so operated on the mind of the woman, as to bring to her recollection the whole of her past life, not only in regard to it's external form in words and deeds, but likewise as to it's internal form in motives and ends, and consequently it appeared to her as if JESUS had told her all. Well therefore might she exclaim, Is not this the CHRIST?

Verse 35. Behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields. These words are remarkable, and by their internal sense and meaning demonstrate the divinity of the speaker, inasmuch as they point to distinct degrees of spiritual light, and at the same time to the proper object on which it ought to be exercised. For when it is said, Behold, I say unto you, the words are designed to excite attention to the DIVINE SPEAKER; and when it is said further, lift up your eyes, the necessity is urged of an elevation of the spiritual eye, or the understanding, before any spiritual object can be properly seen and contemplated; and when it is added lastly, look on the fields, the state of the church, in regard to its reception of heavenly seed, or the eter nal truth, is announced as the important spiritual object, towards which spiritual light ought to be directed, and in the contemplation of which it ought to be employed. Thus we are instructed, that our first and principal duty is to regard JESUS CHRIST, or the INCARNATE GOD, as the great and only fountain of all truth; and our second is, to elevate our un derstandings, by raising them out of and above the perishable objects of time and sense; whilst the third is, to consider seriously and attentively the state of the church generally, and of our own hearts individually, as to the insemination, the growth, the fruitfulness and harvest of the eternal truth.

Verse 46. And there was a certain courtier, &c. The original term here rendered courtier is Baaikos, which is derived from the substantive Baσtλɛus, (a king), and thus denotes a person employed about a king, or in a king's business.

Verse 48. Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, &c. The Greek term here rendered signs is onμea, and the Greek term rendered wonders, is repara, from repas, which properly signifies a prodigy or miracle, and is accordingly rendered by the Latin term miraculum, where it is translated in the Ap. Ex. n. 706, on which occasion the enlightened author points out the internal distinction between a sign and a miracle, shewing that the former denotes a testification which applies more to the conviction of the understanding, whilst the latter is a testification which applies more to the excitement of the will.

JOHN