39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.



Ver. 39. For the saying of the woman] An unlikely means to effect so great a matter. But what is that to the Almighty? So Junius professeth, that the very first thing that turned him from atheism was conference with a countryman of his, not far from Florence. The next was, the majesty of the Scriptures, which he observed in Joh_1:1-15. So for our forefathers in times of Popery, Mr Fox observeth, that by the reading of Chaucer’s books some were brought to the knowledge of the truth. And in that rarity of books and want of teachers, this one thing I greatly marvel at (saith he), to note in the registers, and consider how the word of God did multiply so exceedingly as it did among them. For I find that one neighbour resorting to and conferring with another, again, with a few words of their first or second talk, did win and turn their minds to that wherein they desire to persuade them touching the truth of God’s word and sacraments.