Are you greater than our father, Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself, as did his children, and his cattle?"
      b. The blessed change itself. In gospel times the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth. As creatures, we worship the Father of all: as Christians, we worship the Father of our Lord Jesus. Now the change shall be, (a.) In the nature of the worship. Christians shall worship God, not in the ceremonial observances of the Mosaic institution, but in spiritual ordinances, consisting less in bodily exercise, and animated and invigorated more with divine power and energy. The way of worship which Christ has instituted is rational and intellectual, and refined from those external rites and ceremonies with which the Old-Testament worship was both clouded and clogged. This is called true worship, in opposition to that which was typical. The legal services were figures of the true,Hebrews 9:3; Hebrews 9:24. Those that revolted from Christianity to Judaism are said to begin in the spirit, and end in the flesh,Galatians 3:3. Such was the difference between Old-Testament and New-Testament institutions. (b.) In the temper and disposition of the worshippers; and so the true worshippers are good Christians, distinguished from hypocrites; all should, and they will, worship God in spirit and in truth. It is spoken of (John 4:23; John 4:23) as their character, and (John 4:24; John 4:24) as their duty. Note, It is required of all that worship God that they worship him in spirit and in truth. We must worship God, [a.] In spirit,Philippians 3:3. We must depend upon God's Spirit for strength and assistance, laying our souls under his influences and operations; we must devote our own spirits to, and employ them in, the service of God (Romans 1:9), must worship him with fixedness of thought and a flame of affection, with all that is within us. Spirit is sometimes put for the new nature, in opposition to the flesh, which is the corrupt nature; and so to worship God with our spirits is to worship him with our graces,Hebrews 12:28. [b.] In truth, that is, in sincerity. God requires not only the inward part in our worship, but truth in the inward part,Psalms 51:6. We must mind the power more than the form, must aim at God's glory, and not to be seen of men; draw near with a true heart,Hebrews 10:22.