Tho' the Fathers, against whose Authority I dare not write, or I should be tempted to it in this Case, acknowledge the Letter of this Story, suspecting only some[130] particular Passages of it; yet they look upon the whole, for all that, as a[131] typical Narration, and endeavour at the mystical Construction of all and every part of it. St. _Augustin_, as if he was afraid some Christians of after Times should espouse, as our Divines do, only the Letter, prefaces his Exposition of this Story with these Words, saying,[132] _There are mysteries in all the Sayings and Actions of our Saviour, particularly in the Story of the Woman of_ Samaria, _and whoever carelesly and imprudently_ (meaning literally) _interprets it, will advance erroneous and pernicious Doctrine_; which, if modern Commentators had any Regard for the Authority of St. _Augustin_, is enough to deter them from their literal Expositions. The most literal Interpreter among the Fathers, whom I know of, is St. _Cyril_, and he says[133] there is a Type and Parable in this Story. But to descend to Particulars. By the _Woman of Samaria_ is to be understood an[134] Heretical and Adulterous Church, which Jesus, _being wearied_ with her[135] corrupt State, will meet with in _the sixth Hour_, that is in[136] the _sixth grand Age_ of the World. So, by the By, according to the Fathers, _Jesus_ will come to, and meet with the _Samaritan_ Church to her Edification, at the same time, that he cures the Church of her _Issue of Blood_ and _Spirit of Infirmity_. And where did _Jesus_ meet with the Woman of _Samaria_? At _Jacob_'s _Well_, where she was for Water to quench Thirst: So at the[137] _Well_ of the Holy Scriptures, whose Sense lies deep as in a Well, and flows with Knowledge as with Water, will Christ then find his Church, drawing and drinking of the[138] Waters of the Letter, which could not quench the Thirst of the Soul hitherto: But in the Perfection of Time, signified by the _sixth Hour_, will Christ, according to the Fathers, enable her to draw out of this _Well_ of the Profundity of the Scriptures, spiritual Waters of Divine Knowledge, which will daily more and more, like the Fountains of the Waters of Life, arise and flow in upon the Soul, and constantly recreate and refresh her with Wisdom, to her Delight and Satisfaction; so as she may be said never to thirst more, after the Manner she does now.