按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
（1） And now I ask every one who has read this paper through to examine
himself and find out his own precise condition。 Are you without Christ？
Do not allow life to pass away without some serious thoughts and
self…inquiry。 You cannot always go on as you do now。 A day must e
when eating； and drinking； and sleeping； and dressing； and making
merry； and spending money； will have an end。 There will be a day when
your place will be empty and you will be only spoken of as one dead and
gone。 And where will you be then^ if you have lived and died without
thought about your soul； without God； and without Christ？ Oh； remember；
it is better a thousand times to be without money； and health； and
friends； and pany； and good cheer； than to be without Christ！
（2） If you have lived without Christ hitherto； I invite you in all
affection to change your course without delay。 Seek the Lord Jesus
while He may be found。 Call upon Him while He is near。 He is sitting at
God's right hand； able to save to the uttermost everyone who es to
Him； however sinful and careless he may have been。 He is sitting at
God's right hand； willing to hear the prayer of every one who feels
that his past life has been all wrong； and wants to be set right。 Seek
Christ； seek Christ without delay。 Acquaint yourself with Him。 Do not
be ashamed to apply to Him。 Only bee one of Christ's friends this
year； and you will say one day it was the happiest year that you ever
had。
（3） If you have bee one of Christ's friends already； I exhort you to
be a thankful man。 Awake to a deeper sense of the infinite mercy of
having an Almighty Saviour； a title to heaven； a home that is eternal；
a Friend that never dies！ A few more years and all our family
gatherings will be over。 What a fort to think that we have in Christ
something that we can never lose！
Awake to a deeper sense of the sorrowful state of those who are
〃without Christ。〃 We are often reminded of the many who are without
food； or clothing； or school； or church。 Let us pity them； and help
them； as far as we can。 But let us never forget that there are people
whose state is far more pitiable。 Who are they？ The people 〃without
Christ！〃
Have we relatives 〃without Christ〃？ Let us feel for them； pray for
them； speak to the King about them； strive to remend the Gospel to
them。 Let us leave no stone unturned in our efforts to bring them to
Christ。
Have we neighbours 〃without Christ〃？ Let us labour in every way for
their souls' salvation。 The night eth when none can work。 Happy is
he who lives under the abiding conviction that to be 〃in Christ〃 is
peace； safety； and happiness； and that to be 〃without Christ〃 is to be
on the brink of destruction。
__________________________________________________________________
XVII。
THIRST RELIEVED
〃In the last day； that great day of the feast； Jesus stood and cried；
saying； If any man thirst； let him e unto Me； and drink。 He that
believeth on Me； as the Scripture hath said； out of his belly shall
flow rivers of living water。〃John vii。 37。 38。
THE text which heads this chapter contains one of those mighty sayings
of Christ which deserve to be printed in letters of gold。 All the stars
in heaven are bright and beautiful； yet even a child can see that one
star excelleth another in glory。 All Scripture is given by inspiration
of God； but that heart must indeed be cold and dull which does not feel
that some verses are peculiarly rich and full。 Of such verses this text
is one。
In order to see the whole force and beauty of the text； we must
remember the place； the time； and the occasion when it es in。
The place； then； was Jerusalem； the metropolis of Judaism； and the
stronghold of priests and scribes； of Pharisees and Sadducees。The
occasion was the Feast of Tabernacles； one of those great annual feasts
when every Jew； if he could； went up to the temple； according to the
law。The time was 〃the last day of the feast；〃 when all the ceremonies
were drawing to a close； when the water drawn from the fountain of
Siloam； according to traditional custom； had been solemnly poured on
the altar； and nothing remained for worshippers but to return home。
At this critical moment； our Lord Jesus Christ 〃stood〃 forward on a
prominent place； and spoke to the assembled crowds。 I doubt not He read
their hearts。 He saw them going away with aching consciences and
unsatisfied minds； having got nothing from their blind teachers the
Pharisees and Sadducees； and carrying away nothing but a barren
recollection of pompous forms。 He saw and pitied them； and cried aloud；
like a herald； 〃If any man thirst； let him e unto Me and
drink。〃That this was all our Lord said on this memorable occasion； I
take leave to doubt。 I suspect it is only the key…note of His address。
But this； I imagine； was the first sentence that fell from His lips：
〃If any man thirst； let him e unto Me。〃 If anyone wants living；
satisfying water； let him e unto ME。
Let me remind my readers； in passing； that no prophet or apostle ever
took on himself to use such language as this。 〃e with us；〃 said
Moses to Hobab （Num。 x。 29）； 〃e to the waters；〃 says Isaiah （Isa。
lv。 1）； 〃Behold the Lamb；〃 says John the Baptist （John i。 29）； 〃Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ；〃 says St。 Paul （Acts xvi。 31） But no one
except Jesus of Nazareth ever said； 〃e to ME。〃 That fact is very
significant。 He that said；〃e to Me；〃 knew and felt； when He said it；
that He was the eternal Son of God； the promised Messiah； the Saviour
of the world。
There are three points in this great saying of our Lord to which I now
propose to direct attention。
I。 You have a case supposed： 〃If any man thirst。〃
II。 You have a remedy proposed： 〃Let him e unto Me； and drink。〃
III。 You have a promise held out： 〃He that believeth on Me； as the
Scripture hath said； out of his belly shall flow rivers of living
waters。〃
Each of these points concerns all into whose hands this paper may fall。
On each of them I have somewhat to say。
I。 In the first place； then； you have a case supposed。 Our Lord says；
〃If any man thirst。〃
Bodily thirst is notoriously the most painful sensation to which the
frame of mortal man is liable。 Read the story of the miserable
sufferers in the black hole at Calcutta。Ask anyone who has travelled
over desert plains under a tropical sun。Hear what any old soldier
will tell you is the chief want of the wounded on a
battlefield。Remember what the crews of ships lost in mid…ocean；
tossed for days in boats without water； go through。Mark the awful
words of the rich man in the parable： 〃Send Lazarus that he may dip the
tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue： for I am tormented in
this flame。〃 （Luke xvi。 24。） The testimony is unvarying。 There is
nothing so terrible and hard to bear as thirst。
But if bodily thirst is so painful； how much more painful is thi