September 3

PART II. - John 7:37.

LET us now glance at the characters to whom Christ's invitation was addressed. If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. None but those who thirst will appreciate the living waters. None else could possibly enjoy them. To all else they would be offered in vain. But what is this thirsting? It includes obviously a sense of need, a painful state of mind, resembling that which the body feels when scorched by heat. It also includes eager and intense desire. Hence says the Psalmist

"As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." Now it is not until we feel our extreme need, and until an ardent desire is enkindled, that we shall feel our interest in the gracious invitations of the gospel. Then observe the freeness and gratuitousness of the invitation itself. It is to any one that thirsts, whoever he may be, whatever might have been his state and condition: so that none are excluded but those who, knowing not the value of the boon offered, exclude themselves. And all the terms proposed by Christ to such is merely this, that they come to Christ. "If any man thirst let him come to me." And this coming is simply a willingness of mind to receive cordially the blessings which he waits to confer. It excludes every thing like merit, or price, or self-qualification. The waters have been provided. They flow freely before us; and we have only just to approach, to obey the gracious mandate, and apply them to our thirsty lips. And we may drink freely and abundantly. There is no restriction whatever, we may drink copious draughts, and satisfy all the desires of our thirsty souls. By the sweetness and vitality of these streams, and by the freeness of the invitation given, let us be constrained to come to Christ, and to take of the waters of life freely.

"Ho! ye that pant for living streams, And pine away, and die,

Here you may quench your raging thirst, With streams that never dry.

These streams the whole creation reach, So plentious is the store,

Enough for all, enough for each, Enough for evermore."