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（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。
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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 thirst of
soul？ Physical suffering is not the worst part of eternal punishment。
It is a light thing； even in this world； pared to the suffering of
the mind and inward man。 To see the value of our souls； and find out
they are in danger of eternal ruinto feel the burden of unforgiven
sin； and not to know where to turn for reliefto have a conscience
sick and ill at ease； and to be ignorant of the remedyto discover
that we are dying； dying daily； and yet unprepared to meet Godto have
some clear view of our own guilt and wickedness； and yet to be in utter
darkness about absolutionthis is the highest degree of painthe pain
which drinks up soul and spirit； and pierces joints and marrow！ And
this no doubt is the thirst of which our Lord is speaking。 It is thirst
after pardon； forgiveness； absolution； and peace with God。 It is the
craving of a really awakened conscience； wanting satisfaction and not
knowing where to find it； walking through dry places and unable to get
rest。
This is the thirst which the Jews felt when Peter preached to them on
the day of Penetcost。 It is written that they were 〃pricked In their
heart； and said； Men and brethren； what shall we do？〃 （Acts ii。 37。）
This is the thirst which the Philippian jailor felt； when he awoke to
consciousness of his spiritual danger and felt the earthquake making
the prison reel under his feet。 It is written that he 〃came trembling；
and fell down before Paul and Silas； and brought them out； saying；
Sirs； what must I do to be saved？〃 （Acts xvi。 30。）
This is the thirst which many of the greatest servants of God seem to
have felt when light first broke in on their minds。 Augustine seeking
rest among the Manichean heretics and finding noneLuther groping
after truth among monks in Erfurt MonasteryJohn Bunyan agonizing
amidst doubts and conflicts in his Elstow cottageGeorge Whitefield
groaning under self…imposed austerities； for want of clear teaching；
when an undergraduate at Oxfordall have left on record their
experience。 I believe they all knew what our Lord meant when He spoke
of 〃thirst。〃
And surely it is not too much to say that all of us ought to know
something of this thirst； if not as much as Augustine； Luther； Bunyan；
or Whitefield。 Living as we do in a dying worldknowing as we do； if
we will confess it； that there is a world beyond the grave； and that
after death es the judgmentfeeling； as we must do in our better
moments； what poor； weak； unstable； defective creatures we all are； and
how unfit to meet Godconscious as we must be in our inmost heart of
hearts； that on our use of time depends our place in eternitywe ought
to feel and to realise something like 〃thirst〃 for a sense of peace
with the living God。 But alas； nothing proves so conclusively the
fallen nature of man as the general； mon want of spiritual appetite！
For money； for power； for pleasure； for rank； for honour； for
distinctionfor all these the vast majority are now intensely
thirsting。 To lead forlorn hopes； to dig for gold； to storm a breach；
to try to hew a way through thick…ribbed ice to the North Pole； for all
these objects there is no lack of adventurers and volunteers。 Fierce
and unceasing is the petition for these corruptible crowns！ But few
indeed； by parison； are those who thirst after eternal life。 No
wonder that the natural man is called in Scripture 〃dead；〃 and
〃sleeping；〃 and blind； and deaf。 No wonder that he is said to need a
second birth and a new creation。 There is no surer symptom or
mortification in the body than the loss of all feeling。 There is no
more painful sign of an unhealthy state of soul than an utter absence
or spiritual thirst。 Woe to that man of whom the Saviour can say； 〃Thou
knowest not that thou art wretched； and miserable； and poor； and blind；
and naked。〃 （Rev。 iii。 17。）
But who is there among the readers of this paper that feels the burden
of sin； and longs for peace with God？ Who is there that really feels
the words of our Prayer…book Confession： 〃I have erred and strayed like
a lost sheepthere is no health in meI am a miserable offender〃？ Who
is there that enters into the fullness of our munion Service； and
can say with truth； 〃The remembrance of my sins is grievous； and the
burden of them is intolerable〃？ You are the man that ought to thank
God。 A sense of sin； guilt； and poverty of soul； is the first stone
laid by the Holy Ghost when He builds a spiritual temple。 He convinces
of sin。 Light was the first thing called into being in the material
creation。 （Gen。 i。 3。） Light about our own state is the first work in
the new creation。 Thirsting soul； I say again； you are the person who
ought to thank God。 The kingdom of God is near you。 It is not when we
begin to feel good； but when we feel bad； that we take the first step
towards heaven。 Who taught thee that thou wast naked？ Whence ca