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Robert M'Cheyne。 These blessed servants of God do more good probably by
their books at this moment； than they did by their tongues when they
were alive。 〃Being dead they yet speak。〃 （Heb。 xi。 4。）
（d） Finally； there are some believers who are 〃rivers of living water〃
by the beauty of their daily conduct and behaviour。 There are many
quiet； gentle； consistent Christians who make no show and no noise in
the world； and yet insensibly exercise a deep influence for good on all
around them。 They 〃win without the Word。〃 （1 Peter iii。 1。） Their love；
their kindness； their sweet temper； their patience； their
unselfishness； tell silently on a wide circle； and sow seeds of thought
and self…inquiry in many minds。 It was a fine testimony of an old lady
who died in great peace； saying that under God she owed her salvation
to Mr。 Whiteneld：〃It was not any sermon that he preached； it was not
anything that he ever said to me。 It was the beautiful consistency and
kindness of his daily life； in the house where he was staying； when I
was a little girl。 I said to myself； if I ever have any religion； Mr。
Whitefield's God shall be my God。〃
Let us all lay hold on this view of our Lord's promise； and never
forget it。 Think not for a moment that your own soul is the only soul
that will be saved if you e to Christ by faith and follow Him。 Think
of the blessedness of being a 〃river of living water〃 to others。 Who
can tell that you may not be the means of bringing many others to
Christ？ Live； and act； and speak； and pray； and work； keeping this
continually in view。 I knew a family； consisting of a father； mother；
and ten children； in which true religion began with one of the
daughters； and when it began she stood alone； and all the rest of the
family were in the world。 And yet； before she died； she saw both her
parents and all her brothers and sisters converted to God； and all
this； humanly speaking； began from her influence！ Surely； in the face
of this； we need not doubt that a believer may be to others a 〃river of
living water。〃 Conversions may not be in your time； and you may die
without seeing them。 But never doubt that conversion generally leads to
conversions； and that few go to heaven alone。 When Grimshaw； of
Haworth； the apostle of the north； died； he left his son graceless and
godless。 Afterwards the son was converted； never having forgotten his
father's advice and example。 And his last words were； 〃What will my old
father say when he sees me in heaven？〃 Let us take courage and hope on；
believing Christ's promise。
（1） And now； before I close this paper； let me ask you a plain
question。 Do you know anything of spiritual thirst？ Have you ever felt
anything of genuine deep concern about your soul？I fear that many
know nothing about it。 I have learned； by the painful experience of the
third of a century； that people may go on for years attending God's
house and yet never feel their sins； or desire to be saved。 The cares
of this world； the love of pleasure； the 〃lust of other things〃 choke
the good seed every Sunday； and make it unfruitful。 They e to church
with hearts as cold as the stone pavement on which they walk。 They go
away as thoughtless and unmoved as the old marble busts which look down
on them from the monuments on the walls。 Well； it may be so； but I do
not despair of anyone； so long as he is alive。 That grand old bell in
St。 Paul's Cathedral； London； which has struck the Hours for so many
years； is seldom heard by many during the business hours of the day。
The roar and din of traffic in the streets have a strange power to
deaden its sound； and prevent men hearing it。 But when the daily work
is over； and desks are locked； and doors are closed； and books are put
away； and quiet reigns in the great city； the case is altered。 As the
old bell at night strikes eleven； and twelve； and one； and two； and
three； thousands hear it who never heard it during the day。 And so I
hope it will be with many an one in the matter of his soul。 Now； in the
plenitude of health and strength； in the hurry and whirl of business； I
fear the voice of your conscience is often stifled； and you cannot hear
it。 But the day may e when the great bell of conscience will make
itself heard； whether you like it or not。 The time may e when； laid
aside in quietness； and obliged by illness to sit still； you may be
forced to look within； and consider your soul's concerns。 And then；
when the great bell of awakened conscience is sounding in your ears； I
trust that many a man who reads this paper may hear the voice of God
and repent； may learn to thirst； and learn to e to Christ for
relief。 Yes； I pray God you may be taught to feel before it be too
late！
（2） But do you feel anything at this very moment？ Is your conscience
awake and working？ Are you sensible of spiritual thirst； and longing
for relief？ Then hear the invitation which I bring you in my Master's
name this day：〃If any man；〃 no matter who he may beif any man； high
or low； rich or poor； learned or unlearned〃if any man thirst； let him
e to Christ and drink。〃 Hear and accept that invitation without
delay。 Wait for nothing。 Wait for nobody。 Who can tell that you may not
wait for 〃a convenient season〃 till it be too late？ The hand of a
living Redeemer is now held out from heaven； but it may be withdrawn。
The Fountain is open now； but it may soon be closed for ever。 〃If any
man thirst； let him e and drink〃 without delay。 Though you have been
a great sinner； and have resisted warnings； counsel； and sermons； yet
e。Though you have sinned against light and knowledge； against a
father's advice； and a mother's tears； though you have lived for years
without a Sabbath； and without prayer； yet e。Say not that you know
not how to e； that you do not understand what it is to believe； that
you must wait for more light。 Will a tired man say that he is too tired
to lie down？ or a drowning man； that he knows not how to lay hold on
the hand stretched out to help him？ or the shipwrecked sailor； with a
life…boat alongside the stranded hulk； that he knows not how to jump
in？ Oh； cast away these vain excuses！ Arise； and e！ The door is not
shut。 The fountain is not yet closed。 The Lord Jesus invites you。 It is
enough that you feel thirsting； and desire to be saved。 e： e to
Christ without delay。 Who ever came to the fountain for sin and found
it dry？ Who ever went unsatisfied away？
（3） But have you e to Christ already； and found relief？ Then e
nearer； nearer still。 The closer your munion with Christ； the more
fort you will feel。 The more you daily live by the side of the
Fountain； the more you shall feel in yourself 〃a well of water
springing up into everlasting life。〃 （John iv。 14。） You shall not only
be blessed yourself； but be a source of blessing to others。
In this evil world you may not perhaps feel all the sensible fort
you could desire。 But remember you cannot have two heavens。 Perfect
happiness is yet to e。 The devil is not yet bound。 There is 〃a good
time ing〃 for all who feel their sins and e to Christ； and mit
their thirsting souls to His keeping。 When He es again they will be
pletely satisfied。 They will remember all the way by which they were
led； and see the need…be of everything that befell them。 Above all；
they will wonder that they could ever live so long without Christ； and
hesitate about ing to Him。
There is a pass in Scotland called Glencroe； which supplies a beautiful
illustration of what heaven will be to the souls who e to Christ。
The road through Glencroe carries the traveller up a long and steep
ascent； with many a little turn and winding in its course。 But when the
top of the pass is reached； a stone is seen by the wayside with these
simple words inscribed upon it：〃Rest； and be thankful。〃 Those words
describe the feelings with which every thirsting one who es to
Christ will enter heaven。 The summit of the narrow way will at length
be ours。 We shall cease from our weary journeyings； and sit down in the
kingdom of God。 We shall look back on all the way of our lives with
thankfulness； and see the perfect wisdom of every step in the steep
ascent by which we were led。 We shall forget the toil of the upward
journey in the glorious rest。 Here； in this world； our sense of rest in
Christ at best is feeble and partial： we hardly seem at times to taste
fully 〃the living water。〃 But when that which is perfect is e； then
that which is imperfect shall be done away。 〃When we awake up after His
likeness we shall be satisfied。〃 （Psalm xvii。 15。） We shall drink out
of the river of His pleasures and thirst no more。
NOTE
THERE is a passage in an old writer which throws so much light on some
points mentioned in this paper； that I make no excuse for giving it to
the reader in its entirety。 It es from a work which is little known
and less read。 It has done me good； and I think it may do good to
others。
〃When a man is awakened； and brought to that that all must be brought
to； or to worse； What shall I do to be saved？' （Acts xvi。 30； 31）； we
have the apostolic answer to it： Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ； and
thou shalt be saved； and thy house。' This answer is so old that with
many it seems out of date。 But it is still and will ever be fresh； and
new； and savoury； and the only resolution of this grand case of
conscience； as long as conscience and the world lasts。 No wit or art of
man will ever find a crack or flaw in it； or devise another or a better
answer； nor can any but this alone heal rightly the wound of an
awakened conscience。
〃Let us set this man to seek resolution and relief in this case of some
masters in our Israel。 According to their principles they must say to
him； Repent； and mourn for your known sins； and leave them and loath
them； and God will have mercy on you。' Alas！' （saith the poor man）； my
heart is hard； and I cannot repent aright： yea； I find my heart more
hard and vile than when I was secure in sin。' If you speak to this man
of qualifications for Christ； he knows nothing of them； if of sincere
obedience； his answer is native and ready： Obedience is the work of a
living man； and sincerity is only in a renewed soul。' Sincere obedience
is； therefore； as impossible to a dead unrenewed sinner as perfect
obedience is。 Why should not the right answer be given to the awakened
sinner： Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ； and you shall be saved'？ Tell
him what Christ is； what He hath done and suffered to obtain eternal
redemption for sinners； and that according to the will of God and His
Father。 Give him a plain downright narrative of the Gospel salvation
wrought out by the Son of God； tell him the history and mystery of the
Gospel plainly。 It may be the Holy Ghost will work faith thereby； as He
did m those first fruits of the Gentiles。 （Acts x。 44。）
〃If he ask； What warrant he hath to believe on Jesus Christ？ tell him
that he hath utter indispensable necessity for it； for without
believing on Him； he must perish eternally。 Tell him that he hath God's
gracious offer of Christ and all His redemption； with a promise； that
upon accepting the offer by faith； Christ and salvation with Him is
his。 Tell him that he hath God's express mandment （1 John iii。 23）
to believe on Christ's name； and that he should make conscience of
obeying it； as well as any mand in the moral law。 Tell him of
Christ's ability and good…will to save； that no man was ever rejected
by Him that cast himself upon Him； that desperate cases are the
glorious triumphs of His art of saving。 Tell him that there is no midst
（or medium） between faith and unbelief； that there is no excuse for
neglecting the one and continuing in the other； that believing on the
Lord Jesus for salvation is more ple