莱尔主教upper_room-第25章
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make him feel more。
II。 pass from the case supposed to the remedy proposed。 〃If any man
thirst；〃 says our blessed Lord Jesus Christ； 〃let him e unto Me； and
drink。〃
There is a grand simplicity about this little sentence which cannot be
too much admired。 There is not a word in it of which the literal
meaning is not plain to a child。 Yet； simple as it appears； it is rich
in spiritual meaning。 Like the Koh…i…noor diamond； which you may carry
between finger and thumb； it is of unspeakable value。 It solves that
mighty problem which all the philosophers of Greece and Rome could
never solve；〃How can man have peace with God？〃 Place it in your
memory side by side with six other golden sayings of your Lord：〃I am
the bread of life： he that eth unto Me shall never hunger； and he
that believeth on ME shall never thirst。〃 〃I am the Light of the
world： he that followeth ME shall not walk in darkness； but shall have
the light of life。〃…〃 I am the Door： by ME if any man enter in； he
shall be saved。〃…〃 I am the Way； the Truth； and the Life： no man
eth unto the Father but by ME。〃〃e unto Me； all ye that labour
and are heavy…laden； and I will give you rest。〃〃Him that eth to Me
I will in no wise cast out。〃Add to these six texts the one before you
to…day。 Get the whole seven by heart。 Rivet them down in your mind； and
never let them go。 When your feet touch the cold river； on the bed of
sickness and in the hour of death； you will find these seven texts
above all price （John 6：35； 8：12； 10：9； 14：6； Matt。 11：28； John 6：37）。
For what is the sum and substance of these simple words？ It is this。
Christ is that Fountain of living water which God has graciously
provided for thirsting souls From Him； as out of the rock smitten by
Moses； there flows an abundant stream for all who travel through the
wilderness of this world。 In Him； as our Redeemer and Substitute；
crucified for our sins and raised again for our justification； there is
an endless supply of all that men can need； pardon； absolution； mercy；
grace； peace； rest； relief； fort； and hope。
This rich provision Christ has bought for us at the price of His own
precious blood。 To open this wondrous fountain He suffered for sin； the
just for the unjust； and bore our sins in His own body on the tree。 He
was made sin for us； who knew no sin； that we might be made the
righteousness of God in Him （1 Pet。 2：24； 3：18； 2 Cor。 5：21）。 And now
He is sealed and appointed to be the Reliever of all who are labouring
and heavy…laden； and the Giver of living water to all who thirst。 It is
His office to receive sinners。 It is His pleasure to give them pardon；
life； and peace。 And the words of the text are a proclamation He makes
to all mankind；…〃 If any man thirst； let him e unto Me； and
drink。〃
Let every reader of this paper remember that the efficacy of a medicine
depends in great measure on the manner in which it is used。 The best
prescription of the best physician is useless if we refuse to follow
the directions which acpany it。 Suffer the word of exhortation；
while I offer some caution and advice about the fountain of living
water。
（a） He that thirsts and wants relief must e to Christ Himself。 He
must not be content with ing to His Church and His ordinances； or to
the assemblies of His people for prayer and praise。 He must not stop
short even at His holy table； or rest satisfied with privately opening
his heart to His ordained ministers。 Oh； no！ he that is content with
only drinking these waters 〃shall thirst again〃 （John 4：13）。 He must go
higher； further； much further than this。 He must have personal dealings
with Christ Himself： all else in religion is worthless without Him。 The
King's palace； the attendant servants； the richly furnished
banqueting…house； the very banquet itself； all are nothing unless we
speak with the King。 His hand alone can take the burden off our backs
and make us feel free。 The hand of man may take the stone from the
grave and show the dead； but none but Jesus can say to the dead； 〃e
forth； and live〃 （John 11：41…43）。 We must deal directly with Christ。
（b） Again： he that thirsts and wants relief from Christ must actually
e to Him。 It is not enough to wish； and talk； and mean； and intend；
and resolve； and hope。 Hell； that awful reality； is truly said to be
paved with good intentions。 Thousands are yearly lost in this fashion；
and perish miserably just outside the harbour。 Meaning and intending
they live； meaning and intending they die。 Oh； no！ we must 〃arise and
e！〃 If the prodigal son had been content with saying； 〃How many
hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare； and I
perish with hunger！ I hope some day to return home；〃 he might have
remained for ever among the swine。 It was when he AROSE AND CAME to his
father that his father ran to meet him； and said； 〃Bring forth the best
robe； and put it on him 。。。。 Let us eat and be merry〃 （Luke 15：20…23）。
Like him； we must not only 〃e to ourselves；〃 and think； but we must
actually e to the High Priest； to Christ。 We must e to the
Physician。
（c） Once again： he that thirsts and wants to e to Christ must
remember that SIMPLE FAITH IS THE ONE THING REQUIRED。 By all means let
him e with a penitent； broken； and contrite heart； but let him not
dream of resting on that for acceptance。 Faith is the only hand that
can carry the living water to our lips。 Faith is the hinge on which all
turns in the matter of our justification。 It is written again and
again； that 〃whosoever believeth shall not perish； but have eternal
life〃 （John 3：15…16）。 〃To him that worketh not； but believeth on Him
that justifieth the ungodly； his faith is counted for righteousness〃
（Rom。 4：5）。 Happy is he that can lay hold on the principle laid down in
that matchless hymn；…
〃Just as I am： without one plea；
But that Thy blood was shed for me；
And that Thou bidst me e to Thee
O Lamb of God； I e。〃
How simple this remedy for thirst appears！ But oh； how hard it is to
persuade some persons to receive it！ Tell them to do some great thing；
to mortify their bodies； to go on pilgrimage； to give all their goods
to feed the poor； and so to merit salvation； and they will try to do as
they are bid。 Tell them to throw overboard all idea of merit； working；
or doing； and to e to Christ as empty sinners； with nothing in their
hands； and； like Naaman； they are ready to turn away in disdain （2
Kings 5：12）。 Human nature is always the same in every age。 There are
still some people just like the Jews； and some like the Greeks。 To the
Jews Christ crucified is still a stumbling…block； and to the Greeks
foolishness。 Their succession； at any rate； has never ceased！ Never did
our Lord say a truer word than that which He spoke to the proud scribes
in the Sanhedrim； 〃Ire WILL NOT e unto Me that ye might have life〃
（John 5：40）。
But； simple as this remedy for thirst appears； it is the only cure for
man's spiritual disease； and the only bridge from earth to heaven。
Kings and their subjects； preachers and hearers； masters and servants；
high and low； rich and poor； learned and unlearned； all must alike
drink of this water of life； and drink in the same way。 For eighteen
centuries men have laboured to find some other medicine for weary
consciences； but they have laboured in vain。 Thousands； after
blistering their hands； and growing grey in hewing out 〃broken
cisterns； which can hold no water〃 （Jer。 2：13）； have been obliged to
e back at last to the old Fountain； and have confessed in their
latest moment that here； in Christ alone； is true peace。
And simple as the old remedy for thirst may appear； it is the root of
the inward life of all God's greatest servants in all ages。 What have
the saints and martyrs been in every era of Church history； but men who
came to Christ daily by faith； and found His flesh meat indeed an
