blood。 Let nothing tempt you to believe that it is enough to look at
the example of Christ； or to receive the sacrament which Christ
manded to be received； and which many nowadays worship like an idol。
When you e to your deathbed； you will want something more than an
example and a sacrament。 Take heed that you are found resting all your
weight on Christ's substitution for you on the cross； and His atoning
blood； or it will be better if you had never been born。
（c） Last but not least； I charge you never to neglect the duty of
brotherly love； and practical； active； sympathetic kindness towards
every one around you； whether high or low； or rich or poor。 Try daily
to do some good upon earth； and to leave the world a better world than
it was when you were born。 If you are really a child of God； strive to
be like your Father and your great elder Brother in heaven。 For
Christ's sake； do not be content to have religion for yourself alone。
Love； charity； kindness； and sympathy are the truest proofs that we are
real members of Christ； genuine children of God； and rightful heirs of
the kingdom of heaven。
Of 〃one blood〃 we were all born。 In 〃one blood〃 we all need to be
washed。 To all partakers of Adam's 〃one blood〃 we are bound； if we love
life； to be charitable； sympathizing； loving； and kind。 The time is
short。 We are going； going； and shall soon be gone to a world where
there is no evil to remedy； and no scope for works of mercy。 Then for
Christ's sake let us all try to do some good before we die； and to
lessen the sorrows of this sin…burdened world。
__________________________________________________________________
＇6＇ The substance of this paper was preached as a sermon at the Chapel
Royal； St。 James's； London； on March 2； 1884。
__________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER VII
John 7：37…38。
〃LET ANY MAN E。〃
＇7＇
〃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 7：37…38。
THE text which heads this paper 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 differeth from another in glory〃 （1 Cor。 15：41）。 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 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 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 keynote of His address。
But this； I believe； was the first sentence that fell from His lips：
〃If any man thirst； let him e unto Me。〃 If any one 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。 10：29）； 〃e to the waters；〃 says Isaiah （Isa。
45：1）； 〃Behold the Lamb；〃 says John the Baptist （John 1：29）； 〃Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ；〃 says St。 Paul （Acts 16：31）。 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's to which I
now propose to direct your 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
water。〃
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 any one who has travelled
over desert plains under a tropical sumHear what any old soldier will
tell you is the chief want of the wounded on a battlefield。Remember
what the survivors of the crews of ships lost in mid…ocean； like The
Cospatrick； go through。 Mark the awful words of the rich man n 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 16：24）。 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 ruin；to feel the burden of unforgiven
sin； and not to know where to turn for relief； to have a conscience
sick and ill at ease； and to be ignorant of the remedy；to discover
that we are dying； dying daily； and yet unprepared to meet God；to
have some clear view of our own guilt and wickedness； and yet to be in
utter darkness about absolution；this is the highest degree of
pain；the 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 Pentecost。 It is written that they were 〃pricked in their
heart； and said； Men and brethren； what shall we do？〃 （Acts 2：37）。
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 16：30）。
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 none；Luther groping
after truth among monks in Erfurt monastery； John Bunyan agonizing
amidst doubts and conflicts in his Elstow cottage；George Whitefield
groaning under self…imposed austerities； for want of clear teaching；
when an undergraduate at Oxford；all have left on record their
experience。 I believe they all knew what our Lord meant when He spoke
of 〃thirst。〃
And surely； reader； 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 world；knowing； as
we must do； if we will confess it； that there is a world beyond the
grave； and that after death es the judgment；feeling； as we must do
in our better moments； what poor； weak； unstable； defective creatures
we all are； and how unfit to meet God；…conscious as we must be in our
inmost heart of hearts； that on our use of time depends our place in
eternity；we ought to feel and to realize 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 l For money； for power； for pleasure； for rank； for
honour； for distinction；for 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 Incensing 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 of mortification in the body than insensibility。 There is no
more painful sign of an unhealthy state of soul than an utter absence
of 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。 3：17）。