莱尔主教upper_room-第24章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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）。
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 sheep；there is no health in me；I am a miserable offender〃？
Who is there that enters into the fulness 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。 1：3）。 Light about our own state is the first work in
the new creation。 Thirsting soul； I say again； you are the person that
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 came this
inward light？ Who opened thine eyes and made thee see and feel？ Know
this day that flesh and blood hath not revealed these things unto thee；
but our Father which is in heaven。 Universities may confer degrees； and
schools may impart knowledge of all the sciences； but they cannot make
men feel sin。 To realize our spiritual need； and feel true spiritual
thirst； is the A B C in saving Christianity。 It is a great saying of
Elihu； in the book of Job； 〃 God looketh upon men； and if any say； I
have sinned； and perverted that which was right； and it profited me
not； He will deliver his soul from death； and his life shall see the
light〃 （Job 33：27…28）。 Let him that knows anything of spiritual
〃thirst〃 not be ashamed。 Rather let him lift up his head； and begin to
hope。 Let him pray that God would carry on the work He has begun； and
make him feel more。
II。 pass from the ca
