WHILE waiting for the boat to convey me from R. to N. Y. one sultry day. I noticed in the center of the waiting-room a fountain had been erected for the convenience of thirsty passengers. Though many, very many, came to drink, still the water flowed on unchecked, undiminished, just as abundant, just as fast and freely as when the first person partook of its refreshing streams; and I saw with pleasure that none were refused—there was no difference or distinction made between the corners. Did the little hand of a child grasp the cup and hold it up, freely did the fountain fill it to the brim; did an aged one, with a weak and feeble hand, hold it up, the same undiminished stream filled it until it would hold no more; was it a beggar that came, there was no hindrance the cup was filled, the fountain was FREE, and its streams just as quickly sent the brimming cup to his thirsty lips; or did a rich man (alas! I noticed but few who had that appearance go to it), oppressed by the heat of the day, take his stand for a moment on a level with the poor, and become debtor to the fountain, it also sent the overflowing cup with refreshing and healing water to his lips, and he, like all that came, might drink his fill; and all the thirsty ones went away satisfied none were refused, none were stinted; truly it was FREE, and free to ALL!
Every one that thirsted might go to this fountain—yea, he that had no money was welcome, for its waters were free, without money and without price. Then I thought, what a vivid picture of those waters that we read of in Rev. 22:17,17And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17) to which all thirsty ones are invited in this remarkable language,—"Let him that is athirst come: and whosoever will, let him take the water of life FREELY." And again (Rev. 21:66And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Revelation 21:6)),—" And he said unto me, It is done; I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end; I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”
And now, dear unsaved reader, let me ask you, in love to your soul, if you had gone into that waiting-room weary, hot, and thirsty, and looked upon the gushing waters of that fountain, and were told it was free, but refused to drink, could you blame the fountain? Surely not but going away with your thirst unquenched, the full responsibility would be your own, and you must suffer the consequences of refusing to drink, which would be in this case but temporal. But oh, let me entreat you to ponder the consequence of refusing to drink of the water of life so freely offered to you by the living God Himself!
You may ask, Is it for me? Are you thirsty? are you needy? are you a sinner? Then surely it is for you. Take your Bible and look at the thirteenth chapter of Zechariah, first verse, and you will see what this Fountain was opened for, even for sin and for uncleanness. But you may say, This is for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and I am not an Israelite at all. True, you may not be; but now turn to Isa. 55:1,1Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (Isaiah 55:1) and you must be convinced it is for you,—" He, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money: come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk "—at what cost?— "without money, and without price.”
Mark, I beseech you, the deep earnestness of God: He!" This is to attract your attention, — to halt you that you may give special heed to that which He is about to say; and what will God say to poor self-willed guilty rebels against Himself? — " Everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money: come ye, buy and eat; YEA, COME, buy wine and milk WITHOUT MONEY, AND WITHOUT PRICE.”
Every needy one, every guilty one, every sinner, feeling his need of one to save, "Come ye," and he that hath no money, hath no true riches, with nothing but filthy rags, to him the word from God's heart is "Come." And still yearning over you, He says, “Yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." Can you resist the pleading earnestness of God?
Remember that Christ Jesus went most fully into the question of sin and sins with God, and settled it forever, for all who believe; yes, He has accomplished all the work of salvation, and the fountain of His blood has been opened for "sin and uncleanness," and cleanseth forever all that believe,—"The blood of Jesus Christ his (God's) Son cleanseth us from all sin." Yes, dear reader, from ALL sin; and though it cost Him more than we can ever know, to you it is free. Try for a moment to imagine yourself in that waiting-room I have spoken of, and that you see the thirsty ones going to the fountain; think of its fullness—enough for all—and still you see it flows on. How simple; the thirsty see it, they ask no question, raise no doubt, but walk straight up to it and drink, simply because they need the refreshing water. Do you not need the water of life? As a sinner do you not need salvation? Just as freely, just as simply, just as really, you may take it from the hand of God who invites, —nay, more, He beseeches you to drink and be saved.
Listen for a moment to what He says, — "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5:2020Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20)).
Dear sinner, God can say no more; He can do no more; His richest treasure He has given, even His well-beloved Son: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)).
Yes, Jesus was nailed to the cross for sin, and His blood maketh full atonement. Now simply look by faith at Him there, hearken to His cry,“ My God, my God, why hut thou forsaken me?” and believe the precious truth, saying in your heart, “My sins nailed Him to that cross; it was for me He died; the judgment due to my guilt was poured out upon His holy head, and I am free.” And thus believing, God says you are saved, that you have eternal life, and shall never perish, hut are "passed from death unto life." J. C.