you can venture to the living fountain? Nay, "_if any man_." What is
freer than water?--The poorest beggar may drink "without money" the
wayside pool. _That_ is your Lord's own picture of His own glorious
salvation; you are invited to come, "without one plea," in all your
poverty and want, your weakness and unworthiness. Remember the
Redeemer's saying to the woman of Samaria. She was the chief of
sinners--profligate--hardened--degraded; but He made no condition, no
qualification; _simple believing_ was all that was required,--"If thou
knewest the gift of God," thou wouldst have asked, and He would have
given thee "living water."

But is there not, after all, _one_ condition mentioned in this "word of
Jesus?"--"_If_ any man _thirst_." You may have the depressing
consciousness that you experience no such ardent longings after
holiness,--no feeling of your affecting need of the Saviour. But is not
this very conviction of your want an indication of a feeble longing
after Christ? If you are saying, "I have nothing to draw with, and the
well is deep," He who makes offer of the salvation-stream will Himself
fill your empty vessel,--"He satisfieth the _longing_ soul with
goodness."

"Jesus _stood_ and _cried_." It is the solitary instance recorded of Him
of whom it is said, "He shall _not_ strive nor cry," lifting up "His
voice in the streets." But it was truth of surpassing interest and
magnitude He had to proclaim. It was a declaration, moreover, specially
dear to him. As it formed the theme of this ever-memorable _sermon_
during His public ministry, so when He was sealing up the inspired
record--the last utterances of His voice on earth, till that voice shall
be heard again on the throne, contained the same life-giving
invitation,--"Let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him
take of the water of life freely." Oh! as the echoes of that gracious
saying--this blast of the silver trumpet--are still sounding to the ends
of the world, may this be the recorded result,

"AS HE SPAKE _THESE WORDS_, MANY BELIEVED ON HIM."

15TH DAY.

"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said"--

"My yoke is easy, and my burden is light."--Matt. xi. 30.

The Joyful Servitude.

Can the same be said of Satan, or sin? With regard to _them_, how
faithfully true rather is the converse--"my yoke is _heavy_, and my
burden is _grievous_!" Christ's service is a happy service, the _only_
happy one; and even whe