otherwise with David in type. His men certainly did, at the risk of their own lives, fetch the water, and none can tell what was the weighty import of that drink-offering which David poured out to the Lord; so that he, instead of then appropriating it, might continue to wait in faith for its fulfilment at the gate of Bethlehem. God could accept that for David and David's greater Son against that day; just as He could bury Moses so that none should know his sepulchre, and bring him out when wanted on the Mount of transfiguration to meet his Lord; or at another day catch away an Elias in a chariot of fire, for a like purpose and interview with Jesus. Jesus could say "I thirst" for those higher glories to which that open sepulchre points-by the way of death and the grave, and the gate of hades, by which our Lord broke through the enemy's power, to obtain such victories. Connect that thirst, beloved, with the place that He is now in at the right hand of the Father. Does it not tell us what He thirsted for? He says, I go there as the Son of man that I may open out and make manifest the counsels of the Father. "I thirst" that there may be nothing more hid of what is in that bosom. He thirsted for His baptism in the days of His flesh, and how was He straitened till it was accomplished! He thirsted; and then He poured out for Him, who could alone understand the value of such a sacrifice -that precious blood-the blood that was poured out for God! It is everything for us to know, both for faith, and in communion, that the value of the sacrifice and its efficacy begin with God. Nobody knows all that the Son is but the Father, and all that the Father is but the Son-or the relations in which by the work of Christ we are set with God. We have Him as the burntoffering. We have Him as the meatoffering the bread and wine of Melchisedec-and the precious perfume and incense of the Sanctuary—it is all there! Well, I will only say another word, and it is this-another word in connection with that which I find in the day of the coming glory, when all will descend from God out of heaven, as in the close of Revelation. Here I get the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem thrown open, and not shut day or night for ever! It is beautiful to see that everything is finally made manifest-from the highest heavens to the city of display. But lovely as it is, it is something less than what we get in the Gospel and Epistle of John, just because it admits of display. It is not the nature of love to like display. The more objects Christ got round Him, the more objects He had on which to pour out His love; and love is never better pleased than when it meets with that which likes to accept it. Now here in the last verses of the Revelation we get a new thirst opened in ourselves, for the Spirit and the bride say, Come!" It is the Spirit and bride, because they are thus seen waiting and ready upon earth-and for whom do you thirst? It is your turn. Oh, if so, I say, Come Lord Jesus! The hope of His coming sustains me in His absence, to go along a path that none could travel but with path of sepa- Himself. The Father and the Son love to have us go along with them (as we have been shewing) in this rateness and expectation. and the bride say, Come. that heareth say, Come. that is athirst, come. There is a thirst here, but if there is a thirst, it is not a thirst that need be unsatisfied-" whosoever will let him take the water of life freely," and I can thus in faith carry up the objects of my love that they may be satisfied where I am-even with Christ Himself. Then "he which testifieth of these things saith, Surely, I come quickly, Amen." He will come, and come " with a shout" too! The Christ that went out with a thirst, will come in the second time with a shout, and bid us rise to meet Him. The Lord give us hearts to respond, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" May the Spirit keep these longings and thirstings full upon the soul in power, till the "moment, and the twinkling of an eye" perfect our translation, to see Him as He is, and to be like Him! THOUGHTS FOR THIS DAY. GUIDANCE. "As many as are led of the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." "If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit." Thus we learn that divine guidance is the privilege, and more, is the very characteristic of God's people. The grace of God which has saved them, has also conferred on them all things that pertain unto life and godliness, and next to the gift of His own Son, God's chiefest gift, is that of the Holy Ghost; as the apostle has said, "Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us is God, who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." Guidance must always be from without, and must depend on another and not on oneself. If I am ever so wise in heart and perfect in ways, these will not guide me, though they might shew I have no need of guidance; if however I know the need of guidance, I also con |