A Song at the Wellhead
A sermon
(No. 776)
Delivered on Thursday Evening, OCTOBER 10, 1867, by
C.H.SPURGEON,
At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington
"And from there they went to Beer, which is the well where the Lord
said to Moses, 'Gather the people together, and I will give them
water.' Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well! All of you sing
to it–The princes dug the well, the nobles of the people dug it, by
the direction of the la wgiver, with their sta ves."- Numbers 21:16-18.
WE have remarked in our reading that the children of Israel were
continually changing their places and that there was usually a great
difference between one station and the next. So, also, we are
constantly varying in our experience, and the variations are sometimes
exceedingly remarkable. You observe, in the neighborhood of the text,
that the people pitched their tents at one time by the brooks of Arnon.
There appears to have been an exceedingly abundance of water where they
then were, but nevertheless they removed into the wilderness where
there was not a single drop to quench their thirst.
So is it with us. At one time we are abounding in every good thing,
rejoicing "with joy unspeakable and full of glory." And at another time
we discover how great our weakness is–faith is at a very low ebb–and
joy seems as though the frost of doubt had nipped its root. But, great
as the changes of our experience certainly are, our necessities never
change. Whether they found water or not, the people always needed
water. The great camp must always have a supply, or perish for the lack
of it. So, at all hours, and in all places, Believers need the Divine
Grace which only their Lord can give them. They carry no stores with
them–they are daily dependent upon their God. "All my springs are in
You," said David, and every heir of Heaven must experimentally learn
this Truth of God.
Now there is one thing certain, that although our experiences vary and
our necessities remain the same, yet there is something that does not
change, namely, the supply which God has provided for our needs. Our
experience may be high or low, bright or dark, but JEHOVAH-JIREH is
still the name of our God. In the mountain of the Lord it shall be
seen, and in the valley, too, that the Lord will provide. As our day,
so shall our strength be. If great our needs, great shall be our
supplies!
Israel found it so, for when they came to this particular place where
there was no natural water, they soon discovered a supernatural supply.
They arrived at a spot that was all arid sand, but that was the very
place of which God had spoken, "Gather the people together, and I will
give them water." Believer, your supplies shall never vary, and your
greatest necessities shall only illustrate the fullness of the Lord
your God! Be not afraid, but go forward. Though it is dark and dreary
in the prospect, yet if God bids you advance, tarry not, for He has
surely taken care to provide your necessities when they arise.
The particular text before us has four things in it which I think may
be instructive to us. These people needed supplies just as we need
Grace. There was, first, a promise concerning the supply. Secondly,
there was a song. That song viewed in another light, was, in the third
place, a prayer. And when this promise, song, and prayer were attended
by the effort, then the blessing came.
I. To begin, then, these people required water as we greatly need
Divine Grace and there was A PROMISE GIVEN CONCERNING THE SUPPLY. "The
Lord said to Moses, 'Gather the people together, and I will give them
water.' " Beloved, we have a promise. A promise? No, a thousand
promises! God's people were never in any plight whatever but what there
was a promise to meet that condition. There is not a single lock of
which God has not the key. You shall never be placed in a difficulty
without some provision being made for that difficulty which God
foresaw, and for which His heavenly wisdom had devised a way of escape.
Now, the supply promised here was a Divine supply: "I will give them
water." Who else could satisfy those flocks and herds? By what
mechanism or by what human toil could all those multitudes of people
have received enough to drink? "I will give them water." God can do it
and He will. Beloved, the supply of Grace that you are to receive in
your time of need is a Divine supply! You are not to look to man for
Grace. God forbid that we should ever fall into the superstitions of
some idiots in these modern days who suppose that God has given His
Grace only to bishops and to priests– the most graceless of all men if
they profess to have any grace to give away–for if they had true Grace
at all they would not act after that fashion.
If you want Divine Grace, Beloved, you must go to God for it. You shall
get it there, and nowhere else. As for even the ablest of God's sent
ministers–they are but broken cisterns if we trust in them. They shall
have Grace enough to get to Heaven themselves, but they will be to
themselves great wonders when they arrive there. Wise virgins always
say to the foolish ones who apply to them for oil, "Not so, lest there
is not enough for us and you: but go you rather to them that sell, and
buy for yourselves."
There is a Divine supply for you, Christian! Therefore, knowing the
attributes of God, you will understand that however much you may
require there will be an all-sufficient supply! However long you may
require it, there will be an everlasting supply! At whatever hours you
may want it, there will be an available supply. It is not possible for
your needs to outlast that which will be treasured up for you. "I will
give them water." And, you thirsty ones, go and drink, for there is no
fear of exhausting this wellhead!
As it was a Divine supply, so, also, it was a suitable one. The people
were thirsty and the promise was. "I will give them water." At another
time He had given them bread. He had also given them flesh to eat. But
water was what they just now required and water was what they received.
We do not always get that form of Grace which we think we need. We
sometimes fancy that we require comfort, when rebuke would be much more
healthful for us. And it is the rebuke which we obtain, and not the
comfort. God is not to be dictated to by our whims and wishes. Like a
father, He understands His children better than His children understand
themselves. And He gives, not according to their foolish guesses of
what they need, but according to His wise apprehension of what they
require. "I will give them water."
What do you want tonight? Go and lay open your needs before the Lord.
Tell Him what it is you require, if you know, and then add to your
prayer, "And what I know not that I need, yet give me, for You are able
to do exceeding abundantly above all that I can ask or even think–not
according to my apprehension of my necessities, but according to Your
perception of my needs, deal with Your servant, O Lord, and grant me
that which is most suitable to my case." "Gather the people together,
and I will give them water."
Observe, too, that the supply promised was an abundant supply. The Lord
did not mock the people by sending them just enough to moisten their
tongues but not to quench their thirst. We cannot be sure how many
people there were, but it is probable and almost certain, that there
were nearly three million of them, and yet, when God said, "I will give
them water," He did not say, "I will give some of them water. The
princes shall have a supply but the poorer ones must go without." Oh,
not so! "I will give them water."
It included every child of Israel, every babe that needed it as well as
every strong man that thirsted after it. Hear this, child of God? "I
will give them water." Whatever you need, you who are the most obscure
in the world, you who have the least faith, you who stand in the back
of the crowd not able to push to the place where you hear that the
water flows–here is provision for you! It shall be with Divine Grace
as it was of old with the manna–there shall be enough for all that go
out to gather it–he that gathers much shall have nothing over and he
that gathers little shall have no lack. There shall be–
"Enough for all, enough for each, Enough forevermore."
No child of God shall be left to perish for lack of the necessary
supplies–
"I will give them water."
I may observe, once more, that it was a Divine supply, a suitable
supply and an abundant supply. And also it was a sure supply. "I will
give them water." It is not, "I may, perhaps, do it. Possibly there
shall be refreshment for them." No, "I will give them water." Oh, the
splendor of the Lord's "shalls" and "wills!" They never fail. "Has He
said, and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it
good?" Search the Book of the Lord and read and see if any of His
words have fallen to the ground–if one of His promises has lacked its
mate! You will have to say, Believer, as Joshua did, "There failed not
anything of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of
Israel–all came to pass."
We do not go forward upon the strength of "ifs," and "buts," and
"perhapses." We advance confidently, invigorated and inflamed as to our
courage, by "wills" and "shalls." God must un-deify Himself before He
can break His promises. He would lose His Character, and that can never
be! His honor is the bright jewel of His crown and He will keep His
promise to all His people. "I will give them water."
I thought, as I was coming up to this house once again to have the
unspeakable pleasure of addressing you, "What am I that there should be
any supply for the people when they are gathered together?" And this
text seemed to come to me–you "gather the people together, and I will
give them water." It is my business to be here, occupying my place, and
it is your business to be gathered here at the time set apart for
prayer, "and I will give them water." The lad may have only his barley
loaves and a few small fishes, but the Master will multiply them! There
may seem to be little enough in our hand, only perhaps a cruse of
water, not enough for one–but He who formed the sea and holds it in
the hollow of His hands can give enough to all the thirsty ones!
You are now gathered together, Beloved, and I pray the Master to be as
good as His promise, "Gather the people together, and I will give them
water." Here is the promise! A blessed thing to work upon, this. We
shall build well enough upon so good a foundation!
II. And now, secondly, observe THE SONG. These people had not been
singing for years. Ever since the day when they had sung at the Red
Sea, "Sing unto the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously," the
minstrelsy of Israel had been hushed–save and except when they danced
before the calf of gold. But for their God they had had little or no
music. But now they come together to the digging of the well, and the
children of Israel sang this song, "Spring up, O well! All of you sing
to it."
Observe, then, that this song may be looked upon, in the first place,
as the voice of cheerfulness. There was no water but they were still in
good spirits. Supplies were short but their courage was still great. It
is very easy to be happy and cheerful in heart when you have all that
heart can wish. It is not very difficult for us to maintain our spirits
when all things go just as we would have them go. But it is rather
difficult to begin to sing when the mouth is dry and the lips are
parched, and the tongue almost refuses to do its duty! Cheerfulness in
need, cheerfulness upon the bed of pain, cheerfulness under
slander–singing like the nightingale, in the night, praising God when
the thorn is at the breast–this is a high Christian attainment which
we should seek after and not be content without.
I like, too, the look of these children of Israel, singing to the Lord
before the water came, praising Him while they were yet thirsty! They
were living, for a little while, upon the recollections of the past.
They were believing that He who smote the rock and the waters gushed
out, and who gave them bread from Heaven would surely supply their
needs. Let us pitch a tune and join with them, however low our estate
may be!–
"Begone, unbelief, my Savior is near, And for my relief will surely
appear! By prayer let me wrestle, and He will perform. With Christ in
the vessel, I smile at the storm."
Note again that this song was the voice not so much of natural
cheerfulness as of cheerfulness sustained by faith. They believed the
promise, "Gather the people together, and I will give them water." They
sang the song of expectation. I think this is one of the peculiar
enjoyments of faith, to be the substance of things hoped for. The joy
of hope–who shall measure it? Those who are strangers to it are
certainly strangers to the sweetest matter in spiritual life. With the
exception of present communion with Christ, the joy of a Believer in
this present state must be mainly the joy of hope. "It does not yet
appear what we shall be: but we know that when He shall appear, we
shall be like He, for we shall see Him as He is."
We thank God that we shall be satisfied when we wake up in the likeness
of Jesus! The anticipation of Heaven makes earth become endurable! And
the sorrows of time lose their weight when we think of the "far more
exceeding and eternal weight of Glory." Sing before the well begins to
spring! Sing confidently, "Spring up, O well!" You cannot make it
spring, but sing as if you could, for God is with you! Say, "Down with
my sin." You cannot cast it down, but God can, and therefore speak as
one who speaks in God's name! Say, "Begone, unbelief!" You cannot make
it go, but God's Spirit
can, and therefore sing as knowing God is with you! "Spring up, O
well!" Make that your song! Sing of the mercy yet to come which your
faith can see, although as yet you have not received it!
This song, also, was no doubt greatly increased in its volume and more
elevated in its tone when the water did begin to spring. After the
elders of the people had dug for awhile, the flowing crystal began to
leap into the air. They saw it run over the margin of the well–the
multitude pressed around to quench their thirst, and then they sang,
"Spring up, O well! Flow on, flow on, perennial fount! Flow on, you
wondrous stream Divinely given! Flow on and let the praises of those
who drink flow also! Sing unto it, and you that drink lift up your
songs, and you that mark your neighbors as their eyes flash with
delight as they receive the needed refreshment, let your song increase
as you see the joy of others."
All you who have received anything of Divine Grace, sing unto it! Bless
God by singing and praising His name while you are receiving His
favors. I think we would be more conscious of God's blessing coming to
us if we were more ready to praise Him. Brethren, we receive so many of
God's mercies at the backdoor–we ought to stand at the door and take
them in ourselves. Presents from a great king ought not to be
unacknowledged, stowed away in the dark, forgotten in unthankfulness.
Let us magnify the name of the Lord! But I must not detain you longer
upon this point.
There was a promise and then the children of Israel made a song out of
the promise before it was accomplished. Then, as it was fulfilled to
their delight and joy, they made the song yet more sweet and more loud.
So let our hearts sing of the promises of God! You are very poor, yet
still sing, "Your place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks:
your bread shall be given you, and your water shall be sure." And when
the mercies come, then lift the song yet higher. "Bless the Lord who
satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed
like the eagle's." "Spring up, O well! All of you sing to it!"
III. But we remark in the third place, that the song was A PRAYER.
"Spring up, O well," was virtually a prayer to God that He would make
the well spring up–only it was faith's way of singing her prayer. We
would remark of this prayer that it went at once to work and sought for
that which was required. What was needed? Not a well, but water! Not
merely digging in the sand, but the obtaining and the drinking of the
water. Beloved Believer, let me remind you that it is very easy for us
to forget what it is that we need and to be satisfied with something
short of it.
Now what we need is not the means of Divine Grace, but the Grace of the
means! The means of Grace are excellent when they bring us Grace, but
the means of Grace are not the ultimata. It is not these that we seek,
but Divine Grace itself. To show you what I mean–"Spring up, O well,"
was the prayer–it did not ask for the well, but for the well to spring
up. So tonight, or some other evening, when you are retired for your
private devotions and you have opened the Bible and begun to read, do
not be satisfied with merely reading through a chapter.
Some good people read through two or three chapters–stupid people, as
stupid as they are good for doing such a thing! It is always better to
read a little and digest it than it is to read much and then think you
have done a good thing by merely reading the letter of the Word. For
profit you might as well read the A B C backwards and forwards, as read
a chapter of Scripture unless you meditate upon it and seek to
comprehend its meaning. Words are nothing: the letter kills. The
business of the Believer with his Bible open is to pray, "Here is the
well: spring up, O well! Lord, give me the meaning and spirit of Your
Word while it lies open before me. Apply Your Word with power to my
soul–threat or promise, doctrine or precept, whatever it may be–lead
me into the soul and marrow of Your Word." The Rabbis say that whole
worlds of meaning hang upon every word of Scripture, but only he will
find out the meaning who waits upon God with the prayer, "Spring up, O
well!"
Or, perhaps you are about to kneel down to pray. I beseech you, do not
be satisfied with getting through 50 or 100 choice sentences which look
as if they were devout. That prayer has not benefited you which is not
the prayer of the soul. You have need to say, "Spring up, O well! Lord,
give me the spirit of prayer. Help me to feel my need deeply, to
perceive Your Promise clearly, to exercise faith upon that promise, and
then, by wrestling importunity to hold You fast, and say, 'I will not
let You go except You bless me.' " It is not the form of prayer, it is
the spirit of prayer that shall truly benefit your souls. In vain might
you open a book and read through 10,000 prayers–the best that were
ever composed–it would be no benefit to you.
"Spring up, O well!" Come, Holy Spirit, come and help my infirmities,
for I know not what to pray for as I ought! You make intercession for
me with groans that cannot be uttered. You need in prayer not the well
so much as the springing up of the well. And it is just the same when
you go to the ordinances. For instance, Baptism can be of no service to
the Believer unless he devoutly perceives the meaning of it. He must
know what it is to be dead with Christ, buried with Christ, risen with
Christ, and before he comes to the ordinance this should be his prayer,
"Spring up, O well! Lord, give me to enjoy that which the outward
emblem teaches me. Give me true fellowship with Christ!"
And so at the Lord's table–of what good is it to eat bread and drink
wine? Oh, but when Jesus comes, and your soul feeds upon Him, and He
makes you aware of it, like the chariots of Amminadib when the well
springs up–oh then the table is better than the banquets of kings! And
is it not the same when you come to the public assembly? The Prayer
Meeting may be dull enough, unless the Spirit, the Comforter, is poured
out upon us. We have been singing just now– how many were singing?
Some were making melody with their lips, but not with their hearts.
But, oh, when the hymn breaks out in richest blessings, like living
waters–when you get through the shell of the hymn and get at the soul
and life of it–then, blessed be God, what a wellspring we often get in
sacred songs!
And further, with regard to the preaching of the Truth of God–often
and often does my soul groan out to God that He would give me liberty
in the ministry–that He would lead me into the essence of His Truth. O
Brothers and Sisters, I sometimes feel, in preaching, like the butcher
who cuts off meat for others but does not get a mouthful for
himself–it is hard work, indeed! I dare say you very often sit and
hear God's Word but it has lost its savor. You cannot enjoy it–you do
not seem to get into it. The babe at home in the cradle, or that
ledger, or that bad debt, or something that has occurred in the family
before you came here distracts you. You cannot get into the spirit of
worship.
"Spring up, O well!" This is what we want. So let our prayer be like
the song of the text–direct and to the point. Lord, do not put me off
with the husks of ordinances and means of Grace. Give me Yourself! I
had rather be a doorkeeper and really be in Your House, than sit in the
seats of the Pharisees in the synagogue and yet not see my Master.
Strive after vital godliness, real soul-work, the life-giving operation
of the Spirit of God in your hearts, or else, Beloved, you may have the
well, but you will not have any springing from it. Remember, then, it
went direct to the point.
And notice, also, that this prayer was the prayer of faith, like the
song. Now "without faith it is impossible to please God." This is
emphatically true with regard to prayer. He who pleads with God in
unbelief really insults Him, and will get no blessing. Faith gives
wings to our prayers so that they fly Heaven-high! But unbelief clogs
and chains our prayers to earth. Many prayers never go beyond the
ceiling of the room in which they were uttered because there was no
faith mingled with them. Oh, how lacking our prayers are in this one
essential element! If we had more faith what large blessings would come
down to the Church!
When I listen to some prayers, I cannot help thinking, "Well, what is
there left to pray for after that? Everything has been included in the
petition that one could well conceive of. Now if we could but get the
answer." We ought to do so! And if we did, what a different state of
affairs we should have! We need, indeed, more faith to make our poor
words real genuine wrestling with God so as to prevail with Him, and
come off more than conquerors. God is not slack concerning His
promises. We never yet put Him to the test and found Him lacking. The
history of the Church speaks through all ages with but one voice on
this point–all things conspire to urge us to faith in God in
connection with prayer to Him in time of need. If you want, then, some
wells to spring up to supply the needs of yourself or your family, pray
in faith! The rock, if needs be, shall flow with rivers of water. The
driest wilderness shall send forth floods of refreshment. Have faith in
God and call upon His name. "Pray without ceasing." "Spring up, O
well!"
You will please notice, further, that it was united prayer. All the
people prayed, "Spring up, O well!" I dare say that was a Prayer
Meeting at which everybody prayed for they were all thirsty! And
therefore they all said, "Spring up, O well!" What blessed meetings
those are when the souls of all present are in it! I hope we shall have
some noble enquirers' meetings in the Tabernacle during the next month
and for many more afterwards. Mr. Nivens was asked by someone whether
he had had any enquirers' meetings. "No," he said "we have not had any
lately, for I do not think we have many enquiring saints among us!"
"What?" said the other, "I never heard of that."
"Oh, but," Mr. Nivens said, "we must always have enquiring saints
before we shall have enquiring sinners. 'For this will I be enquired of
by the house of Israel.' You see, saints must enquire, and then God
will do it for them. And as soon as ever the saints begin to enquire,
'Will you not revive us again?' then sinners begin to enquire, 'What
must we do to be saved?' Oh, if we could have a meeting where all
should be enquirers–the saints enquiring–'When will You save my wife?
When will You bless my husband? When will You look in Grace on my
children? When will You convert my neighbor?' And the sinners
enquiring–'Lord, when will You meet with us and give us to taste of
Your salvation?' "
I say the prayer was a unanimous one–"Spring up, O well!" Brothers and
Sisters, may God touch you all with the heavenly fire so that you may
all be unanimous in the one great desire that God would visit us, make
our wells to spring up, and cause the whole Church to be revived and
sinners to be saved!
IV. I cannot, however, tarry here but must now conclude with the fourth
head, which is this–they began with a promise–they turned the promise
into a song and into a prayer, and they did not stop there but THEN
THEY WENT TO WORK. "God helps them that help themselves," is an old
proverb and it is true with God's people as well as true of Providence.
If we want to have God's blessing we must not expect to receive it by
lying passive. The first blessings of Divine Grace come to passive
sinners, but when the Lord quickens His people He makes them active.
So here in this place. "I will give them water." But "the princes dug
the well, the nobles of the people dug it, by the direction of the
lawgiver, with their staves." Here was effort used, reminding us of a
parallel passage in that famous song, "Who passing through the valley
of Baca make it a well; the rain also fills the pools." They must dig
the wells! The water does not come from below–it comes from above–the
rain fills the pools. God fills the pools, but we must dig them. And,
observe that when God intends to bless a people, effort is always
esteemed to be honorable. "The princes dug the well, the nobles of the
people dug it."
They were not ashamed of the work. And when God shall bless a Church
and people, they must all feel that it is a very great honor to do
anything in the service of God. No matter though they may be very
learned, they must feel it an honor to teach a class in a Sunday school
for Christ. They may be rich, but they must feel it an honor to open
the pew-doors, or the place-doors, or do anything for the Master. They
may be very famous and very much esteemed, but they must feel it to be
an honor to wait upon the most humble enquiring soul. And what an honor
it really is! Why, princes are not so honored as those are who are
allowed by God to be "workers together" with Him in the economy of
Divine Grace!
Brothers and Sisters, covet earnestly the best gifts in this matter.
Seek after usefulness as hunters seek after their game and as miners
hunt after their treasure. Seek to serve God! You will be princes in
this way. They are the princes who dig the wells! They are the true
nobles who use their staves in the Master's service! Before man sinned
he worked for God. Adam was put into the garden to till it and to dress
it. He was not made to lead an idle, useless life. His state of
innocence was one of service to his Maker. When men shall be once more
in a state of purity, their highest honor will be–"His servants shall
serve Him." Heaven is a place where they serve Him day and night in His
temple.
Idleness is sin and shame to us. It is our duty to labor and our
highest dignity is to be servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember,
the princes of old and the nobles helped to dig the well. It was effort
which they all felt to be honorable. Well has our poet put it–
"All may of You partake. Nothing so small can be, But draws when acted
for Your sake,
Greatness and worth from You. If done beneath Your laws, Even servile
labors shine. Hallowed is toil, if this the cause,
The meanest work, Divine."
But it was also effort which was accomplished by very feeble means.
They dug the well and they dug it with their staves– not very
first-class tools. Would not the mattock and the spade have been
better? Yes, but they did as they were told. They dug with their
staves. These, I suppose, were simply their rods, which, like the
sheiks in the East, they carried in their hands as an emblem of
government–somewhat similar to the crook of the shepherd. These they
used as they were commanded.
Well, dear Friends, we must dig with our staves! We must dig as we can.
We must use what abilities we have. It is every Christian's duty to try
to know as much and get as much talent as he can. And if you have but
one talent, use that one talent. Go to trade for Christ with it. If you
cannot do what you wish you could, do what you can, remembering that
the Lord saves not by the mighty, and works not His greatest things by
the mighty ones! He has chosen the "base things of the world, and
things which are despised, has God chosen, yes, and things which are
not, to bring to nothing things that are." I should look very much like
a fool if I went a well-digging with a stick–and yet if God told me to
do so–
then I should be wise in doing it. Go, Christian, with such talent as
God has given you, and God will bless you and make your lamps and
trumpets to be as mighty for the overthrow of Midian as they were in
the hands of Gideon of old!
Here was honorable effort with feeble means. And, observe, it was
effort in God's order. They dug the well "by the direction of the
lawgiver." We must not serve God according to our fancies. The
Westminster Assembly's Catechism well lays down idolatry to be "not
only the worship of a false god, but the worship of God, the true God,
in a way which He has not prescribed." Consequently, all ceremonies
that are not commanded in Scripture are flat idolatry–it matters not
what they are! Every mode of worshipping God which is not commanded by
God is neither more nor less than flat idolatry.
The children of Israel, in their apostasy, did not set up another god.
It is clear to every reader of the story of the golden calf that they
did not worship another god when they fell down before it. They
worshipped Jehovah under the form of that golden calf, but it was a way
of worship which God had never ordained, for He said He allowed no
similitude nor likeness of Himself to be attempted to be made and
therefore it was idolatry. And, mark you, when men adore pieces of
bread as they are fools enough to do nowadays–even though they tell
you they worship Christ under the form of that bread–it is idolatry!
It is a glaring breaking of the Second Commandment and we doubt not
will bring destruction upon those who fall into it.
We must not forget in everything we do for God to go to work in God's
way. I hold that in revivalism I have no right to adopt anything which
I cannot go before God with, and justify at the Throne of God. I must
not adopt a mode of procedure which I may think suits the place or is
adapted to the times. Is it right? Let it be done. Is it wrong? Let it
not be so much as thought of among the saints. We are never to "do evil
that good may come," nor to run over and above, or counter to the
current of Scripture in order to work some doubtful good. We must dig
the well according to the direction of the lawgiver. "To the Law and to
the Testimony: if they speak not according to this Word, it is because
there is no light in them." Let us keep close to the good old paths
which are laid down in Holy Writ, and, digging the well we shall get
the water.
And then, in the last place, it was effort made in faith. They dug the
well, but as they dug it they felt so certain that the water would come
that they sang at the work, "Spring up, O well!" Brethren, this is the
true way to work if we would get a blessing. We must preach in faith
believing that the Word cannot return unto our Master void. We must
teach in the Sunday school in faith believing that the children will be
led to seek Christ early, and to find Him. We must distribute tracts in
faith believing that if we cast our bread upon the waters we shall find
it after many days. You must take care that you have this faith.
You must not ask from God a blessing upon your work in a spirit of
doubt, for he that wavers is like a wave of the sea, driven of the wind
and tossed–let not that man expect to receive anything of the
Lord–but believe the promise, believe that God will bless you if you
seek His glory, and go about His work in His way, and you shall see the
blessing– so great a blessing that when you have proved your God, you
shall not have room enough to receive it! I want all the dear members
of this Church, especially, to join with me in breathing the prayer,
day by day, and hour by hour, that the well would spring up in our
midst.
Conversion work is not pausing, I hope. I have been so long removed
from you, now, that I am longing to see some great work done by the
Master! O that He would now make bare His arms! We have seen what the
Gospel can do in the salvation of souls and in making God's people
cleave close to Him. Let us ask for a renewal of those blessed seasons
and the continuance of our long prosperity. Let us pray for ourselves
that our religion and our piety may spring up like a well, "a well of
living water springing up into everlasting life." And let us pray that
the ministry may be greatly blessed among us, and for all our works–in
the classes of the Sunday school, and everywhere else. "Spring up, O
well," and God give us all to drink of the living waters till He leads
us to the mount of God where we shall feed on the green pastures and
lie down by the river of life forever and ever.
There have been some things said, I trust, which may be blessed to you
who do not know the Lord. I pray they may. Remember, trust in Christ is
that which saves you. Rest alone in Jesus. It is the mount of Calvary
that is the mount of your hope. Fly to the Savior, and you are saved.
God bless you, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
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Helps
A sermon