And 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.
I do not wish to be considered as speaking decidedly upon the subject, but as it strikes me, this is God the Holy Ghost making a response to Christ, and the Church following the same, and the looker on, and him that heareth, catching the sound from the same words, as Jesus had so graciously uttered them; and echoing the invitation. When Jesus saith, Behold I come quickly, the Holy Ghost saith, Even so, COME, Lord Jesus, and the whole Church the Bride, being quickened and regenerated, are longing for his coming. And the hearer of the promise, is included in the same, he longeth for it. Yea, the thirsty, and whosoever will, whomsoever the Lord hath put a thirst for Christ in the heart, and a willingness in the soul to receive Jesus, all join in the fervent cry. The water of life is a river, open, free, full, and everlastingly running. All shall be welcome to take their fill from it, if Christ by his grace, be welcomed in their hearts to fill them.
I cannot allow myself to pass away from this most gracious verse, before that I have called upon the Reader to observe with me, a certain interesting point concerning it, which may not perhaps before have arrested his notice. But it is worthy our closest remark, that in the last public sermon the Lord Jesus ever preached, and which was at the Jewish passover, he closed all he had to say, in words similar to those with which the Holy Ghost hath closed the canon of scripture. I n the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink, John 7:37. And here we find the Holy Ghost sealing up the last of his blessed scriptures, in words to the same effect. So that here is Christ at one time, and the Holy Ghost at another, both engaged in the same thing. So earnest is Christ, when on earth, and when in heaven, as well as the Spirit, that his Church shall hear his voice, and be on the lookout for his coming.