Ho, 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.
Ver. 1. Ho, every one that thirsteth.] Sitit sitiri Dominus, saith Nazianzen, a the Lord even thirsteth to be thirsted after; he "seeketh such to worship him as will worship him in spirit and in truth." Joh 4:23 Hence this present proclamation, "Ho, every one," of what nation soever, that is duly affected with the preceding discourse of Christ's all-sufficiency to save, Isa 53:11-12 and the church's glory and safety. Isa 54:11-17
That thirsteth.] That, being scorched and parched with the sense of sin and fear of wrath, brayeth and breatheth after true grace and sound comfort, as the hunted hind doth after the waterbrooks; Psa 42:1-2 See Trapp on " Psa 42:1 " See Trapp on " Psa 42:2 " as David did after the water of the well of Bethlehem; 2Sa 23:15-16 as the Lamb of God did when roasted in the fire of his Father's wrath, he cried aloud, Sitio, I thirst. Joh 19:28 Psalms 22:11 ; Psa 22:16
Come.] Non passibus sed affectibus itur ad Christum. Repent, and believe the gospel. Mar 1:15 Repentance is here set out by a word of activity. "Come, buy," &c. The frame of a true repenting heart is in an active coining posture, fitted for any service, when the wicked "pine away in their sin," Eze 33:10 and so perish eternally. Psa 9:17
To the waters.] To Christ the fountain of living water, upon which you had turned your backs. Jer 2:13 Ortelius telleth us that in Ireland there is a certain fountain whose water killeth all those beasts that drink thereof, but harms not the people that usually drink it. Christ also is "set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel." Luk 2:34 His ordinances are a savour of life to some, and of death to others. 2Co 3:16
And he that hath no money.] Or, Money's worth. Many would come to Christ, but they would come with their cost; wherefore they run up and down to borrow money from the creatures or from the ordinances, using the means as mediators, and sharking in every bycorner for comfort; but men may be starved before they buy, if they go this way to work; for these in themselves are broken cisterns, empty granaries, and
“ Herrea formicae tendunt ad inania nunquam. ”
In the Lord Christ is all fulness, Joh 1:16 not of plenty only, but of bounty also. To this fountain, if we bring but our empty vessels well washed, Jer 4:14 we shall return well refreshed, and replenished with good things, when the proud self-justiciary shall be sent empty away, and shall not once taste of wisdom's dainties Pro 9:2-5
Buy.] Emite, i.e., comparate et comedite, get Christ "with all your gettings"; get him, whatever else you go without; part with all you have to compass this "pearl of price." Matthew 13:44 ; Matthew 13:46 ; Mat 16:24-25 This gold cannot be too dearly bought. Rev 3:18 Heus saeculares, comparate vobis Biblia, animae pharmaca, saith Chrysostom by a like expression.
And eat.] That is, believe; hic enim edere, est credere, and this water, this wine, may be eaten also: nec enim rigat tantum sed et cibat. Christ is to his, water to cool them, wine to comfort them, milk to nourish them, bread to strengthen them; he is all that heart can wish or need require. They who have once "tasted how good the Lord is" cannot but thirst after him, and be unsatisfiable. Optima demonstratio est a sensibus. Eat therefore; it is a virtue here to be a holy glutton.
Yea, come.] Heb., And come; come and come; yea come, come, come; linger not, loiter not, frame not excuse, strain not courtesy, hang not off by a sinful bashfulness; it is good manners to fall to your meat.
Buy wine and milk.] Anything, everything that is good and comfortable, for Christ is all and in all. b As the worth and value of many pieces of silver is in one piece of gold, so all the petty excellencies scattered abroad in the creatures are united in Christ. Apollonius writeth, that in the court of Aeta, King of Colchis, were three fountains, which flowed, one with milk, another with wine, and a third with honey. c Christ is all this, and more, in one. And of believers it may better be said than Justin d doth of the Scythians, Lacte et melle vescuntur: nihil alienum concupiscunt, &c.; they feed upon milk and honey; they desire nothing more than what they have; vines they have none, but gods they have, as they use to glory. Nazianzen and Jerome tell us that anciently in some churches they used to give to those proselytes whom they baptized wine and milk, grounding upon this text by a mistake.
Without money and without price.] All things for nothing, gratis. This is doubled and trebled for the comfort of poor trembling consciences. Christ is "rich to all that call upon his name"; Rom 10:12 none giveth to him; Rom 11:35 but he to all his freely, Isa 43:25 for the praise of his glorious grace. Eph 1:6 It is his good pleasure to do so. Luk 12:32 And if so, what can man, devil, or any distrustful heart, say against it?
a Orat. 40 in S. Baptis.
b παντα εν πασιν. Col 3:11
c Argonaut, lib. iii.
d Lib. ii.