72 THE OLIVE LEAF. CHAP. 



drink." Though He hath now all power on earth and 

 in heaven, still in the matter of the soul's salvation He 

 is as weak and dependent as in the days of His flesh. 

 He cannot draw water from the well of salvation for 

 Himself by a miracle, any more than He could from the 

 well of Jacob. He cannot employ supernatural means 

 to convert the soul. He cannot compel the sinner to 

 give Him the joy of saving him. He must wait beside 

 the well till the soul is made willing in the day of His 

 power. He can only use persuasive means ; He can 

 only beseech and entreat the sinner by the story of 

 His self-sacrifice, by the pathos of His redeeming love, 

 by all that He has done and suffered for men. He 

 could not save the sinners of Jerusalem by miraculous 

 power ; and because they disregarded the day of their 

 merciful visitation, and the things of their peace were 

 for ever hid from their eyes, He could only weep in 

 deepest anguish over them. He could not draw the 

 young ruler to his side by compulsion ; and therefore, 

 though He loved him, He had to allow him to go away 

 grieved. Much as Jesus has done for us, only we our- 

 selves can give Him the reward of His work. We must 

 give Him to drink out of the very well which He Him- 

 self has opened and filled for us. We must, of our own 

 free will, of our own spontaneous love, give Him the 

 joy for which He craves, and for which He endured the 

 Cross, despising the shame. 



Wonderful mystery of grace, that sinful creatures 

 can satisfy the thirst of the Infinite God ; and that this 

 should be His method of satisfying the immortal thirst 



