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I. THE INVITATION ITSELF.

1. The universality of the offer.

2. The freeness of the gift. "He that hath no money ' — he that is in spiritual bankruptcy.

3. The fulness of the blessings which this salvation contains. They are represented by the three terms, water, wine and milk.

II. THE ENCOURAGEMENTS TO ACCEPT THE INVITATION. These are manifold and various.

1. There is, the contrast between the blessings offered and those for which men are now so laboriously toiling.

2. The character of Him through whom the blessings are to be obtained.

3. The present nearness of God to us and His abundant willingness to pardon.

4. The fact that God's "ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts." He pardons like a God.

5. God's Word "shall not return unto Him void. There is profound encouragement in the thought that back of these agencies of the Gospel, which seem so weak as compared with those powers of depravity in the soul with which they must contend, lies the changeless purpose of Him who "worketh all things after the counsel of His own will."

6. The profound interest felt by all holy beings everywhere in the salvation of the sinner. That profound sympathy with man in his efforts for salvation which our Lord so beautifully represents by the joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth, the inspired prophet; here represents by the joy of inanimate nature over this return of the sinner to Him who is the Fountain of life.

7. The beneficent results of the acceptance of this invitation. "Instead of the thorn," etc. Divine grace works a complete transformation in the heart into which it comes. It roots out the thorns and briars of selfishness, of pride, of avarice, of unbelief and every hurtful lust. It implants in their room all the graces that adorn the Christian character.

(T. D. Witherspoon, D. D.)

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KJV: 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.

WEB: "Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters! Come, he who has no money, buy, and eat! Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.