1 106 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE of 02Lr BLESSED ed to inform them, that it was related in their prophets, concerning the kingdom of the Meffiah, that all the fubjecls of that kingdom fhould be taught of God. Every man, therefore, that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh untome. But, continued our great Redeemer, you are not to fuppofe, that men will be fo fa- voured, as to fee God with their cor- poreal eyes ; for him none hath fees, or can fee: but the happinefs and glory of that kingdom will confii in believing on me, in filch a manner as to receive me as the true bread of life : by this the be- liever will obtain a vital union with me, and draw fpiritual nourifhment from me ; and,' by that means, grow up to ever - lafling life. Our Lord, having thus declared him- felf to be the bread of life which came down from heaven, and Ihewn the, way in which it is to be obtained, pro- ceeded to examine the comparifon be- tween himfelf, conftdered as the bread from heaven, and the manna, which, in the time of Mofes, the Ifraelites eat in the wildernefs. Yourfathers, faid he,, did eat manna in the wildernf, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came downfrom heaven: ifany man eat of this bread, he !hall live for ever : and the bread . that I zoill give is my Jo, which I will give for the life of the world. Though the Jews were no !gangers to a figurative way of fpeaking, yet fuels was their blindnefs and perverfenefs, that they underfióod thofe words, and the refs of CHRIST'S declaration, in a literal fenfe, and inquired, with the utmoft aflonilh- ment, How can this man give us hisfl f' to eat? But our Lord, knowing what manner of perfons he was converfing with, did not think proper to explain his . meaning in any other way of fpeaking ; but continuing in the fame figurative way of exprellion, he repeated, and affirmed what he had before afferted, Verily, verily, Ifay unto you, faid:he, except ye eat the fife of the. Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whofo eateth my. Hells, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and .I zoill raife him up at the Taft day. For my Alb is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed; meaning, that no perfon can obtain that eternal life, which the gofpel of CHRIST makes known, but by a vital faith, which receives the Son of God, and, partaking of his divine nature, draws fpiritual nourifhment and life from him : He that eateth my fife, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in hint. As the living Father hath fent me, and I live by the Father ; fo he that eateth me; even he !Ball live by me. Our Lord proceeded to inform them, that this is the bread which he had before told them came down from heaven, infi- nitely fuperior, in it's nature and confe- quences, to that breadwhich their fathers eat in the wildernefs ; for they eat the manna and are dead: but whofo eateth this bread (hall livefor ever. Such was the conference which our Saviour had with the Jews, in the fyna- gogue at Çapernaum,which took it's rife from the miraculous repafl which he had fo lately provided for the multitude in the defert, and thence naturally turned on bread. Though the Jews were no firan- gers to a figurative way of fpeaking, and might have found the fame mode of ex- prelfion in their own prophets, yetthey had no clear idea of his meaning, eating his flf, and drinking his blood, they Hill underfood literally ; and, as it was a thing prohibited in the law of Moles;, and ab- horred by the moli barbarous nations, they looked upon it with the utmoft aftonilh- ment and averfion ; and many of his dif- ciples, with a mixture ofdiffatisfaloion_and furprife, Paid, This,is an hard laying ; who can hear it. Our Lord, perceiving their difcontent,
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