CHAP. I"V.] TIA?SlJBST&NTI&TIO?L 283 But what is that spiritual sense of eating his body and drinking his blood that is here intended ? To this we answer according to the light that is thTow? upon the subject in the context. To eat Ohrist'8 flesh �nd to drink his blood is to come to him, or to believe in him; for by these phrases it is explained in this very chapter. Christ says, (vet. 40,) "Thi? is the will of him that sent me, that eve one that believ- erb on the Son of man may have everlutmg llfe, and I w/]l raise him up at the last day." And, (yet. 44,) "No man can come unto me ex- cept the Father draw him:, and I will raise him up at the last day." And in verse 54 he says: Whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day." So the same promise, in the same words, being made in the same dis- course to all that believe i,? CA?ist, to all that com? to A/?n, and to all that eat ?.is j?h and drini Iris blood, it is an undeniable argument that both comm? to Christ and/?//m.'/n? on A/m, and eat/ng and dr/nA/ng .fie?h and &/sod, are but several expressions of the same thing. This is a general exposition. But to speak more particularly. Christ's chief design in the chapter seems to be: The men that now followed Jesus were those who had partaken of the loaves and fishes miraculously multiplied. Jesus takes occasion from this to tell them, that "they did not follow him for the sake of miracles, but for the loaves they had eaten," verse 26; and from thence take8 the opportunity, as it was his usual manner, to ex- Itoft, "not to labour for the meat that perisbeth, but for that which endureth to eternal Life." They ask him "how they might do that ?" He answers them direcdy that the way was "to believe on him,"verse 29. They ask him "what sign he would give, or what miracle he would work, that they should beLieve on him,"(yet. 30,) and they urge him to do as Moses did, that is, to give bread from heaven, verses 31. 32. Upon this he compares hinmelf with that manna which Moses gave the Israelites; nay, he shows how much he excels that, (yet. 49. 50,) for that only continued a short temporal life, but by beLieving on him. they might get eternal life. They tony'tour at this. He tells them again, "He that believerb on me hath everlasting life; I am that bread of life,"(yet. 47, 48,) that spiritual food, that will bring men to it. And lest they should be mistaken as to what -kind of bread he meant, he explains himself more fully: "The bread is the flesh which ! shall give for the life of the world," verse 51. That is, I will la?- ?wn m? life for the salvation of mankind, and my death shall procur'e life for them; and this flesh of mine, thus crucified, shall be the pro- curing cause of spiritual food to all believers, even such as shall nou- rish their souls into everlasting life: and whosoever eats this bread shall have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day: which is the same as to say, Whosoever does heartily believe on me. becomes my disciple, .and obeys my commandments; to such a one this death of mine will procure eternal life, by the agency of the Holy Spirit, which shall raise him up at the last day. But, on the other hand, he that does not believe on me, and become my disciple, and even turn my death and passion to good nourishment, how scandalous and ignominious soever it be, by a lively faith, so as that upon this account he shall not forsake me, nor be offended at my doctrine, but 1
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