in some way or other, the souls of men were to live by him, and by him alone. But how could this be ? What must become of all the ordinances of the Ceremonial Law, and all the pre- cepts of the Moral Law ? Must all these, without exception, be put aside ; and nothing be of any avail, but the eating of this man's flesh, and the drinking of his blood ?
That this was a particular stumbling-block in their way, is highly probable, from the very question which was put to our Lord, and from which the whole discourse originated. " They said unto him, What shall we do, that we may work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent1." What! Is this the great work that we have to do? Is faith in him the great duty, by means of which we are to find acceptance with God? What then becomes of Moses, and of all the precepts, whether ceremonial or moral, that he has enjoined ?
Let us put ourselves into the place of the people whom our Lord addressed, and take into consideration these various difficulties which they had to contend with ; and, though we cannot but severely blame, we shall be inclined, I think, to pity also, the fatal resolution which they adopted on this occasion.]
Address —
1. Those who have an insight into this mystery —
[" Blessed are the eyes that see the things that ye see." We have very little conception what privileges we enjoy, even above those who attended the ministry of our Lord himself. We are enabled to compare one part of Scripture with ano- ther, and to see both the character of our Lord as God and man, and the accomplishment of the whole Mosaic economy in him. The things, therefore, that were stumbling-blocks to his hearers, are not so to us : and the things which were veiled in impenetrable darkness to them, are as resplendent as the day to us. Nor do we merely comprehend the Gospel as one harmonious whole, revealed at successive periods from the fall of man; but we are enabled to enjoy in our own souls, and to attest, from personal experience, that Christ's " flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeedV Be thankful then, beloved, for this inestimable benefit ; and, as the Israelites in the wilderness subsisted altogether on the bread from heaven, so live ye on " the true bread from heaven," even " on the Son of God, who hath loved you, and given himself for you."]
2. Those who are not yet able to receive it —
[Do not imagine, that because many things in the Gospel appear absurd to you, they are therefore of necessity absurd in
» ver. 28, 29. k ver. .55.
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