benefits of redemption; the pardon of sin, acceptance with God, the help and comfort of His grace, the hope of everlasting life: this is the crown of all, so repeatedly set before us, "I will raise him up at the last day." Living we are, whether with Him or without Him: die we must, whether with Him or without Him: rise we must, whether to be acknowledged or cast away; to life or death, lost or found. Food is abundantly provided for us, by which "though we were dead, yet shall we live;" but this food must be desired, must be taken, must be fed upon, must be digested; and become a part of our souls, as natural food does of our bodies: then indeed shall we be "strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might;" (Eph. vi. 10.) then shall we be privileged to "rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of our salvation." (Habak. iii. 18.) The world will be laid at our feet: "for whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John v. 4, 5.) " To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna:"" to him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the tree of life; which is in the midst of the paradise of God." (Rev. ii. 7.) God of His mercy grant that we may eat thereof and live for ever! LECTURE XXIII. Jesus had been declaring that He came down from heaven, and that His flesh and blood would be for meat and drink to His people; His hearers did not understand this, and were not disposed to receive it. CHAP. VI. 60. 60. Many therefore of his disciples, of those who came to hear Him, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying, such doctrine as this it is difficult to believe; who can hear it? 61. When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, not having heard what they said, but knowing their thoughts, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? Does this cause you to stumble and fall away? 62. What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? go up to heaven, where He Mark 16. 19. was before His appearance upon earth. 63. It is the spirit that quickeneth; that giveth 2 Cor. 3.6. life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. The Jews were always taking what Jesus said, according to the very letter; and when they could not understand Him in this way, they supposed that there was no meaning or Acts 1.9. benefits of redemption; the pardon of sin, acceptance with God, the help and comfort of His grace, the hope of everlasting life: this is the crown of all, so repeatedly set before us, "I will raise him up at the last day." Living we are, whether with Him or without Him: die we must, whether with Him or without Him: rise we must, whether to be acknowledged or cast away; to life or death, lost or found. Food is abundantly provided for us, by which "though we were dead, yet shall we live ;" but this food must be desired, must be taken, must be fed upon, must be digested; and become a part of our souls, as natural food does of our bodies: then indeed shall we be " strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might;" (Eph. vi. 10.) then shall we be privileged to 66 rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of our salvation." (Habak. iii. 18.) The world will be laid at our feet: " for whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John v. 4, 5.) "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna:" "to him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the tree of life; which is in the midst of the paradise of God." (Rev. ii. 7.) God of His mercy grant that we may eat thereof and live for ever! LECTURE XXIII. Jesus had been declaring that He came down from heaven, and that His flesh and blood would be for meat and drink to His people; His hearers did not understand this, and were not disposed to receive it. CHAP. VI. 60. 60. Many therefore of his disciples, of those who came to hear Him, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying, such doctrine as this it is difficult to believe; who can hear it? 61. When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, not having heard what they said, but knowing their thoughts, he said unto them, Doth Acts 1. 9. this offend you? Does this cause you to stumble and fall away? 62. What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? go up to heaven, where He Mark 16. 19. was before His appearance upon earth. 63. It is the spirit that quickeneth; that giveth 2 Cor. 3. 6. life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. The Jews were always taking what Jesus said, according to the very letter; and when they could not understand Him in this way, they supposed that there was no meaning or reason in Him. He said they must be born again; they thought of none but the natural birth; He said they must eat His flesh, they thought of nothing but His body: so He tells them in this verse, that such a method of judging of His doctrine was entirely false: it was a spiritual operation, a spiritual eating, that He meant; not according to the letter, not according to the flesh, which in itself is nothing; but according to the spirit, and the spiritual sense in which His words were to be understood. 64. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. 65. And he said, ThereVer. 44. fore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. Here is another very remarkable instance of our Lord's knowledge of the hearts of all men ; He not only knew what was in their hearts at the time, but He knew also what would be in their hearts on a future day: knew from the beginning, from the very first, who would truly believe in Him, and who would not; who would be sincere in their profession, and who would not in this He especially alluded to Judas, who would betray Him; who was not given of the Father, not drawn by the |