Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth in me, hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your Fathers did eat Manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is that bread which cometh down from heaven, that he which eateth of it should not die. I am that living bread, which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the ⟨p. 231⟩bread that I vvill give, is my flesh, which I vvill give for the life of the world. In these words the soul findeth a table daintily furnished, whereby it may stake all hunger. For it knoweth assuredly that he that speaketh these words can not lye. Wherefore if it commit it self confidently unto him, and cleave to the word, it resteth upon him, and so departeth not from this goodly table. This is that supper, to the preparing whereof the heavenly Father killed his oxen and fatlings, and hath bidden us all unto it. The living bread whereof the Lord here maketh mention,1 is Christ him self, whereby we are so fed. If we lay hold but of a morsel of this bread in our harts, and keep it, we shall be satisfied for ever, neither can we ever be plucked from God. Moreover such an eating is nothing else, but to believe in the Lord Christ, that he is made unto us of God, as Paul saith 1. Cor 1. wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. He that eateth this meat, liveth for ever. Wherefore by and by after this text, when the Jews were at contention about these his words, he saith: Verily, verily I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whosoever eateth my flesh, & drinketh my blood hath eternal life, & I vvill raise him up at the last day. Manna which the fathers did eat in the desert (as Christ here saith) could not save from death: but this bread maketh us immortal. If we believe in Christ, death shall not hurt us any thing at all, yea there is no more death. This the Lord meaneth by these words in an other place, where he saith to the Jews: Verily, verily I say unto you, 2if a man keep my word, he shall never see death: where it is certain that he speaketh of the word of faith, and of the Gospel.
Verely, verely I say vnto you, He that beleeueth in me, hath euerlasting life. I am that breade of life. Your Fathers did eate Manna in the vvildernes, and are dead. This is that bread vvhich cōmeth dovvne from heauen, that he vvhich eateth of it should not die. I am that liuing bread, vvhich came dovvne from heauen: if any man eate of this bread, he shall liue for euer: and the ⟨p. 231⟩bread that I vvill giue, is my flesh, vvhich I vvill giue for the life of the vvorld. In these wordes the soule findeth a table daintily furnished, whereby it may stake all hunger. For it knoweth assuredly that he that speaketh these wordes can not lye. Wherefore if it commit it selfe confidently vnto him, and cleaue to the word, it resteth vpon him, and so departeth not from this goodly table. This is that supper, to the preparing whereof the heauenly Father killed his oxen and fatlings, and hath bidden vs all vnto it. The liuing breade whereof the Lorde here maketh mention,1 is Christ him selfe, whereby we are so fedde. If we lay hold but of a morsell of this bread in our harts, and keepe it, we shall be satisfied for euer, neither can we euer be plucked from God. Moreouer such an eating is nothing els, but to beleue in ye Lord Christ, that he is made vnto vs of God, as Paule sayth 1. Cor 1. wisedom, righteousnes, sanctification, and redemption. He that eateth this meat, liueth for euer. Wherefore by and by after this text, when the Iewes were at contention about these his wordes, he sayth: Verely, verely I say vnto you, Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood, ye haue no life in you. VVhosoeuer eateth my flesh, & drinketh my blood hath eternall life, & I vvill rayse him vp at the last day. Manna which the fathers did eate in the desert (as Christ here sayth) could not saue from death: but this bread maketh vs immortall. If we beleeue in Christ, death shall not hurt vs any thing at all, yea there is no more death. This the Lord meaneth by these wordes in an other place, where he sayth to ye Iewes: Verely, verely I say vnto you, 2if a man keepe my word, he shall neuer see death: where it is certaine that he speaketh of the word of faith, and of the Gospell.
- 1Christ the living bread, whereon we must feed by faith.Christ the liuing bread, whereon we must feede by faith.
- 2Joh. 8.51.Ioh. 8.51.
