May 13

Psalm lxxviii. -22. They believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation; 23. Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, 24. And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. 25. Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full. 26. He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven; and by his power he brought in the south wind. 27. He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea; 28. And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations. 29. So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire; 30. They were not estranged from their lust. But, while their meat was yet in their mouths, 31. The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel. 32. For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works. 33. Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble. 34. When he slew them, then they sought him; and they returned and inquired early after God. 35. And they remembered that God was their Rock, and the high God their Redeemer.

John vi. -48. I am that bread of life. 49. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 52. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53. Then Jesus said unto them, 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. 54. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelled in me, and I in him. 57. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58. This is that bread which came down from heaven; not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live forever.

In his best gifts to men, Christ was himself that which he gave. He did not content himself with promising to give the bread of life, to provide that divine knowledge which is the food of the soul. He said, "I am the bread of life;" and invited his disciples to a participation of himself so intimate and entire, that it would be like eating his flesh and drinking his blood, and thus, as it were, incorporating his life into ours. His language is sacrificial and symbolic: it teaches the offering of himself a sacrifice "for us men and for our salvation;" and, under the symbol of bread, it represents the faith that appropriates Christ as the true ambrosial food that confers immortal youth. He is not here speaking literally of the sacrament of the Supper, which had not then been instituted,

though this is one very obvious application of his words; but whatever tends to incorporate into our souls as a living principle the sacrificial death of Christ is that "eating his flesh" which causes us to live by him. As we feed upon the words, the looks, the tokens, of an absent friend, and, when next we greet him, devour him with love; so do we seize upon all that pertains to Christ, and especially upon the fact that he died for us, as the very nourishment and life of our souls. His words most clearly teach, that "not the appearing of Christ in human life in itself, but the offering-up of this life for the world, possesses the nourishing power." His atonement becomes life to the soul that believes upon him as the Saviour of the world.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 100, 134, 177.

Almighty God, the living Father of all, in whom we live and move and have our being, we worship thee in thy majesty, and give thanks unto thee for thy great glory. As we behold thee in the works of thy hands, and commune with thee in the pages of thy Word, may our hearts ever be filled with thy praise! Thou art the God of the evening and the morning; and every day renews the testimony of thy tender mercies, which are over all thy works. We bless thee for thy mercy unto us in the night-season; for the refreshment of sleep; for the health and comfort with which we enter upon another day. Remembering that life is thy gift, may we

spend it in thy service and to thy glory! Give us, this day, our daily bread; and, oh! give unto us that bread from heaven which shall nourish our souls for the eternal life. We pray thee to preserve us from evil, and keep us from sin. May thy blessing rest upon this household, and all that pertain to it; upon the families of all who are allied to any of us; upon the community in which we dwell; upon our country; upon all kindreds and peoples of the earth, the creatures of thy power, the children of thy love! Make perfect, we beseech thee, the new creation which thou hast begun in Christ Jesus our Lord; and blessed be thy glorious name forever. Amen.