CHRIST'S DISCOURSE AT CAPERNAUM.

CHAPTER I.

CHRIST'S DISCOURSE WITH THE CAPERNAITES AND HIS DISCIPLES, AS RECORDED BY ST. JOHN.

ST. JOHN has recorded a very remarkable Discourse of our Lord, partly with the Capernaites in their Synagogue, and partly after the manner of an Epilogue with his Disciples.

This Discourse, viewed as referring more or less distinctly, either to the future actual Sacrament of the Eucharist, or to what upon its subsequent institution was made by Christ the Inward Grace of that Sacrament, has often formed the basis of a disputation between those who hold and those who reject the Doctrine of Transubstantiation. With some difficulties it certainly is attended: for, otherwise, there would have been no room for difference of opinion. But these difficulties are

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perhaps not altogether insuperable: and, though much has been written on the subject, there possibly may still be room left for some additional discussion *.

I. Christ had recently fed five thousand individuals with five barley loaves and two small fishes.

* I say this, because the remarks, which I have to offer, do not interfere with or encroach upon the controversy between Dr. Turton and Dr. Wiseman.

That controversy, if I mistake not, respects the Hermeneutic Principles, upon the strength of which, both in theory and in application, Dr. Wiseman claims to have demonstrated the doctrine of Transubstantiation from the necessary sense of Scripture itself. The general soundness of these Principles, in the abstract, is contested by Dr. Turton: and, in numerous instances, even the correctness of their application, in the concrete, is disputed.

I should pronounce Dr. Wiseman's project to be a periculosæ plenum opus alea and its perils and dangers and failures have, with singular acuteness, been shewn by his very able antagonist.

I. Dr. Wiseman thus propounds his own system of operations; contrasting it, of course very favourably, with what he would represent as the disjointed efforts of the Reformed.

We construct our argument, in each case, from all the parts of the Discourse, considered in relation with the historical circumstances, the philology of the language used, the character of our Saviour, his customary method of teaching, and every other subsidiary mean of arriving at a true meaning. They, on the contrary, fasten upon some little phrase, in some corner of the narrative, which seems to favour their idea; or hunt out some other passage of Scripture somewhat resembling the words under examination and, overlooking all the mass of accumulative evidence which we possess, maintain, that it must all give way before the hint which the favourite little text affords, or be in

Astonished at the miracle, and thence acknowledging that of a truth he was that prophet who should come into the world, the people would fain have taken him by force and have made him a king. To avoid their importunity, Jesus departed again into a mountain himself alone. His Disci

terpreted by that imaginary parallelism. Lect. on the Blessed Euchar. lect. viii. p. 268.

II. Upon this passage, which briefly describes the Hermeneutic System of the ingenious Lecturer, Dr. Turton, in offering the following remarks, distinctly points out the line of confutation which he had previously been filling up.

Dr. Wiseman conceives the difference (between the argumentative plan of the Romish Divines and the alleged argumentative plan of the Reformed Divines) to be remarkably exemplified by his own Lectures on the Eucharist, whether relating to the sixth chapter of St. John or to the words of Institution : and there are probably many of his readers, who are fully convinced of the truth of his representations. The pages of this volume, however, if I do not mistake, would tend to shake their confidence in his method of proceeding. Plausibility is the characteristic of the learned author's labours. On their surface, there is a smoothness, a gloss, which can scarcely fail to beguile the individual, who is content with a hasty perusal. And how few, of those who read and pronounce an opinion, have the leisure or the inclination, even supposing them to have the requisite attainments, to examine such a Work with sufficient attention to enable them to form a correct judgment on the subject? Without the slightest wish to depreciate the Lectures or their author, I cannot help here stating, that I have never met with another production so abounding in petty criticism on small portions of text apart from their contexts, in hermeneutical devices of every kind, and in arguments which, being directly opposed to each other, serve only to cause perplexity. The author is subtile,

ples, thus deprived of his company, took ship for the purpose of crossing the lake to Capernaum. While on their voyage, the Lord overtook them, preternaturally walking on the surface of the water; and, when they had received him into their vessel, it was immediately at the land whither they were going.

On the following day, the people, who had been miraculously fed, missing Jesus and his Disciples, themselves also took shipping, and came to Capernaum in search of him. Finding him on the other side of the lake, they forthwith asked him, when it was that he had come thither. In reply to this question, our Lord's Discourse commences: and, from what is subsequently stated, it appears, that the Discourse in question was carried on in the Synagogue of Capernaum, though what may be called its Epilogue was finally addressed to the Disciples apart.

but not sagacious: he is dextrous, but not circumspect: he is learned after the manner of a controversialist, not after that of a student. It would have afforded me real pleasure, if I could have pointed out a single instance of fair manly investigation in the course of his Lectures; and I sincerely regret, that he has not enabled me to pay him the compliment. The Roman. Cathol. Doctr. of the Eucharist considered. part ii. sect. 4. p. 321-323.

III. These extracts will sufficiently shew the ground occupied by Dr. Turton and the reason of its occupation. Were I to trespass upon this ground, I should act like an imprudent junior barrister who injured the arguments of his leader by repeating them in a deteriorated form.

I. After this explanatory introduction, the Discourse shall now be given in full, as it is recorded by St. John.

Jesus answered them, and said: Verily, verily, I say unto you; Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

Then said they 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 you should believe on him whom he hath sent.

They said therefore unto him: What sign shewest thou then, that we may see it and believe thee? What dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

Then Jesus said unto them: Verily, verily, I say unto you; Moses gave you not that bread from heaven: but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world.

Then said they unto him: Lord, evermore give us this bread.

And Jesus said unto them: I am the bread of life. He, that cometh to me, shall never hunger : and he, that believeth on me, shall never thirst. But