Classic Poem

PARABLE LXXII

The Bread of God.

When the great concourse, newly fed,
Beyond sea to Christ Jesus sped,
Rabbi, how cam'st thou here? they cry'd;
Then to them all the Lord reply'd,
‘In very truth the Lord ye sought,
‘Not for the miracles he wrought,
‘But for the loaves, your ample treat,
‘When rank'd upon the grassy seat
‘Toil not for perishable food,
‘But that which is a lasting good,
‘Which Christ unto you all shall deal,
‘For him did God the Father seal.’
What must we do, and what decline,
(They say) to work the works divine?
Christ answer'd, ‘This shall God content,
‘That ye believe in Him he sent.’
They say, What sign then do'st thou shew,
That we may see? What do'st thou do?
Our fathers in the desart waste
Did of celestial manna taste,
According to the word express,
He gave them bread from heav'n to bless.
‘In very truth (the Lord pursu'd)
‘'Twas Moses gave you heav'nly food;
‘But God my Father in his love
‘Gives truer bread from heav'n above:
‘For God's good bread that feeds the heart,
‘Is He that could from heav'n depart
‘To quicken a lost world.’—They cry,
Lord, evermore this bread supply.
‘I am the bread (the Lord repeats)
‘Of life. Whoever me intreats,
‘Shall never know fierce hunger's pain,
‘Nor can the faithful thirst again.
‘But I have told you, ye have view'd,
‘Yet not believ'd the things I shew'd.
‘I came to do and to enjoin
‘My Father's pleasure, and not mine.
‘And this is his great will at large
‘Which sent me, That of all my charge
‘I should have nothing cast away,
‘But raise it at the latter day:
‘And thus too shall his will be done,
‘That ev'ry man that sees the Son,
‘And owns him, wins th' immortal prize,
‘And at my judgment shall he rise.’
The Jews then murmur'd one and all,
That he himself the bread should call
That came from heav'n. And is he not
The son the carpenter begot,
Joseph by family and name?
How is it that from heav'n he came?
To them then did the Lord retort,
‘Do not yourselves by murmurs thwart.
‘No mortal can embrace my cause,
‘Save whom th' Almighty Father draws,
‘And I will raise him in the end.
‘It thus is in the prophets penn'd,
‘And they shall all of God be taught.
‘Each man then that has heard in thought ,
‘And has internal eyes to see,
‘Will by my Father come to me.
‘Not that there's any man can view
‘The Father, save the faithful few
‘That are of Him, they see indeed.
‘In truth, in very truth, his creed,
‘Who trusts in me, secures his bliss:
‘I am the bread of life for this .
‘Your sires eat manna, and are dead:
‘This is the true celestial bread,
‘That a man eat, and never die:
‘I am such nurture from the sky:
‘Whoe'er shall live on this repast,
‘His life shall through all ages last
‘My flesh I give, the bread of grace,
‘To save for life all human race.’
The Jews then 'mongst themselves did strive,
How can we eat this man alive?
‘In very truth (says Christ afresh)
‘Unless you eat your Saviour's flesh,
‘And drink his blood, ye have no lives.
‘Who then shall eat and drink revives:
‘For him I finally will raise,
‘Since meat for grace and drink for praise
‘My flesh and blood sincerely be.
‘Who thus shall fare, must dwell in me,
‘And I in him. With such intent
‘As me the living Father sent,
‘And I by him exist; ev'n so
‘Who eat me in my grace shall grow
‘This is that bread from heav'n supply'd,
‘Not what your fathers eat, and died:
‘For he that of this bread shall feed,
‘Must live for ever in his deed.’