drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise hiin up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him," John vi. 51, 53 to 56. Now since nothing can nourish the spiritual life of man, but that which is itself spiritual, it is evident, that by the Lord's flesh and by bread is meant his divine good, that by his blood is meant his divine truth, and that by eating and drinking is meant the reception of both in heart and in life.
It may be further observed, in illustration of the uses effected by the holy supper, that the angels, who are present with man while he partakes of it, have no other perception of the bread and wine then taken, than what is spiritual: and hence the very expressions, bread, wine, body, flesh, and blood, as well as the act of eating and drinking, excite in their minds both the ideas and the affections of love, charity, and faith; the consequence of which is, that an immediate communication of holy and heavenly influence from them, or rather through them from the Lord, takes place with all such as are in a fit state for it's reception. In this way the holy supper, which may well be denominated the very marriage-supper of the Lamb, is productive of consociation with the angels of heaven, and of conjunction with the Lord himself. For though celebrated on earth, the Bridegroom actually honours the repast with his divine presence; and at one and the same table angels and men promiscuously feed. Yea, and "they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures," Ps. xxxvi. 8.
Since therefore the Lord is present in the holy supper with the divine good of his love, and the divine
