A Key to Open Scripture Metaphors, Book 2 · Part 2 · Subpart 11
Christ the true Manna.
John 6.50.
This is the Bread which cometh down from Heaven, that a Man may eat thereof, and not die.
Rev. 2.17.
To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the hidden Manna.
CHRIST, and the Graces of Christ, are called Manna, the Antitype of that Manna that fell in the Wilderness, Exod. 16. Manna in Hebrew foreign Man, from foreign Manah, preparare, to prepare,Cum …iderent Israelitae illam, quasi quandam pruinam aut nivem circum castra passim jacere & albicare, quaesierint à se invicem, foreign &c. because it was Food prepared from Heaven for the Israelites in the Wilderness.
Flacc. Illyricus, and others, say, That when the Israelites saw it like congealed Dew,Clav. Script. in vocem. Hieron. Laurett. Sylva Alleg. &c. or small Hail or Snow, lying up and down about the Camp, they asked one another, foreign What's that? what's that? And because of frequent Repetition, that it might be more easily pronounced, they added the Letter foreign, and pronounced Manhu, whence they retain the word foreign Man, Manna.
Type.
I. MAnna was a strange and mysterious thing at first to the Israelites, Exod. 16.they knew not what it was.
II. Manna was Food prepared from Heaven.
III. Manna came down or descended from Heaven.
IV. Manna was white, it was a pure, fair, and bright thing.
V. Manna was round in Form and Figure.
VI. Manna was a Gift, it was given to Israel freely, it cost them nothing.
VII. Manna was given to all, to the Poor, as well as to the Rich; none were forbidden to partake thereof.
VIII. Manna was pleasant, it had all the Taste and Relish of Sweetness in it.
IX. Manna did nourish well, and was given in great plenty.
X. Manna was to be bruised in a Mill, that so it might become more useful for Food.
XI. Manna was given equally to all the Israelites; they had all a certain measure, not one more than another, were all Fellow-commoners; every Man had his part, his Omer.
XII. Manna was a small and little thing unto the Eye, like to a Coriander-Seed.
XIII. Manna came down with the Dew, it was covered or hid as it were with Dew.
XIV. Manna was not given to the Israelites, whilst they were in Egypt.
XV. Manna fell round about the Camp of Israel, and in no other place.
XVI. Manna was given to Israel in the Wilderness; it was their only Food, whilst they remained in that desert State.
XVII. It was gathered daily, except on the Sabbath, then there was none to be found.
XVIII. They went out of their Tents to gather it.
XIX. If Manna was kept or received otherwise than God ordained and appointed, it stank, and bred Worms.
XX. Manna ceased when Israel came into Canaan.
XXI. Manna was only given to the Israelites.
XXII. Those that would receive the Benefit of Manna, were to eat it.
XXIII. Manna came very seasonably to Israel, they had else starved.
XXIV. Manna was to be kept, and put in a Golden Pot before the Lord, to remain in the Holiest for ever.
XXV. Manna was loathed by those evil Murmurers on whom the Wrath of God fell, they esteemed it light Bread.
XXVI. In the day before the Sabbath, in the night, Manna fell abundantly, that so they might gather it on that day, to provide Food for the Sabbath.
Parallel.
I. JEsus Christ is the Wonder of Men and Angels;1 Tim. 3. Joh. 1.11, 12. and when He came into this World, yea, to his own, they knew him not.
II. Christ had a Body prepared of the Father,Heb. 10. that he might be Food for Believers.
III. Christ is the true Bread, or Manna from Heaven.Joh. 6.
IV. Sic Christus describitur, Apoc. 1.Rev. 1. 1 Pet. 2.22 So is Christ described without Sin.
V. Christ, respecting his Divinity, is infinite, perfect, and entire, no beginning, no end.
VI. Christ is called a Gift, the choicest Gift that ever God bestowed,Joh. 4.10. given freely for the Life of the World.
VII. Christ is sent to all, to Jews and Gentiles, to the Small as well as the Great, to the Poor as well as the Rich; none are excluded.
VIII. Whatsoever is pleasant, sweet, and delicious in a spiritual sence, is found in Christ; his Word is sweet as Honey, or the Honey-Comb: O taste and see how good the Lord is.Psal. 34.8.
IX. Christus sufficit ad omnes, &c. Christ is very sufficient and plentiful, there is in him enough to nourish and feed all. What Soul is there but may be filled to the full, if he comes to Christ?
X. Christus, ut animis nostris cibus esset, doloribus mortis in Cruce contundebatur: Christ, that he might be Food for our Souls, was bruised:Isa. 53. It pleased the Father to bruise him.
XI. All true Israelites have their equal Share in Christ, a whole Christ is given to every Saint; they have all one Portion, one Husband, one Kingdom and Crown, that fadeth not away.
XII. Christ was little, low, and contemptible in the Eyes of the World,Phil. 2. of no reputation.
XIII. Christ came down with the Dew of the Spirit, being baptized or covered therewith, hence called, as some conceive, hidden Manna.Rev. 2.17.
XIV. Christ, who is the true Manna, is not given to Unbelievers, that remain in Bondage and Slavery, under the Power of Sin and Satan.
XV. Christ is conversant within the Limits of his Church. The Graces of the Spirit fall upon Mount Hermon; the Dew descends upon the Mountains of Zion.Psal. 133.3 There God commanded the Blessing, even Life for evermore. Christ walks in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks.Rev. 1.
XVI. Christ, and the Blessings of Christ, are given to us, who are in the Desert or Wilderness of this World. We have no other Food for our Souls, but are to live upon Christ by Faith, so long as we are in this howling Wilderness.
XVII. Those that would have Christ, must seek him in the Time God hath appointed. In the Day of the glorious Rest or Sabbath, that remains to the People of God, there will be no Christ, no Manna for Sinners.
XVIII. We must go out of the old Man, and sensual Rests,2 Cor. 5.17. Heb. 13. and Love of this World, if we would participate of Christ.
XIX. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, or any other Institutions of Christ, made use of, or received in other manner than Christ hath ordained and appointed, it stinks in the Nostrils of God,Rivetus. and is abhorred by good Men.
XX. Living by Faith, and our being fed by Ordinances, will cease when we come to Heaven.
XXI. Christ, and the Bread of Life, is only given to Believers.
XXII. Those that will receive saving Benefit by Christ, must receive and eat him spiritually by Faith.
XXIII. Christ was promised seasonably, and came seasonably into the World, in the very nick of Time. In due time Christ died for the Ʋngodly. We had perished else for ever.
XXIV. Christ is glorified in Heaven, in his human Nature, at the right-hand of God, and abides there for ever for the Faithful.Heb. 9 12▪ 24.
XXV. Jesus Christ, in his Word, Ordinances, and Administrations, is loathed by carnal and ungodly Men; yea, and many account Christ's good Word light Bread.
XXVI. Christ now before the last day, the beginning of the true eternal Sabbath,Rev. 14.6. is more fully revealed, that so poor Saints might be provided for, before the everlasting Rest, and End of Time comes.
Type.
I. THe Manna was Food for the outward Man, for the Body only.
II. Manna was eaten by many that were wicked, tho of the National Church of the Jews.
III. Manna did corrupt and putrify.
IV. Manna was only found at some certain times, it melted away when the Sun rose.
V. Those that did eat of Manna in the Wilderness are dead, they perished.
VI. The Manna that was reserved in the Holiest, was spoiled, and did perish.
Disparity.
I. CHrist is Food for the Soul.
II. Christ is not Food for, nor received by any, but those who are truly godly, and Israelites indeed.Joh. 6.56, 57. He that eateth me, even he shall live by me: He that eateth my Flesh, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
III. Christ, the true Manna, can never corrupt, but abideth for ever.
IV. Christ is ever the same, and always to be found by those that seek him aright, both in Prosperity and Adversity, to his Elect.
V. Those that eat of the spiritual Manna shall never die. He that believeth is passed from Death to Life, and shall not come into Condemnation. Joh. 5.24.This is the Bread that came down from Heaven, that a Man may eat thereof, and not die.Joh. 6.5….
VI. But our heavenly Manna abides still in the holy Place.
See Christ the Bread of Life.