709.从所有这一切可清楚看出，主的肉与血，以及饼与酒都有三重含义，属世，属灵与属天。成长在基督教界、拥有宗教信仰的人都知道（若不知道，也能通过学习获知），存在属世的滋养与属灵的滋养，属世滋养是为了身体，属灵滋养是为了灵魂。因为主耶和华在摩西五经中说：
人活着不是单靠食物，乃是靠耶和华口里所出的一切话。（申命记8:3）
既然身体会死亡，而灵魂死后仍活着，那么可知，属灵滋养必为永远的救赎。谁由此不能明白，这两种滋养绝不可混淆？若真的混淆它们，那么关于主的肉与血，以及饼与酒，他必定接受属世与感官的观念，且由于这些观念源自物质、肉体和血气，所以它们会窒息有关这最神圣圣礼的属灵观念。
但如果有人真的头脑简单到无法用自己的觉知思考除他亲眼所见外的任何事，那么我建议他，当他拿起饼与酒，然后听到它们被称为主的肉与血时，自己想想这圣餐，它是最神圣的敬拜行为，也回想一下为了人类救赎的基督受难和祂的爱。因为祂说：
这为的是纪念我。（路加福音22:19）
人子来是要舍命，作多人的赎价。（马太福音20:28；马可福音10:45）
我为羊舍命。（约翰福音10:15，17；15:13）
709. 从所有这一切可清楚看出, 主的肉与血, 以及饼与酒都有三重含义, 属世, 属灵与属天。 成长在基督教界, 拥有宗教信仰的人都知道 (若不知道, 也能通过学习获知), 存在属世的滋养与属灵的滋养, 属世滋养是为了身体, 属灵滋养是为了灵魂。 因为主耶和华在摩西五经中说:
人活着不是单靠食物, 乃是靠耶和华口里所出的一切话。 (申命记8:3)
既然身体会死亡, 而灵魂死后仍活着, 那么可知, 属灵滋养必为永远的救赎。 谁由此不能明白, 这两种滋养绝不可混淆? 若真的混淆它们, 那么关于主的肉与血, 以及饼与酒, 他必定接受属世与感官的观念, 且由于这些观念源自物质, 肉体和血气, 所以它们会窒息有关这最神圣圣礼的属灵观念。
但如果有人真的头脑简单到无法用自己的觉知思考除他亲眼所见外的任何事, 那么我建议他, 当他拿起饼与酒, 然后听到它们被称为主的肉与血时, 自己想想这圣餐, 它是最神圣的敬拜行为, 也回想一下为了人类救赎的基督受难和祂的爱。 因为祂说:
这为的是纪念我。 (路加福音22:19)
人子来是要舍命, 作多人的赎价。 (马太福音20:28;马可福音10:45)
709. From all that has just been said, you can see what the Lord's flesh and blood and the bread and the wine symbolize in their threefold meaning - their earthly, spiritual, and heavenly meaning.
All people within Christianity who are at all involved in their religion should know, and if they do not know, should find out, that in addition to physical nourishment, there is such a thing as spiritual nourishment. Physical nourishment affects the body; spiritual nourishment affects the soul. For instance, Jehovah the Lord says in Moses, "Humankind does not live by bread alone, but by everything that comes from the mouth of Jehovah" (Deuteronomy 8:3).
Now, since the body dies and the soul lives on after death, it follows that spiritual nourishment exists to serve our eternal well-being. Surely everyone can see, then, that these two types of nourishment should not in any way be confused with each other.
[2] If we do confuse the two, the ideas we form about the Lord's flesh and blood and the [sacramental] bread and wine will inevitably be earthly, sensory, and even materialistic, bodily, and carnal; and these types of ideas suffocate any appropriately spiritual idea we might have of this most holy sacrament.
If some people are so extremely simple that they are incapable of developing any mental concept beyond what they can see with their own eyes, I urge them, when they take the bread and the wine and hear the Lord's flesh and blood mentioned, to think of the Holy Supper as the most holy act of worship and remember Christ's suffering and the love that drove him to save humankind. As he says, "Do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19). "The Son of Humankind came to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45). "I lay down my life for the sheep" (John 10:15, 17; 15:13).
709. From what has been said it can now be established what the Lord's flesh and blood, and what bread and wine mean in their threefold sense, the natural, spiritual and celestial senses. Everyone who has had a religious upbringing in a Christian country can know - or if he does not know, can learn - that there is natural nourishment and spiritual nourishment, natural nourishment for the body and spiritual nourishment for the soul. For Jehovah the Lord says in the works of Moses:
It is not by bread alone that a person lives, but it is by everything that comes out of Jehovah's mouth that a person lives, Deuteronomy 8:3.
Now since the body dies, and the soul lives after death, it follows that spiritual nourishment must be for everlasting salvation. Can anyone after that fail to see that these two kinds of nourishment must by no means be confused? If anyone does confuse them, he cannot help taking to himself natural and sensual notions about the Lord's flesh and blood, and about bread and wine; and since these ideas are derived from matter, the body and the flesh, they smother spiritual notions about this most holy sacrament.
[2] But should anyone be so simple-minded as to be unable to think with his understanding about anything other than what he sees with his eyes, I advise him, when he takes the bread and wine, and then hears the Lord's flesh and blood mentioned, to think to himself about the Holy Supper that it is the holiest act of worship, and to remember Christ's passion and His love for man's salvation. For He says:
Do this in remembrance of me, Luke 22:19.
And:
The Son of Man came to give his soul as a ransom for many, Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45.
I lay down my life for the sheep, John 10:15, 17; 15:13.
709. From all this it can now be seen what is meant in a threefold sense, natural, spiritual, and celestial, by the Lord's flesh and blood, also by bread and wine. Every man in Christendom imbued with religion may know, and if he does not know may learn, that there is natural nourishment and spiritual nourishment, and that natural nourishment is for the body, and spiritual nourishment is for the soul; for Jehovah the Lord says in Moses:
Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of Jehovah doth man live (Deuteronomy 8:3).
And as the body dies and the soul lives after death, it follows that spiritual nourishment is for eternal salvation. Who cannot see from this that these two kinds of nourishment ought by no means to be confounded, and that if anyone does confound them, he must needs adopt natural and sensual ideas, which are material, corporeal, and carnal, respecting the Lord's flesh and blood, and the bread and wine, which ideas suffocate spiritual ideas respecting this most holy sacrament? But if anyone is so simple as to be unable to think from his understanding of anything except what he sees with the eye, I advise him, when he takes the bread and wine and hears them called the Lord's flesh and blood, to think within himself of the holy supper as the holiest thing of worship, and to call to mind Christ's passion, and His love for man's salvation; for He says:
This do in remembrance of Me (Luke 22:19).
Also,
The Son of man came to give His life a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45).
I lay down My life for the sheep (John 10:15, 17; 15:13).
709. From what has been said it may now be evident what is meant by the flesh and blood of the Lord, and also by bread and wine, in the threefold sense, natural, spiritual and celestial. Every one in Christendom imbued with religious principles may know, or if he does not know, may learn, that there is natural nourishment as well as spiritual nourishment, and that natural nourishment is for the body, and spiritual nourishment for the soul; for Jehovah the Lord says in Moses:
"Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of JEHOVAH doth man live" Deuteronomy 8:3.
Because the body dies, and the soul lives after death, it follows that spiritual nourishment is for eternal salvation. Every one, then, must see that these two kinds of nourishment ought not to be confused. If any one does confuse them, he must form natural and sensual ideas concerning the flesh and blood of the Lord, and concerning the bread and wine, ideas which are material, corporeal and carnal; and these suffocate spiritual ideas concerning this most holy sacrament. If, however, any one is so simple minded as to be unable to think from his understanding about nothing but what he sees with his eyes, I would advise him, when he partakes of the bread and wine, and hears them called the flesh and blood of the Lord, to think in the depths of his soul that this is the holiest act of worship, and to bear in mind the passion of Christ and His love for man's salvation. For He says:
"This do in remembrance of me" Luke 22:19,
and:
"The Son of Man came... to give His life a ransom for many" Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45.
"I lay down my life for the sheep" John 10:15, 17; 15:13.
709. Ex his nunc constare potest, quid per Domini Carnem et Sanguinem, perque Panem et Vinum, in triplici Sensu, Naturali, Spirituali et Coelesti intelligitur. Omnis homo imbutus religione in Christianismo, potest scire, et si non scit, potest discere, quod detur Nutritio naturalis et Nutritio spiritualis, et quod Nutritio naturalis sit pro Corpore, at Nutritio 1 spiritualis pro Anima, nam dicit Jehovah Dominus apud Mosen, "Non per panem solum vivit homo, sed per omne quod exit ex ore Jehovae vivit homo," Deuteronomius 8:3. 2 Nunc quia Corpus moritur, et Anima post mortem vivit, sequitur, quod Nutritio spiritualis sit pro salute aeterna: quis deinde non videt, quod binae illae Nutritiones minime confundendae sint, et quod si quis confundit illas, non possit aliter de Domini Carne et Sanguine, deque Pane et Vino, quam ideas naturales et sensuales, quae sunt materiales, corporeae et carnales, sibi assumere, quae ideas spirituales de Sanctissimo hoc Sacramento suffocant.
[2] Si autem quis ita simplex est, ut non cogitare possit aliud ex intellectu, quam videt oculo, suadeo ut de Sancta Coena, dum sumit Panem et Vinum, ac audit tunc nominari Carnem et Sanguinem Domini, cogitet secum, quod sit Sanctissimum Cultus, ac recordetur Passionis Christi, et Ipsius Amoris pro salute hominis, nam dicit, Hoc facite in Mei recordationem, Luca 22:19, tum, Filius hominis venit ut det Animam redemptionem pro multis, Matthaeus 20:28; Marcus 10:45. 3 Ego Animam meam pono pro ovibus, Johannes 10:15, 17; 15:13.
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