It was therefore certainly not received by them into their mouths. The
language must, therefore, have been figurative, such as Jesus was
accustomed often to employ. Thus, when he said, "I am the _door_" John
x. 9, he certainly does not mean a literal door, such as a door of wood
or stone or brass or of any other material. He means that the
acceptance of the atonement and mediation by the sinner is the
appointed condition of salvation to him. Thus also when he says, "I am
the _true vine_" John xv. 1; or "The field is the world," "The seed is
the word," &c., he evidently is speaking figuratively and communicating
important moral truth, by images drawn from physical nature, as is
naturally done by nearly all writers and speakers of all ages and in
all languages.

(_b_) The blessed Saviour himself exhorts us, "Do this in remembrance of
me;" but we can remember only that which is past and absent. Hence when
he admonishes us to do this in remembrance of him, he teaches us, that
he is not personally or bodily present at the eucharistic celebration.

(_c_) Paul also represents the design of this ordinance to be, "To show
or publish the _Lord's death_," until he comes. But the Lord's death
upon the cross occurred about eighteen hundred and twenty years ago.
Therefore, according to Paul, the object of the holy supper is to
commemorate a _past event_, and not a present person.

(_d_) The doctrine of the real presence of the true body and blood of
Christ, contradicts the clear and indisputable testimony of our senses,
for as the body and blood are to be received by the mouth of the
communicant, they must be circumscribed by space, and the reception must
be a local and material one, which if it did occur at sacramental
occasions, could be observed by the senses.