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"It was eight days after," that is, from that day in the which Thomas had plainly professed that he would never believe that the Lord was risen, except that both he saw him and felt him and his wounds; and it was the eighth day likewise after the Lord's resurrection. For the former five appearings of the Lord, whereof we have already spoken, were all upon the first day in the which the Lord rose from the dead. So ye see that Thomas, the space of whole eight days intervening, remained in incredulity and unbelief. This example of Thomas lets us see what is the disposition of the soul of a man, after he hath committed a sin against the majesty of God. After he hath once sinned, he is wrapped up in a senseless security, he sleeps sound in his sin; there is a veil casten over the eyes of his soul that he cannot see sin in its own colour; he cannot consider the way wherein he is walking, nor the judgment which he is drawing on his own head. Whereupon it falls out, that he proceeds from sin to sin, and either he falls over again in that same sin which before he hath committed, or in some other sin. We have a proof of this in the person of Peter; for after that once he had denied his Master, he slept in a senseless security, he made little account of the great sin he had committed; whereupon it came to pass, that soon after he falls over again in the same sin of denying of the Lord; and, a little after, being demanded, he denies him the third time, and if he had been oftener demanded, no doubt but he would have denied him oftener, if the Lord had not looked upon him favourably. The like also we see in David. Albeit otherwise a man after God's own heart, after that he had committed that foul adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, he is1 twitched with a grief or remorse, but lies still sleeping securely in sin; and so, from adultery with Bathsheba, he falls in abominable murder of Uriah her husband. And after this, he continued for a long season, as it were, benumbed, and without a sense of his sin, or fear of judgment. And as all sorts of sin leave some senselessness and induration in the heart, so, chiefly, stubbornness and contumacy in not believing the known truth of God, brings greatest

1 Not, omitted.

senselessness and induration. An example of this Paul lets us see in the Gentiles who followed not that light that the Lord had left in nature, and which the Lord showed' to them in the works of his creation, that they might glorify God, but repined against it. And, therefore, says the apostle, "As they regarded not to acknowledge God, even so, God delivered them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which were not convenient," Rom. i. 28. Because they would not glorify God, as became them to do, there was such a dimness in their eyes, such senselessness and blindness overtook them, that they regarded not to do the things that were most unnatural. "They passed all feeling, and gave themselves over unto wantonness, to work all uncleanness, even with greediness," Ephesians iv. 19. "And they had their consciences burned, as it were, with a hot iron," 1 Tim. iv. 2. It is a dangerous thing once to fall in sin, for if the Lord leave thee to thyself, thou shalt never stay while thou run headlong to destruction. Therefore, pray continually that the Lord would look favourably upon thee, and that he would lay hold on thee, that thou fall not away from him; and if thou have fallen, that he would put out his hand and draw thee to him again, that thou mayest return and be saved.

Thus for the time of the sixth appearing of the Lord. Now, he appears after the same manner that he had appeared to the disciples before; for, "The disciples being within, and Thomas with them, Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst." Of this manner of appearing we have spoken at length before, and therefore we will speak no more of it. When he is come in among them, he uses that same form of salutation which he used before, for he said, " Peace be unto you." We pass by this salutation also, because we have spoken of it already. No question, it was a very effectual and powerful salutation, because he that wished peace unto them was the author of peace. Only one thing I shall mark, and so I shall end. I see there is nothing that is able to waken the soul of a sinner that is lying sleeping in sin, and wrapped up in a senseless security, but only the gracious pre

1 Original: shew, as the past of the verb.

sence of the Lord Jesus. What was it that wakened Peter when he had thrice denied his Master? It is said, "The Lord turned back, and looked upon Peter," whereupon immediately his heart smote him, and he went out, and wept bitterly, Luke xxii. 61, 62. How was David wakened when he had long lain in his sin without any remorse? How, but by the favour of Jesus Christ the Son of God, who pitied him, and sent his prophet Nathan unto him. For this ye must understand, that all the prophets which spake of old to the fathers were sent immediately by Jesus Christ, and spake by his Spirit, 1 Peter i. 11, and iii. 19. And what was it that wakened Thomas out of his security? what moved him that was so obstinate in his incredulity to believe? what but the gracious presence of Christ? For except that mercy of God in Jesus Christ waken us out of security, all the judgments of God that ever he hath poured out upon any from the beginning will not move us; the most fearful and terrible examples of his wrath upon others will not waken us. Judas lets us see the proof of this in his epistle, when he tells, that they who turned the grace of God into wantonness were not moved to abstain from sin, by the example of that fearful and terrible judgment of God which overtook Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, but that they likewise, notwithstanding of these great judgments, continued in the like sins, and defiled the flesh, Jude 7, 8. Then, seeing we are naturally sleeping in sin, and no outward thing in the world, no judgment, neither temporal nor spiritual, seizing on us, in never so high a measure, can be able to waken us, let us pray earnestly, that the Lord would prevent us with his own gracious presence, that we sleep not while death oppress us. The Lord make every one of us to find this presence of the Lord Jesus! To whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be all praise and honour for evermore. Amen.

THE FORTY-SEVENTH LECTURE.

OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

JOHN, CHAP. xx.

27. After, said he to Thomas, Put thy finger here, and see mine hands ; and put forth thine hand, and put it into my side; and be not faithless, but faithful.

28. Then Thomas said unto him, Thou art my Lord and my God. 29. Jesus said unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou believest blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed. 30. And many other signs also did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book.

31. But these things are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is that Christ, that Son of God; and that in believing ye might have life through his name.

AFTER that we had spoken at length, well-beloved in Christ, of the first five appearings of the Lord after his resurrection, we began the last day to speak of this sixth appearing, the occasion whereof was premitted' by the Evangelist John, to wit, the absence of Thomas from the rest of the apostles when the Lord appeared unto them, and his great incredulity when they told him. For, notwithstanding that many faithful witnesses testified unto him that the Lord was risen, and had appeared unto them, that they saw 2 i. e. Mentioned preliminarily.

1 So in the Geneva version.

him with their eyes, heard him with their ears, and handled him with their hands, yet such was the incredulity of Thomas, that he professed plainly that in no case he would believe, except he saw in his hands the print of the nails, and put his finger in the print of the nails, and put his hand into his side. To remedy this incredulity of Thomas, the Lord appears now the sixth time, eight days after his former appearings; when his disciples were met together, and Thomas with them, "Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst of them," and saluted them after the accustomed manner, saying unto them, " Peace be unto you."

Now, in these words which we have presently read, we have the Lord's conference with Thomas, first; next, in the last words of the chapter, the Evangelist meets men's curiosity, affirming, albeit all things that Jesus did were not written in this gospel, yet it was not imperfect, because all things were written that were necessary to life and salvation. In the conference that the Lord hath with Thomas, he meets him not roughly and rigorously as his incredulity had justly deserved, but with lenity and meekness; he endeavoureth to make him to believe by granting him his desire. Thomas had plainly professed, that except he saw the print of the nails, and put his hand into his side, he would not believe; therefore the Lord says now, "Thomas, put thy finger here, and see mine hands, and put forth thine hand, and put it in my side, and be no more faithless, but faithful." See the gentleness of the Lord, and how lovingly he speaks to him. Thomas was not only incredulous, but also he was stubborn, obstinate, proud, and arrogant; he counted others fools that believed; he professed that in no case he would believe, without seeing and feeling of the Lord's wounds.

Now, the Lord grants this to Thomas which he desired, albeit he was unworthy of it. Yea, the Lord invites him, and lovingly bids him put his hand in the print of the nails and in his side, for the Lord speaks not this in bitterness, and tauntingly, to Thomas. For the words that he subjoins, "Be not faithless, but faithful,"”

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