The Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lecture 46
THE XLVI. LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST.
IHON, CHAP. XX.
verse 24 But Thomas one of the twelue, called Didimus, was not with them when Ieſus came.
verse 25 The other Diſciples therefore ſaide vntounto him, Wee hauehave ſeene the Lord: but hee ſaide vntounto them, Except I ſee in His handes the print of the nayles, and put my finger into the print of the nayles, and put mine hand into His ſide, I will not beleeue it.
verse 26 And eight dayes after, againe His Diſciples were within, and Thomas with them. Then came Ieſus, when the doores were ſhut, and ſtood in the middes, and ſaide, Peace be vntounto you.
WEE hauehave heard hitherto (Welbeloued in Chriſt) of fiue ſundrie appearings of our Lord, after His Reſurrection: The firſt was, to Marie Magdalene: The ſecond was, to other women: The third was, to two Diſciples, as they were going from Jeruſalem, to Emmaus: The fourth was, to Simon Peter: The fift was, to the eleuen, aſſembled together in one place: In this fift appearance, the Lord hath a Sermon to His Diſciples, wherein firſt, He lets them ſee the neceſſitie that He ſhould ſuffer, and riſe againe, and that theſe thinges behooued to be preached to the world, and thereafter giues them a direction to goe out to preach Repentance and Remiſſion of ſinnes to the worlde, in His Name: and to the end He may encourage them the more willingly, to vndertake this charge▪ Hee promiſes to giuegive them the Holy Spirit, with His graces, yt was promiſed before, & for their further aſſurance He enters them preſently in ſome meaſure in poſſeſſion of the Spirit: for Iohn ſayes, Hee breathed vponupon them, and ſaide vntounto them▪ Receiue the Holy Ghoſt, and then Hee enarmes them with authoritie and power to forgiue and retaine ſinnes. And Hee ſayes, Whoſo…uer ſin…es ye remit, they are remitted vntounto them, and whoſoeuer ſinnes ye retaine, th…y are retained. Now in the words that we hauehave preſently read out of the Goſpell of Iohn, wee hauehave ſet downe a particular H…ſtorie concerning Thomas and his incredulitie: this Thomas is he who is alſo called Didymus: we read of him, firſt that he was called and receiued to be one of the twelue Apoſtles, Matth. 10 3. Next, we …ead, that hee was offended, that the Lord purpoſed to returne againe to Iudea, beeing requeſt…d by Martha and Marie, to come to Laz…rus their brother, and that he burſt out in words full of anger, a…d i…d…gnation, ſaying, Let vsus goe alſo, that we may die with Lazarus, Ioh 11.16. And laſt, wee hauehave in this place ſet downe the Hiſtorie, not only of his great incredulitie, but alſo of his ſtubburneſſe and wilfulneſſe therein: for neither did hee beleeue, neither had hee a will or purpoſe to beleeue. Of this doing of Thomas we may learne, that by nature there was no difference betweene ye Apoſtles of the Lord Ieſus, & other men, albeit moſte vile & moſt vnworthie: but grace made the difference they were as incredulous, as ſtubburne, as hard hearted as any other by nature, while it pleaſed God of His merciemercy, to open their he…rtes, to make them to b…leeue: And therefore, the Lord Ieſus, when He calles them to be Apoſtles, and ordaines them to preach the exceeding g…eatneſſe of His mercy to others, He makes them to ſtand for e…ſamples of that ſame merciemercy that they preach to others, that they might ye more eaſily perſwade others, & make them to come to ſeeke merciemercy in Ieſus. This was the ende why the Apoſtle Paul ſayes. The Lord ſhewed mercy on him who was a m…ſerable wreth, and had called him to bee an Apoſt. Ieſus Chriſt, ſaies he ſh…wed on me all long ſuffe…ing, vntounto the enſample of them which ſhall in time to come, beleeue in Him vntounto eternall life, 1 Tim. 1.16. Thus much concerning the perſon of Thomas, we come next, to the Hiſtorie of his incredulitie, & firſt, to the occaſion of it: the reſt of ye Apoſtles & Diſciples who were aſſembled together in one, to whom the Lord Ieſus had manifeſted Himſelfe, declares & preaches to Thomas ye Reſurrectiō of Chriſt, ye cauſe of their preaching thereof to him was, becauſe Thomas was abſent, when the Lord appeared to the reſt. What was the cauſe of his abſence it is vncertaine, neither will we curiouſly inquire, what it was. It may be, that after Chriſt His Maſter was apprehended, he kept himſelfe cloſe, & lurked ſecretly for feare of danger through the malice of the Iewes, and durſt not manifeſt himſelfe ſo ſoone, as the reſt: or it may be, that he was entangled with his owne priuate affaires, at that time when the reſt met together, and were ſpeaking of Chriſt, & His Reſurrectiō from the dead. Alwayes, what euer hath bene the cauſe of his abſence, wee may perceiue, that he was depriued of that grace and preſence of the LORD, which the reſt who were met together, found: Whereof we learne this leſſon: That whoſoeuer doe abſent themſelues from the aſſembly of the LORDS Sainctes, from theſe holy meetings, whereinto the LORD hath promiſed His owne bleſſed preſence, they procure no ſmall skaith and damage to themſelues, they depriue themſelues of ſome grace and comfort that the LORD miniſters to them that meet together. What euer be the cauſe of thine abſence, it cānot be but hurtfull to thee, albeit all cauſes of abſence be not alike hurtfull: for if thou be abſent by negligence, the leſſe is thy danger and loſſe but if wilfully, and vponupon contempt thou abſenteſt thy ſelfe▪ then not only depriueſt thou thy ſ…lfe of grace and comfort, but alſo thou procureſt the wrath of GOD vponupon thee, for the contempt of His bleſſed ordinance. Therefore if wee would bee partakers of the grace and bleſsing that the LORD hath promiſed to theſe holy aſſemblies, we ſhould poſtpone our priuate adoes and the cares of the world, vntounto theſe Holy exerciſes, and we ſhould embrace that counſell of our Sauiour▪ Seeke firſt the Kingdome of Heauen, and His righteouſneſſe, and all other thinges ſhall bee miniſtred vntounto you, Matth. Chapter 6. verſe 33. The man that makes this his firſt and his chiefe care, to ſeeke the Kingdome of God, when he hath gotten it, hee will finde by experience, that there is nothing neceſſarie for the ſuſtaining of this preſent life, that ſhall be inlaking to him. It is a fooliſh thing to be too carefull for theſe worldly things: for if thou ſeekeſt firſt the Kingdome of Heauen, all theſe things will be caſte… to thee.
Nowe to come to the preaching of the reſt of the Diſciples to Thomas it is ſaid, The other Diſciples ſaid vntounto him, We hauehave ſeene the Lord: They preach to Thomas, the Lordes Reſurrection: for the benefite they had receiued themſelues in Thomas abſence, they willingly communicate to him, they knewe and they ſawe, that the Lord was riſen, they tell this to Thomas: as they beleeued, ſo they wiſhed and deſired, that hee ſhould beleeue alſo. This Example of the Apoſtles we ought all to followe: When the Lorde communicates any ſpirituall benefite to vsus, we ſhould not keepe it cloſe to our ſelues, but wee ſhould bee carefull to communicate it to the well of others. And thus doing we need not to feare that the grace ſhall be empaired and grow leſſe: No, by the contrarie, this communicating of the grace, and vſing of the talent, that the LORD hath giuen vsus, is the hie, and readie way, to augment the grace, and to reape profite of the talent, that wee hauehave receiued. Albeit thou haſt taken great paines, and ſpent much time with the loſſe of ſome worldly goods to attaine to grace: yet that ſhould not make thee the more ſparing, in communicating it to others: It is the Lords will, that thou giuegive it to others freely, chearfully and liberally. Therefore trie and examine, whether thou wilt be willing and carefull to communicate to others the grace that God hath giuen thee: and if thou findeſt this, then thou haſt a good conſcience: and if thou findeſt it not, thou haſt no matter of rejoycing, becauſe thou doeſt not that which the LORD requires at thine hands.
When the Diſciples hauehave informed Thomas, of the Lordes Reſurrection, looke howe Thomas takes with it: What is his part? In a word, hee beleeues not their report. His incredulitie was very vvonderfull: for albeit hee vvas compaſſed vvith ſuch a cloud of witneſſes, of faithfull witneſſes, of eye-ſeeing witneſſes, yet he beleeues not. Apparantly, eueryevery one of them who had ſeene the LORD, courſe by courſe, had tolde him of the LORDES Reſurrection: and firſt, Marie Magdalene, who got this honour firſt, to ſee the LORD after His Reſurrection, hath witneſſed to Thomas, that ſhe ſaw the LORD, and ſpake with Him: Next, the other women, who did meete with Him, as they were returning frō the graue, teſtifies the ſame: Thirdly, the two diſciples who were going from Ieruſalem to Emmaus, informed him, that they did meete with Him in the way, & of the conference they had with Him: Fourthly, Peter, to whō alſo ye Lord had appeared, ſtroue to perſwade him: and laſt, the whole number of the Apoſtles, and the faithfull there aſſembled, teſtified with one voyce, that they had ſeene Him, and ſpoken with Him: yet Thomas is nothing mooued with all theſe ſpeeches, their witneſſing, makes not him to beleeue, he remaines ſtill in incredulity. This example of Thomas, telles vsus, that all the outward meanes that can be vſed, all the teſtimonies of the worlde, the teſtimonies of the moſt faithfull, moſt godly, moſt wiſe, of the eye-witneſſes, will not mooue the heart of a man to beleeue, will not perſwade him of any point of doctrine neceſſarie to Saluation, if there bee no more. What then will make a man to beleeue? Nothing but the Spirit of IESVS CHRIST: it muſt be He, that muſt witneſſe vntounto our heartes, what is the will of GOD, concerning vsus: it muſt be Hee, that muſt take away the vale, and illuminate our darke ſoules: it muſt bee Hee, that muſt open our heartes, as Hee opened the heart of Lydia, and make vsus to beleeue. If this Holy Spirit of CHRIST, bee not preſent, a man will not beleeue his owne eyes, his owne ſenſes will not perſwade him. We ſawe the trueth of this before, in the reſt of the Diſciples, when the LORD ſtood in the middes of them, when they ſawe Him with their eyes, when they heard Him ſpeake face to face, they beleeued not: While, as Luke ſayes, the LORD opened their vnderstanding, that they might vnderstand the Scriptures, Luke Chapter 24. verſe 45.
This doctrine would bee well marked, becauſe it ſerues to decide a controuerſie, that this day is betwixt vsus and the Papiſts: The controuerſie and queſtion, which is betwixt vsus and them, concerning the chiefe and principall witneſſe and judge: Firſt, of authenticke Scripture: Next, of true interpretation of particular places of Scripture: that is, How ſhall a man knowe, that this Scripture that wee hauehave, and wee reade, and vſe dayly, is the very worde of GOD, and not the worde of any creature: And againe, Howe ſhall a man knowe, what is the true meaning of any particular place of Scripture, and whether this or that ſenſe of the word, is to bee receiued. The Papiſtes affirme, that the chiefe and principall witneſſe & judge both of the one or the other, is the Church: they ſay, yt we could not be aſſured, that ye Scripture is authenticke, & yt it is ye very word of God, except ye church affirme it ſo to be, & likewiſe they ſay, yt we cannot be aſſured of ye right meaning of any place of ye Scripture, except it be by ye teſtimonie of ye ſame Church: they teach, that we ought to beleeue, that the Scripture is the word of God, and that this or that is the true interpretation thereof, becauſe the Church ſayes ſo, & ſo they make the teſtimonie of the Church, to bee the chiefe, and almoſt the only Argument, that ſhould mooue men, to beleeue, that the Scripture is authenticke, and the word of God, and that this or that is the true and proper interpretation of any place of Scripture: for theſe are their common ſpeeches, The Church is aboue the Scripture, the Church is of greater authority than the Scripture: without the authority of ye Church, no man is obliged to beleeue, that ye Scripture is th… word of God: the Church is ye ſupreme Iudge of ye right interpretation of the Scripture, & many ſuch others. But by the contrarie: Wee affirme, that the chiefe and principall Iudge, and witneſſe, both of the Scripture, that is, the worde of God, and alſo of the true interpretation of the Scripture, is the Holy Spirit, becauſe He only is able to perſwade mens heartes, He only is able ſo to teſtifie, that: He can mooue them to beleeue, Hee only is able to open the vnderſtanding of men, to make them to vnderſtand and take vp the right meaning of the Scripture. Then will the Papiſt object, Yee make the Spirit that is giuen to a priuate man, to be the Iudge, and witneſſe of the authentike Scripture, and the interpretation thereof, and it is an abſurde thing, to preferre the Spirit, ſpeaking by the authoritie of any priuate man, to the authoritie of the Church: I anſwere, It followes not, that we make the Spirit of a priuate man, to bee Iudge either of the one, or of the other, becauſe we affirme that the Spirit, who is Iudge ſpeakes in the Scripture, and by the Scripture: and by the Scripture, as by the moſte powerfull and effectuall meane, mooues men to beleeue: and therefore, that this Spirit, who is Iudge, is not the Spirit of a priuate man, but the Spirit of the Scripture it ſelfe: for this Spirit by the Scripture, teaches vsus, that the Scripture is au…henticke, and that it is the worde of God: and againe, this ſame Spirit by the Scripture, teaches vsus, that this or that is the proper meaning of the Scripture, for the principall voyce of the Holy Spirit, whereby He ſpeakes to vsus, is the Scripture, which this day is to vsus in ſtead of the vine voyce of God Himſelfe, and ought to bee eſteemed, and embraced of vsus, as if God Himſelfe ſpake to vsus out of Heauen. As for the voyce of the Church (when I ſpeake of the Church, I meane not the Romane Church: for ſhe is but an adulterous Church, and falſely clames to her ſelfe, the name of a Church, but I ſpeake of the true Church militant) it is not the chiefe meane, whereby the Holy Spirit vſes to perſwade men, but it is an inferiour meane, & of leſſe importance than the Scripture, neither hath it that force, to make men to beleeue, that the Scripture hath. But to leaue this, and to returne to the incredulitie of Thomas: not only, he beleeues not, but hee vtters great ſtubburneſſe in refuſing to beleeue, not only was hee incredulous, but alſo malitious, neither did hee beleeue, neither was he willing to beleeue: for he ſayes, Except I ſee in His handes, the print of the nailes, and put my finger in the print of the nailes, and put mine hande into His ſide, I will not beleeue it: he would not beleeue, except hee ſawe Him, except hee ſaw His hands, and His feete, except hee ſaw the print of the nailes, where with His hands and His feete were pierced, and except he had put his hand in the wound of His ſide, which one of the ſouldiers had pierced with a ſpeare. We may heere ſee his ſtubburneſſe and obſtinacie, that was joyned with his incredulitie: incredulitie is commonly accompanied with obſtinacie, and ſtubburneſſe, in ſuch ſort, that when the way is laide before vsus, and the doore opened, whereby vv…e may eſcape out of this bondage of ſinne, and thraldome of darkneſſe, wherein wee are kept captiues, yet wee refuſe to goe out of that bondage, and rather ſtriues more and more to thrall our ſelues to ſinne, and to holde our ſelues in the bands of darkneſſe. This contumacie and ſtubburneſſe in ſinne, is that poyſon, and that gall of bitterneſſe, that Sathan hath ſpued into the heartes of all the children of Adam, and this is that band of iniquitie, whereby, as by a ſtrong chaine we are ledde bo…nd, as miſerable catiues, vntounto eternall condemnation, except we be relieued from it, by the merciemercy of God in Ieſus Chriſt. Peter perceiuing the impietie and deuiliſh practiſes of Simon Magus▪ he takes vp this to be the ground and fountaine of all, when he ſayes, I ſee, that thou art in the gall of bitterneſſe, and in the bands of iniquitie. The Lord ſaue vsus, and free vsus from this miſerable bondage, wherein we are by nature, yet if we conſider more narrowly the wordes of Thomas, we ſhall finde, that not only was hee incredulous, not only was hee ſtubburne, but alſo proud and arrogant, and contemned and deſpiſed all the reſt, in reſpect of himſelfe, eſteeming himſelfe onelyonly to bee wiſe, and the reſt to be fooles, ſcorning their witneſſing, and report, as a fable, not worthie of credite, and a vaine dreame. An incredulous man, that beleeueth not the trueth, is not only ſtubburne and obſtinate in his incredulitie, but alſo he ſwelles in pride, and ſeemes in his owne conceite to be only wiſe, contemning others as fooles: hee will count the preaching of the Croſſe of Chriſt, and of His Reſurrection, to bee but plaine follie: hee will count them that beleeue the doctrine of the Croſſe and Reſurrection of Chriſt, to be fantaſticke, and doated fooles: and yet in very deede, of all the fooles of the worlde, they themſelues are the greateſt, although they bee counted wonders in the worlde, for their naturall wiſdome.
Therefore the Apoſtle ſayes, in the firſt Epistle to the Corinthians, the third Chapter, and the eighteenth verſe: If any man amongſt you ſeeme to bee wiſe in this world, let him bee a foole, that hee may be wiſe: hee ſayes not: if any man among you be wiſe (for he that hath not the wiſdome of God, and is not wiſe in Chriſt, he hath no wiſdome, he is but a very foole) but hee ſayes, If any man ſeeme to bee wiſe, in this worlde, let him bee a foole, that hee may be wiſe: that is, let him renounce, and forſake all carnall and worldly wiſdome, which is enimitie againſt God, Rom. Chapter 8. verſe 7. and can no more ſtand with the wiſdome of GOD, than darkneſſe with light, yet it would be marked, that Thomas ſayes not ſimply and abſolutely, that in no c…ce he would beleeue, that Chriſt was riſen againe, but hee ſayes, Except I ſee in His handes the print of the nailes, &c. The wordes are conditionall, importing, that in ſome cace, and vponupon ſome conditions hee would beleeue. There are two ſortes of contumacie and ſtubburneſſe in ſinne and vnbeliefe: the one is conditionall, and ſuch vvas the vnbeliefe of Thomas: the other ſort is abſolute, vvithout any condition, vvhen in no caſe, vponupon no cauſe nor vvarrand vvill beleeue: and of this ſort vvas the ſinne and vnbeliefe of the Prieſtes and the Phariſes: for vvhen the ſouldiers that vvere appointed to keepe and guarde the ſepulchre came in to the towne, and tolde them, that IESVS CHRIST vvas riſen out of the graue: not only did they not beleeue, but alſo they ſtroue to keepe themſelues in ſuch vnbeliefe and hardnes of heart, that in no cace nor condition, they vvould ſuffer themſelues to bee reformed, & ſo they deteined the vvord of GOD, into vnrighteouſneſſe. There is a great difference betweene theſe two ſortes of vnbeliefe: The firſt ſort may obtaine merciemercy, Thomas obteined merciemercy, the LORD pardoned his vnbeliefe: The other ſort, verie hardly can obtaine merciemercy, the Prieſtes and the Phariſes found no merciemercy, their vnbeliefe vvas laide to their charge, the LORD forgaue them not, but as they remained in vnbeliefe, ſo they periſhed in their infidelitie. The LORD ſaue vsus from this curſed ſinne of vnbeliefe and infidelitie, and namely, from this abſolute vnbeliefe, that in no cace vvill ſuffer reformation: for through proceſſe of time, it brings on this ſinne againſt ye Holy Ghoſt, which neuer will be forgiuen neither in this world, nor in ye world to come. Now laſt, ere I leaue theſe words of Thomas, we may ſee, what is ye groūd & fountaine of this vnbeliefe, obſtinacie and pride of Thomas: the groūd of all was, he leaned too much to his groſſe & bodily ſenſes, to his ſeeing, feeling & handling, he makes his eyes & his hand to be ye ground of his faith. Thomas, indeede, failed not in this, that he deſired to ſee ye Lord with his eyes, & to handle him with his hands: for ye heard before, how ye Lord, by ye ſight of the eyes, & ye feeling of Him with their hands, perſwaded ye Apoſtles of the certaintie of His Reſurrectiō, Luke 24.39. & likewiſe we ſee, that ye Lord hauing regarde to ye infirmitie of His owne, pitying the weakneſſe of their faith, dayly in ye Sacrament teaches them by ye outward ſenſes, as by the ſeeing & taſting & handling of ye Elements. But herein Thomas ſailed, that he addicted & tied himſelfe ſo to his ſenſes, to his ſight, & to his handling, that he affirmed & profeſſed plainly, except he ſaw him with his eyes, & handled him with his hands, he would neuer beleeue, that ye Lord was riſen againe from the death, notwithſtanding of the witneſſing of ſo many, ſo godly, & ſo faithfull perſons, who eueryevery one after another, teſtified of the Lords Reſurrection. Then marke it, B…ethren: It is not vnlawfull for a man, to deſire to ſee the Lorde, euen with his bodily eyes: No, that deſire is lawfull and acceptable to God: for all the Sainctes that euer hauehave beene ſince the beginning of the world, deſired to ſee our LORD face to face: Manie Kings and Prophets hauehave deſired to ſee Him, and yet ſawe Him not, Luke Chapter 10. verſes 23.24. Abraham, the father of the faithfull deſi…ed to ſee Him: and olde Simeon, who got a reuelation, that hee ſhould not depart, while he ſaw the LORD, earneſtly waited and thirſted for to ſee Him, Luke 2 25. So that it is a lawfull and acceptable thing, to deſire to ſee the Lord.
But in deſiring to ſee Him, we muſt beware, that our faith be not ſo tied to the outward ſenſes, that we refuſe altogether, to beleeue, except wee ſee the Lorde with our eyes, and handle Him with our hands: No, I ſay more, thou muſt be ſo farre from tying thy Faith to the outward ſenſes, that thou muſt not tie it to the very inward feeling of the ſoule: thou muſt not ſay, except I ay feele, I will no wiſe beleeue: for albeit, that at all times thou hauehave not a feeling, & findeſt not grace into thy ſoule, albeit thou findeſt not the Holy Spirite, who is the earneſt pennie of thy ſaluation, to be preſently working within thee, and ſealing vp thine adoption: yet, thou art obliged to relie and depend vponupon the bare word, and naked promiſe of God, and ſo to ſeale in thy ſoule, that the Lord is true: for he hath made a verie ſmall progreſſe in Faith, that will not truſt in GOD, and depend vponupon His naked worde, except ay hee hauehave ſome feeling of grace, of joy, of comfort, and of the Holy Ghoſt. The Sainctes of God many times, vvhen they had no feeling, depended vponupon the worde of promiſe, and waited vponupon the accompliſhment of it. Job, when he felt not the Lords fauour, but conceiued that the Lord was angrie with him, he ſayes▪ Although thou ſlayest me, yet will I trust in thee, Iob 13.15. And Abraham, when hee ſaw none appearance, that the Lords promiſe concerning his ſeed could be performed: yet it is ſaid of him, That aboue Hope, hee beleeued vnderunder Hope, Rom. 4.18 Likewiſe, Dauid, vvhen he vvas in great danger of his enemies, and ſawe litle appearance of deliuerie, ſtill truſted in God, and depended vponupon His promiſe: for he ſayes, I will reioyce in God, becauſe of His word, I truſt in God, and will not feare what fleſh can doe vntounto me, Pſal. 56.4. It may be, that the Lord exerciſe thee with the conſcience of ſinne, and with the terrours of His vvrath, in ſuch ſort, that thou findeſt no ſenſe of grace, nor of His fauour: yet in this caſe, deſpare not, but by the example of the Sainctes, learne to depend vponupon the worde and promiſe of God, till thou findeſt the performance of it, to the comfort of thy ſoule.
Now to goe forwarde, and to end ſhortly: After that the Euangeliſt hath ſet downe after this manner, as ye hauehave heard, the hiſtorie of the incredulitie of Thomas ▪ hee comes to another appearing of the Lorde, after His Reſurrection, which is the ſixt in number: for of fiue wee hauehave heard alreadie, and this appearing, ſeemes chiefly to bee for Thomas cauſe. The time of this appearing is noted: It was eight dayes after: that is, from that day, in the which Thomas had plainely profeſſed, that hee would neuer beleeue, that the Lord was riſen, except that both hee ſawe Him, and felt Him, and His wounds: and it was the eight day likewiſe after the Lords Reſurrection: for the former fiue appearings of the Lord, whereof we hauehave alreadie ſpoken, were al vponupon the firſt day, in the which the Lord roſe from the dead. So, ye ſee, that Thomas (the ſpace of whole eight dayes interueening) remained in incredulitie & vnbeliefe. This example of Thomas, lets vsus ſee, what is the diſpoſition of the ſoule of a man, after he hath committed a ſinne againſt the Majeſtie of God, after he hath once ſinned, he is wrapped vp in a ſenſleſſe ſecuritie, hee ſleepes ſound in his ſinne, there is a vale caſten ouer the eyes of his ſoule, that he cannot ſee ſinne in its own colour, hee cannot conſider the way wherein hee is walking, nor the judgement which he is drawing on his own head. Whereupon it falles out, that he proceedes from ſinne to ſinne, and either hee falles ouer againe in that ſame ſinne, which before hee hath committed, or in ſome other ſinne. Wee hauehave a proofe of this, in the perſon of Peter: for after that once he had denied his Maſter, hee ſlept in a ſenſleſſe ſecuritie, he made litle account of the great ſinne hee had committed: whereupon it came to paſſe, that ſoone after he falles ouer againe in the ſame ſinne of denying of the Lord: and alitle after being demanded, he denies Him the third time, and if he had bene oftener demanded, no doubt, but he would hauehave denied Him oftener, if the Lorde had not looked vponupon him fauourably. The like alſo wee ſee in Dauid, albeit otherwiſe a man after Gods owne heart, after that he had committed that foule adultery, with Bathſheba, the wife of Ʋriah, hee is twitched with a griefe or remorſe, but lyes ſtill ſleeping ſecurely in ſinne, and ſo from adulterie with Bathſheba, hee falles in abhominable murther of Ʋriah, her husband, and after this, hee continued for a long ſeaſon, as it were benummed, and without a ſenſe of his ſinne, or feare of judgement: and as all ſortes of ſinne leaue ſome ſenſleſſeneſſe and induration in the heart, ſo chiefly, ſtubburneſſe and contumacie, in not beleeuing the knowne trueth of God, brings greateſt ſenſeleſſeneſſe and induration. An example of this: Paul lets vsus ſee in the Gentiles, who followed not that light, that the Lord had left in nature, and which the Lord ſhew to them in the workes of His creation, that they might glorifie God, but repined againſt it: and therefore ſayes the Apoſtle, As they regarded not to acknowledge God, euen ſo God deliuered them vp vntounto a reprobate minde, to doe thoſe thinges which were not conuenient, Rom. 1.28. Becauſe they would not glorifie God, as became them to doe, there was ſuch a dimneſſe in their eyes, ſuch ſenſleſſeneſſe and blindneſſe ouertooke them, that they regarded not to doe the thinges that were moſt vnnaturall▪ They past all feeling, and gaue themſelues ouer vntounto wantonneſſe, to worke all vncleanneſſe euen with greedines, Eph. 4.19. And they had their conſciences burned as it were, with an hote iron, 1. Timoth. 4.2. It is a dangerous thing, once to fall in ſinne: for if the Lord leaue thee to thy ſelfe, thou ſhalt neuer ſtay, while thou r…nne headlong to deſtruction. Therefore pray continually, that the Lord would looke fauourably vponupon thee, and that He would lay holde on thee, that thou fall not away from Him: and if thou hauehave fallen, that Hee would put out His hand, and draw thee to Him againe, that thou mayeſt returne, and be ſaued.
Thus for the time of the ſixt appearing of the Lord: now He appeares after ye ſame maner, that He had appeared to the Diſciples before: For the Diſciples beeing within, and Thomas with them, Ieſus came, the doores beeing ſhut, and ſtood in the middes. Of this manner of appearing, we hauehave ſpoken at length before: & therefore we will ſpeake no more of it: When He is come in among them, He vſes that ſame forme of ſalutation, which He vſed before: for He ſaid, Peace be vntounto you. We paſſe by this ſalutation alſo, becauſe wee hauehave ſpoken of it already: No queſtion, it was a very effectuall & powerfull ſalutation: becauſe Hee that wiſhed peace vntounto them, was the author of peace. Only one thing I ſhall marke, and ſo I ſhall ende: I ſee, there is nothing that is able to waken the ſoule of a ſinner, that is lying ſleeping in ſinne, and wrapped vp in a ſenſl…ſſe ſecuritie, but only the gracious preſence of the Lord Ieſus. What was it that wakened Peter, when he had thriſe denied his Maſter? It is ſaid, The Lord turned backe, and looked vponupon Peter, whereupon, immediatly his heart ſmote him, and hee went out, and wept bitterly, Luke 22.61▪ 62. How was Dauid wakened, when he had long lien in his ſinne, without any remorſe? How, but by the fauour of Ieſus Chriſt, the Sonne of God, who pitied Him, and ſent His Prophet Nathan vntounto him,: for this yee muſt vnderſtand, that all the Prophets, which ſpake of olde to the Fathers, were ſent immediatly by Ieſus Chriſt, and ſpake by His Spirit, 1. Pet. 1.11. and 3.19. And what was it that wakened Thomas out of his ſecuritie? What mooued him that was ſo obſtinate in his incredulitie to beleeue? What, but the gracious preſence of Chriſt? for except that merciemercy of God in Ieſus Chriſt, waken vsus out of ſecuritie, all the Iudgements of God, that euer He hath powred out vponupon any from the beginning, will not mooue vsus, the moſt fearfull and terrible examples of His wrath vpō others, will not waken vsus. Iudas lets vsus ſee the proofe of this in his Epiſtle, when he tells that they who turned the grace of God into wantonnes, were not mooued to abſteine from ſinne, by the example of that fearfull and terrible Iudgement of God, which ouertooke Sodome and Gomorrhe, and the cities about them, but that they likewiſe, notwithſtanding of theſe great Iudgements, continued in the like ſinnes, and defiled the fleſh, Iude 7, 8. Then, ſeeing, we are naturally ſleeping in ſinne, and none outward thing in the worlde, no judgement, neither temporall nor ſpirituall ſeazing on vsus, in neuer ſo high a meaſure, can bee able to waken vsus. Let vsus pray earneſtly, that the LORD would preuent vsus with His owne gracious preſence, that wee ſleepe not, while death oppreſſe vsus. The Lord make eueryevery one of vsus, to finde this preſence of the LORD Ieſus. To whome with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, be all praiſe, and honour, for euermore. AMEN.