Sacramental Discourses Before and After the Lords Supper, Discourse 8 – Half title

Sacramental Discourses Before and After the Lords Supper · Discourse 8 – Half title

p. 281The Eighth Diſcourſe, AFTER THE Lord's Supper.

From St. JOHN xx. 27, 28.

Then ſaid he unto Thomas, Reach hither thy Finger, and behold my Hands; and reach hither thy Hand, and thrust it into my Side, and be not faithleſs, but believing.

And Thomas anſwered and ſaid unto him, My Lord, and my God.

A Strange and ſurprizing Spectacle, to ſee an Apoſtle of our Lord carry it like an Infidel, an Ʋnbeliever; To behold one of the Twelve, that was to ſpread the Faith of Chriſt throughout the Univerſe, to want that Faith, which he was to perſwade others to. To hear the great Article of the Reſurrection, one of the moſt deeply Fundamental Articles of the Chriſtian Religion, p. 282to be obſtinately denied by thoſe Lips, that were to Publiſh the Goſpel of Chriſt: And this as the Sum of it, That he is Riſen from the dead. What more likely to ſcandalize the Weak, to ſtagger the Faith of many, not yet confirmed Diſciples, and to hinder the belief of Chriſt's being Riſen, than ſuch an Example of Incredulity in one of his Apoſtles?

But the permiſſion of ſuch Falls, and the raiſing a Revenue of Glory to the Redeemer by them, is one of the Secrets of Predeſtination, that will be Eternally Adored. This is ſufficiently manifeſt in this very Paſſage, relating to the Apoſtle Thomas; whoſe Infidelity, as one of the Ancients obſerves, has proved as ſerviceable to Chriſtianity, as the Faith of the other Apoſtles. His Incredulity ſtrengthens our Faith in the Reſurrection of our Saviour, as it gave occaſion to his Appearing another time for the Cure of his Unbelief: And becauſe, after ſo much Obſtinacy, and pertinacious Doubt, he at laſt yields, and acknowledges the Truth of Chriſt's Reſurrection, and makes a Glorious Confeſſion of his Faith: Whereas, if only a few credulous Men, men of an eaſie and haſty Faith▪ had aſſured us of it, their p. 283Teſtimony had been more liable to ſuſpicion.

The Wiſdom of God has Recorded the Faults, and Miſcarriages of the Apoſtles, for our Inſtruction and Ʋſe. Theſe Suns enlighten us, not only by the Lustre of their good Examples, when they ſhine in Grace and Holineſs; but even by their Eclipſes too. Their Cowardize, their Raſhneſs, their Preſumption, their Unbelief, is of uſe to be conſidered. Our Heavenly Phyſician Extracts ſome of the beſt Medicines, out of the moſt deadly Poyſon, to caution, and warn, and inſtruct, and Edifie us, by the Miſcarriages, and Faults of David, of Peter, of Thomas, and the like.

Let us therefore view this Paſſage, and conſider what Reflections may be made upon it: And the whole may be comprehended under theſe Four Heads.

1. The Incredulity of this Apoſtle, he could not believe, without ſeeing, & feeling, and having the Teſtimony of Senſe. Except I ſhall ſee in his Hands the print of the Nails, and put my Finger into the print of the Nails, and thruſt my Hand into his p. 284Side, I will not believe, Verſe 25.

2. The Condeſcention and Kindneſs of Chriſt, in appearing to him another time, and granting it, Verſe 26, 27.

3. The Cure of his Ʋnbelief, and the Excellent Confeſſion of Faith, which thereupon he makes, Verſe 28. And Thomas anſwered and ſaid unto him, My Lord, and my God.

4. The uſeful Admonition which our Saviour gives us concerning Faith, that though Thomas having ſeen him, had believed, yet Rather bleſſed are they that have not ſeen, and yet have believed.

1. Concerning the Incredulity of this Apoſtle, the Evangeliſt gives us an Account, that on the Firſt Day of the Week, towards Evening, our Lord being Riſen from the Dead, early in the Morning, when the Diſciples were met together, and had ſhut the Door for fear of the Jews, Ver. 19. He ſuddenly preſents himſelf amongſt them, ſaying, Peace be unto you. He aſſures them of his being Riſen from the Dead, imparts to them the Holy Ghoſt, and gives them a Charge and Commſſion, to act as Apoſtles, p. 285in Remitting, or Retaining Sins. But Thomas, whoſe Greek Name was Didymus, both ſignifying Twins, was not preſent at this Aſſembly: But as ſoon as the other Diſciples met him, they tell him, They had ſeen the Lord, that Mary Magdalen had ſeen him, that Peter had ſeen him, and the two Diſciples going to Emaus, and then all the Ten, and had full Aſſurance that he was Riſen. This makes little Impreſſion in order to his believing it; for no Eyes will ſerve him but his own. Though Faith comes by hearing, he profeſſes he would not believe, except he ſaw; Except I ſee in his hands the print of the Nails, and put my Finger into the prints of the Nails, and thruſt my Hand into his Side, I will not believe.

O ſuſpicious incredulous Man! Who will be the Loſer, if thou wilt not believe? But wherefore doſt thou doubt? How is it that ſo many Eyes and Tongues are not as credible, as thine own Eyes and Hands? Shall the World be Proſelyted to the Faith of Chriſt, upon the Teſtimony of theſe Witneſſes, and wilt not thou Aſſent? Did not thy Lord foretel his own Death, and Reſurrection? Didſt thou not hear him declare, that he muſt be Crucified, and that afterwards p. 286on the Third Day he would Riſe again? Is there any thing we Atteſt concerning his Reſurrection, but what was promiſed, and foretold? Why may not we be credited in our Report of a Matter of Fact, whereof we have ſo plain and full an Evidence? What ground is there to disbelieve ſo many Eye-witneſſes: If there had been none but the Women, who ſaw him, yet having themſelves ſeen him, their Teſtimony in that caſe might have been credited: But here are Ten Diſciples that ſay, We have ſeen the Lord. Had they been Ten Strangers, there were little reaſon to Reject the Teſtimony of Ten Perſons, to one Point which they had the Teſtimony of Senſe to aſſure them of: But here are Ten of thy Companions, and Brethren, and Apoſtles, of whoſe Capacity, and Probity, and Faithfulneſs, thou canſt not doubt: And they all agree in this Teſtim…y▪ We have ſeen the Lord. Shall every Word be eſtabliſhed in the Mouth of two or three Witneſſes, as ſays Moſes, and wilt thou not believe, when the Number is ſo much greace? No, except I ſee the print of the Nails, &c. I will not believe.

p. 287In this Ʋnreaſonable Diſtruſt, and Sullen Ʋnbelief, he continues for a whole week; obſtinately profeſſing, That, without ſuch an unreaſonable Condeſcenſion of Chriſt, to convince his very Senſes, that he will not acknowledge his being Riſen. It is ſtrange, that one of the Twelve, an Apostle of our Lord, after Three Years Converſation in his Family, ſhould be ſo Incredulous, as to believe nothing but what he ſaw; and that he ſhould refuſe to believe on ſuch ample Teſtimony; eſpecially when it was an Article that Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, Job, and David, believed concerning the Meſſiah, whom they never ſaw.

It is the more ſurprizing too in this Apoſtle, becauſe he had not only been eminently called by Chriſt, and long converſed with him, been brought up in his Company, and was one of his Houſe; but on a former Occaſion, this Apoſtle had declared more zeal than the Reſt of them; when they Heſitated concerning the Propoſal Christ made, of his going into Judea to raiſe Lazarus, upon the account of the hatred of the Jews againſt him, John 11.16. Then ſaid Thomas to the other Diſciples, Let us alſo go, that we may die with him. Tho p. 288ſome think he ſpake this with another Air, and in another Senſe, than is commonly thought; as if he would ſay, Since we cannot perſwade him, let us even go and periſh, if it muſt be ſo; Periſh we muſt, and there's an end.

But, to take the words of this Apoſtle in the moſt Charitable Senſe, he profeſſes his zeal for Christ beyond his Fellows, and a Commendable Forwardneſs to ſuffer with him: But now the Death of Christ ſeems to have ſwallowed up his Faith and Courage; now he will not believe except he can ſee, nor then neither, unleſs he can thruſt his finger into the print of the nails; Which was a bold preſcribing to God, and contained a great deal of Abſurdity, and of miſchievous conſequence in it: For it intimates, as if we were not obliged to believe Christ is Riſen, and Alive, nor any ſuch matter of Fact, upon the Teſtimony of Others, unleſs we our ſelves may touch and ſee, and have the Evidence of our own Senſe. Whereas, How then could Thomas himſelf believe the Scriptures of the Old Teſtament? How could he be ſatisfied that there was ſuch a Man as Moſes, or David, or of the Truth of any of thoſe things related concerning the Anceſtors p. 289of the Jews, in Egypt, the Wilderneſs, or Canaan, which he himſelf did not ſee?

This is further aggravated, by conſidering the Nature, and Import of this Article, which he refuſes to believe: Not only as that which was foretold concerning the Meſſiah, by the Scriptures of the Old Testament, but as the Baſis, and Foundation of our Religion, as that wherein the Glory of Chriſt is principally concerned; as that which removes the Ignominy of his Croſs; And therefore the Jews, who ſet themſelves to oppoſe the Belief of his Reſurrection, were thereby, in ſome reſpects, more Injurious to Chriſt, than by their Crucifixion of him: For they do what they can to deprive him of that new Life he had, when he was Riſen; and they kill him a Second Time. This therefore aggravates the Fault of Thomas, that by his Ʋnbelief, he Subſcribes to the Calumnies of the Jews; He takes their part, and joyns with them; He diſowns, condemns, and denies, that which Heaven and Earth, Angels and Men, had teſtified and publiſhed, and born witneſs to, even the Reſurrection of Chriſt from the Dead.

p. 290Before I proceed to his Cure, and Recovery, let us conſider what Inſtructions may be learned from the Incredulity of this Apoſtle. As,

1. That Faith is no ſuch Eaſie Matter as ſome perſwade themſelves. Ʋnbelief is ſtrangely Rooted in the Hearts of Men, and very difficultly cured. I will not believe, except I ſee; nay, I will not believe my Eyes, unleſs I touch, and thrust my Finger into the print of the Nails, and my Hands into his Side. Our Firſt Parents Sinned by Ʋnbelief; Adam fell by Incredulity, and hath left the Fatal Impreſſion of that Poiſon upon all his poſterity. But where is the Eve? Where is the Apple, and Serpent, in this caſe? There needs no other Eve to tempt to the ſin of Ʋnbelief, than the ſin of our own Fleſh, and any kind of Temptation is enough to draw us to it. The Devil does not tell Thomas, as he did our Firſt Parents, You ſhall be as God's, You ſhall not dye; But rather on the contrary, You ſhall be as Beaſts, You ſhall die, and never Riſe more: For if Chriſt be not Riſen, we in vain expect to Riſe; his Reſurrection being the cauſe, and pattern of ours.

p. 291Now under this Temptation, this Holy Apoſtle fell; and if he, who had true Love to Chriſt, and was a True Diſciple, was yet ſo Incredulous; it is leſs ſtrange that the greateſt part of the World, as to Divine Things, are ſo Unbelieving; when the Corruptions, and Paſſions, and evil Inclinations of Men, have ſuch a Power and Influence upon their Minds. There needs therefore the Exerciſe of a mighty power to produce Faith in the Heart; And accordingly we read of the exceeding greatneſs of that mighty Power, which raiſed Chriſt from the dead, imployed towards them that believe, Epheſ. 1.19, 20.

It is obſervable, That nothing but the Preſence of Chriſt himſelf, could cure the Ʋnbelief of this Apoſtle; Till then, the Teſtimony of Mary Magdalen, and all that Peter, and John could ſay, all the Diſcourſes of the other Apostles, had no effect. And ſo it is ſtill, that without the Preſence, and Power of Chriſt to Accompany the Miniſtry of the Word, they who are Ʋnbelievers will continue in their Ʋnbelief. But a few plain words, accompanied with the Power and Efficacy of the Spirit of Chriſt, ſhall make the moſt obſtinate Ʋnbeliever ſall down on p. 292his Face, and cry out with this Apoſtle, My Lord, and my God.

2. In that his Ʋnbelief is attributed to his Abſence from the other Diſciples, when they Aſſembled together, We may learn to value the Aſſemblies of Christians, in hopes of the Preſence of Chriſt, and the Manifeſtation of himſelf. 'Tis true, it is ſaid, that the Two Diſciples returning from Emaus to Jeruſalem, found the Eleven gathered together, Luke 24.33. How then if Thomas were abſent, are they called Eleven, after the Death of Judas, and before the Choice of Matthias. I Anſwer,**Dr. Lightfoot. When the Eleven are mentioned, we muſt not ſuppoſe it exactly meant of the Number of the Apostles then Preſent, but of the preſent Number of the Apoſtles. By his Abſence from them, he not only miſſed the good News that Mary brought of the Reſurrection of Chriſt; But he loſt the comfortable Sight of Chriſt himſelf, and ſo was left in Doubts and Unbelief, which they were delivered from. The p. 293Apoſtle, Heb. 10.25. cautions againſt**See Dr. Owen on Heb. Chap. 10. Verſ. 25. Forſaking the Aſſembling of our ſelves together, as the manner of ſome is. Not only that which is Total, which is the Fruit and Evidence of Abſolute Apoſtaſie; but that which is Partially only, in the want of Diligence, and Conſcientious Care, in a Conſtant Attendance on Chriſtian Aſſemblies, according as the Rule, and their Inſtitution do require: Whether it proceed from Fear of Suffering, or from Spiritual Sloth, with the Occaſions and Affairs of this Life, which come in Competition. This is the firſt way, for the moſt part, whereby an Evil Heart of Ʋnbelief, in departing from the living God, doth evidence it ſelf unto others. Forſaking of Church-Aſſemblies is uſually an Entrance into Apoſtaſie.

Believe it, Chriſtians, you cannot but be Loſers by your Abſence from the Publick Aſſemblies, eſpecially on the Lord's Day, as this was when the Diſciples met together, and Chriſt was with them: And if Thomas had not come amongſt them the next Lord's Day, he might have continued longer in his Incredulity. He had p. 294met with the Preſence of Chriſt, if he had not forſaken the Aſſemblies of the other Diſciples. You muſt not expect to have the ſame Preſence of Chriſt in Solitude, or alone, as in the Publick Aſſemblies, where his Special Preſence is Promiſed, and uſually Found. They who pretend, for the better Enjoyment of the Divine Preſence, to retire into Deſarts, and Hermitages, to Monaſteries, and Cloiſters; they greatly miſtake and deceive themſelves: for in ſtead of retiring out of the World, they retire out of the Church, and forſake the Company of the Saints; They quit the Preſence of Chriſt, and loſe the Opportunities of beholding the Wonders of his Grace, and of receiving the Influences of his Preſence, and Spirit.

Therefore do not diſcontinue your Attendance on Publick Worſhip, when you have Opportunity. Do not ſay, We can Read as good a Sermon at home, or Pray as well at home. If you abſent from the Houſe of God, you muſt not think that Chriſt will follow you to your own Houſes, while you refuſe to viſit him in his. If you are not with your Brethren, when they Aſſemble together, you will not find ſuch Manifeſtations of Chriſt to you, as others Experience. You diſpleaſe him by imitating the Example of p. 295Thomas, and may expect to be aſſaulted, and ſtaggered by Temptations to Infidelity, and all other ſins, which only the Preſence of Chriſt, and his Grace can cure: For where two or three are met together in the Name of Chriſt, he has promiſed to be with them. It is in the Aſſemblies of his People, that he manifeſts himſelf; it is there he makes known the Power of his Death, a d the Glory of his Reſurrection; it is there he diſpenſes the Gifts and Graces of his Spirit; And they that abſent themſelves out of Choice, they are voluntarily deprived of theſe Bleſſings.

Suppoſe you ſhould ſpend your time on the Lord's Day at home, in Prayer, Reading, and Meditation, yet there is little reaſon to expect God ſhould accept you therein, while it ſignifies a Neglect, if not a Contempt of Publick Worſhip, which is more for his Honour, and is expreſly required, by the Inſtitution of ſuch Aſſemblies, and Apoſtolical Practice agreeable thereunto. You cannot reaſonably hope for ſuch Effuſiſions of the Divine Grace and Spirit, in a ſecret corner, as in the Congregation of the Faithful. There is room and time enough for Private Devotions, without the neglect of the Publick Worſhip. And God hath promiſed to be preſent in Chriſtian Aſſemblies: And his Inſtitutions are never without a Bleſſing, when there are Subjects capable of receiving it. You ſhould therefore be glad of an Opportunity, and Call, to Meet your Brethren in the Houſe of God.

3. I obſerve further, that what we have found of the Preſence and Manifeſtation of Chriſt, we may Communicate in order to the Conviction of Others, and the Aſſiſtance of their Faith. All the Diſciples endeavoured to perſwade Thomas of Chriſt's Reſurrection, they All told him, We have ſeen the Lord; and no doubt they urged him, with all the Circumſtances of it, to convince him of the Unreaſonableneſs of his Obstinacy, who would not believe, except he could ſee. How unreaſonable was it, might they tell him, that Chriſt ſhould appear again upon his Account, merely to comply with his Curioſity? And if he ſhould appear again, how unlikely it was that he ſhould be priviledged more than they, who had only a bare ſight of him; Why ſhould he have more? Why ſhould he be permitted to thruſt his Hand into our Lord's Side, and his Fingers into the Print of the Nails? He might expect rather that he would ſay to him, as to Mary, Touch me not, for I am not yet Aſcended: p. 297And ſo, if he ſhould appear, and be ſeen of him, he might ſtill continue an Infidel.

This kind Office they did for him; thus doubtleſs did they endeavour to convince him, though without ſucceſs, they tell him, what they have ſeen. And they that have any ſight of Christ, or Experience of his Preſence, as they cannot but be willing to impart it to Others, ſo they may, and ought to do it, in order to their Conviction. Only let us take heed, that ſuch Communications be done with all poſſible Wiſdom, and Humility.

4. That it is Unreaſonable, and Provoking, to refuſe to Believe the Truth of any thing, merely becauſe we have not the Teſtimony of Senſe, to confirm it. This was the Apoſtles Fault, I will not believe, except I ſee, and feel the Print of the Nails. This is to make Terms with the Bleſſed God, to limit the Holy One of Iſrael, and unreaſonably to Expect, that what is the Object of Faith, ſhould come under the View of Senſe.

5. I may obſerve further, that Peter was one of theſe Witneſſes, that had ſeen p. 298the Lord; and yet Thomas does not hearken to Him neither, nor regard what he ſays, more than what the other Apoſtles ſaid. What little ground is there to think then, that he had any Supremacy above the reſt of the Apoſtles, and that he was the Prince of them? If he were ſo, Why did he not do his Office? Why did he not ſhew his Authority? Here is a fair Occaſion for him to make uſe of the Authority of his Keyes, to ſtop the Mouth of this Ʋnbeliever, who ſays, he will not believe, except he ſee. Why does not Peter define, and determine the matter, that was queſtioned, doubted, and denied by Thomas? There is nothing of all this, however proper the occaſion might have been.

6. In that this Incredulity of the Apoſtle was over-ruled to ſo much good, for the further Confirmation of the Great Doctrine of Christ's Reſurrection, let us admire the Divine Wiſdom, and Goodneſs in the Government of the World; who, tho he cannot be the Author of Sin, does yet over-rule it, to his own Glory. He hath done ſo in many Eminent Examples, and he did ſo in this?

p. 299Hereby the Honour of Christ is the more advanced by his open Confeſſion of him afterwards, as Lord and God: and the Truth of his being Riſen is the better confirmed, and ſo the Faith of others aſſiſted by his Fall. It was well for the Apoſtle, and it was well for Ʋs, that he did not believe preſently: He was afterwards brought to the moſt admirable Exerciſe, and Declaration of his Faith in Chriſt, not only of his being Riſen, but of his being the Eternal Son of God, and of his happy Intereſt in him, and Relation to him, as his Lord, and his God: And we have a greater Evidence thereby of the Truth of Chriſt's Reſurrection.

Doubtleſs this Fall of Thomas was alſo a Motive to his greater Diligence in the Service of Chriſt, and Zeal for his Glory; as it was with the Apoſtle Paul, and Peter, and others.

7. Let us not raſhly judge of Men by a ſingle Act. Thomas had true Faith, notwithſtanding this Fit of Doubting, and Unbelief; which revived upon the Sight, and Preſence of Chriſt, within a few Days. Many, that in a fit of Temptation, we may think, have no Truth of Grace; yet if we ſtay a while, do ſoon diſcover it: Some ſpecial Ordinance, or Providence brings them to themſelves, and ſuddenly ſhows the Reality of that, which did not Appear, but the contrary Corruption.

2. Having thus conſidered the Ʋnbelief of this Apoſtle, let us now obſerve the Compaſſion, Condeſcenſion, and Kindneſs of Chriſt to this Incredulous Apoſtle. Eight days after, the Diſciples being together, and Thomas with them, Jeſus came and ſtood in the midſt of them, ſaying, Peace be with you; and ſays to Thomas, Verſ. 27. Reach hither thy Finger, and behold my Hands; and reach hither thy Hand, and thruſt it into my Side, and be not Faithleſs, but Believing.

What Injuſtice, if our Saviour had left him to his own Pertinacious Incredulity? Whom could he have blamed but himſelf, if he had continued in his Unbelief? But our Lord came and ſhewed him his Hands, and Feet, and bids him do what he deſired, for his Conviction. How mercifully doth he pity us, in our Errors, and Infirmities? With what Tenderneſs and Compaſſion doth he reclaim us? And this when he was Riſen from the Dead, after he was declared to p. 301be the Son of God with Power, when he was to receive the Recompence, and Reward of his Death, and Sufferings; when his State of Humiliation was over. And yet, How low does he ſtoop for the ſake of this Apostle? when ſo unreaſonable a thing too was demanded, as the Condition of his Believing? But ſuch is the Admirable Bounty and Condeſcenſion of Chriſt, that he will not refuſe him, even this.

Since you will not believe otherwiſe, O my Apoſtle, I conſent; Behold my Wounds, Behold the Print of the Nails; And if the Sight of them be not enough, to cure thine Infidelity, Come, Reach hither thine Hand, thruſt thy Finger into my Side; I care not what I do, or how low I ſtoop, rather than not convince, and heal thee: If the Evidence of one Senſe be not enough, I will yield further, and let thee have more.

Our Lord might have convinced Thomas by the Powerful Influence of his Spirit, without all this; But he condeſcends thus far for our Sakes, that We, and Others, might have a clearer Evidence and Proof of his Reſurrection, and likewiſe of his Divinity: For his fixing upon Thomas p. 302in this Aſſembly, and ſpeaking to him ſuch Words, doth plainly manifeſt, that he knew his Heart, and underſtood what Diſcourſe he had had, and what Objections he had made, and what was the Inward Senſe of his Soul; which he could not have done, without being Omniſcient. Little did this Apoſtle think, his Lord had heard him, or believe that he knew his Sin. But, Come hither, ſays Chriſt, behold my Hands; Reach hither thy Hand, and thruſt it into my Side. He condeſcends to Grant that, which it was the Apoſtles Fault to Ask.

We ſee, by theſe Words, our Riſen Lord retained the Marks of the Wounds, the Prints of the Nails, and Spear in his Body, after the Reſurrection, to manifeſt, with greater Certainty, the Truth of it. It is likely he preſerved them at his Aſcenſion too, as the Evidence of his paſt Sufferings, and the Enſigns of his Victory. And let us not imagin, if he retains them in Heaven, to the Admiration of Angels, and the Joy of the Redeemed, that it will be any Diſparagement to the Beauty, and Splendor of his Glorious Body, but rather contribute to it, in the Day of his Appearing, when every Eye ſhall ſee him, and they alſo which pierced him.

p. 3033. Let us Conſider the Faith of Thomas hereupon, ver. 18. He anſwered and ſaid, My Lord, and my God. He not only believes with the Heart, but confeſſes with the Mouth: He owns both the Divinity of Chriſt, and his Dominion, and that with an Appropriating Faith, My Lord, and my God. There is a great Senſe in theſe few words, for,

1. Here is an Evidence of the Truth of his Repentance, of his Love, and of his Zeal. The very Sight of Chriſt and the Print of the Nails, and the Mark of his Wounds, ſhames him for his Sin, and makes him ſenſible of his Incredulity. Behold, ſays Chriſt, the print of the Nails; Think what I have ſuffered for Thee, for the Expiation of thy Sin; Think how I have loved Thee to dye for thee, And wilt thou not believe that I am Riſen? This awakened his Repentance, and made him abruptly cry out, My Lord, and my God. Two words ſometimes are more ſignificant than an Hundred, and expreſs the Deſires of the Heart, more than a large Diſcourſe.

The Kindneſs and Condeſcenſion of his Lord overcame him, and by theſe words p. 304he proves the Cure of his Infidelity. Before, he would not believe Chriſt to be Alive; now, he confeſſes him to be God. Before he reckoned him under the Power of Death, now he acknowledges him as the Lord, and Prince of Life. Before he believed leſs than any of the other Apoſtles, now he confeſſes more than All of them.

My Lord, my God. Thou art the Anointed of God, the King, the Head of the Church, the Expected, Promiſed Meſſiah. If thy Death had ſtaggered my Faith, thy Reſurrection has eſtabliſhed it. My Lord, my God. I adore thy Compaſſion, and Condeſcenſion, that thou wouldſt Appear to me, who ſo juſtly forfeited ſuch a Favour. I implore thy Grace, I beg thy Pardon, I now unfeignedly acknowledge, own, and avow Thee, for my Saviour, my Lord, my God.

Though he profeſſed his Unbelief in larger Words, Except I ſee the print of the Nails, and thruſt my Finger, &c. Yet this Expreſſion of his Repentance is equally ſignificant▪ He only ſtammers out two or three words, My Lord, my God; But ſuch as prove his Converſion, and his p. 305Cure: As the voice of the Patient, will ſometimes diſcover the Cure of a Diſeaſe in the Head. When the Heart is full, the Expreſſions are many times ſhort and abrupt. The Groans, Deſires, and Inward Affections of the Soul, are unutterable. He had much more to ſay, but he could not bring it out; His Penitent ſhame on the one hand, and his Zeal, and Admiration on the other, ſtopt his Mouth. But the little he doth ſay, is very much to the purpoſe; He calls him Lord, and God; which, upon the Reſurrection of Chriſt, every Tongue was to Confeſs.

The Truth of his Repentance, Love and Zeal, he afterwards more abundantly proved, by labour, and diligence, and travelling up and down the World to ſpread the Gospel into**See Dr. Cave's Life of St. Thomas. Parthia, and afterwards among the Medes and Perſians, paſſing through the Aſian Ethiopia, ſays Chryſoſtom, and, at laſt, came to India, perſwading them to Renounce their Idolatry, and receive the Faith of Chriſt; Some Remainders of this, there are in p. 306ſome parts of India to this day. And at laſt he was thruſt through with Lances, by the Command of an Indian King.

If we may believe the Account of ſome of the Jeſuits, **Relatione della Cina del P. A. Semedo, 12. Parte Prima, cap. 31.and other Miſſionaries of the Roman Church into China, and thoſe parts, they do Aſcribe the Preaching of the Goſpel there to this Apoſtle, and his Followers. And the Chaldee Books concerning the Indian Chriſtianity, Cultivated by his Means, are mentioned to this Purpoſe, and Preſerved to this Day by an A. Biſhop of Granganour, or Della Serra, and Tranſlated into Latin by a Jeſuit. One of thoſe Books is a Breviary, wherein are theſe words, By the Means of St. Thomas, the Errors of the Idolatry of the Indians were ſcattered: By the Means of St. Thomas, the Chineſes, and the Aethiopians were converted to the Truth: By the Means of St. Thomas they obtained the Vertue of Baptiſm, and the Adoption of Sons; and kept the Faith, which they promiſed to God. By Means of St. Thomas, the Beams of the Knowledge of p. 307Life enlightened all India: and the Kingdom of Heaven entred into China. And preſently there follows an Antiphona, which ſaith, The Indians, the Chineſes, the Perſians, and other Iſlanders, thoſe of Syria, Armenia, Grecia and Romania, in Commemoration of St. Thomas, do offer their Adoration unto thy Moſt Holy Name, O Great God.

2. Let us Conſider the Reality of his Faith, in this ſhort Confeſſion of it. For, upon theſe Words, My Lord, my God, our Saviour owns, in the next Verſe, the Truth of his Faith. Bleſſed art thou who haſt ſeen, and haſt believed: Though a more ample and abundant Bleſſing be pronounced on ſuch as did alſo believe, without that help of Sight and Senſe.

But here is an Excellent Faith, and all the Eſſential parts of it, comprehended in this Expreſſion, My Lord, my God.

1. An Aſſent to this Truth, that Jeſus is the Chriſt, the true Meiſſah, who had Riſen again as he foretold.

p. 3082. An acknowledgment that this Jeſus is both Lord, and God: that abſolute Supremacy, Power, and Dominion belong to him, that he is true God.

3. An Appropriation of him to himſelf, as his Lord, and his God; which following upon the former two, contain the Eſſentials of true Faith.

4. In this Expreſſion, we have an Evidence of the Two Natures of Chriſt; the Reality of his Humane Nature, and the Truth of his Divine.

1. The Reality of his Humane Nature. The Method our Lord uſes to prove his Reſurrection to this Apostle doth ſuppoſe that he was true man, Partaker of Human Nature; that his Body was of ſuch a kind, that our Senſes might judge of it; for elſe he would not have bid Thomas behold him, and reach hither his Hand.

This may eaſily be improved to overthrow the Popiſh Fancy of Tranſubstantiation, that the Body and Blood of Chriſt are in the Lord's Supper, under the Accidents of Bread and Wine. For at that rate Thomas might have ſtill objected, p. 309That what he ſaw and touched was not the Body of Chriſt, but the Accidents of it, and that he was not obliged to believe on the Teſtimony of his Senſes, that the Body of Chriſt was preſent. But his Obligation ſo to believe, is implyed in our Saviour's Words, Reach hither thy Hand, and be not faithleſs but believing. And on the ſame Teſtimony of Senſe, we are bound to believe, that it is Bread after Conſecration, and not Fleſh, that it is Wine, and not Blood.

2. The truth of his Godhead is alſo evident, that he is really, and truly God. This Title, My God, as well as My Lord, is very obſervable, becauſe it hath the Article before the Word, God. And it is commonly granted by the Adverſaries of the Deity of Chriſt, that whereever the Word God is uſed with the Article before it, it there imports the True and Eternal God. So is the Expreſſion here, which our Engliſh Tranſlation does not reach; for it may rather be read, The Lord mine, the God mine.

My Lord, my God. From his Office, as Lord, and Chriſt, he Riſeth to his Divine Nature, and the Dignity of his Eſſence. He had reaſon to own him to be p. 310Chriſt the Lord, by his Reſurrection, and other things which he had obſerved before; and from that Dignity he owns him to be true God, worthy of the Higheſt Homage and Adoration.

Had it been otherwiſe, the Apoſtle would not have given the Title of God, unto Jeſus Christ, nor would he have received it: For the Greater any Perſon is, the greater Danger there is of giving him ſuch Titles as belong not to him. As to give to One that is next to the King, the Title of King. Eſpecially to aſcribe Divinity, and Godhead to a Creature. What can be more provoking to him, who is Jealous of his Honour, and will not give his Glory to another, Iſa. 42.

It cannot well be ſuppoſed that(a)(a)See Placaei diſput. in loc. Tom. 3. 4^to. Thomas, who was brought up in the Jewiſh Religion, could be ignorant of the Doctrine of the Ʋnity of the Godhead; He muſt needs know what Moſes, and the Prophets tea…h concerning it; Hear, O Iſrael, the Lord thy God is one Lord, Deut. p. 3116.4. This was one of the Sentences written on the Fringes of their Garments, and quoted by Chriſt, as a known thing, Mark. 12.32.

Neither can it be imagined that our Saviour would have permitted ſuch a thing, without Rebuking him, if he had not been true God, as well as real Man. But ſo this Apoſtle does acknowledge him, and ſo muſt we: And every**Dr. Manton, on Coloſ. 1.19. p. 202.Col 1:19 Office of Chriſt, as our Prophet, Prieſt, and King, doth ſuppoſe and require that he be true God, as well as true man,; or he could not diſcharge thoſe Offices to any Saving Purpoſe for us.

4. Let us then Imitate the Faith of this Apoſtle, in contemplating the Death and Reſurrection of Chriſt, that we alſo may ſay as he did, My Lord, and my God. And that will include both a Claim of Intereſt, and ſpecial Propriety in him, and imply the Dedication of our ſelves to his Uſe, and Service. The one of theſe will follow upon the other. When God ſays, I am thy God; we cannot p. 312but anſwer, That we are his Servants, and reſolve to be ſo: And if we are his, and Devoted to him, we may infer that he is Ours, for the Covenant is mutual.

But if we cannot, as ſometimes we cannot, ſo clearly, and comfortably ſay, My God; We may yet humbly, and reſolvedly ſay, My Lord; that is, I am thy Servant, I am Devoted to thy Fear, I am reſigned and given up to thee; I have choſen thee for my Portion, and I have dedicated and devoted my ſelf for ever to be thine, &c. The more ſerious we are in this, the more likely are we to come to this Claim, and Appropriation, and ſpecial Intereſt in God, and Chriſt as ours: And till we Arrive to ſome Degree of this, we are Strangers to the moſt comfortable part of the Chriſtian Life: For this is a great ground of our Confidence, and a main Spring of our Joy. My Beloved is mine, and I am his. He loved me, and gave himſelf for me. This attracts our Love, this wins our Hearts, and fills us with Joy unutterable, and full of Glory.

If Chriſt, by the Preſence of his Spirit, would viſit our Souls; we ſhould then be able to uſe ſuch Language of Faith. If he will viſit us, as he did the Diſciples, when Thomas was with them; his Preſence and Power can produce ſuch a Faith; And if he pleaſe, he can enter and do this, though the Doors be barred, and ſhut never ſo cloſe. For he, can open them, as he did the Heart of Lydia. Though they be of Stone or Iron, he can break, he can ſoften, he can make them Hearts of Fleſh. Let us beg he would ſo viſit us, by his Spirit.

Though we have not the Priviledge to touch him on Earth, as this Apoſtle, yet we may behold him, as the holy Martyr Stephen, in Heaven. We may Contemplate him by Faith, as at the Right hand of God: And ſo we may behold the print of the Nails, and thruſt our Hand into his wounded Side, and hear his Voice, yea taſte, as well as touch his very Body and Blood, feed upon him. We have ſome of us ſo done this Day. And after ſuch a Sight, and ſuch a Taſte, ſhall we not cry out; My Lord, my God. O my Lord, what have I done? O my God, what ſhall I do? O my Lord, my dear Lord Jeſus, who am I, that thou haſt loved me, ſo as to dye for me, ſo as to give thy ſelf a Sacrifice for me? O my God, what ſhall I render to thee? How ſhall I expreſs my Gratitude? What ſhall I do to honour thee? O my Lord, thou haſt Redeemed me at a coſtly price. O my God, give me of the Spirit of Grace, to renew thine Image, ſubdue my Luſts, and aſſiſt mine Obedience. My Lord, my God, the King of Saints, the Prince of Peace, the Firſt Begotten from the Dead, the Firſt Born of every Creature, the Firſt Fruits of them that ſleep, the true and only Potentate, the great Immanuel, God with us, true God, and true Man: Whom have I in Heaven but thee? &c.

Let us labour aft…r ſuch a Faith, and beg it of the God of all Grace; and never deſiſt, till in the uſe of that, and other means, we are brought to uſe ſuch Language too.

Laſtly, As to you, my Brethren, who have been at the Table of the Lord; Conſider, what have you been doing? Your great Buſineſs hath been, or ſhould have been this Day, ſolemnly to Renew the Covenant between God and you; in ſuch Appropriating Language of Faith, as theſe words of Thomas: For Chriſt, and all his Benefits are offered to you, by the Diſtribution of the Elements. Behold me, I am yours; Accept me, Take me, ſays Christ. You by Receiving them, ſay, Lord, I am thine, Accept me, Poſſeſs me for thine own. The Lord's Supper, is the p. 315New Teſtament, or Covenant in the Blood of Chriſt; you there Ratifie the Baptiſmal Covenant; he ſaith, I am thine; and you ſay, You are his. This inward, perſonal Covenanting between Chriſt and you, is the great Thing to be minded, and this amounts to the ſame, with My Lord, my God, acknowledging his Right, by the one Expreſſion, and profeſſing your own Intereſt by the other.

This was Virtually done in our Baptiſm, this was actually done at our firſt Turning to God, when we entred into Covenant to be the Lords; And this we profeſſedly Repeat, and publickly Renew, every time we come to this Table. We have this Day acknowledged him to be our Lord, we have entred into a ſolemn League of Subjection, and Fidelity to him; we have taken on us a ſolemn Bond, and Obligation of Duty, and Service; And if we are Ʋnfaithful, every Communion will come in againſt us, as ſo many Oaths that we have broken. For by Feaſting on this Sacrifice this Day, we have again Sworn at the Altar, we have ſaid it in our Hearts, My Lord, my God; And we have profeſſed it by our Actions. We have played the Hypocrites, and acted the p. 316part of Children, and Fools, if we did not mean it. And if we do not ſtand to it while we live, we are Rebels; and add Perjury to our Rebellion, by violating our Bond, Covenant, and Oath. And if we do ſo, we have imprecated a Curſe upon our ſelves, even all the Curſes of a broken Covenant, and ſo have ſworn to our own Condemnation.

You therefore who have this Day Avouched the Lord for your God, and have ſaid to Chriſt, My Lord, my God; Remember that he is both: And don't expect he ſhould be thy God, thy Portion, thy Happineſs, thy Heaven, if he be not thy Lord. Don't think he will be thy Jeſus, thy Ranſom to ſave thee from Hell, if he be not thy Lord to govern thy Heart, and Life. He is the Author of Eternal Salvation only to thoſe that Obey him: an Everlaſting Saviour to them only, to whom he is a Lord. Don't expect that the ſaying Lord, Lord, either now, or hereafter, will be enough, if thou be a Worker of Iniquity, and do not what he Commands thee; if his Intereſt in thee, and Authority over thee, will not prevail more than the Entreaty of a Friend, or than the gain of a little Money, or the Allurement of a little Pleaſure, or the Inticement of a Luſt, or the Temptation of a Devil.

But if you ſincerely, and unfeignedly take him for your Lord, he will then be your God: And all Bleſſings, Temporal, Spiritual, and Eternal, are comprized in that. You are then his Jewels, his Treaſure, his Portion, his Inheritance, his peculiar People: If he be your God. O how dear, how valuable, how precious are the Relations, Priviledges, and Bleſſings, that this contains! What need you fear? What can you want? What can you ask more? What can diſmay, afflict, or trouble ſuch a Soul? Why art thou caſt down, O my Soul? Why art thou diſquieted within me? May you ſay: If you can ſay with David in another place, The Lord is my Portion, and the Lot of mine Inheritance. Or if you can ſay with Thomas here, My Lord, my God. All things then are yours; his Spirit, his Providence, his Attributes, his Promiſes; Life, Death, Things preſent, Things to come; Grace here, Heaven hereafter; All things yours, if you be Chriſt's, and he be your Lord, and your God.

Bleſſed then are you, though you have not ſeen him with your bodily Eyes, or thruſt your Hand into his Wounded Side, or felt the print of the Nails in his Crucified Body: Yet having now by hearing, believed on him, and loved him, you ſhall ſee him hereafter in Glory, and Triumph, and be for ever with him, to behold his Glory, and to partake of it.

Amen.

A PARAPHRASE OF THE Lord's Prayer.