SERMON VI.

THE BLESSEDNESS OF IMPLICIT FAITH AND

UNQUESTIONING LOVE.

St. Thomas the Apostle.

ST. JOHN Xx. 29.

JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM: THOMAS, BECAUSE THOU HAST SEEN,

THOU HAST BELIEVED; BLESSED ARE THEY THAT HAVE NOT SEEN, AND YET HAVE BELIEVED.

IT is distinctly recorded, that the disciples of our Blessed LORD did not understand, in regard to their Master, what the Resurrection from the dead should mean. Nor is it less clear that, after they had witnessed His Crucifixion, they had no hope of seeing HIM again on earth. Had they, in the least, expected His re-appearance amongst them, they would hardly have prepared spices and myrrh for the embalming His Body.

Whatever degree of moral wrong, therefore, might be involved in the incredulity of St. Thomas, it was only natural he should hesitate to receive as true, what was reported to him by his brethren concerning the Resurrection of their LORD. To our minds, indeed, it seems strange, that the disciples were so slow to believe. We are disposed to wonder at their mis

understanding our LORD's unambiguous and repeated declarations respecting His Death and Resurrection. They seem, however, to have attached no definite or intelligible meaning to them. Until after the events had come to pass to which they referred, they appear to have had no just apprehension of their import. But when once they knew for certain, that "the LORD was risen indeed," when after His Resurrection they had seen and heard HIM, we find no more wavering or distrust. What before was mysterious and perplexing now became plain; and no doubt, when once their eyes were opened to see the truth, they must have wondered how it was they had been so dull in perceiving it. This want of faith, however, at first, coupled with their unhesitating faith afterwards, strengthens the more effectually our conviction, that they never would have laid down their lives in attestation of the Resurrection of our LORD, if they had not been infallibly persuaded, that the fact they proclaimed was beyond all question true.

Of the Apostles of our LORD, Thomas was the last to believe. On one occasion, when our Blessed SAVIOUR had vouchsafed to manifest HIMSELF to them, Thomas was absent. And so fixed and resolute was his determination not to believe except on the most unequivocal evidence, that he said, "Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my fingers into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe." Ah! little did he think, that the very words he was then speaking were heard by our Blessed LORD. Had he suspected this, he never could have ventured to make such a stipulation with his Master, himself prescribing the terms, the only terms, on which he could consent to believe.

But what the Apostle said, and all that he felt, was perfectly known to HIM, Whom he supposed to be still lying in the grave, or, at any rate, did not believe to be any longer visible on earth. And accordingly, eight days after, when His disciples were within, and Thomas with them, JESUS came and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace be unto you." And then, immediately, as it would appear, without one word further, HE at once addressed HIMSELF to the thoughts of the heart of St. Thomas. The terms dictated by the unbelieving Apostle are accepted. He finds his Master has heard his words, has known his thoughts. For JESUS said unto him, "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."

Oh! how must the Apostle have been overpowered, to find himself thus taken at his word! What a tumult of mingled feelings must now have been stirring within him! His unbelief immediately gives way; he hesitates no longer. The wondrous truth rushes into his mind. He stands in his Master's Presence, and all he can say is this, "My LORD and my God." Distressed he must surely have felt by this time at his previous want of faith. It must have been a painful thought to him, that he had so long withstood the truth, and that apparently through his own self-will. For we may observe, that his Master, although dealing most graciously with him, does seem to reprove him for his want of faith, for, as if disparaging in some degree the value of his forced conviction, He makes this general declaration, that "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

Let us now consider what lessons of good are

derivable to ourselves from this history of the incredulity of St. Thomas.

And first, we may learn from it our LORD's perfect knowledge of every thing we think, and every thing we say. Although we see HIM not, although many have no idea that such is the case, yet there is not a thought in our heart, nor a word on our tongue, but He knoweth it altogether. Whether we are endeavouring to promote His glory, or whether our words are such as do hurt instead of doing good, still HE, who is hereafter to judge us, hears them all, and we shall find at last, that He is intimately acquainted with them, just as St. Thomas found that His LORD knew full well all that had been passing in his thoughts.

But again, we here see in what a gracious way our LORD Vouchsafed to deal with the infirmities of His disciples. It was not as a reward for Thomas' hesitation, but in spite of its wrongfulness, that JESUS granted him the satisfaction he required. What if he had been left to the consequences of his unbelief? What if he had been suffered to remain under the power of that ignorance which his incredulity had occasioned? Would it not have been to his most serious loss? The removal of his doubts, therefore, was an act of mercy. It brought him out of darkness into light. It inspired him anew with joy, revived his fallen hopes, and saved him from the bitterness of sorrowful disappointment. It must have been to his soul like "life from the dead;" a discovery as full of gladness, as it was altogether unlooked for. For it was in every way to the advantage of the Apostle, to believe that CHRIST was risen. All his hopes of good rested upon the truth of His Resurrection. And our LORD graciously vouchsafed to assure him of its

truth. He showed HIMSELF alive to His unconfiding servant, and thereby dispelled his doubts and misgivings. There, in the very presence of the incredulous Apostle, stood the LORD JESUS, still bearing those precious wounds, the prints of the nails, and of the spear which had so wantonly pierced HIM. And Thomas is allowed to touch his LORD. He is permitted to reach forth his hand, and to feel the very wounds which he had seen inflicted upon our SAVIOUR when they nailed HIM to the accursed tree. Think, my Brethren, what it must have been for any child of man to be suffered thus to touch the risen SAVIOUR. Think with what tender consideration our LORD met and sustained the weakness of His servant. In this instance, as on other occasions of our SAVIOUR'S intercourse with His disciples, there was something which, while it must have awed them, at the same time won their hearts. HE He appears to have held communion with them, as one friend would with another. One end, indeed, we see, HE ever kept in view in all that He did and said while He was here on earth. It was not only to die for our salvation that He came down from heaven; it was not only by suffering death that He made provision for our welfare; from first to last His thoughts were directed to the accomplishment of the purposes of His FATHER's love. Nothing ever withdrew HIM from this great work. He suffered, and after His Resurrection, we find His thoughts, and words, and deeds are still furthering the self-same end, the happiness of us His sinful creatures. And yet, while ever intent on this all-merciful object, we behold His meek and gracious deportment in His familiar intercourse with those He loved. For instance, we see HIM in friendly intercourse with

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