our God; the Commemoration of his Nativi-SERM. ty, or even of his Death or Resurrection will XV. be altogether vain. In order therefore to further the Intention of our Church, I shall, from the Text, which is the Scripture she proposes to our Meditations, take into Confideration the following Particulars, viz.

I. First, The Aggravations of Thomas's Unbelief, and in Consequence thereof, the Unreasonableness of his Demand.

II. Secondly, The gracious Condescension of our Saviour, in complying with, and yielding to, so rude a Demand.

III. Thirdly, The Effect which this had upon the Apostle, and the Change that it wrought in him.

IV. Fourthly, The Benediction which our Saviour takes this Opportunity to confer upon all that believe upon reasonable Grounds.

I. First, I shall confider the several Aggravations of Thomas's Unbelief, and in Consequence thereof the Unreasonableness of his Demand. Thomas, one of the twelve called Didymus, was not with them when Jefus came. This very Absence of the Apostle, from the Meeting of all the rest of his Collegues, seems a little

SERM.a little to open to us the natural Temper of XV. the Man : He appears ever of a doubting and mistrustful Disposition. His Master, as he suspected, when he came up to Judea, to raise Lazarus to Life, though he had indeed accomplished that Miracle, yet for doing it he had lost his own. And whatever he might have done, whilst alive, for another, he concluded he could do nothing for himself, when dead. Instead therefore of expecting ever to fee him alive again, he quits the Conversation of all that knew him, and declines coming where he should be talked of or mentioned.

His other Disciples, however dispersed and distressed at first, yet find an Opportunity of meeting again; and keep together till the Time was expired, that they had heard their Master talk of rifing, to fee what the Event of his Promise would be. Accordingly we find, that all of them but Thomas had, more or less, fome Afsurance or Proof, before that Day was at an End, that our Saviour had made his Words to them good. For first in the Morning of the third Day, some of them came early to the Place where he was laid, and there faw with their Eyes, that, notwith standing the Watch, he was missing from the Grave. Mary Magdalen, who was still more

earnest than the rest, and would not leave thesERM. Sepulchre till she had received Satisfaction, is XV. rewarded for her earnest Concern by our Lord, who shewed himself to her first after his Refurrection; John xx. 14-18. Cleopas and Simon, as they were going to Emaus, and were reasoning concerning these surprizing Events, are also favoured with their Lord's appearing to and converfing with them, who first makes their Hearts burn within them by his Discourse, and then fully discovers himself to them, in breaking of Bread; Luke xxiv. 1335

The Ten having thus, some heard, and some feen, that our Lord was alive, assemble all-together in the Dusk of the Evening, to instruct themselves fully of what Satisfaction each other had received concerning the Truth of so important a Fact; ver. 36-43. Here our Saviour prevents the Enquiries they were going to make, by appearing in the midst of them, as they were going to speak, and by fubmitting himself to be seen and handled by them, and to eat before them, that so he might convince them by all their Senfes, that he was true Flesh and Bones and not a Spirit, as at first they imagined, but the fame individual Christ that died. Now had Thomas pla

ced

SERM.ced but the same Hopes and Confidence, iti XV. what our Lord had said to his Apostles, as ☑ the rest of them had done; he would proba

bly have been as industrious as they in examining into the Truth of what so nearly concerned him: Had he been either at the Sepulchre, or in the House with the Apostles, to enquire into the Matter; he with the reft, would also have had the Satisfaction he wanted, and not have funk into so much Distrust and Infidelity as he discovered. But Thomas was not with them, when Jesus came. And Thomas was determined to believe nothing upon Hearsay, nor would he trust to any Man's Senfes but his own. Notwithstanding therefore, that Jesus had fignified to them over and over again, that he would arife, and that the third Day; notwithstanding he had shewed himself able to do so, by the miraculous raising others from the Dead, and efpecially Lazarus, whom after four Days-Burial, he had miraculously restored to Life, but a Fortnight or three Weeks before: And though the Women at the Sepulchre could inform him upon the Testimony of Angels, that he was actually rifen; though Mary Magdalen could assure him, the had seen him; though Cleopas and Simon, could relate to him a long Difcourse

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course they had held with him; and how hesERM. had blessed and broke, and given them Bread; XV. and though ten Apostles could all jointly declare to him, what they had beard, and what they had seen with their Eyes, what they had looked upon, and what their Hands had handled of the Word of Life; 1 John i. 1. yet the cautious Thomas would believe none of them: Whole Nations fince have been converted by the Preaching of one Apostle: But Thomas stood out fingly and alone against the joint, united Testimony of all the Ten. Say what they will concerning the Evidence of their Senses; he tells them plainly, that he is refolutely determined to believe none but his own. Except (faith he) I shall fee in bis Hands the Print of the Nails, and put my Finger into the Print of the Nails, and thrust my Hand into bis Side, I will not believe. Seeing and Feeling were the only Evidences that Thomas would admit. That Jesus had lately raised Lazarus from the Dead, he saw himself, and therefore he believed it: But that with him, was no Reason why he should believe, upon the Testimony of others, that he had raised himself, which he himself had not seen. "Never confidering what a haughty Piece " of Pride it was, to suppose, that his own "fingle