ment claims him as his Lord, and his God. Thus must we do: we must receive him as our God and Saviour, determining to rely on him alone, to confess him before the whole world, to consecrate to him all our powers both of body and soul, and to glory in him as "all our salvation and all our desire." The language of our hearts must be, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides theed."]

From a more particular view of this narrative, we may LEARN

1. The evil of unbelief

[Infidels pretend that their doubts arise from a want of evidence but they in reality arise from an indisposition of heart to weigh with candour the evidence before them. This was the fault which Thomas now committed. He did not dispassionately consider the testimony of the other Apostles, but determinately set himself against it; and would admit of no proof, except such as he himself should presume to dictate. And justly might he have been left for ever to perish in his unbelief, because he would not receive a testimony that was decisive of the point. It is precisely thus also with nominal Christians, who, while they admit the truth of Christianity in general, deny every truth that presses on their consciences, and will receive nothing that does not accord with their own preconceived notions. But, as they who came out of Egypt, as the Lord's people, perished in the wilderness through their unbelief, so will these never enter into the heavenly Canaan, unless they receive, and act upon, the whole "truth as it is in Christ Jesus." There is quite evidence enough to satisfy the humble inquirer: there is no real ground for doubt, either respecting the way of salvation through a crucified Redeemer, or respecting that holiness of heart and life which he requires: and if men will not "receive the truth in the love of it," they must expect that "God will give them up to believe a lie," to the everlasting ruin of their souls.]

2. The folly of neglecting ordinances

[Thomas was not with the other Apostles on the evening when our Lord first appeared to them; if he had, there is reason to suppose that he would have been satisfied of the truth of Christ's resurrection, as well as they. But, through his absence, he lost that opportunity of beholding his risen Lord; and thus continued in a state of anxious suspense for a whole week, after the rest were "filled with joy and peace in believing." As we know not the reason of his absence, we

d Cant. v. 16. Ps. lxxiii. 25.

e 2 Thess. ii. 11. 12.

do not condemn him for it: but his loss was the same, by whatever it might be occasioned. And have not many of us suffered loss through our absence from the house of God, or the neglect of private ordinances? It is highly probable that the doubts and fears of many are to be traced to this source: they live without the light of God's countenance, because they are not careful "to walk with God:" they neglect him; and then he hides himself from them'. We can scarcely doubt but that all of us might have enjoyed far richer manifestations of the Saviour's love, if we had been more diligent and watchful in our performance of religious duties. "Let us not then forsake the assembling of ourselves together (as the manner of some is)," or intermit our exertions in our secret chamber: but, if we should even wait without a blessing as long as the cripple waited at Bethesda's pool, let us at least secure this consolation, that we have not lost it through our own neglect ; and expect assuredly, that, if we are "steadfast and immoveable in waiting upon God, our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord."]

3. The wonderful condescension of the Lord Jesus

[Notwithstanding the obstinate unbelief of Thomas, our Lord did not cast him off, but even appeared a second time to his Disciples, on purpose to grant him the evidence he desired. What amazing condescension was this! Yet it is precisely such as all of us experience at his hands. "He is not extreme to mark what is done amiss" by any of us: He bears with our infirmities, "not breaking the bruised reed nor quenching the smoking flax, but bringing forth judgment unto truth." We, alas! are too often unreasonably dictating to him, when we should rather be meekly submitting to his providence and grace we refuse to rest upon his promises, unless they be applied to us in such a particular way, or we be enabled to find in ourselves some particular warrant for our faith. But we should take his promises simply as they are given; and expect the accomplishment of them, not because we are worthy, but "because He is faithful who has promised." We do not mean that we are to expect him to save us whilst we are living in sin; for he has not anywhere promised any such thing: but we would have all to "walk by faith, and not by sight;" for it is still as true as ever, that "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."]

f 2 Chron. xv. 2.

MDCCXXXIII.

THE USE AND INTENT OF OUR LORD'S MIRACLES.

John xx. 30, 31. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

THOUGH the miracles which are recorded in the Gospel are very numerous, yet are they few in comparison of those which were wrought by our blessed Lord. If all that he performed were distinctly related with all their attendant circumstances, St. John tells us, in the hyperbolical language of the east, that the whole world would scarcely be able to contain the books that would be written. Some however are transmitted to posterity as a specimen of the rest, in order that we may be assured of Christ's divine mission, and be led to believe in him to the salvation of our souls.

The evangelist, stating both the immediate and the ultimate end for which his Gospel was written, declares, that the assuring us of Christ's divine mission

was,

I. The immediate end—

Our blessed Lord declared himself to be "the Christ, the Son of God"

[It was not in the character of a common prophet that our Lord appeared; he assumed to himself titles to which no human being had aspired, and declared himself to be the Son of God, the incarnate Deity, the Saviour of the worldb --]

For the conviction of the people of that day he wrought unnumbered miracles—

[Miracles are works contrary to the common course of nature, works which God alone is able to perform. Hence,

a John xxi. 25.

b His enemies themselves accused him of affecting equality with God; and finding, from the very defence that he made, that they were right in their conjecture, they again sought to put him to death as a blasphemer. John v. 18. and x. 33, 37-39.

when wrought in confirmation of any point, they are justly considered as authenticating that which they are intended to support; because they prove a divine concurrence; and we cannot suppose that God should enable any man to work miracles merely to establish falsehood, and to deceive his people.

There have indeed been sorceries and enchantments practised, perhaps also miracles, in support of error. But, in the case alluded to, God suffered Satan to exercise extraordinary powers in order to harden him who obstinately opposed his will, and to confirm him in the delusions which he had chosen for himself. Yet in those instances did he give abundant proof of his own superiority, and leave the confounded monarch without excuse.

The

That the miracles which Jesus did, were intended to convince the Jews of his Divine mission, and that they were sufficient for that end, is manifest from the appeal which he himself repeatedly made to them in this very view1. completion of prophecy was indeed a decisive proof of his Messiahship to those who could compare the prophecies with the events; but that was a long and arduous process; a work which but few were competent to undertake: whereas the working of miracles afforded a short, compendious, and incontestible evidence to the eyes of all who beheld them.]

For the conviction of future ages these miracles were recorded—

[If there had been no written documents of the things that were transacted, we could not have been sure that our information respecting them was correct; seeing that many variations must inevitably happen in traditions handed down through so many succeeding ages. But when the miracles of our Lord were recorded by persons who were eye-witnesses of the same, and these records were speedily circulated amongst myriads who also had been spectators of them; and when in these very writings an appeal was made to the bitterest enemies of our Lord, who would have been glad enough to contradict the assertions of the Evangelists on a supposition that they could have been disproved; these records come down to us with an

c Exod. vii. 10, 11.

d Isai. lxvi. 4. Ps. ix. 16. Exod. vii. 3, 13, 14.

e Aaron's rod swallowed up all the rods of the sorcerers, Exod. vii. 12. The sorcerers were permitted to bring calamities on the land, but not to remove them, Exod. vii. 21, 22. and viii. 6, 7. And they themselves were constrained to acknowledge a divine power working by Moses and Aaron, when they could no longer imitate the miracles wrought by them, Exod. viii. 18, 19.

f John v. 36. and xiv. 11.

evidence not at all inferior to ocular demonstration: and if any man reject the testimony which is thus sanctioned both by friends and enemies, he is wilfully blind, and would reject any other evidence that could be given him.]

But though this was the immediate intent of these written memorials, the salvation of our souls was, II. The ultimate end

Merely to prove to us that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, would have been a fruitless task, unless our believing of that record would conduce to our benefit. But the Apostle knew, that our whole salvation depends upon it; and therefore, in transmitting an account of our Saviour's miracles, he sought to bring us to the enjoyment of life;

1. Of spiritual life

[The unbeliever is "dead in trespasses and sins":" he is as incapable of spiritual exertion, as dry bones, that have been entombed for many years, are of exercising the functions belonging to the body. Nor is it by working, that he is to obtain life (for he must have life before he can work aright) but by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. By believing, he becomes united to Christ, as a scion that is grafted into a new stock; and he derives life from him, as a branch does from the tree, or as a member from the head. No sooner is that union formed, than he becomes a new creature1; "he is passed from death unto life;" and is "purged from dead works to serve the living God." For the sake of Christ he is made "a partaker of the Divine nature":""Christ himself lives in him," and "is that very life," whereby he is enabled to live to God.] 2. Of eternal life

The

[The life begun on earth, is not like the natural life that shall soon expire; it is an incorruptible seed, an immortal principle, which, when watered and invigorated by continued supplies of grace, shall flourish in heaven for evermore. soul that is quickened by faith in the Lord Jesus, has also its iniquities forgiven. It stands immediately in the nearest relation to the Deity. The believer is a child of God, an heir of God, a joint-heir with Christ". A throne is prepared for him in heaven and, on his dismission from the body, he shall be exalted to an eternal participation of the Divine glory.