him, and he shall be my salvation (Job c. 13, v. 15): in which words he confesseth, that he was so far, even in this great extremity, from despairing of life or salvation, as that in the very power and instant of death he would trust in him; for he had other testimonies of God's favour than all his outward prosperity; even the testimony of a good conscience, that he had walked before him in sincerity and truth, and that he had been no hypocrite; as he declareth at large in chap. 31. And he had further, for the upholding of his faith, the constant truth of God's promises; and those not only for this life, but for the life to come; and therefore he doubted not, but that it should go well with him, though he died in that estate; for he hoped at the last day to rise again, and to behold Christ his Saviour to his everlasting comfort; when he saith, Oh that my words were now written, oh that they were written even in a book (Job c. 19, v. 23) and graven with an iron pen, in lead or in stone for ever; for I am sure that my redeemer liveth, and he shall stand the last on the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet shall I see God in my flesh, whom I shall see myself, and my eyes shall behold, and none other for me, though my reins are consumed within me. Where we see how he saith, that in the midst of all his afflictions he did rejoice and glory in this, even in the testimony of a good conscience, whereby he did so rest in the promises of God concerning his resurrection and life eternal, which was to come, that this did confirm him in the favour of God against all temptations. Thus true faith bindeth not God's favour to any of these outward things, whereby men do commonly desire to be assured of it; but it looketh unto better things, whereby his love is most apparent; and that not only in this life, but in the life to come most of all; as they be promised and set down in the word of God. And that is the remedy against the foolish and vain desires of unbelief. Let us not, therefore, tie the assurance of God's favour unto any one thing, but seeing that he hath many ways to declare it, let us believe the promises of his word, and pray him to seal them up in our hearts by what means it shall please him best: and let us not be so froward and perverse, as to think it is not constant unto us, unless it be sealed up that way which we ourselves do most of all desire. Therefore to conclude the sum of all in few words, we see by the weakness of St. Thomas, not only what we are subject unto, but also how we may help ourselves and others against the same. He did not believe that Christ was risen again, though it was told him at sundry times by divers, that were very credible: we must therefore in the matter of faith give credit unto the word of God brought unto us, in the mouths of his faithful servants, if they be but two or three. Secondly, he in this case would believe none but himself: we must believe in the mystery of our salvation others rather than ourselves, and think, especially that in the time of temptation, others are able better to judge of our estate than we ourselves can, and so be not too much addicted to our own overweaning. Thirdly, he would believe nothing of this matter any further than himself was able to see and feel now because these may deceive us, we must believe without any sight or feeling; especially seeing that faith is of things that are not seen, and the favour of God is not always sensible of his benefits, we must believe his word without; yea contrary to any thing that we can see or feel. Lastly, he would not believe except he saw Christ with his. wounds, and so in that form which, ordinarily, was not to be looked for: we therefore must not by unbelief tie the testimonies of God's favour for the assurance of our faith unto such things as are unreasonable, and commonly not to be looked for; neither unto any one particular thing, because he hath many ways to confirm the same unto us; and pray him to give us grace, that we may profit in faith by any that he shall bestow upon us. And seeing it is so hard a thing to believe, and there is so much infidelity hidden in the hearts of the best servants of God; let us labour to search into the depth of our own, that finding the same in ourselves, we may, while we have time, use in fear all those good means that God hath appointed for the beginning and increase of faith in us, that so by his blessing, we daily going on forward from faith to faith, we may at the last come to that measure of it, against which the very gates of hell be not able to prevail; that so we may, both in temptation and under all crosses, and in the hour of death, so carry ourselves as God 152 The Unbelief of St. Thomas. may be glorified, we ourselves may be comforted, and others may be furthered by our Christian calling and good example: which Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, grant unto us, for his own name sake: to whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one true, immortal, invisible, and only wise God, be ascribed as most due, all honour, praise, and glory for ever and ever. Amen. Nichols, Son, and Bentley, Printers, |