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and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to 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. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Thomas, who had been absent on the former occasion, when Christ appeared to the assembly of disciples, and had refused assent to the accounts given him of the Lord's frequent appearances, now was favoured with the same proofs as the other apostles, that his Master was risen indeed, and expressed his faith in him as his Lord and his God.

Throughout the history of the resurrection, no one point is more observable than the slowness of the apostles to believe the fact, even on the evidence one of another. Many have grounded on it a just argument for the reality of the events; inasmuch as, notwithstanding their previous incredulity, they found grounds

subsequently for believing and maintaining the truth of it; and this in opposition to their own interests, in opposition to the prejudices of the world, and at the risk of their lives. One mode of shaping the argument, however, deserves to be considered, as perhaps lessening its force, while it seems on a cursory glance to increase it. It is not unusually asserted and taken for granted, that the apostles were incredulous persons, and slow to believe any evidence; and on this supposition is grounded the necessity of acknowledging the reality of the miracles which convinced them. But really, when we come to consider the class of persons to whom the apostles belonged, they are likely to have been very credulous persons. Their countrymen were especially credulous. In that very age, they were ready to listen to every impostor, who successively claimed to be the Messiah. Why should we suppose the apostles exempt from this general feeling? Surely they were not exempt from it; nor is it requisite for their credibility to suppose that they were. All that needs to be ascertained in their case, and in the case of any alleged deception which may

arise from credulity, is, whether the deception favoured their prejudices, or ran counter to them. If the former, then, these witnesses were likely to have been misled through their credulity; if the latter, their credulity would be likely to have made them even indisposed to admit what in justice and candour they ought to have admitted. Credulity is a strong disposition to believe; but to believe what? No one can have a strong disposition to believe contrary statements. He who is credulous with respect to ghosts or witches, is the most incredulous with respect to any explanations which go to destroy the belief in supernatural appearances, and in Satan's extraordinary agency. Now the prejudices, the hopes, the expectations, the credulity, in short, of the apostles tended to all those points, which were negatived by our Saviour, in his teaching, his life, his death, and resurrection; and hence it was that they required more than enough evidence for an impartial mind. "Unless ye see signs and wonders," said our Lord to them, “ye will not believe." Except I shall see," said Thomas, "in his hands the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not be

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lieve." The apostles were probably credulous, and would have believed on a tenth part of the evidence, had Christ assumed a temporal kingdom. But that very credulity interfered with the belief in his spiritual reign. They were credulous, and would have followed him, adhered to him, and fought and died for him, if he had shewn a disposition to abide with them in the flesh for ever; but that very credulity made them the more eager to forsake him and flee, when he gave himself up to Pilate's judgment. Had their credulity found in Christ a champion for Israel against its enemies and oppressors, one miraclean apparent miracle-(for it would have been less likely to be examined,) might have tempted them to assent to his claims. But this very credulity dictated the desponding exclamation, “We trusted it had been he who should have redeemed Israel."

Let us not therefore be afraid to look at the weakness of these instruments of Christ, in whom, by means of his constant and unwearied efforts to save them, and, through them, others, his "strength was made perfect." In this point of view, their faith and their preaching are far more

wonderful and unaccountable, (save on the ground of miraculous evidence,) than if we suppose, what we have no right to suppose, that they were exceptions from the mass of uneducated Jews, and singularly incredulous.

CHRIST'S APPEARANCE TO THE DISCIPLES AT

THE SEA OF TIBERIAS.

(Seventh Appearance.)

John xxi. 1—24.

After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias: and on this wise shewed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,)

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