above all the rest," when his disciples were within, and Thomas with them, then came Jesus."

4. The manner how he appeared. 1. He came, the doors being shut. 2. He stood in the midst. 3. He said, peace be unto you. All these we have despatched in the former apparition; I shall therefore proceed to that which is peculiar to this, "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," John 20:27. In this appari. tion he argues his resurrection, 1. From words, 2. From deeds.

1. From the words, Thomas had said, " Except I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe." Now Christ repeats the very self saine words, and therein gives in an argument of his resurrection; for if Christ could know what Thomas had said, How is he but alive, and risen from the dead? The dead have not sense, much less the use of rea son, but least of all the knowledge of another's mind: but Christ hath sense, and reason, science and omniscience; observe, "though Christ be absent, as in his bodily presence, yet he understandeth all our thoughts, and if need were, he could repeat all our sayings, word by word;" how then may this convince all unbelievers in the world, that Christ is risen, that he that was dead, now liveth, and that he is alive for evermore?

2. He appears arguing his resurrection from deeds, wherein is an act and object, 1. The act is, Thomas seeing and feeling, q. d. Thomas thou wilt not believe, except thou seest and feelest; now this is against the na. ture of faith, it consisteth not in seeing and feeling; but on the contrary, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen," Heb. 11:1. Indeed in things natural, a man must first have experience, and then believe; but in divine things, a man must first believe, and then have experience; and yet to help thy unbelief, (said Christ) I am willing thus far to condescend, and to yield unto thy weakness, come feel the print of the nails, and of the spear, "Come 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." Christ compassionates his chil dren, though full of weakness and wants, "he pities them that fear him, for he knows our frame, he remembers that we are but dust," Psal. 103: 13,14. 2. The object is Christ seen or felt; his prints and his scars, are the very witnesses of our redemption, and of his resurrection: they declare that Satan is overthrown, that death and hell are swallowed up in victory, that "he hath spoiled principalities and powers," Col. 2:15. and to this purpose are these texts, "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah?" Isa. 63:2,3. By Edom is meant death; by Bozrah, (the chiefest city of Edom) is meant the state of the dead, or hell, from both which Christ returned at his glorious resurrection, "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption," Psal. 16:10. Now saith the prophet, or some angel, "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah?" Who is it that cometh so triumphantly, with the keys of Edom and Bozrah, of death and hell at his girdle? To which the answer is given, "I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save;" as much as to say, it is I Jesus Christ, I that am righteous in speaking, and mighty in saving; whose word is truth, and whose work is salvation, it is I, even I: this answer given, another question is propounded, "Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine fat? q. d. Here is nothing but scars, and wounds, and blood; if thou art so mighty

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to save, how comes thy apparel to be so red, and sprinkled, or stained with blood! To which Christ answers, "I have trodden the wine press alone, and I will tread them in mine anger," I was trod and pressed till the very blood streamed out of my hands, and feet, and side, so pressed, that they pressed the very soul out of my body. See here, Behold my hands, and my feet, and my side, that it is I myself, that have trode the wine press alone." But as I was trode, so I will tread; up he gets, and he treads on them that trode on him; his enemies of Edom and Bozrah are now like so many clusters under his feet, and he tramples upon them asupon grapes in a fat, till he make the blood spring out of them, and all to sprinkle his garments, as if he had come out of the wine press indeed." See here a double sight, his own blood and his enemies' blood; here is the blood of the Lamb that was slain, and the blood of the dragon that was trodden upon; here is a shew both of his passion and resurrection, of his suffering and triumphing.-Another text of this nature," And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thy hands? Then he' shall answer, those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends," Zech. 13:6. I know instead of Christ, some have applied these words to the false prophets, as if they had passed through the church's discipline and so had received their wounds. But others refer them to Jesus Christ, of whom, without controversy, the next verse speaks; and of whom the first verse of this chapter speaks, and of whom after a long parenthesis, the prophet seems to return; "And one shall say unto him, Who was the fountain opened? What are these wounds in thy hands?" Or, as the Septuagint, "In the midst of thy hands;" A wonder it is to see those prints and scars in the hands of Christ; and therefore is the question, What are these wounds? To which Christ answers, "Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends," (i. e.) in the house of my beloved, the children of Israel, my brethren according to the flesh, the people of the Jews: why, these are the wounds they gave me, and which now I shew as the sign of my victory, and as the marks of my resurrection.

Thus far of the first head, the apparition of Christ.

2. For the fruits of this apparition, they contain Thomas' confession, and Christ's commendation of him in some respects.

1. Thomas' confession, "And Thomas answered and said unto him, my Loid, and my God:" a few words, but of great weight. 1. He acknowledgeth Christ a Lord, into whose hands are put the very keys of heaven, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth," Matth. 28:18. 2. He acknowledgeth Christ to be God: whom he saw with his eyes, and felt with his hands, he looks on, not as mere man, but as God, and as the se cond person in the Godhead. 3. He acknowledgeth Christ to be his Lord and his God; this appropriating of Christ, is the right character of faith, by which he brings home all the benefits of Christ unto his own soul. I shall a while insist on all these.

1. He acknowledgeth Christ a Lord. How is he a Lord? I answer, 1. By essence, as God is Lord, so Christ is Lord, the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, and the Holy Ghost is Lord, and yet they are not three Lords; but one Lord.

2. By creation, "Christ is before all things, (saith the apostle) and by him all things consist," Col. 1:17. This very thing is an argument of his Lordship, "To us there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him," 1 Cor. 8:6.

3. By redemption, unction, office and Mediatorship, unto which he was designed by his Father, and therefore the apostle saith, That "God hath

made him Lord and Christ," Acts 2:36. he is a Lord by his office, and by the accomplishment of his office, in dying, rising, and reviving, he became Lord both of quick and dead, "For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of dead and living," Rom. 14:9. And thus he is Lord in two respects, 1. A Lord in authority, to command whom and what he will; he only is Lord over our persons, over our faith, over our consciences: to him only we must say, "Lord, what wilt thou have me do? Lord, save us, or we perish." 2. A Lord he is in power, he hath power to forgive, and power to cleanse, he hath power to justify, and power to sanctify, he hath power to quicken, and power to save to the uttermost, all that come unto God by him; he hath power to hold fast his sheep, and power to cast out the accuser of his brethren; he hath power to put down all his enemies, and power to subdue all things unto himself. in every of these respects Christ is a Lord. True, say blasphemers, he is Lord by office, but he is not Lord "by essence as God is Lord," No! peruse some texts in the Old Testament, where the title of Lord is essentially spoken of, and we shall find the very same texts and titles applied to Christ in the New Testament. As for instance, in Isa.6: 5. "Wo is me, (saith Isaiah) for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts:" Now this John refers to Christ, "These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him," John 12:41. In Psalm 68:17,18. "The Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place; thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive, thou hast received gifts for men;" now this the apostle applies to Christ, "When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men," Eph. 4:8. In Psal. 110:1. "The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool;" now this Jesus Christ applies to himself, saying, "That David in Spirit called him Lord, saying, the Lord said unto my Lord," Matth. 22:43,44. In Isa. 40:3. "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord:" now this the evangelist applies to Christ, "This is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord," Matth. 3:3. No wonder, if Thomas call Christ Lord; why, both the Old and New Testament agree in this, Christ is Lord, Lord by creation, and Lord by redemption, Lord by office, and Lord by

ye

essence.

2. He acknowledgeth Christ to be God, as well as Lord, My Lord and my God. But how is he God? I answer, not only by participation, similitude or in some respects, as angels and men are called gods, but simply, absolutely, essentially, and without any restriction. Sometimes we read in scripture, that men or angels, good and bad, are called gods, " And the Lord said to Moses, see I have made thee a god to Pharaoh," Exod. 7:1, "And thou shalt be instead of God to Aaron," Exod. 4:16. Thus Nebuchadnezzar is called the mighty one, or "the god of the Heathens," Ezek. 31:11. and Satan is called "the god of this world," 2 Cor. 4:4. Thus magistrates are called gods, "Thou shalt not revile the gods," Exod. 22:28. I have said ye are gods, Psal. 82:6. Angels are called gods, "Before the gods will I sing praises unto thee," Psal. 138:1. But in all these there is some restriction, or improper speech: Moses is called Pha raoh's god, and Aaron's god, not absolutely, but with restriction to Pharaoh and Aaron; Nebuchadnezzar is called the god of the Heathen, and Satan the god of this world, not absolutely, but with restriction to the Heathen, and this world; magistrates are called gods, and good angels are called gods, not absolutely, but in respect of some offices or excellen

cies which they partake of from God. Only Jesus Christ is called God, without any restriction, and not only in respect of some office, or simili. tude, but absolutely, essentially, properly; as being from all eternity God of God; as being God of the substance of the Father, before all worlds; what, is Christ on God, as an angel is God? I challenge here all blasphemers in the world. "Unto which of the angels said he at any time, thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee," Heb. 1:5. Or, unto which of the angels said he at any time, "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever." verse 8. Or, to which of the angels said he at any time, thou art my Son, "my own Son, my only begotten Son," Rom. 8:32. John 3:16. Unto which of the angels said he at any time, "This is the true God, the great God, who is over all, God blessed for ever, Amen,” 1 John 5:20. Tit. 2:13. Rom. 9:5. Unto which of the angels are those divine attributes given, as of eternity, immutability, omnipotency, omniscience, omnipresence? And yet are all these given to Christ; for eternity, “I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was,” Prov. 8:23. For immutability, "Thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail," Heb. 1:12. For omnipotency, "All things are delivered unto me of my Father," Matth. 11:27. For omniscience, "He needed not that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man," John 2:25. For omnipresence, "Lo, I am with you always unto the end of the world," Matth. 28:20.

Men, brethren, and fathers, I am forced to make this defence of the divinity of Christ, because of the blasphemy of those Arians, Photinians, Eunomians, now again raked out of hell. O! who would think that such a generation of men should be amongst us in this island, where the gos pel hath shined so brightly for so many years? We maintain Christ is God, and Christ is Lord: we say with Thomas, " My Lord, and my God.” Ay, say blasphemers," Christ is God, and Christ is Lord, as magistrates and angels are called gods and lords." I hope I have said enought to differ ence betwixt Christ and them; howsoever I conclude with the apostle, "Though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth (as there be gods many, and lords many) yet to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." 1 Cor. 8:5,6.

3. He acknowledgeth Christ to be his Lord and his God, " And Thomas answered, and said unto him, my Lord, and my God." Now his faith broke out; from the things seen and felt, he is raised up to believe things neither seen nor felt; he sees the prints and scars in the manhood of Christ, and now he believes that Christ is God, yea, that Christ is his God," My Lord and my God." Observe here, That faith gives the soul "a propriety in God and Christ." As God loves some with a special and peculiar love, so faith answers God and Christ's particular love, by a par ticular application, " My Lord, my God, and my Christ." Faith is an appropriating, an applying, an uniting grace: in the acting of faith on God, or on Christ as God, we may observe these steps.

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1. It sees God in his glory and majesty, in his greatness and goodness; and all other his attributes; it sees God as the infinite fountain of all good, and it considers what an infinite dreadful thing it were to be separated from this God; it sees God, and this sight makes a deep impression on that very soul; the love of that God is more to the soul than all the world: and the least displeasure of that God is more trouble to that soul than all the miseries that all creatures under heaven are able to bring upon it.

2. It discovers the reality of this glory and majesty, of this greatness

and goodness of God. Before any faith is planted in a soul, the very use of reason may come to understand much of God and Christ, but in comparison it looks upon God and Christ as notions, conceits, and imaginary things: only faith convinces the soul thoroughly of the certainty and truth of such: where true faith is, the things we believe are more certain to us than the things we see, or feel, or handle; faith is so sure in its apprehensions of God and Christ, that it will venture soul and body, the loss of all upon that account; it will bear any hardship, yea it will venture the infinite loss of eternity upon them.

3. It enables the soul to cast itself upon God and Christ for all the good and happiness it ever expects. Alas! saith the soul, I have formerly rested on worldly things, I looked upon them as the only real sure excellencies that I had to enjoy, but now I find they are but vain things, deceitful things, no better than reeds of Egypt, vanity of vanities; and nothing is real, sure, excellent on this side God and Christ; and therefore I will rely upon him, and none but him; it is only God as an all-sufficient good, it is only Christ that is the rock that will never fail, on him will I roll myself, unto him will I make an absolute resignation, I will entrust him with all I have, and all I am, I will commit all unto him for ever and ever. 4. As faith relies all upon God in Christ, so it appropriates all God, and all Christ unto itself, "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine." Sol. Songs. There is a mutual propriety betwixt Christ and the church, and betwixt Christ and the soul; Christ hath a propriety in me, and I have a peculiar propriety in Christ. Christ is mine, so as I have none in the world so mine, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee," Psal. 73:35. Christ is mine, and mine in a peculiar manner, there is a propriety with peculiarity, "My Lord, and my God." O the excellency of faith! this step goes beyond all the rest; it is a blessed thing to have a true sight of God, there is much power in it; but to see God in his glory, majesty, greatness, goodness, as my God; to see all the attributes of God as those things that my soul hath an interest in; to see Christ coming from the Father for me, to be my Redeemer; to see Christ in whom all fulness dwells, in whom the treasures of all God's riches are, not only Christ dying as man, but rising as God for me, and my salvation; to see Christ, and then to lay hold on Christ, and to say," My Lord, and my God." O! this is the work of precious faith, and to this now is Thomas arrived in this confession of his, "My Lord, and my God."

2. Hereupon follows Christ's commendation and correction; Jesus saith unto him, "Thomas, because thou hast seen, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed," John 20:29. In the first place, Christ commends Thomas' faith," because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed," q. d. Thou hast seen me a man, but considering how I am risen from the dead, thou believest in me as God; I commend thy faith, but it is weak faith in respect of its rise; now therefore to correct it, I pronounce those blessed to all generations, that when I am gone, as in regard of my bodily presence, yet they will believe in me, "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." I am afraid of tediousness, and therefore I shall not enlarge any more on this apparition.

SECT. VIII. Of Christ's Apparition to some of his Apostles at the sea of Tiberias.

THERE is but one apparition more recorded by John. "After these things, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberi