alism, so called 1 No wonder that our Lord laid down, for the benefit of Thomas and the whole Church, that mighty principle, •* Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed,"
The remarks of Richard Cecil, on the subject before us, are so apposite, that I make no apology for quoting them. They will be found in his " Original Thoughts." (Vol. i., p. 440— 442.)
" When a man doubts, after proper evidence, 3od calls it folly. When we complain and want more evidence, the fault is in us and not in God's dispensations. A humble spirit will accept a glimmering light, and not refuse to walk because it has not the noonday sun. Incredulity, as to divine truth, has its root in pride and self-sufficiency, and is accompanied by much rashness and ignorance. It presumes to understand and comprehend everything that is proposed to it. The incred- ulous man calls for demonstration. The feeble creature, who cannot explain the nature of his own formation, would have things made out as plain as that ' two and two make four.' The true believer receives the truths of the Bible as he re- ceives the kingdom of heaven, — with the simplicity of a little child."—
— " Let us beware of the danger of following our own im aginations. A man may make one demand after another, till, at last, nothing will satisfy him ; and the next step is, that, when he will not be content with what God shows him, ho shall be left in darkness and perplexity. — Consider the nature of believing ; it is not like believing that two and two make four. Do not men believe on probability in other things? God has given all the evidence that man requires or needs ; and if in a right mind, we shall thank God for the dispensation of light we have, willing to walk by faith and not by sight. If we do not get on in this way, we shall not get on at all. Divine justice punishes incredulity by credulity ; by giving up the unbelieving to the dominion and bondage of strong delusions. When men get into a high mind and an unbe- lieving spirit, and reject the truth, God punishes them by letting them ' believe a lie.' Let us take heed how we say, like Thomas, we will not walk at all without such light as we think proper."
The opinion expressed by Dean Stanley, following Dr. Ar- nold (in Smith's " Bible Dictionary," Article " Thomas "), that Thomas is a remarkable example of " free inquiry combined with fervent belief," is one which I only mention in order to express my dissent f lom it. — I see nothing like " free inquiry " in this Apostle. I read of no question he asked of his breth- ren. I see no trace of any willingness to investigate, sift, weigh, and consider the testimony which they bore. I dis- cover no readiness to go to the grave, to examine the linen clothes, to talk with Mary Magdalene, to question the two dis-
JOHN, CHAP. XX. 4j^9
ciples who journeyed to Emmaus, All this would have been " free inquiry." But I see nothing of the kind. I only see a dull, obstinate, desponding declaration that, whatever his ten friends may say, he will not believe till he sees. This cannot surely deserve the name of " free inquiry ! " — As to the " fer- vent belief" of Thomas, no doubt, at last, when his most com- passionate Saviour almost forced conviction on him, in pity for his dulness, and made unbelief quite impossible, he made a most beautiful confession of faith. But it was a confession, we must remember, that came out only at the last moment, and was extracted, as it were, by a miracle of kindness. Above all, beautiful as it was, it did not prevent his gracious Master speaking words of grave and solemn rebuke. Beyond doubt, Thomas lay down that night a pardoned and forgiven man, — a man raised from faithlessness to strong faith. But we must not forget that he was not praised and commended, though raised, convinced, and pardoned. If words mean anything, he had received a reproof, and one that I doubt not he felt deeply. To me therefore it appears that, to represent him as an exam- ple of " free inquiry combined with fervent belief," is an en- tire mistake, and a misapprehension both of his character and of the whole drift of the remarkable narrative of this passage.
If, as I believe, St. Mark's remarkable words apply to this appearance of our Lord for the special benefit of Thomas, it is impossible to regard our Lord's language to Thomas in any other sense than that of rebuke. St. Mark says, " He appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen Him after He was risen." (Mark xvi. 14.) Most commentators certainly take this view. Chrysostom says that Thomas received a " sharp rebuke." '
80, 31. — [And many other signs, etc.] The two last verses in this chapter contain one of those parenthetical comments, or glosses, which are so peculiar to the Gospel of St. John. It must be admitted that they seem to break the thread of the narrative, and come in with a rather startling effect. We need not, there- fore, wonder that the right meaning of the two verses has long been a subject of dispute.
(a) Some think, as Calvin, Ecolampadius, Brentius, Poole, Bollock, Lampe, Hengstenberg, Pearce, and Alford, that St, John refers to the whole history of Christ's ministry, and is comparing his own Gospel with the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. They would paraphrase the two verses in the fol- lowing way : — " Jesus did many other miracles during His ministry, under the eyes of His disciples, which are not recorded in this Gospel of mine, though they are recorded in the other three. But those few which are recorded in this, my Gospel, are recorded in order that you who read it may be convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ of God, and that believing on Him you may have eternal life through His name."— It is a