& It is nor faid what Diſciples, whether any of the Apoſtles, or fome others, told Thomas of this appearing of the Lord unto them. { But Thomas eminently declareth his unbelief, which argues him x yet much ignorant of the Deity of Chriſt ; and having given too lit- tie heed to what Chriſt had rold them of his rifing again the third day.
26 © And after eight days m, again his diſciples were within, and Thomas with them : Then came Jeſus, the doors being ſhut, and ſtood in the midit, and faid x, Peace be unto you.
m After eight days, ſignifieth here the eighth day from the Reſur- rection, counting the day wherein Chriſt roſe for one ; as we call thole third days Agues, which have bur one days intermiſſion, and thoſe quartan Agues, which have but ewo days intermiſſion ; ſo Mark 8. 3t. Itisfaid, After three days he ſhall riſe, that is, the third day. This appears the moſt probable ſenfe of the phraſe ; the Diſciples beginning from Chriſt's ReſurreQtion ts keep the firſt of the week, for the weekly Sabbath ; and having met on the Reſurreion day, met again that day ſeven night, hoping ( probably) for ſuch a pre- ſeace of Chriſt with them in their meeting, as they had before ex- perienced ; nor was their expeCtation vain. Ir appears alſo further, from Affs 20. 7. and 1 Cor. 16. 2. That Chriſtians wzre wont ordi- narily to meet togerher the firſt day of the week, for Keligious exet- ciſes ; which from Chriſt's Reſurre&ion, or Inſtitution, or both, 1s thought to be ca!led Rew. 1.10. the Lords day : Nor indeed do we find in all the Scripture of any Congregation of Chriſtians, on th? Jewiſh Sabbath, bir upon this Cay; tho indeed, we find that the Apoſtles (and poſlibly ſome other Chriſtians) did meet together with the Jews, 1n their Synagogues on their Sabbath ; but we havenotio much as one inſtance after the Reſurre&ion, of any Congregation, where Chriſtians only were aſſembled upon the Fewiſb Sabbath. Thomas at this time was with them. It is ſaid again that Chriſt came,cand ſtood in the midſt of them, the doors being ſhut ; concerning wiuca phraſe, ſee the notes on wer. 19.
27 Then faith 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 be- lieving 0,
o We had need take heed what we ſpeak wherever we are. Cri had not after his Reſaurre&ion ſo ordinary and frequent a converie with his Diſciples, as he had before. This is the fifth cime that we read of Chriſt's appearing to them ſince hisReſurre&ion. He kne% what words of unbelief 7homas had uttered, and accordingly apply- eth himſelf to him, in a wonderful condeſcention to his weaknels : - bids him reach his finger, and his hands, and behold his hands, wn thruſt his hand into his ſide. So pitiful is our Lord, and compal- fionate towards the infirmiries of his people.
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ſus ſaith unto him, Thomas, becauſe thou haſt Gen me, (hON haſt believed 4* : bleſſed are they that have 4 - ren, and pet have believed 7.
Thou believeſt rhar I am riſen from the dead, upon the reſtimo- 7: ty ſznfes ; thou doſt well in that, thou haſt ſeen, thou haſt felt n\ ww A ir is. 4 more noble faith to believe without any ſuch ſenſt- m3 1 4480 Faith is properly an aſſent given to a propoſic ion, up- ble £1 gimony of Revelation, which if itbe but human, it 1s no en m_ an human Faith ; as we give credit to what our neighbours more! we have not ſeen it with our own eyes, nor heard it with rell 11s, mediately, nor had it made evident to any of our ſenſes. our evelation ro which theaſſent is given be from God, we call the If the that isgiven £0 it a Divize Faith: fo that to give credit to a llent 1 the evidence of ſenſe, is properly no believing. other - we — a5 ſenſe confirms what we have before received by a Divine rom This is a ſure rule, that by how much our faith ſtands Ns need of an external evidence of ſenſe, the ſtronger it is.
- 204* And many other ſigns truly did Jeſus in the preſence of his diſciples, which are not written in this hook 8. TY " paſhge plainly refers ro whatſoever ſigns we read of in any hl of S:. 7ohn's Goſpel; and lets us know, that the Evangeliſt could Ko :4ded abundance more to the Hiſtory of the Miracles which Ci wrought upon che Earth, ..
z1 But theſe are written, that ye might believe that ſelus is the Chriſt the Son of God ?, and that beheving ye
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6 And hefaid unto them *, Cal the net on the right ſide of the ſhip, and ye ſhall ind. They calt therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fiſhes g.
£ Tho they had before laboured in vain, vet their Maſter's com- mand incourageth them to go to work again ; then they rake a mul- tirude of fiſhes ; a prefoge fey fome of that great ſucceſs which the Apoſtles ſhould have in their fiſhing for mea.
7. Therefore * that diſcip! unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt Þrs fithers coat unto him, (for he was naked) and did caft himſelf into the ſea þ. |
h There is a great diſpute amongſt Critical Writers, what this fiſhers coat was ; whether a looſe coat, or the garment next his skin, or a Fiſhermans flops ; it is a- point not worth the diſputing ; it was ſome garment that might: modeſtly cover him when he came to Jelus, and yernot hinder him in his Swimming.