more signs when so many might have been recorded, we may find the reason in this our Lord's mild reproof of St. Thomas, "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." The lesser degree of evidence we require, in order that we may believe, the greater and more acceptable our faith. St. John himself required no evidence at all of his risen Lord, no sensible manifestation, and was the more blessed on that account; "seeing not, yet believing, he rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory." There is no blessing, here pronounced on St. Thomas for his good confession; on St. Peter there had been; and why?"Because," said his Lord to him, "flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father Which is in Heaven." And to whom is it that the Father reveals the Son? Not to the wise and prudent of this world; not so much to those who, like St. Thomas, are prudent and wise in the signs and evidences which they will require; but it is this child-like, confiding love that calls down the especial blessing, and is the cause of thanksgiving: "I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes." That which needed not sight had found wings, and gone before and already obtained rest in its accustomed place on the bosom of God, in St. John; that which needs evidence is slow, and moves with difficulty, and is but too happy if not altogether left behind in the race of eternity.

There was no doubt something in St. Thomas which called forth this signal mercy of God. In the explanation of his incredulity we must remember that the Apostles generally had shown themselves slow to believe. What the women first reported to them of the vision of angels appeared to them as idle tales, and they believed them

not. They seem not to have noticed what occurred to Mary Magdalene; and although they had just acknowledged to the disciples returning from Emmaus that the Lord had been seen, yet when, at that same moment, He Himself appeared in the midst of them, they were at first affrighted, and thought that they had seen a spirit. It is true that St. Thomas's unbelief greatly exceeds this, in not receiving the testimony of more than ten disciples, who had seen Him with His wounds and heard His words, and this too confirmed by His earlier appearance to St. Peter and others. It was a reprovable want of faith; yet this slowness to believe did not arise from the indulgence of any positive sin, such as covetousness or pride, as in the case of Judas and Caiaphas, but probably from a peculiar temper of mind. Our Lord seems to have chosen for His Apostles persons differing much in their natural characters and dispositions. And St. Thomas seems to have been one of those who, however faithful and blameless they may be in life, yet are slow to realize things spiritual and Divine. Thus he was not only a sincere disciple who had given up all for Christ's sake, but one of hearty devotion and what would be considered faithful loyalty to his Master, as was shown on that occasion when our Lord, on hearing of the illness of Lazarus, was about to venture again among His enemies at Jerusalem. St. Thomas said, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him." 5 He was ready to die with his Master; nay, desirous to do so. But even here there appears to be a slowness to perceive His Almighty Power and Godhead. And in like manner, at the last Supper, when Christ said to them, "Whither I go ye know, and the way ye

St. John xi. 16.

know," it would seem as if He implied that the Apostles generally had some spiritual discernment and understanding of those heavenly truths of which He spake, of His going to the Father to prepare a place for them; but yet St. Thomas, as if in an honest and good heart he was willing to learn, but found a difficulty in understanding things that were of Heaven, answered to this: "Lord, we know not whither Thou goest, and how can we know the way?" In all this there is much affection, much honesty and simplicity, and something of that single eye to which God is sure in His own good time to reveal the fulness of His light. And He has chosen St. Thomas as an especial instrument for confirming His Church, for encouraging the weak, and setting forth an example of His own lovingkindness and forbearance; as if saying by him more powerfully even than by His prophet, "Who is among you that feareth the Lord;" yet "walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.""

It is remarkable that all we know of St. Thomas is from the Evangelist St. John. Now St. John, while he dwells on the highest mysteries of Divine Wisdom, evinces also the most tender concern for Christ's little ones; and it may be for this reason, that he makes known to us the history of one so infirm of belief, for the encouragement of those that are weak in the faith, by these evidences of our Lord's condescending care, as showing that He is not by His Resurrection removed from us in time or place, or in the sympathies of our common nature, but is most intimately "touched by the feeling of our infirmities." For all these circumstances we

6 Isa. 1. 10.

7 Heb. iv. 15.

have alluded to, together with the mention of St. Thomas as one among those disciples by whom our Lord was seen afterwards by the Lake in Galilee, occur in St. John's Gospel. In like manner St. John, though he himself had needed no such sensible proof, yet in consideration for those that do, commences his first Epistle with the words, "That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life,"-dwelling altogether on the evidence and testimony of the external

senses.

But to return to the one great lesson of this day, as the Collect has pointed it; not only on the belief of St. Thomas is there no declaration of blessing, but even his acceptance is not without reproof; and the same Scripture. that details this mercy on human infirmity, mostly confirms the blessing of that faith which needs least of external and sensible manifestation. This is our own peculiar calling and privilege, and may be, if we fail not of it, our exceeding great blessedness.

And we, whom the Epistle describes as strangers and foreigners," now admitted into "the household of God," have at this season the first-fruits of this faith without sight. It is already kindled, as a star in a dark place, in the breast of the Wise Men who from the birth-place of Abraham are on their way to the cradle of Christ ere yet He is born, seeing afar off, and rejoicing to behold His Day. The Sun has not yet appeared, but the star in the dawn is enough for them; till the star shall disappear in the Sun of Righteousness, and faith be swallowed up in love. Thus the winter's shortest noon gradually lengthens into summer, and the faith of the just shines more and more unto the perfect day.

SERMON LXXV.

The Conversion of Saint Paul.

Acts ix. I-22. St. Matt. xix. 27-30.

GRACE NOT GIVEN IN VAIN.

By the grace of GOD I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of GOD which was with me.— I COR. XV. 10.

THE

HE Gospels are full of mercy as detailing the life of Him Who came not to judge but to save the world; yet I know not whether manifestations of the same mercy after His Resurrection are not still more affecting and impressive, as shown to the weeping Mary Magdalene, the penitent Peter, the doubting Thomas, and, above all, as we this day commemorate, to St. Paul. A conversion so great and wonderful is well worthy of our especial memory, for its effects reach to the bounds of the world and the end of time. It is like another publication of the Gospel-the first through friends, the second by an enemy and so important on this account, as an early Bishop observed, that Inspiration speaks in St. Paul through fourteen Epistles, while those of the other