May 8

PART II.—John 20:27.

WHAT love and condescension did Jesus display in exhibiting his hands and side to Thomas. He might have allowed him to have remained the subject of infatuation and unbelief. But he pitied his infirmity, thus shewing the greatness of his love and compassion towards him. While we wonder, on the one hand, at the unbelieving obstinacy of Thomas; and on the other, at the amazing love and condescension of Jesus; we may profitably apply the subject to our own experience and circumstances. Have we not displayed equal unbelief? Christ has been evidently set before us as the crucified Saviour of the world. His love has been published to us in his blessed gospel. We have had the influences of his Holy Spirit, and all the completed evidences of his Messiahship and Godhead: and yet how often have we been faithless and unbelieving; and how unreasonable, how ungrateful, how ruinous is unbelief. It effectually closes the mind against all light, and steels the heart, and renders it incapable of any holy feeling or emotion. We wonder at the condescending love of Jesus to Thomas.—Have we not been equally favoured? We cannot read his word, or hear his gospel, without beholding his sacred wounds—a suffering Saviour—a Redeemer who has ransomed us by his precious blood—who was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, by whose stripes we are healed, is the sum and substance of the gospel. To reject the gospel is to refuse to see Christ's hands and side; and therefore involves an amount of unbelief, which Thomas was in no wise guilty of. When he saw, he was convinced. He at once embraced the Saviour, and adored him as his Lord and God. Happy all who in this manner receive the Saviour, and by believing in him have everlasting life. Let the penitent enquirer, when approaching the mercy-seat, be encouraged, by remembering that Christ is before that seat, exhibiting his hands and side, as the ground of the poor trembling sinner's hope. Let the believer, too, in all his sorrows and sufferings, never forget how Christ has sanctified the keenest pains of human nature, and that he knows how to succour and support his afflicted people.