A Golden Chain

Now the cause of his unbelief was this: he makes a law to himself that he will see and feel or else he will not believe: but this is flat against the nature of faith which consisteth neither in seeing nor feeling. Indeed in things natural a man must first have experience in seeing and feeling, and then believe: but it is contrary in divinity: a man must first have faith and believe, and then comes experience afterward. But Thomas having not learned this, doth overshoot himself: and herein also many deceive themselves, which think they have no faith because they have no feeling. For the chiefest feeling that we must have in this life must be the feeling of our sins and the miseries of this life: and though we have no other feeling at all, yet we must not therefore cease to believe.

Nowe the cause of his vnbeleefe was this: he makes a lawe to himselfe that he will see and feele or else he wil not beleeue: but this is flat against the nature of faith which consisteth neither in seeing nor feeling. Indeede in things naturall a man must first haue experience in seeing and feeling, and then beleeue: but it is contrary in diuinitie: a man must first haue faith and beleeue, and then comes experience afterward. But Thomas hauing not learned this, doth ouershoot himselfe: and herein also many deceiue themselues, which think they haue no faith because they haue no feeling. For the chiefest feeling that wee must haue in this life must be the feeling of our sinnes and the miseries of this life: and though wee haue no other feeling at all, yet wee must not therefore cease to beleeue.

¹In Christs dealing with Thomas we may consider three actions. The first, that he speaks to Thomas alone, & answers him according to the very words which he had spoken of him in his absence, and that word for word. And by this he laboured to overthrow his unbelief, and to convince him, that being absent he knew what he spake. And by this we learn, that though we want the bodily presence of Christ he being now in heaven, yet he knoweth well what we say, and if need were could repeat all our sayings word by word: and if it were not so, how could it be true that we must give an account of every idle word. Now this must teach us to look that our speech be gracious according to the rule of Gods holy word. Secondly this must make us willing and ready to direct our prayers to Christ, considering he knoweth what we pray for, and heareth every word we speak. The second action is, that Christ condescends to Thomas, and gives him liberty to feel the print of the nails, and to put his finger into his side. He might have rejected Thomas for his wilfulness, yet to help his unbelief, he yieldeth unto his weakness. This showeth, that Christ is most compassionate to all those that unfeignedly repent them of their sins and cleave unto him, although they do it laden with manifold wants.