The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

2. The condition of the Disciples, when Christ comes to them, he finds them (as S. Mark saith) sitting together, and it is likely they sate so expecting the coming of Christ to them, being wearied with travel to the place: herein the Disciples are a fit resemblance of the condition of our assemblies: what are we all when we meet in the house of God, but poor disciples that sit here to watch when Jesus will appear amongst us? we are desolate creatures cast out of the world, that have no happiness but in the presence of Christ with us.

2. The condition of the Disciples, when Christ comes to them, he finds them (as S. Marke saith) sitting together, and it is likely they sate so expecting the cōming of Christ to them, being wearied with trauell to the place: herein the Disciples are a fit resemblance of the condition of our assemblies: what are we all when we meet in the house of God, but poore disciples that sit here to watch when Iesus will appeare amongst vs? we are desolate creatures cast out of the world, that haue no happinesse but in the presence of Christ with vs.

3. The effect of the Apparition in the Disciples, viz. some believed and worshipped him, but some doubted, Mat. 28. 17. The right faith in Christ and knowledge of him, doth breed adoration and the worship of Christ. And herein the inward manifestation of Christ to the hearts of true Christians, differs from illusions in Hypocrites, that in true revelations of the presence of Christ, the effect is a greater care of the worship of Christ, and practise of all holy duties, whereas illusions make men more proud, and careless of holy duties. But how is it to be understood that some doubted? Interpreters are divided in opinion: Some say that they that doubted were other Disciples, that had never seen Christ, not the Eleven, that had so often seen him. Some answer, that this doubting is to be referred to some other time, not to this Apparition, S. Matthew for brevity sake giving a touch of what fell out in all the Apparitions: And so some doubted, must be expounded, Some had doubted, as Thomas for one. But I think their opinion is the most probable that hold that none of the Disciples here doubted whether Christ were risen, but that at the first they did not know, whether he that appeared were Christ or not: which was no new weakness in them, for when he stood on the shore at the sea of Tiberias, it was a good while before any of them knew him.