after death. But that the same bodies of men should rise again, they did not so much as once dream of it, because they could not comprehend it by any reason: therefore in that matter we must believe others above all reason. The like is to be said of alms, which hath a promise of increase: so that by giving to the poor we shall not lose any thing, but gain: which is a thing contrary to reason, that the more a man should give away from himself, the more he should enrich himself: and therefore few do believe it, which maketh them covetous and hard-hearted, and to be willing to depart from nothing, lest they should want themselves and especially to be most hardhearted to their poor brethren in the times of scarcity and want, when they should be most liberal, and by that means best provide for themselves: which St. Paul was so fully persuaded of, that he doth commend it unto us by an excellent comparison, saying (2 Cor. c. 6, v.9), He which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly: and he that soweth liberally, shall reap also liberally. Where he compareth alms unto sowing of seed: the more a man soweth, the more he reapeth by God's blessing: the more a man giveth, the more he receiveth by God's promise: the one we see by experience, which maketh men in the times of dearth and scarcity to sow most: the other we comprehend by faith, which maketh the believer, in the hardest times, to be most liberal. Thus we see what unbelief is in us, in that we give no credit unto others any further than we can conceive a reason of it: which is the same that was in St. Thomas: and yet he was cured of it; and so may we by the same grace of God, if we will learn this lesson that in the time of temptation we believe others above ourselves: which if we do not, it is the next way to remain in unbelief for ever: but if we can come unto this, there is hope of us in time. - THE second degree of Thomas's unbelief, appears in this;-that he would not only not believe this, being thus often told him, divers times, and by sundry credible persons, but he will believe none but himself: for he saith in plain words, Except I see in his hands the print of the nails, I will not believe it. Which is, as if he had said, you indeed tell me that you have seen Christ risen again, and so do divers others; I have heard these things often; but I have not yet seen him myself; what others have seen, that appertains not unto me, unless I see him myself I will not believe it. This therefore is further to be considered, because sometimes it falls out, that there is good cause why we should not believe a thing spoken often and by many. And if they be of any good credit, though there be no cause in truth to suspect them, yet it may seem unto us that there is some and hereupon it cometh to pass, that some in their unbelief take exception against the preachers, and think that they have some cause why they should not believe them in the things that they have preached unto them, though in truth there be none. But yet to be altogether of this mind that St. Thomas was here in this matter, that we will believe none in the world but ourselves, that seemeth to be such a thing as wanteth all colour of reason. And yet thus unreasonable is unbelief, as we see most clearly in this example: for he saith very peremptorily, that unless I myself do see in his hands the print of the nails, I will not believe it. He doth not say, unless better men than you do tell me so; or unless I hear more in number; or unless I hear better reason for this matter than I do yet, I will not believe it but if all men in the world tell me of it never so often, unless I see him mine own self, I will believe none of them: which is as if he had said, In this case I will believe myself, and nobody else. We see then whither unbelief will drive us if we give place to it, even that we shall believe none but ourselves. And indeed so it is in all sorts in whom it reigneth, they will believe no more from any man than they can persuade themselves by their own. reason unto that they obstinately stick against all men and so are not ashamed to say, I will believe none of you all; I will believe mine own self, and further I will not be led by any no man shall draw me to believe that which mine own reason tells me not. And thus they so much abound in their own sense through unbelief, that they persuade themselves that they have more reason for that they hold, than all other men have for the contrary. And so let men say never so much against that which they have conceived themselves, they still imagine that they have something to say against it, and some reason why they should not believe them. And this is most true, not only in matters of faith, but for life and conversation: which is the cause both that Papists and other heretics are so obstinately addicted to their errors, and also wicked men so altogether wedded unto their sins, that neither the one nor the other can be reclaimed from them. And therefore when men have said what they can, they will not give them over, for they have determined to believe none but themselves: and of this mind will they be, till God rid them of their unbelief: and then the saying of Christ shall be verified upon them, Blessed are they, that have not seen, and have believed (John c. 20, v. 29): that is, they shall believe others besides themselves, and so blessed shall they be as indeed this is the way to faith, and so to blessedness, to distrust ourselves, and to believe the servants of God, speaking unto us in his name: of whom Christ hath said (Mat. c. 10, v. 40), he that receiveth you, and your doctrine, re ceiveth me. And that we might come unto this, we are to remember, that true faith yields unto the bare word of God against our own reason; and so giveth glory unto God, as the Apostle saith (Rom. c. 4, v. 20), acknowledging, and reverencing his truth, mercy, |