"as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing 10." When the prospect around us seems to us to be dark, we must pray for grace to walk by faith, and not by sight: so shall we inherit a higher blessing than if the darkness were taken away. 3. Thus may we, with all humility, regard the holy Apostle, St. Thomas, both as our consolation and our warning, but it is on the example which he affords us that it is most expedient for us to dwell. He is in a peculiar manner our guide along the path of despondency. First, we must strive to resemble him in our devotion to Christ: "Let us also go," he said, "that we may die with Him:" so also should our sorrow make us willing to die to the world, that we may cling the more closely to our Lord. Again, whatever doubts may arise in our minds, let there be no wish to shrink back from His service, but let our only fear be lest He should leave us, our anxious prayer that we may have 2 Cor. vi. 10. 10 strength to follow Him. Again, in all our trials and troubles, let us, like St. Thomas, fix our thoughts stedfastly upon Christ crucified. Do not let us say within ourselves, If He will give me honour, or riches, or do some great thing for me, I will believe on Him. But rather let us meditate on His cross and passion, and desire only to be allowed, as it were, to touch His wounds, and thrust our hand into His side, that we may not be faithless but believing. Lastly, we must remember that it was not while St. Thomas was alone that our Lord manifested Himself to him, but that he had joined the other disciples at the first weekly festival of the Resurrection. His feelings must have been very different from theirs; but he did not on that account go away from them, and choose for himself some solitary path. In this also he is our example. Let not our secret sorrows lead us to forsake the gathering of ourselves together; but rather let them render us the more frequent in our attendance at the house of God. We cannot tell how great a blessing we may forfeit each time that we stay away. Our Saviour has promised, that where two or three are gathered together in His Name, there is He in the midst of them. Let us then seek Him day by day in the congregation of His saints. If it be His love that draws us thither, it matters not with what other feelings we may come. Let us bring with us our sorrows, that He may comfort them; our doubts, that He may dispel them; our sins, that He may forgive them. He will make His face to shine upon us, and breathe into our souls the blessing of peace. Oh, happy are they whose only anxiety proceeds from their earnest desire for His presence, for He never fails to come to those who really seek Him! Oh, happy are they whom the path of affliction is leading to the cross of Christ, for in a little while He shall fill them with hope and gladness through His resurrection from the dead! "He that now goeth on his way weeping, and beareth forth good seed, shall doubtless come again with joy, and bring his sheaves with him'." "Why," then, "art thou so heavy, O my soul, and why art thou so disquieted within me? O put thy trust in God, for I will yet give Him thanks, Which is the help of my countenance and my God!" 1 Ps. cxxvi. 7. 2 Ib. xliii. 5, 6. THE END. |