Page:Cry from the dead, or, The ghost of Mr James Guthrie appearing.pdf/3

 precious and worthy man, to ſpeak of in a day of trial, I mean, of that eminent ſervant of God, John Knox, whom the Lord did help to be a moſt eminent inſtrument of the work of reformation in the church; we ſhall not much ſtand on any particular unfolding of the branches of the text, but take them as they ly in order. The thing we deſire you firſt to look to, is how the ſtory that is recorded in theſe verſes, is knit with theſe that go before, for we will find them knit together by many of the evangeliſts, viz. the ſtory of the glorious miracles wrought by Jeſus Chriſt the Lord, in feeding ſo many thouſands of people with a few loaves, and a few little fiſhes; after this, that ſad trial which the diſciples met with at ſea: they are knit by the evangeliſts Matthew, Mark and John, after that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt had preached to the people and his diſciples, and had fed many thouſands with a few loaves, and a few fiſhes, and had manifeſted much of his power and glory, (he conſtrains his diſciples to get into a ſhip, and to go before him unto the other ſide, while he ſent the multitude away, he ſends his diſciples to the ſea, and the multitude away, that they ſhould not for a ſeaſon hear any more of his doctrine, nor ſee any more of his miracles.

That we may lay a foundation for ſomewhat for your edification. Firſt, It may be enquired, why it is, that he ſends away both his diſciples and the multitude at that time, and would have an interruption of his doctrine and miracles, when he ſends his diſciples to the ſea, and the multitude to their own home? If we look into the other evangeliſts, we will find the cauſes there enough, Mark vi. 52. the cauſe is given there, why he thus exerciſed his diſciples; For they conſidered not the miracle of the loaves, for their hearts were hardened, Albeit, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt had revealed much of his power and glory in the miracle of the loaves; yet his disciples did not duly conſider thereof: therefore he would needs exerciſe them with a ſtorm, and a tempeſt at ſea, that they might both be taught in the knowledge of their own weakneſs, and