himfelf from them, and put them to the trouble of feeking after him; nor would they afterwards fuffer him to depart from them, till Jefus told them, he was commanded to go to all the neighbouring Towns and Villages, and declare unto 'em that the heavenly Kingdom of the Meffiah would be fhortly eftablish'd. Accordingly he preach'd the Gofpel in every Synagogue and Town of Galilee, and caft the evil Spirits out of the poffefs'd; which it was evident he perform'd by a Power deriv'd from God, and not from Magic Arts, of which thofe evil Spirits themselves are the Authors.

Being at a certain time by the Lake of Gennefareth, and the People preffing upon him to hear him, he faw two Fifherboats, in one of which was Peter and

Andrew,

thren, Simon called and Andrew his bro- 2 And faw two.
Peter, and Andrew ther, cafting a net into fhips ftanding by the
his brother, cafting a the fea (for they lake: but the tifher-
net into the fea (for
they were fishers)

were fithers)

men were gone out of
them, and were wash-
ing their nets.

3 And he entred
into one of the fhips,
which was Simons, and
prayed him that he
would thruft out a
little from the land:
and he fat down and
taught the people out
of the fhip.

4 Now when he had left fpeaking, he faid unto Simon, Lanch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5 And Simon anfwering, faid unto him, Mafter, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

6 And when they had done this, they inclofed a great multitude of fishes, and their net brake.

Andrew, in the other James and John with their Father Zebedee. Thefe, as we faid before, were Partners, and were now cleanfing their Nets by the Sea-fide. Jesus defir'd Peter to take him into his Boat, that he might from thence with more conveniency inftruct the People, who throng'd to hear him. Being enter'd, he fat down, and preached to them. After he had made an end of his Sermon, he commanded Peter to lanch out into the Sea, and let down his Nets for a Draught. Then Peter told him that they had labour'd all night in vain, having caught nothing, but that at his command they would make another Trial. They had no fooner let down their Net, but they inclos'd a vait number of Fifles, infomuch that the Net was broke with the weight of 'em in feveral places;,

which forc'd 'em to cry out to their Partners in the other Boat to come and help them, who prefently row'd up, and came to their affiftance. Having drawn the Net up, they had fuch a vast quantity of Fish, as almost funk both their Boats. Peter ftruck with astonishment at the Miracle, proftrated himself at the feet of Jefus, befeeching him to depart from him, who was unworthy to entertain fo great a Gueft, being a finful Man, and afraid of offending him by fome imprudent Action. They were all alike terrified, wondring at the fuccefs that attended their Obedience to Jefus, after a whole night spent in fruitless Labour. But Jesus faid to Andrew and Peter, Be of good comfort; henceforward, being my Difciples, you fhall become Fishers of Men. Upon this they came afhore, and leaving their Boats and their Nets, they inftantly followed Jefus, and went along with him to

the

MATTHEW.

CHA P. IV.

21 And going on from thence, he faw other two brethren, James the fon of Ze

19 And when he 10 And fo was alfo had gone a little fur- James and John the ther thence, he faw fons of Zebedee, James the fon of Zebe- which were partners bedee, and John his dee, and John his with Simon, brother, in a fhip brother, who also were with Zebedee their in the ship mending father, mending their their nets.

nets and he called them.

22 And they immediately left the fhip and their father, and followed him.

23 And Jefus went about all Galilee, teaching in their fynagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of fickness, and all manner of disease amɔng the people.

24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they

20 And straightway

he called them: and 11 And when they
they left their father had brought their
Zebedee in the fhip fhips to land, they
with the hired fer- forfook all, and fol-
vants, and went after lowed him.
him.

JOHN.

the other Boat, in which was John and James, who had not obferv'd the Miracle, not knowing that it was at the command of Jefus that they let down their Nets into the Lake. Therefore having fecur'd their Filh, they were bufied in mending their Net, which, as was noted before, had been broke in feveral places by the weight of the Fith. Thefe men alfo, at the command of Jefus, without any hefi tating, left their Boat and their Father Zebedee in it, with the reft of the Crew they had hir'd to affift them in their Imployment, and follow'd Jefus. Accompanied with thefe Difciples, Jefus continued his Progrefs thro Galilee, inftructing the People in the Synagogues of all the Towns they pafs'd through, in the Duties of Religion, and healing the Sick that were brought unto him, by a word's fpeaking. His Fame by this means was fpread not only over all Galilee, but through the Country of Calo-Syria; and the Sick were brought to him from all parts, with

N

out

MARK.

LUKE.

MATTHEW.

JOHN,

CHA P. IV.

brought unto him all fick people that were taken with divers difeases, and torments, and those which were poffeffed with devils, and thofe which were lunatick, and those that had the palsie; and he healed them.

25 And there followed him great multitudes of people, from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerufalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan.

The End of the first Year of Chrift's Ministry.

out excepting thofe that were incurable by all the Skill of the Phyficians, fuch as the Demoniack, Lunatick, and those that had the Palfy; all which were cur'd by him as readily as those who were uneafy under the flightest Infirmity. Which Miracles got him a vast number of Difciples out of Galilee, Decapolis, Ferusalem, Judea, and the Country beyond Jordan.

CHAP.