Matthew Poole and continuators on Luke 5:11

11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

Here is a plain and orderly story related with many circumstances, tending to shew us the Power and influence of God upon Mens successes, in their honest, and ordinary callings, and also that God hath a Command upon the Fish in the Sea, together with an account of Christs call of Simon Peter, to be a Preacher of the Gospel. The only difficulty is to reconcile this, to what Matthew tells us Chap. 4.18, 19, &c. Matthews words are these. And Iesus walking by the Sea of Galilee saw two Brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his Brother, casting a net into the Sea for they were Fishers. And he saith unto them, follow me, and I will make you Fishers of Men. And they straightway left their Nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two Brethren, James the Son of Zebedee, and John his Brother, in a Ship with Zebedee their Father mending their Nets, and he called them. And they immediately left the Ship, and their Father and foll[illegible: 1 letter]wed him. Marks relation doth much agree with Matthews. [illegible: 1 letter]he differences are in these things. Matthew and Mark speak of Christs calling these Disciples, as he was walking by the Sea. Luke seems to mention it as done in the Ship. Ans. Luke [illegible: 1 letter] Watch say, that Christ spake so to Simon in the Ship, tho he [illegible: 1 word] indeed mention those words to Simon, before he mentione[illegible: 2 letters] their bringing the Ship to Land, because possibly, he would [illegible: 1 word] account to all that Christ did or spake together. 2. They might be out of the Ship, walking by the Sea, before he called Iames and Iohn, whose call Luke doth not mention, but Matthew and Mark alone. 2. Matthew and Mark mention no Ships, nor going of Christ into any, nor any draught of Fishes. Ans. Matthew saith, that he saw Simon and Andrew casting their Nets into the Sea. But there is nothing more ordinary then for one Evangelist to relate more fully what another repeateth summarily. 3. Matthew and M[illegible: 2 letters]k speak of Andrew being with Simon. Luke mentioneth Simon alone. Ans. Luke denies not that Andrew was there, and we are sure Simon alone, could not m[illegible: 1 letter]nage the Nets with such a draught of Fish 4▪ Matthew and Mark speak of the calling of Simon, Andrew, Iames, and Iohn. Luke only of the calling of Simon. Ans. It doth not follow from thence that they were not called during Christs walk by the Sea after he came out of the Ship▪ Matthew and Mark assure us they were. 5. Matthew and Mark say▪ that Iames and Iohn were mending their Nets. Ans. Luke saith nothing to the contrary, for he doth not mention their call at that instant when Simon was. That immediately after such a draught of Fishes, their Nets should want mending, and they so imployed, is nothing at all strange. So as it was like there was a little distance of time betwixt the call of Peter, and the others, yet Luke omitting some circumstances mentioned by Matthew and Mark ▪ as well as adding much to this History by them omitted saith (at least) of more then one, They forsook all, and [illegible: 1 letter]o[illegible: 3 letters]wed him. Hence appeareth that there may be a coherent History▪ taking in what all three Evangelists say, only allowing that Christ came upon the Shore, and walking by the Sea side, some short time, before he called Iames and Iohn. The History in[illegible: 2 letters]ructeth us, 1. How good a thing it is for Men to be imployed in their honest callings, tho never so mean. There God meets People with Ble[illegible: 2 letters]ings. 2. How much it is our duty to yield obedience to Gods Commands, and how advantagious it will prove, [illegible: 1 letter]ow contrary soever they appear to our sense and reason. 3. Vpon whom our Blessing depends, let our labour be what it will. 4. That it is the work of the Ministers of the Gospel to catch Men, to gain Souls to God. 5. How powerful Gods calls are. They forsook all and followed him. For the difference betwixt what Iohn saith, Chap. 1.40 41. of the call of Andrew and Simon, from what the other three Evangelists say, we have spoken something in our Notes on Matth. 4.18. and shall add more when we come to that place in Iohn. In short, Iohn speaketh of another time, before that either of them were called to follow Christ.

Marginal references: Mat. 19.27. Chap. 18.28.