Excerpt from A Sermon, Delivered at the Ordination of the Rev. Levi White, to the Pastoral Care of the Church in Sandersfield: June 28th, 1798 O fooner did our hlefl'ed Lord enter upon the work of his public miniflry, than he began to {elect fome to be the witnefies of his doctrines, miracles, conduct, death and refurreelion. The words of our text were addrelied to Peter and An drew, two of his earliefl difeiples. Jefus walking by the fea of Gallilee, faw two brethren, Simon, called Peter, and Andrew his brother, cafting a net into the fea, (for they were fifhers) and he faith un to them, follow me, and I will make you fifhers of men. In the verfe fucceeding, we have an ac count, of his calling two others, James and John. And to them he continued adding, until he had chofen the twelve. Thefe, one excepted, were or dained to tranfmit the hiflory of his life to pofter ity and to be the future preachers of his gofpel. Hence, there was a peculiar propriety, in their relinquiihing their worldly occupations, and aecompanying him wherever he went. He was the heft infiruflor to whom they could poflibly apply. By affociating with him, by hearing him preach, and by obferving his life and converfation, they were nu der the beft advantages, to obtain that information, which was neceffary to qualify them for the office, to which they were called. And, their hearts being unalienably attached to his interefl, they needed no other motive to perfuade them to comply with his command. To accomplifh the purpofes, for which they were chofen, it was necelfary, that they fhould become his literal followers. And this they cheer fully did, notwithftanding the numerous inconven iences and perils, to which it expofed them. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.