Thus have we, in the Gospels of Matthew and John compared together, the history of Christ’s actions in continual order during five Passovers. John is more distinct in the beginning and end; Matthew in the middle:  what either omits, the other supplies.  The first Passover was between the baptism of Christ and the imprisonment of John, John ii. 13. the second within four months after the imprisonment of John, and Christ’s beginning to preach in Galilee, John iv. 35. and therefore it was either that feast to which Jesus went up, when the Scribe desired to follow him, Matth. viii. 19. Luke ix. 51, 57. or the feast before it.  The third was the next feast after it, when the corn was eared and ripe, Matth, xii. 1. Luke vi. 1.  The fourth was that which was nigh at hand when Christ wrought the miracle of the five loaves, Matth. xiv. 15. John vi. 4, 5. and the fifth was that in which Christ suffered, Matth. xx. 17. John xii. 1.

Between the first and second Passover John and Christ baptized together, till the imprisonment of John, which was four months before the second.  Then Christ began to preach, and call his disciples; and after he had instructed them a year, lent them to preach in the cities of the Jews:  at the same time John hearing of the fame of Christ, sent to him to know who he was.  At the third, the chief Priests began to consult about the death of Christ.  A little before the fourth, the twelve after they had preached a year in all the cities, returned to Christ; and at the same time Herod beheaded John in prison, after he had been in prison two years and a quarter:  and thereupon Christ fled into the desart for fear of Herod.  The fourth Christ went not up to Jerusalem for fear of the Jews, who at the Passover before had consulted his death, and because his time was not yet come.  Thenceforward therefore till the feast of Tabernacles he walked in Galilee, and that secretly for fear of Herod:  and after the feast of Tabernacles he returned no more into Galilee, but sometimes was at Jerusalem, and sometimes retired beyond Jordan, or to the city Ephraim by the wilderness, till the Passover in which he was betrayed, apprehended, and crucified.

John therefore baptized two summers, and Christ preached three.  The first summer John preached to make himself known, in order to give testimony to Christ.  Then, after Christ came to his baptism and was made known to him, he baptized another summer, to make Christ known by his testimony; and Christ also baptized the same summer, to make himself the more known:  and by reason of John’s testimony there came more to Christ’s baptism than to John’s.