THE COMPLETE ANGLER 49 



lasting life : this was the employment of these happy 

 fishermen. Concerning which choice, some have made 

 these observations. 



First, That He never reproved these for their employ- 

 ment or calling, as He did scribes and the money-changers. 

 And secondly, He found that the hearts of such men by 

 nature were fitted for contemplation and quietness ; men 

 of mild, and sweet, and peaceable spirits, as indeed most 

 anglers are : these men our blessed Saviour, who is 

 observed to love to plant grace in good natures, though 

 indeed nothing be too hard for Him ; yet these men He 

 chose to call from their irreprovable employment of fish- 

 ing, and gave them grace to be His disciples, and to follow 

 Him and do wonders. I say four of twelve. 



And it is observable, that it was our Saviour's will, 

 that these our four fishermen should have a priority of 

 nomination in the catalogue of His twelve apostles, 

 Matt. x. 2, Acts i. 13 ; as namely, first, St. Peter, St. 

 Andrew, St. James, and St. John, and then the rest in 

 their order. 



And it is yet more observable, that when our blessed 

 Saviour went up into the mount, when He left the rest of 

 His disciples and chose only three to bear Him company 

 at His Transfiguration, that those three were all fishermen. 

 And it is to be believed, that all the other apostles, after 

 they betook themselves to follow Christ, betook them- 

 selves to be fishermen too ; for it is certain, that the 

 greater number of them were found together fishing 

 by Jesus after His Resurrection, as it is recorded in the 

 21st chapter of St. John's Gospel ver. 3 and 4. 



And since I have your promise to hear me with patience, 

 I will take a liberty to look back upon an observation that 

 hath been made by an ingenious and learned man, who 

 observes, that God hath been pleased to allow those, whom 

 He Himself hath appointed to write His holy will in holy 

 writ, yet, to express His will in such metaphors as their 



