6 1 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



rection, as it is recorded in the 2ist 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 

 former affections or practice had inclined them to ; and He 

 brings Solomon for an example, who before his conversion 

 was remarkably carnally amorous ; and after, by God's ap- 

 pointment, wrote that spiritual dialogue, or holy amorous 

 love-song, the Canticles, betwixt God and His Church ; in 

 which he says, His beloved had eyes like the fish-pools of 

 Heshbon. 



And if this hold in reason, as I see none to the contrary, 

 then it may be probably concluded, that Moses, who I told 

 you before writ the book of Job, and the prophet Amos, 

 who was a shepherd, were both anglers ; for you shall in all 

 the Old Testament find fish-hooks, I think, but twice men- 

 tioned : namely, by meek Moses the friend of God, and by 

 the humble prophet Amos. r Concerning which last, namely 

 the prophet Amos, I shall make but this observation : that 

 he that shall read the humble, lowly, plain style of that pro- 

 phet, and compare it with the high, glorious, eloquent style 

 of the prophet Isaiah (though they both be equally true), 

 may easily believe Amos to be, not only a shepherd, but a 

 good-natured plain fisherman. Which I do the rather believe, 

 by comparing the affectionate, loving, lowly, humble epistles 

 of St. Peter, St. James, and St. John, whom we know were 



