.Saint jftmxtiu of ^nniuL 167 



He hath alfo given you a clear and kicid 

 element, and food, by which you may live. 

 God, your courteous and benign Creator, 

 when He created you, commanded you to 

 grow and multiply, and He gave you His 

 blefling : then when the great Flood fvval- 

 lowed up the World, and all the other ani- 

 mals were deftroyed, God preferved you 

 only without injury or harm. Almoft hath 

 He given you wings, that you may roam 

 whitherfoever it pleafes you. To you was 

 it granted, by God's command, to preferve 

 the prophet Jonah, and after the third day 

 to caft him up upon the land fafe and 

 found. You offered tribute to our Lord 

 Jefus Chrift, which He, poor and lowly, 

 had not wherewithal to pay. You were 

 the food of the everlafting King Chrift 

 Jefus, before the refurre6lion and again 

 after it, by a ftrange myftery ; for the 

 which things greatly are you bounden to 

 praife and blefs God, Which hath given you 

 fuch great and fo many benefits, more than 

 to any other creatures." Upon thefe and 

 other fimilar words and teachings of Saint 

 Antony the fifhes began to ope their 

 mouths, and to bow their heads ; and by 

 thefe and other figns of reverence, accord- 

 ing 



