CHAP. I. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 3S 



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 irreproveable em- 

 ployment of fishing, and gave them grace to be his dis- 

 ciples, 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.): 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 fisher- 

 men. And it is to be believed, that all the other Apostles, 

 after they betook themselves to follow Christ, betook 

 themselves 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. 



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 appointment, wrote that Spiritual dialogue, or 



