CHAP. IV.] .-' THE FIBST DAT. 79 



unbelieving Jews ; and themselves to suffer for that Saviour 

 whom their forefathers and they had crucified ; and, in their 

 sufferings, to preach freedom from the incumbrances of the 

 law, and a new way to everlasting life : this was the employ- 

 ment of these happy fishermen. Concerning which choice, 

 some have made these observations : 



First, that he never reproved these for their employment 

 or calling, as he did the 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 ; yet 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 fishing, 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 nomi- 

 nation 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 fishermen. 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. 1 



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, 



1 St. Jerome on Ezek. xlvii., 10, says that Oppian marks the number 

 of kinds of fish to be a hundred and fifty-three. If we take this number 

 to be that known to the ancients, it corresponds with the "one hundred and 

 fifty and three " of the miraculous draught ; which has led some to think 

 it a parable of the success of the preaching of the gospel, begun by the 

 fishermen apostles, reaching the whole race of man. AM. ED. 



