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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 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 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 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 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."
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