第 7 节
作者:
吻火 更新:2022-08-26 22:13 字数:9322
Partridge; and Pigeon; takes no care to hatch; to feed; or cherish his own brood; but is senseless; though they perish。 And it is considerable; that the Hen; which; because she also takes any Cock; expects it not; who is sure the chickens be her own; hath by a moral impression her care and affection to her own brood more than doubled; even to such a height; that our Saviour; in expressing his love to Jerusalem; quotes her; for an example of tender affection; as his Father had done Job; for a pattern of patience。
And to parallel this Cock; there be divers fishes that cast their spawn on flags or stones; and then leave it uncovered; and exposed to become a prey and be devoured by vermin or other fishes。 But other fishes; as namely the Barbel; take such care for the preservation of their seed; that; unlike to the Cock; or the Cuckoo; they mutually labour; both the spawner and the melter; to cover their spawn with sand; or watch it; or hide it in some secret place unfrequented by vermin or by any fish but themselves。
Sir; these examples may; to you and others; seem strange; but they are testified; some by Aristotle; some by Pliny; some by Gesner; and by many others of credit; and are believed and known by divers; both of wisdom and experience; to be a truth; and indeed are; as I said at the beginning; fit for the contemplation of a most serious and a most pious man。 And; doubtless; this made the prophet David say; 〃 They that occupy themselves in deep waters; see the wonderful works of God 〃: indeed such wonders and pleasures too; as the land affords not。
And that they be fit for the contemplation of the most prudent; and pious; and peaceable men; seems to be testified by the practice of so many devout and contemplative men; as the Patriarchs and Prophets of old; and of the Apostles of our Saviour in our latter times; of which twelve; we are sure; he chose four that were simple fishermen; whom he inspired; and sent to publish his blessed will to the Gentiles ; and inspired them also with a power to speak all languages; and by their powerful eloquence to beget faith in the 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 employment 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: 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 fig; an; 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; 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 twenty…first 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 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 mentioned; namely; by meek Moses the friend of God; and by the humble prophet Amos。
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 prophet; and compare it with the high; glorious; eloquent style of the prophet Isaiah; though they be both 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 all fishers; with the glorious language and high metaphors of St。 Paul; who we may believe was not。
And for the lawfulness of fishing: it may very well be maintained by our Saviour's bidding St。 Peter cast his hook into the water and catch a fish; for money to pay tribute to Caesar。 And let me tell you; that Angling is of high esteem; and of much use in other nations。 He that reads the Voyages of Ferdinand Mendez Pinto; shall find that there he declares to have found a king and several priests a…fishing。 And he that reads Plutarch; shall find; that Angling was not contemptible in the days of Mark Antony and Cleopatra; and that they; in the midst of their wonderful glory; used Angling as a principal recreation。 And let me tell you; that in the Scripture; Angling is always taken in the best sense; and that though hunting may be sometimes so taken; yet it is but seldom to be so understood。 And let me add this more: he that views the ancient Ecclesiastical Canons; shall find hunting to be forbidden to Churchmen; as being a turbulent; toilsome; perplexing recreation; and shall find Angling allowed to clergymen; as being a harmless recreation; a recreation that invites them to contemplation and quietness。
I might here enlarge myself; by telling you what commendations our learned Perkins bestows on Angling: and how dear a lover; and great a practiser of it; our learned Dr。 Whitaker was; as indeed many others of great learning have been。 But I will content myself with two memorable men; that lived near to our own time; whom I also take to have been ornaments to the art of Angling。
The first is Dr。 Nowel; sometime dean of the cathedral church of St。 Paul; in London; where his monument stands yet undefaced; a man that; in the reformation of Queen Elizabeth; not that of Henry VIII。; was so noted for his meek spirit; deep learning; prudence; and piety; that the then Parliament and Convocation; both; chose; enjoined; and trusted him to be the man to make a Catechism for public use; such a one as should stand as a rule for faith and manners to their posterity。 And the good old man; though he was very learned; yet knowing that God leads us not to heaven by many; nor by hard questions; like an honest Angler; made that good; plain; unperplexed Catechism which is printed with our good old Service…book。 I say; this good man was a dear lover and constant practiser of Angling; as any age can produce: and his custom was to spend besides his fixed hours of prayer; those hours which; by command of the church; were enjoined the clergy; and voluntarily dedicated to devotion by many primitive Christians; I say; besides those hours; this good man was observed to spend a tenth part of his time in Angling; and; also; for I have conversed with those which have conversed with him; to bestow a tenth part of his revenue; and usually all his fish; amongst the poor that inhabited near to those rivers in which it was caught; saying often; 〃that charity gave life to religion 〃: and; at his return to his house; would praise God he had spent that day free from worldly trouble; both harmlessly; and in a recreation that became a churchman。 And this good man was well content; if not desirous; that posterity should know he was an Angler; as may appear by his picture; now to be seen; and carefully kept; in Brazen…nose College; to which he was a liberal benefactor。 In which picture he is drawn leaning on a desk; with his Bible before him; and on one hand of him; his lines; hooks; and other tackling; lying in a round; and; on his other hand; are his Angle…rods of several sorts; and by them this is written; 〃that he died 13 Feb。 1601; being aged ninety…five years; forty… four of which he had been Dean of St。 Paul's church; and that his age neither impaired his hearing; nor dimmed his eyes; nor weakened his memory; nor made any