A soliloquy on the art of man-fishing

iloquy on

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ishing

By MR. THOMAS BOSTON, AJVL

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RUINS OF SIMPRIN CHURCH.

^~<o ~ O

A Soliloquy on The
Art of Man- Fishing

By Mr. THOMAS BOSTON, A.M.

PROBATIONER 1699

WITH INTRODUCTORY NOTE
BY

Rev. D. D. F. MACDONALD, M.A.,

MINISTER OF SWINTON AND SIMPRIN

PAISLEY AND LONDON

ALEXAN D K R GARDNER

Publisher to Her Majesty the Queen

1899

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2011 with funding from

Princeton Theological Seminary Library

http://www.archive.org/details/soliloquyonartofOObost

INTRODUCTION.

Hard by the public road leading between Duns
and Coldstream, at a sudden bend in its wind-
ings, and about four miles from the River Tweed,
there is a ruin which marks an ancient place of
worship. Along that same road leading from
Duns, in the autumn of 1699, there came one
Saturday a young man whose heart was palpitating
with much anxiety as to the outcome of to-
morrow's sermon and service. He was Mr.
Thomas Boston, A.M., probationer of the Church
of Scotland, and he was to preach for the parish
of Simprin. He discharged the work, returned by
the same road to Duns, and anxiously awaited the
result. Much to his own surprise, and not
altogether to his secret likings, the parish fell to

6 Introduction.

him, and the Ordination took place on 21st Sep-
tember, 1699. Mr. Boston was then in his twenty-
fourth year. The church where he preached
that September Sunday, all but two hundred
years ago, is to-day in ruins. It is little better
than a foundation and a gable. A clump of trees
rises in a straggled way out from among the
graves lying around the little church. Their
roots, interwoven, maintain a tight grip over the
dust of many a Simprin generation. A score or
more of tombstones, during the silent flight of
these long years, have made an effort to remain
erect. Some have partially succeeded ; but many,
yielding to the persuasive touch of Time, have
fallen flat — hidden by the long rank grass in
summer, and appearing again in dreary winter
when the grass is withered.

The little children from the farm-cottages — only
a few paces off — play at hide-and-seek in this little
God's acre, and every semblance of eeriness seem-
ingly has vanished from their young hearts —
perhaps because the snowdrops peep out with
friendly faces in early spring to reassure them,

Introduction. 7

and also because they have never, with wondering
eyes, seen a funeral to the little churchyard of
Simprin.

A melancholy kind of place this Simprin, but
in certain lights and in certain moods of the
devout visitor's mind, bathed in a beauty and
glory not altogether due to what is merely seen
and temporal.

Here in this little church there preached and
laboured a man whom the devout in Scotland
cannot surely ever forget. He had a gift, which
he sedulously cultivated, hiding it under no
bushel, and which in the mercy of God did more
to fan the flame of true piety in Scotland than that
of any other single minister in his generation.
Here in this tiny edifice — and a hasty glance at
its modest proportions convinces you it must
indeed have been very small — the young minister
held forth with almost apostolic fervour, preach-
ing, expounding, lecturing, and praying with and
for these Simprin ploughmen and their families.
He was intensely earnest — earnest, with that fiery
fervour that lifts the poorest sermon above

8 Introduction,

criticism, the kind of zeal that makes us fear
there is too little of it left among us since he
died. He preached as if the angels were looking
in on him and his little country congregation, and
as if he actually expected to be carried home by
them before another sermon day came round.
He laboured on manfully in this place for seven
years and eight months, trying to help them by
making them all, old and young, learn their Bibles,
the Catechism, and the corruption of their own
hearts. The young minister strove his very best
to keep those rough-mannered men of the Merse
from going from bad to worse : and, if ever there
faithfully served a model ministe in kirk or
parish in Scotland, it was young Mr. Boston.

This Soliloquy was written when Mr. Boston
was barely twenty-three years of age, and before
Simprin and he had any favourable thoughts of
each other. It is manifestly the work of a man
who takes a very serious view of the office of the
ministry. It is distinctly a great picture of the
man of God, painted after the greatest of all

Introduction. 9

masters. The young probationer — for he was not
ordained when he wrote it — had a message to
deliver, and here he tells himself how he ought to
deliver it. In all probability it was never intended
to be seen of other eyes than his own. But it is
so much to the point, and so true for evermore,
that it ought to be better known. In this belief
we bring it to the light again, in the hope that its
days of usefulness are not run because its gifted
author is done with it.

The aims, character, labours, and rewards of a
faithful ministry are here set forth explicitly and
quaintly : and it is well that in these velvet-shod
days thoughtful people should read again this
young probationer's address. After licence, and
before he wrote it, he wandered up and down,
looking for a parish where he might be allowed to
stand by the cross and speak for God and the life
to come. He was, as he pathetically tells us, in
a " vagrant state " and " scared at " by men who
held the right by patronage to supply vacancies.
His preaching, as a rule, he says, was distasteful
to these men, but generally acceptable to the

i o Introduction .

common people. To work into the good graces
of these great men — men who had " the stroke "
— he must lower his pennon, and speak softer, and
not hit either so straight or so hard. But he went
back to his knees and to his Bible, and rose to
preach as his Divine Commentator Christ told
him and taught him. Thus was the young man in
a grievous strait. Torn between a fervent desire
that God should send him his parish and a fear
lest, in looking for it, he should soil his soul, he
was in much misery — misery of much the same
kind as every young probationer in our own day
must inevitably pass through if baptized with Mr.
Boston's baptism. He wanted to be sure about
the sincerity of his aims: and, in such a spirit and
serious pass in his life history, he sat down to
write the "Soliloquy on the Art of Man-Fishing."
But the exact occasion of his penning it can be
given by none better than by himself, and here is
what he says : —

"During the remaining time that I continued
"at Ferrytown, I wrote a * Soliloquy on the Art

Introduction. 1 1

" of Man-Fishing ' which was never finished, but
" is in retentis.

" The occasion thereof was this — January 6,
11 1699, reading in secret, my heart was touched
"with Matth. iv. 19, 'Follow me and I will make
11 you fishers of men.'

"My soul cried out for accomplishing of that
" to me, and I was very desirous to know how I
11 might follow Christ so as to become a fisher of
" men, and for my own instruction in that point I
" addressed myself to the consideration of it in
" that manner. And, indeed, it was much in my
" heart in these days, not to preach the wisdom
" of mine own heart, or produce of my own gifts,
" but to depend on the Lord for light that I
" might, if I could have reached it, been able to
"say of every word 'Thus saith the Lord.'"

Eight months or thereby after he wrote the
soliloquy we find him with faltering foot coming
along the road from Duns to preach for this
smallest and most meanly endowed of Scottish
parishes. He was a tender-hearted, loveable
man, wise, grave, industrious, studious, and,

1 2 Introduction.

above all, in earnest : and the seed sown in
little Simprin has sprung up to a great and
glorious harvest, on the bounty of which not
merely the parishioners of Simprin were spiritu-
ally nourished in their day, but a family much
larger and far more widely scattered.

It only remains to be added that the Reader
has before him, intact, the soliloquy as it left its
devout young author's pen, but for one or two
verbal alterations in accordance with modern
taste.

Thus is it again sent out into the great world
where that divinest of all human labours — the
toilsome work of man-fishing — is being carried on.
May it be blessed ! May it make haste and speak
a helpful word in the ear of a worldly, wayward,
giddy age, and good will surely come of it.

THE ART OF MAN-FISHING.

[For a pattern to every preacher of the Gospel?^

Ah ! Lord, who hath believed our report? and to
whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? This
day seems to be a day of darkness and gloominess;
the glory is departed even to the threshold of the
temple. We may call ordinances Ichabod ; and
name the faithful preachers of Scotland no more
Naom^ but Marah, for the Lord deals bitterly
with them, in so much forsaking his ordinances
as at this day. The Lord hath forsaken them in
a great measure, as to success attending their
labours. They toil all the night; but little or
nothing is caught : few or none can they find to
come into the net. So that Jeremiah's exercise
may be theirs, chap. xiii. 17, " If ye will not hear

A

14 A Soliloquy on the

it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your
pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run
down with tears."

And thou, O my soul, mayst make this thy
exercise, if thou hadst a heart that could mourn
either for thyself or others. Though indeed it is
no great wonder that God does not countenance
with much success the like of me, who (if I may
or dare class myself among those that are faithful)
am the meanest, the most unworthy of them all,
not worthy to take his covenant in my mouth,
who am a child in piety and the mystery of
godliness, though not in years ; who am a poor
fool, having a weak heart and a shallow head ;
who might rather be learning of others than
teaching them; who can but wade about the
outer parts of that depth, into which others can
enter far ; who have so little love to Christ, and
so little pure zeal for his glory ; can say so little
for the truth, and so little against error ; who am
altogether unworthy and insufficient for these
things : no wonder, I say, God does not coun-
tenance me, when others, that are as tall cedars

Art of Man- Fishing. 15

in the Lord's vineyard, do so little good, even
others that are great men in the church for piety
and learning. But yet seeing I am called out to
preach this everlasting gospel, it is my duty to
endeavour, and it is my desire to be (Lord, thou
knowest) a fisher of men. But, alas ! I may come
in with my complaints to my Lord, that I have
toiled in some measure, but caught nothing, for
anything I know, as to the conversion of any one
soul. I fear I may say, I have almost spent my
strength in vain, and my labour for nought, for
Israel is not gathered. O my soul, what may be
the cause of this, why does my preaching so little
good ? No doubt part of the blame lies on my-
self, and a great part of it too. But who can give
help in this case but the Lord himself ? and how
can I expect it from him but by prayer, and faith
in the promises, and by consulting his word,
where I may, by his Spirit shining on my heart,
(shine, O Sun of righteousness), learn how to
carry, and what to do, to the end the gospel
preached by me may not be unsuccessful?
Therefore did my heart cry out after Christ this

1 6 A Soliloquy on the

day, and my soul was moved, when I read that
sweet promise of Christ, Matth. iv. 19, Follow me,
and I will make you fishers of men, directed to
those that would follow him. O how fain would
my soul follow him, as on other accounts, so on
this, that I might be honoured to be a fisher of
men ; Therefore my soul would fain know what
sort of following Christ this is, to which this sweet
promise is annexed. I would know it, (Lord,
thou knowest), that I might do it, and so catch
poor souls by the gospel, and that I might know
whether I have a right to this promise or not. O
let thy light and thy truth shine forth, that they
may be guides to me in this matter ; and let the
meditations of my heart be according to thy mind,
and directed by thy unerring Spirit. Grant light
and life, O Lord my God !

Follow me, a?id I will make you fishers of men.

In these words there are two things to be con-
sidered.

1. There is a duty, Follow me. Wherein con-
sider, (1.) The object, me, even the Lord Jesus

Art of Man-Fishing. 1 7

Christ, the chief fisher of men, who was sent by
the Father to gather in the lost sheep of the house
of Israel, who was and is the infinitely-wise God,
and so knew the best way to catch men, and can
instruct men how to be fishers of others. (2.)
The act, Follow (Gr. come after) me : Leave your
employment, and come after me. Though no
doubt there is a direction here to all the ministers
of the gospel, that have left their other employ-
ments, and betaken themselves to the preaching
of the word, viz., that if they would do good to
souls, and gain them by their ministry, then they
are to imitate Christ, in their carriage and preach-
ing, to make him their pattern, to write after his
copy, as a fit mean for gaining of souls.

2. There is a promise annexed to the duty.
Wherein we may consider, (1.) The benefit pro-
mised ; that is, to be made fishers of men ; which
I take to be not only an investing of them with
authority, and a calling of them to the office, but
also a promise of the success they should have,
that fishing of men should be their employment,
and they should not be employed in vain, but

1 8 A Soliloquy on the

following Christ, they should indeed catch men
by the gospel. (2.) The fountain-cause of this,
/, / will make you ; none other can make you
fishers of men but me.

Thou mayest observe, 1. Then, O my soul,
that it is the Lord Jesus Christ that makes men
fishers of men.

Here I shall shew,

I. How Christ makes men fishers of men.

II. Why unconverted men are compared to fish
in the water.

III. That ministers are fishers by office.

I. How does Christ make men fishers of men ?

In answer to this question, consider spiritual
fishing two ways. 1. As to the office and work
itself; and 2. As to the success of it.

Firsts He makes them fishers as to their office,
by his call, which is twofold, outward and inward,
by setting them apart to the office of the minis-
try ; and it is thy business, O my soul, to know
whether thou hast it or not. But of this more
afterwards.

Secondly, He makes them fishers as to success ;

Art of Man-Fishing. 19

that is, he makes them catch men to himself by
the power of his spirit accompanying the word
they preach, and the discipline they administer,
1 Cor. i. 18, "The preaching of the cross — unto
us which are saved, is the power of God."
1 Thess. i. 5, " Our gospel came not unto you in
word only, but also in power, and in the Holy
Ghost, and in much assurance." He it is that
brings sinners into the net which ministers spread;
and if he be not with them to drive the fish into
the net, they may toil all the night, and day too,
and catch nothing.

1. O my soul, then see that gifts will not do
the business. A man may preach as an angel,
and yet be useless. If Christ withdraw his pre-
sence, all will be to no purpose. If the Master of
the house be away, the household will loath their
food, though it be dropping down about their
tent-doors.

2. Why shouldst thou then on the one hand,
as sometimes thou art, be lifted up when thou
preachest a good and solid discourse, wherein
gifts do appear, and thou gettest the applause of

20 A Soliloquy on the

men ? Why, thou mayst do all this, and yet be
no fisher of men. The fish may see the bait, and
play about it as pleasant, but this is not enough
to catch them. On the other hand, why shouldst
thou be so much discouraged (as many times is
the case), because thy gifts are so small, and thou
art but as a child in comparison of others?
Why, if Christ will, he can make thee a fisher of
men, as well as the most learned rabbi in the
church, Psal. viii. 2. Out of the mouths of babes
and sucklings hast thou ordained strength. Yea,
hast thou not observed how God owned a man
very weak in gifts and made him more successful
than others that were far beyond him in parts?
Has not God put this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the power might be seen to be of him?
Lift up thyself then, O my soul, Christ can make
thee a fisher of men, however weak thou art.
Follow thou him. My soul desires to follow
hard after thee, O God !

3. Be concerned then, in the first place, O my
soul, for the presence of God in ordinances, and
for his power that will make a change among

Art of Man- Fishing. 2 1

people, Psal. ex. 3. When thy discourse, though
ever so elaborate, shall be but as a lovely song,
O set thyself most for this. When thou studiest,
send up ejaculations to thy Lord for it. When
thou writest a sermon, or dost ruminate on it,
then say to God, Lord, this will be altogether
weak without thy power accompanying it. O,
power and life from God in ordinances is sweet.
Seek it for thyself, and seek it for thy hearers.
Acknowledge thine own weakness and uselessness
without it, and so cry incessantly for it, that the
Lord may drive the fish into the net, when thou
art spreading it out. Have an eye to this power,
when thou art preaching ; and think not thou to
convert men by the force of reason : If thou do,
thou wilt be beguiled.

4. What an honourable thing is it to be fishers
of men ! How great an honour shouldst thou
esteem it, to be a catcher of souls ! We are
workers together with God, says the apostle. If
God has ever so honoured thee, O that thou
knewest it, that thou mightst bless his holy name,
that ever made such a poor fool as thee to be a

22 A Soliloquy on the

co-worker with him. God has owned thee to do
good to those who were before caught. O my
soul, bless thou the Lord. Lord, what am I, or
what is my father's house, that thou hast brought
me to this ?

5. Then seest thou not here what is the reason
thou toilest so long, and catchest nothing ? The
power comes not along. Men are like Samuel,
who, when God was calling him, thought it had
been Eli. So when thou speakest many times,
they do not discern God's voice, but thine ; and
therefore the word goes out as it comes in.

6. Then, O my soul, despair not of the con-
version of any, be they ever so profligate. For it
is the power of the Spirit that drives any person
into the net; and this cannot be resisted. Mock-
ers of religion, yea, blasphemers may be brought
into the net; and many times the wind of God's
Spirit in the word lays the tall cedars in sin down
upon the ground, when they that seem to be as
low shrubs in respect of them, stand fast upon
their root. Publicans and harlots shall enter the
kingdom of heaven before self-righteous Pharisees.

Art of Man-Fishing. 23

7. What thinkest thou, O my soul, of that
doctrine that lays aside this power of the Spirit,
and makes moral suasion all that is requisite to
the fishing of men ? That doctrine is hateful to
thee. My soul loaths it, as attributing too much
to the preacher, and too much to corrupt nature,
in taking away its natural impotency to good, and
as against the work of God's Spirit, contrary to
experience ; and is to me a sign of the rottenness
of the heart that embraces it. Alas ! that it
should be owned by any among us, where so
much of the Spirit's power has been felt.

II. But why are unconverted men compared to
fish in the water ? Among other reasons, they
are so,

1. Because as the water is the natural element
of fish, so sin is the proper and natural element
for an unconverted soul. Take the fish out of
the water, it cannot live ; and take from a natural
man his idols, he is ready to say with Micah, Ye
have taken away my gods, and what have 1 more 1
The young man in the gospel could not be per-
suaded to seek after treasure in heaven, and lay

24 A Soliloquy on the

by the world. It is in sin that the only delight
of natural men is ; but in holiness they have no
more delight than a fish upon the earth, or a sow
in a palace. Oh the woful case of a natural man!
Bless the Lord, O my soul, that when that was
thy element as well as that of others, yet Christ
took thee in his net, held thee, and would not let
thee go, and put another principle in thee, so that
now it is heavy for thee to wade, far more to swim
in these waters.

2. The fish in a sunny day are seen to play
themselves in the water. So the unregenerate,
whatever grief they may seem to have upon their
spirits, when a storm arises, either without, by
outward troubles, or within by conscience-gnawing
convictions, yet when these are over, and they are
in a prosperous state, they play themselves in the
way of sin, and take their pleasure in it, not con-
sidering what it may cost them at the last. Oh !
how does prosperity in the world ruin many a
soul ! The prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
And O how destructive would prosperity have
been to thee, O my soul, if God had given it to

Art of Man- Fishing. 25

thee many times when thou wouldst have had it !
Bless the Lord that ever he was pleased to cross
thee in a sinful course.

3. As the fish greedily look after and snatch at
the bait, not minding the hook ; even so natural
men drink in sin greedily, as the ox drinketh in
the water. They look on sin as a sweet morsel ;
and it is to them sweet in the mouth, though
bitter in the belly. They play with it, as the fish
with the bait ; but, oh ! alas, when they take the
serpent in their bosom, they mind not the sting,
Prov. ix. 17, 18. The devil knows well how to
dress his hooks ; but, alas ! men know not by
nature how to discern them. Pity then, O my
soul, the wicked of the world, whom thou seest
greedily satisfying their lusts. Alas ! they are
poor blinded souls ; they see the bait, but not the
hook ; and therefore it is that they are even seen
as it were dancing about the mouth of the pit ;
therefore rush they on to sin as a horse to the
battle, not knowing the hazard. O pity the poor
drunkard, the swearer, the unclean person, etc.,
that is wallowing in his sin. Bless thou the Lord

26 A Soliloquy on the

also, O my soul, that when thou wast playing with
the bait, and as little minding the hook as others,
God opened thine eyes, and let thee see thy mad-
ness and danger, that thou mightst flee from it.
And O be now careful that thou snatch at none
of the devil's baits, lest he catch thee with his
hook : for though thou mayst be restored again
by grace, yet it shall not be without a wound ; as
the fish sometimes slip the hook, but go away
wounded ; which wound may be sad to thee, and
long a-healing. And this thou hast experienced.

4. As fish in the water love deep places and
wells, and are most frequently found there ; so
wicked men have a great love to carnal security,
and have no will to strive against the stream.
Fish love deep places best, where there is least
noise. O how careful are natural men to keep all
quiet, that there may be nothing to disturb them
in their rest in sin ! they love to be secure, which
is their destruction. O my soul, beware of carnal
security, of being secure, though plunged over
head and ears in sin.

5. As fish are altogether unprofitable as long as

Art of Man-Fishing. 27

they are in the water, so are wicked men in their
natural estate, they can do nothing that is really
good : they are unprofitable to themselves, and
unprofitable to others : what good they do to
others, is more per accidens than per se, Rom. iii,
12. How far must they then be mistaken, who
think the wicked of the world the most useful in
the place where they live ! They may indeed be
useful for carrying on designs for Satan's interest,
or their own vain glory ; but really to lay out
themselves for God, they cannot.

III. Ministers are fishers by office ; they are
catchers of the souls of men, sent " to open the
eyes of the blind, and to turn them from darkness
to light, and from the power of Satan unto God,"
Preachers of the gospel are fishers, and their
work and that of fishers agree in several things.

1. The design and work of fishers is to catch
fish. This is the work that preachers of the gos-
pel have taken in hand, even to endeavour to
bring souls to Christ. Their design in their work
should be the same. Tell me, O my soul, what
is thy design in preaching ? for what end dost
thou lay the net in the water ? is it to show thy

28 A Soliloquy on tht

gifts, and to gain the applause of men ? Oh, no !
Lord, thou knowest my gifts are very small ; and
had I not some other thing than them to lean to,
I had never gone to a pulpit. I confess, that, for
as small as they are, the devil and my corruptions
do sometimes present them to me in a magnifying
glass, and so would blow me up with wind. But,
Lord, thou knowest it is my work to repel these,
motions. An instance of this see in my Diary. 1

2. Their work is hard work; they are exposed to
much cold in the water. So is the minister's work.

3. A storm that will affright others, they will
venture on, that they may not lose their fish. So
should preachers of the gospel do.

4. Fishers catch fish with a net. So preachers
have a net to catch souls with. This is the ever-
lasting gospel, the word of peace and reconcilia-

1 " Jany. I, 1699. I had more than an ordinary measure
" of God's presence and help in preaching. In the morning
" in Secret I was earnest with God for it, but had a tempta-
" tion to think that God would leave me, which did perplex
" me sore. When I was coming home from the Sermons,
' ' Satan fell to, afresh again, the contrary way, tempting
" me to pride. It came three times remarkably on me, and
" was as often repelled by that word ' What hast thou that
" thou has not received ?' "

Art of Man-Fishing, 29

tion, wherewith sinners are caught. It is compared
to a net wherewith fishers catch fish,

(1.) Because it is spread out, ready to catch all
that will come into it, Is. lv. 1, " Ho, every one
that thirsteth, come ye to the waters ; and he that
hath no money, come ye, buy and eat ; yea,
come, buy wine and milk, without money, and
without price." God excludes none from the
benefits of the gospel that will not exclude them-
selves ; it is free to all.

(2.) Because as fish are taken unexpectedly by
the net, so are sinners by the gospel. Zaccheus
was little thinking on salvation from Christ when
he went to the tree. Paul was not thinking on a
sweet meeting with Christ, whom he persecuted,
when he was going post-haste on the devil's
errand; but the man is caught unexpectedly.
Little wast thou thinking, O my soul, on Christ,
heaven, or thyself, when thou went to the Newton
of Whitsome, to hear a preaching, when Christ
first dealt with thee ; there thou got an un-
expected cast.

(3.) As fish sometimes come near and touch

B

3<d A Soliloquy on the

the net, and yet draw back ; so many souls are
somewhat affected at the hearing of the gospel,
and yet remain in the gall of bitterness and the
bond of iniquity. So Herod heard John the
Baptist gladly, but yet the poor man was not
caught. Wonder not then, O my soul, that thou
feest some affected in the time of preaching ; and
yet when they are away again, all is worn off.

(4.) Some fish that have not been taken fast
hold enough by the net, struggle and get out
again. So some souls have their convictions, and
may seem to be caught ; but yet, alas ! they
stifle all their convictions, stay in the place of the
breaking forth ; their goodness is like the morn-
ing cloud, and as the early dew that soon passeth
away. Wherefore, O my soul, if ever thou be
taken up with exercised consciences, have a care
that thou do not apply the cure before the wound
be deep enough. Take all means to understand
whether the soul be content to take Christ on his
own terms or not. Alas ! many this way, by
having the wound scurfed over, are rather killed
than cured.

Art of Man- Fishing. 31

(5.) All that are taken in the net do make some
struggling to get free. Even so every one whom
the Lord deals with by his Word and Spirit, make
some kind of resistance before they are thoroughly
caught. Cras, Domine, says Augustine ; et modo>
Domine, donee, modo non haberet modum. And
this thou also knowest, O my soul, how thou
wouldst have been content to have been out of
the net. Oh ! the wickedness of the heart of man
by nature ! opposite is it, and an enemy to all
that may be for its eternal welfare. There is
indeed a power in our will to resist, yea, and such
a power as cannot but be exercised by the will of
man, which can do nothing but resist, till the
overcoming power of God, the gratia victrixy
come and make the unwilling heart willing, Phil,
ii. 13.

(6). Yet this struggling will not do with those
which the net has fast enough. So neither will
the resistance do that is made by an elect soul,
whom God intends to catch, John vi. 37. All
that the Father hath given me, shall come to me.
Indeed, God does not convert men to himself

32 A Soliloquy on the

against their will, he does not force the soul to
receive Christ ; but he conquers the will, and it
becomes obedient. He that was unwilling before,
is then willing. O the power of grace ! When
God speaks, then men shall hear ; then is it that
the dead hear the voice of the Son of Man, and
they that hear do live.

(7.) In a net are many meshes in which the fish
are caught. Such are the invitations made to
sinners in the gospel, the sweet promises made to
them that will come to Christ; these are the
meshes wherewith the soul is catched. This then
is gospel-preaching, thus to spread out the net of
the gospel, wherein are so many meshes of various
invitations and promises, to which if the fish do
come, they are caught. — But yet,

(8.) Lest the net be lifted up with the water,
and so not fit for taking fish, and the fish slight
it, and pass under it ; there are some pieces of
lead put to it, to hold it right in the water, that it
may be before them as they come. So lest in-
vitations and promises of the gospel be slighted,
there must be used some legal terrors and law-

Art of Man Fishing. 33

threatenings to drive the fish into the net. Thou
seest then that both law and gospel are to be
preached, the law as a pendicle of the gospel-net,
which makes it effectual ; the law being a school-
master to bring us to Christ.

(9.) The meshes must not be over-wide, lest
the fish run through. So neither must thy doc-
trine be general, without particular application,
lest thou be no fisher of men. Indeed men may
be the better pleased, when thou preachest doc-
trine so as wicked men may run out-through and
in-through it, than when thou makest it so as to
take hold of them : but be not a servant of men.

(10.) Neither must they be too neat and fine,
and curiously wrought, lest they hold out the fish.
So have a care, O my soul, of striving to make by
wit any fine and curious discourse, which thy
hearers cannot understand. Of this more after-
wards.

5. Fishers observe in what places they should
cast their nets, and where they may expect fish.
So do thou, O my soul, observe where thou mayst

34 A Soliloquy on the

catch souls. There are two pools wherein the net
should be set.

(i.) In the public assemblies of the Lord's
people. There it was that Lydia's heart was
opened. The pool of ordinances sometimes is
made healing water to souls pining away in their
iniquity.

(2.) In private conference. Many times the
Lord is pleased to bless this for the good of souls.
Some have found it so. But more of these things
afterwards, when I come to following Christ.

6. Lastly, Fishers may toil long, and yet catch
nothing ; but they do not therefore lay aside their
work. So may preachers preach long, and yet
not catch any soul, Isa. xlix. 4, and liii. 1 ; but
they are not to give over for all that. O my soul,
here thou art checked for thy behaviour at some
times under the absence of Christ from ordinances,
when thou hast been ready to wish thou hadst
never taken it in hand. This was my sin : the
good Lord pardon it. It becomes me better to
lie low under God's hand, and to inquire into the
causes of his withdrawing his presence from me

Art of Man- Fishing. 35

and from ordinances, and yet to hold on in duty
till he be pleased to lay me by. Have a care of
that, O my soul, and let not such thoughts and
wishes possess thee again. Forget not how God
made thee to read this thy sin, in thy punishment,
Diary, Nov. 13, 1698. Hold on, O my soul, and
give not way to these discouragements. Thou
knowest not but Christ may come and teach thee
to let down the net at the right side of the ship,
and thou mayst yet be a fisher of men. Trust
God thou shalt yet praise him for the help of his
countenance as thou hast done, and perhaps for
some souls that thou mayst be yet honoured to
catch.

And thus I have briefly considered these
things. But the main question that I would
have resolved is, How may I come by this
art? what way I shall take to be a fisher of
men ? how I may order and set the net, that
it may bring in souls to God ? this the great
Master of assemblies sets down in the first part
of the verse. Whence,

36 A Soliloquy 011 the

Observe, 2. O my soul, that the way for me to
be a fisher of men, is to follow Christ. What it
is to follow thee, O Lord, shew me ; and, Lord,
help me to do it.

Here two things are to be considered.

I. What following Christ supposes and implies.

II. Wherein Christ is to be followed.

I. What following Christ supposes and implies.

Firsts It presupposes life. A dead man cannot
follow any person ; a dead preacher cannot follow
Christ ; there must be a principle of life, spiritual
life in him, or else he is nought. Therefore have
I said and maintained, that a man cannot be a
minister inforo Dei, though he may inforo ecclesice,
without grace in his heart. This is a spiritual
following of Christ ; and therefore presupposes a
spiritual and heavenly principle. Tell me then,
O my soul, what state art thou in ? Thou wast
once dead, that is sure, Eph. ii. 1, dead in tres-
passes and sins. Art thou raised out of thy grave?
hast thou got a part in the first resurrection ? has
Christ breathed on thy dead and dry bones ? or
art thou yet void of spiritual life? art thou rotting

Art of Man-Fishing. 37

away in thine iniquity? What sayest thou to this?
If thou be yet dead, thy case is lamentable ; but
if thou be alive, what signs of life are there to be
seen in thee ? I have my own doubts of this,
because of the prevailing of corruption : therefore
I will see what I can say to this.

1 A man that hath the Spirit hath life, Rom.
viii. 2, 9 ; but I think I have the Spirit : ergo, I
have life. That I have the Spirit, I conclude
from these grounds following.

(1.) I have light that sometimes I had not. See
John xiv. 26, "The Comforter — shall teach you
all things, and bring all things to your remem-
brance whatsoever I have said unto you." I see
now otherwise than sometimes I saw. Once was
I blind, but now I see, though I see but men as
trees. Once was I darkness, but now am I light
(though weak) in the Lord. This light makes me
see,

[1.] My former darkness, the sad and miserable
state that once I was in, ignorant of God, Christ,
and religion, save going to the church, and keep-
ing from banning and swearing, &c, which I was

38 A Soliloquy on the

restrained from, from a child. This makes me
see my present darkness, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. How
little a portion do I know of thee, O God ? My
knowledge is but as the twilight.

[2.] It lets me see my heart-sins, my imperfec-
tions and shortcomings in the best of my duties ;
so that God might damn me for them. The
hypocrites say, Why have we fasted^ and thou seest
not? etc., Isa. lviii. 3. It lets me see the wander-
ings of my heart in duty and out of duty, yea, the
the sinfulness of the first risings of lust in mine
heart, Rom. vii., and is still discovering the base-
ness of my heart unto me, so that I am forced to
think and say, that at the best I am unclean,
unclean.

[3.] It makes me to see Christ precious (1 Pet.
ii. 7), altogether lovely, the chief among ten
thousand, preferable to all the world ; for whom,
if my heart deceive me not (Lord, thou knowest),
I would undergo the loss of that which I most
esteem in the world. " Whom have I in heaven
but thee ? and there is none on earth that I desire
besides thee." For indeed, " My heart and flesh

Art of Man- Fishing. 39

faints and fails ; but thou art the strength of my
heartj O Lord,'' Psal. lxxiii. 25, 26.

[4. j It lets me see my need of him ; so that
nothing else but Christ, I am persuaded, can help
me. When I have done what I can, I am but an
unprofitable servant. If I should do a thousand
times more than I do, I count all but loss and
dung or the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus
Christ my Lord. My soul cries out for thee, O
God, and follows hard after thee.

[5.] The knowledge that I have of Christ,
makes me trust in him in some measure, Psal.
ix. 10 ; though alas ! my evil heart of unbelief
creates a great deal of difficulty in that to me. I
find him a present help in the time of trouble ;
therefore I endeavour to cast my burden upon
him. I know him to be a good Master, and
therefore I lean on him for help for his own work.
I know his grace is sufficient for me ; therefore,
in temptation and trials, I endeavour to lift up
my soul to him.

(2.) I feel help in duty from the Spirit. I
know not what I should pray for ; but the Spirit

40 A Soliloquy on the

helpeth my infirmities, Rom. viii. 26. Many
times I have gone to prayer very dead, and have
come away with life ; I have gone with a drooping
and fainting heart, and come away rejoicing ;
with an heart closed, and have come away with
an heart enlarged, and have felt enlargement both
as to words and affections ; and this hath made
me both thankful and more vile in mine own
eyes, that God should have done so with the like
of me, 1 Chron. xxix. 14.

2. He that hath sense and feeling hath life ;
but I have sense and feeling ; ergo, I have life,
Eph. iv. 19. My sins are a burden to me (Matth.
xi. 28), Lord, thou knowest my omissions and
commissions, the sins of my thoughts and of my
life, the sins of my youth, etc., and above all, that
which is my daily trouble, is an evil, backsliding,
and base heart, which I find deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked, Jer. xvii. 9. This
body of sin and death makes me to groan, and
long to be rid of it, Rom. vii. 24. And what a
load it was to me this day, God knows. I feel
God's presence, which makes me to rejoice some-

Art of Man-Fishing. 41

times ; at other times again I feel his absence.
Thou, O Lord, hidest thy face, and I am troubled,
Psal. xxx. 7. His smiles are sweet as honey from
the comb, and his frowns are bitter as death to
my soul.

3. He in whom there is heat hath life ; but I
have a heat in my soul ; ergo, I have life. I find
a threefold flame, though weak, in my heart.

(1.) A flame of love to Christ, Rom. v. 5. My
soul loves him above all ; and I have felt my love
to Christ more vigorous within this short while,
than for a considerable time before. Lord, put
fuel to this flame. I have a love to his truths
that I know, what God reveals to me of his word,
Psal. cxix. 19. I find sometimes his word
sweeter to me than honey from the comb, Psal.
xix. 10. It comforts and supports me. I cannot
but love it ; it stirs me up, and quickens my soul
when dead. I love his commands, though strik-
ing against my corruptions, Rom. vii. 22. I love
the promises, as sweet cordials to a fainting soul,
as life from the dead to one trodden under foot
by the apprehensions of wrath, or the prevailing

42 A Soliloquy on the

of corruption. I love his threatenings as most
just ; my soul heartily approves them. If any
man love not the Lord Jesus, let him be anathefna,
maranatha. The least part of truth, that God
makes known to me, I love ; and, by grace,
would endeavour to adhere to. I love those in
whom the image of God does appear ; though
otherwise mean and contemptible, my heart
warms towards them, i John iii. 14. I love his
work, and am glad when it thrives (Rom. i. 8),
though alas ! there is little ground for such glad-
ness now. I love his ordinances (Psal. lxxxiv. 1)
and what bears his stamp ; though all this be but
weak, I love his glory, that he should be glorified,
come of me what will.

(2.) I find in my heart a flame of desires,
Matth. v. 6. [1.] After the righteousness of
Christ. My soul earnestly desires to be stript
naked of my own righteousness, which is as rags,
and to be clothed and adorned with the robe of
his righteousness. This wedding garment my
soul affects; so shall I be found without spot,
when the Master of the feast comes in to see the

Art of Man-Fishing. 43

guests. My soul is satisfied, and acquiesces in
justification by an imputed righteousness, though,
alas ! my base heart would fain have a home-spun
garment of its own sometimes. [2.] After com-
munion with him, Psal. xlii. 1. When I want it,
my soul though sometimes careless, yet, at other
times, cries out, O that I knew where 1 might find
him ! I have found much sweetness, in com-
munion with God, especially at the sacrament
of the Lord's supper, in prayer and meditation,
hearing the word, faithfully and seriously preached,
and in preaching it myself, when the candle of
the Lord shines on my tabernacle ; then was it a
sweet exercise to my soul. I endeavour to keep
it up when I have it, by watching over my heart,
and sending up ejaculations to God. When I
want it, I cry to him for it, though, alas ! I have
been a long time very careless. Sometimes my
soul longs for the day, when my minority shall be
over-past, and I be entered heir to the inheritance
incorruptible^ undefiled% and that fadeth not away ;
to be quit of this evil world ; to be dissolved, and
to be with Christ, which is best of all ; especially

44 A Soliloquy on the

at three times, (i.) When I get more than
ordinarily near God, when my soul is satisfied as
with marrow and fat, when my heart is nobilitated,
and tramples on the world. (2.) When I am
wrestling and groaning under the body of sin and
death, the evil heart : then fain would I be there,
where Satan cannot tempt, and sin cannot enter ;
yea, when I have been much forsaken, at least as
to comfort, Diary, Aug. 2, 1696, where is the
most eminent instance of it. (3.) When I preach,
and see that the gospel hath not success, but
people are unconcerned, and go on in their
abominations.

(3.) I find in my heart some heat of zeal for
God, which vents itself, [1.] By endeavouring to
be active for God in my station. So when I was
at K. I endeavoured to do something for God,
though, alas ! it did some of them no good. Be-
fore I entered on trials, one main motive was to
have opportunity to give a testimony against sin,
and to see if I could be an instrument to reclaim
any soul from their wicked way. This I have, as
the Lord enabled me, done, since I was a

Art of Man- Fishing. 45

preacher, testifying against sin freely and plainly,
and as earnestly as I could, by grace assisting
me, though in weakness. And, Lord, thou know-
est that my great desire is to catch men, and to
get for that end my whole furniture from thee,
laying aside my own wisdom. And if I could do
this, how satisfying would it be to my soul, that
desires to do good to others, though I myself
should perish ? Therefore do I not spare this
weak body, and therefore have I desired never to
be idle, but to go unsent for sometimes. Yet my
conscience tells me of much slackness in this
point, when I have been in private with people,
and have not reproved them as I ought, when
they offended, being much plagued with want of
freedom in private converse. This I have in the
Lord's strength resolved against, and have some-
what now amended it. [2.] It vents itself in in-
dignation against sin in myself and others. Many
times have I thought on that of the apostle, Yea,
what revenge ! when I have been overcome by a
temptation, being content as it were to be re-
venged on myself, and as it were content to sub-

c

46 A Soliloquy on the

scribe a sentence of damnation against myself,
and so to justify the Lord in his just proceedings
against me. And, Lord, do not I hate those that
hate thee I am I not grieved with those that rise up
against thee ? The reproaches cast on thee, have
fallen on me, Psal. lxix. 9 And my heart rises
and is grieved, when I see transgressors, that they
keep not thy law. [3.] It vents itself in grieving
for those things that I cannot help. Lord, thou
knowest how weighty the sins of this land have
been unto me, how they have lien and do lie
somewhat heavy on me ; and at this time in par-
ticular, the laxness of many in joining with the
people of these abominations, the unfaithfulness
of some professors, the lack of zeal for God in
not making a more narrow search for the accursed
thing in our camp, now when God's wrath is
going out violently against us, and not making an
acknowledgment of sins and renewing our national
vows, according as our progenitors did, many as
it were thinking shame of the covenant, of whom
the Church of Scotland may be ashamed.

4. Growth and motion is an evidence of life ;

Art of Man-Fishing. 47

(Psal. xcii. 12, 13, 14). I move forward towards
heaven, my affections are going out after Christ,
and endeavouring to make progress in a Christian
walk. I think I discern a growth of these graces
in me. (1.) Of knowledge and acquaintance with
Christ, 2 Pet. iii. 18. I am more acquainted with
Christ and his ways than before. Though I have
not such uptakings of Christ as I ought to have,
yet I have more than I have had in this respect
sometimes before. (2.) A growth of love. If my
heart deceive me not, I have found love to Christ
within this month more lively and vigorous than
before, my soul more affected with his absence
from ordinances than ever. (3.) Of faith. I can,
I think, trust God more now than before. I have
had more experience of his goodness and know-
ledge of his name ; and therefore think I can cast
my burden on the Lord better than before. But
it is easy swimming when the head is held up.
Lord, increase my faith. I believe, Lord, help
mine unbelief. (4.) Of watchfulness. I have
felt the sad effects of unwatchfulness over my
heart in times past. I feel the good of watchful-

48 A Soliloquy on the

ness now ; my soul is habitually more watchful
than before ; neither dare I give such liberty to
my heart as sometimes I gave. Yet for all this
the Lord may well complain of me, that he is
broken with my wanton heart. But, Lord, thou
knowest it is also breaking to myself that it is so.
The Lord seal these things to me. (5.) Of con-
tempt of the world, which, blessed, be God, is on
the increase with me.

Secondly, Following Christ implies a knowledge
of the way that Christ took. No man can follow
the example of another as such, unless he know
what way he lived. So neither can any man
follow Christ with respect to the catching of men
in particular, unless he know Christ's way of
catching souls, that is, so far as it may be followed
by us. Acquaint then thyself, O my soul, with
the history of the gospel wherein this appears, and
take special notice of these things, that thou
mayest follow Christ. What a sad case must they
be in that are not acquainted with this !

Thirdly, It supposes sense of weakness, and
the need of a guide. A man that knows a way,

Art of Man-Fishing. 49

and can do well enough without a guide, needs
not follow another. And surely the want of this
is the reason why many run before Christ, and go
farther than his example ever called them ; and
others take a way altogether different from Christ's
way, which is the product of their own conceited
hearts and airy heads. But thou, O my soul,
acknowledge thyself as a child in these matters,
that cannot go unless it be led ; as a stranger in
a desert place, that cannot keep the right way
without a guide. Acknowledge and be affected
with thine own weakness and emptiness, which
thou mayst well be persuaded of. And for this
end reflect seriously, 1. On that word, 2 Cor. ii.
1 6. Who is sufficient for these things ? No man
is of himself sufficient ; even the greatest of men
come short of sufficiency. This may make thee
then to be affected with insufficiency, who are so
far below these men, as shrubs are below the tall
cedars ; and yet they cannot teach it of them-
selves. 2. Consider the weight of the work, even
of preaching, which is all that thou hast to do now.
It is the concern of souls. By the foolishness of

50 A Soliloquy on the

preaching it pleases the Lord to save them that
believe, and as thou thoughtest yesterday [Jan.
22, 1699], before thou went to the pulpit, it may
seal the salvation of some, and the damnation of
others. To preach in the Spirit, in the power and
demonstration thereof, is no easy matter. Thy
pitiful gifts will not fit thee for this. 3. Reflect
on what thou art when God is pleased to desert
thee ; how then thou tuggest and rowest, but it
will not do, either in studying or delivering
sermons. I think thou hast had as much of this
as may teach thee to beware of taking thy burden
on thy own soul, but to cast it on the Lord. [See
Diary, June 3, July 3, Dec. 31, 1698. Jan. 6,
1699, etc.] 4. Consider what a small portion
thou knowest of God. When thou art at the best,
and when thou art in thy meridian, yet how low
art thou ? and how far short thou comest of what
thou shouldst be at. Lastly, consider that though
thou hadst gifts like an angel, yet thou canst not
convert a soul unless Christ be with thee to do
the work. Therefore acknowledge thyself a weak
creature, insufficient for the work ; and go not out

Art of Man- Fishing. 51

in thy own strength, but in the name of the Lord ;
and so although thou be but as a stripling, thou
mayst be helped to cast down the great Goliaths
that defy the armies of the living God.

Fourthly^ It implies a renouncing of our own
wisdom. It must not be the guide that we must
follow, Matth. xvi. 24. Paul would not preach
with wisdom of words, 1 Cor. i. 17 ; he did not
follow the rules of carnal wisdom. Therefore, O
my soul, renounce thine own wisdom. Seek the
wisdom that is from above ; seek to preach the
words of the living God, and not thine own.
Since thou wast most set to take this way, and
prayed most that thou mightst not preach that
which might be the product of thy own wisdom
and natural reason, but that which might be given
thee of the Holy Ghost, thou hast found that God
hath signally countenanced thee. Take not the
way of natural wisdom, follow not the rules of
carnal wisdom. Its language will always be,
Master \ spare thyself ; have a care of thy credit'
and reputation among men. If thou speak freely,
they will call thee a railer, and thy preaching

52 A Soliloquy on the

reflections ; every parish will scare at thee as a
monster of men, and one that would preach them
all to hell ; and so thou shalt not be settled.
Such and such a man, that has a great influence
in a parish, will never like thee. That way of
preaching is not the way to gain people ; that
startles them at the very first. You may bring
them on by little and little, by being somewhat
smooth, at least at the first : for this generation is
not able to abide such doctrine as that thou
preachest. But hear thou and follow the rules of
the wisdom that is from above : for the wisdom
of the world is foolishness with God ; that which
is in high esteem among men, is nought in the
sight of God. The wisdom that is from above
will tell thee, that thou must be denied to thy
credit and reputation, etc., Matth. xvi. 24 ; Luke
xiv. 26. It will tell thee, Let them call thee what
they will, that thou must cry aloud, and spare not;
lift up thy voice like a trutnpet, etc., Is. lviii. 1. It
will tell thee, that God has appointed the bounds of
men's habitation, Acts xvii. 26. It will tell thee,
that not many wise, not many mighty, not many

Art of Man-Fishing.

53

noble, are called, etc., i Cor. i. 29. Whether they
will hear, or whether they will forbear, thou shalt
speak God's words unto them, Ezek. ii. 7. It will
shew thee rules quite contrary to those of carnal
wisdom. Let me consider then what carnal
wisdom says to me, and what the wisdom from
above says.

CARNAL WISDOM.

Thy body is weak, spare
it, and weary it not ; it can-
not abide toil, labour, and
weariness ; spare thyself
then.

Labour to get neat and
fine expressions ; for these
do very much commend a
preaching to the learned ;
and without these they think
nothing of it.

Endeavour to be somewhat
smooth in preaching, and
calm ; and do not go out
upon the particular sins of

SPIRITUAL WISDOM.

Your body is God's as
well as your spirit j spare it
not for glorifying God, 1
Cor. vi. 20. " In weariness
and painfulness," 2 Cor. xi.
27. "He giveth power to
the faint, and to them that
have no might he increaseth
strength," Is. xl. 29. This
thou hast experienced.

Christ sent thee to "preach
the gospel not with wisdom
of words," 1 Cor. i. 17. Go
not to them with "excellency
of speech, or of wisdom," 1
Cor. ii. 1. Let not thy
speech and preaching be with
"the enticing words of
man's wisdom," ver. 4.

"Cry aloud, and spare
not, lift up thy voice like a
trumpet : shew my people
their sins," Is. lviii. 1. —

54

A Soliloquy o?i the

the land, or of the persons'
to whom thou preachest.

If thou wilt not do so,
they will be irritated against
thee, and may create thee
trouble ; and what a foolish
thing would it be for thee
to speak boldly to such a
generation as this, whose
very looks are terrible?

It is a dangerous way to
speak freely, and condescend
on particulars : there may
be more hazard in it than
thou art aware of.

Thou wilt be looked on as
a fool, as a monster of men ;
thou wilt be called a railer ;
and so lose thy reputation
and credit, and thou hadst
need to preserve that. Men
will hate and abhor thee ;
and why shouldst thou ex-
pose thyself to these things ?

"Open rebuke is better than
secret love," Prov. xxvii. 5.
"Study to shew thyself
approved unto God, rightly
dividing the word of truth,"
2 Tim. ii. 15.

"He that rebuketh a man,
afterwards shall find more
favour than he that flattereth
with the tongue," Prov.
xxviii. 23. I have experience
of this. "Fear them not,
neither be afraid at their
looks, though they be a re-
bellious house. I have made
thy face strong against their
faces," Ezek. iii. 8, 9. Ex-
perience confirms this.

" He that walketh up-
rightly, walketh surely,"
Prov. x. 9. " Whoso walk-
eth uprightly shall be saved,"
chap, xxviii. 18.

"Thou must become a
fool, that thou mayest be
wise," 1 Cor. iii. 18. "We
are made a spectacle to the
world," chap. iv. 9, see ver.
10. "The servant is not
greater than his lord," John
v. 20, compared with chap.
x. 20. "He hath a devil,
and is mad, why hear ye
him?" If thou wilt be
Christ's disciple, "thou must
deny thyself," Matth. xvi.
24. "If the world hate

Art of Man- Fishing.

55

Great people especially
will be offended at you, if
you speak not fair to them
and court and caress them.
And if you be looked
down upon by great people,
who are wise and mighty,
what will you think of your
preaching?

Our people are new come
out from under Prelacy, and
they would not desire to have
sins told particularly, and
especially old sores to be
ripped up. They cannot
abide that doctrine. Other
doctrine would take better
with them. Hold off such
things ; for it may well do
them ill. It will do them
no good.

If you will preach such
things, yet prudence requires
that you speak of them very
warily. Though conscience
says you must, yet speak
them somewhat covertly,
that you may not offend

you, ye know it hated me
before it hated you," John
xv. 18, says our Lord.

"Accept no man's person,
neither give flattering titles
to man : for, in so doing,
thy Maker will soon take
thee away," Job xxxii. 21,
22. " Few of the rulers be-
lieve on Christ," John vii.
48. "Not many wise men
after the flesh, not many
mighty, not many noble are
called, " 1 Cor. i. 26. ' ' Speak
thou God's word to kings,
and be not ashamed," Psal.
cxix. 46.

"Thou shalt speak my
words unto them, whether
they will hear, or whether
they will forbear, for they
are most rebellious," Ezek.
ii. 7. "Give them warning
from me. If thou do it not,
they shall die in their sins,
but their blood will I require
at thy hand," chap. iii. 17,
18. "What the Lord saith
to thee, that do thou speak,"
1 Kings xxii. 14.

" Cry aloud, and spare
not," Is. lviii. 1. " Cursed
be he that doth the work of
the Lord deceitfully," Jer.
xlviii. 10. " Handle not
the word of the Lord diceit-
fully." Peter, at the first,

56

A Soliloquy on the

them sore, and especially
with respect to them that are
but coming in yet, and do
not fill them with prejudices
at first ; you may get occa-
sion afterwards.

Be but fair especially to
them that have the stroke in
parishes, till you be settled
in a parish to get stipend.
If you will not do so, you
may look for toiling up and
down then ; for parishes will
scare at you, and will not
call you, and how will you
live ? And so such a way of
preaching will be to your
loss, whereas otherwise it
might be better with you.

told the Jews that were but
coming in to hear, " Him
(Christ) ye have taken, and
by wicked hands have cruci-
fied and slain," Acts ii. 23.
"Work while it is called
to-day ; the night cometh
wherein thou canst not
work," John ix. 4.

" To have respect of per-
sons is not good ; for, for a
piece of bread that man will
transgress," Prov. xxviii. 21.
"The will of the Lord be
done," Acts xxi. 14. "God
hath determined your time,
before appointed, and the
bounds of your habitation,"
Acts xvii. 26. "And his
counsel shall stand, oppose
it who will," Is. xlvi. 10.
" It is God that sets the
solitary in families," Psal.
lxviii. 6. " If thou be faith-
ful, thou shalt abound with
blessings; but if thou makest
haste to be rich, thou shalt
not be innocent," Prov.
xxviii. 20.

Thus thou seest, O my soul, how that carnal
wisdom, notwithstanding it speaks fair and with a
good deal of seeming reason, is quite contrary to
the wisdom that is from above. It promiseth
fair, but its promises are not always performed ;

Art of Man-Fishing. 57

it threatens sore, but neither do its threatenings
always come to pass ; it makes molehills moun-
tains, and mountains molehills : therefore reject
the wisdom of the world, for it is foolishness with
God. Carnal policy would make thee fear him
that can but kill the body, yea that cannot do so
much now, and to cast off the true fear of God.
O my soul, remember that word, and make use of
it for strengthening thee, Prov. xxix. 25. The
fear of man bringeth a snare ; but whoso putteth
his trust in the Lord shall be safe. Never go to
seek temporal profit by putting thy soul in hazard,
but wait thou on the Lord, and keep his way, and
he shall exalt thee to inherit the land, Psal. xxxvii.
34 ; for his way is the safest way, however carnal
wisdom may speak otherwise of it, and may
account the following of it mere folly ; but
remember thou, that the foolishness of God is wiser
than men, 1 Cor. i. 27.

Fifthly, It supposes, that we must not make
men our rule, to follow them any farther than they
follow Christ. Be ye followers of me, says the
apostle, as I am of Christ, 1 Cor. xi. 1. Wherein

58 A Soliloquy o?i the

they follow Christ I may follow them, but in
nothing else. All men are fallible ; the greatest
of men have had their own spots. Luther's
opinion of Christ's corporal presence in the sacra-
ment affords a notable instance of this. There-
fore, O my soul, let not man's authority prevail
with thee to go off the road at all. If Christ
himself tell thee not, O my soul, where he feedeth,
thou mayst be left to turn aside to the flocks of
his companions. Have a care of putting the
servants of the Lord in his own room : but follow
thou him.

II. Wherein is Christ to be followed ; what are
those things in him that I must imitate him in?
what was the copy that he did cast, which I must
write after, in order to my being a fisher of men ?
What he did by divine power is inimitable ; I am
not called to follow him, in converting sinners by
my own power ; to work miracles for the confir-
mation of the doctrine that I preach, etc. But
there are some things wherein he is imitable, and
must be followed by preachers, if they would
expect to be made fishers of men.

Art of Man- Fishing. 59

First % Christ took not on him the work of
preaching the gospel without a call, Is. Ixi. 1,
" For (says he) the Spirit of the Lord God is upon
me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach
good tidings unto the meek, he hath sent me to
bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to
the captives, and the opening of the prison to
them that are bound." In this he must be
followed by those that would be catchers of men.
He was sent by the Father to preach the gospel ;
he went not to the work without his Father's
commission. Men must have a call to this work,
Heb. v. 4. They that run unsent, that take on
the work without a call from God, cannot expect
to do good to a people, Rom. x. 14, Jer. xxiii. /
sent them not^ therefore they shall not profit this
people. Tell me then, O my soul, whether thou
hast thus followed Christ or not ? Hadst thou a
call from God to this work of the preaching of the
gospel ? or hast thou run unsent ?

In answer to this, I must consider that there is
a twofold call, an extraordinary and an ordinary
call. The first of these I was not to seek, nor

60 A Soliloquy on the

may I pretend to it. The question then is,
Whether I had an ordinary call from God or not
to preach the gospel 1

There are these four things in an ordinary call
which do make it up.

i. Knowledge of the doctrine of the Christian
religion above that of ordinary professors, 2 Tim.
iii. 16, 17. This I endeavoured to get by study,
and prayer unto the Lord ; and did attain to it in
some measure, though far below the pitch that I
would be at. My knowledge was lawfully tried by
the church, and they were satisfied.

2. Aptness to teach, some dexterity of com-
municating unto others that knowledge, 1 Tim. iii.
2 ; 2 Tim. ii. 2. This was also tried by the
church, and they were satisfied. This hath been
acknowledged by others whom I have taught ; and
God has given me some measure of it, however
small.

3. A will some way ready to take on the work
of preaching the gospel, 1 Pet. v. 2. This I had,
for anything I know, since ever the Lord dealt
with my soul, unless it was in a time of distress.

Art of Man-Fishing. 61

And though I did a long time sit the call of the
church, in not entering on trials, when they would
have had me, yet this was not for want of will but
ability for the work, and want of clearness for
entering on such a great work at that time. I had
notwithstanding some desire to that work, which
desire my conscience bears me witness, did not
arise from the desire of worldly gain \ for I would
have desired that then, and would go on in the
work now, though there were no such thing to be
had by it, yea through grace, though I should
meet with trouble for it. Neither was it the love
of vain glory, Lord, thou knowest, but that I
might be capable to do something for God. I
remember, that when I was a boy at the school, I
desired to be a preacher of the gospel, because of
all men ministers were most taken up about
spiritual things. This my desire to the work did
then run upon.

4. The call of the church, which I had without
any motion from myself, not only to enter on
trials, but, being approved, to preach the gospel
as a probationer for the ministry ; which does

D

62 A Soliloquy on the

say, that what I have done in this work, I have
not done without a call from God in an ordinary
way, and that I have not run unsent. For con-
firmation of this my call, I refer to my Diary,
some things to this purpose being noted there, all
which I cannot here set down. Perhaps, if leisure
permit, I shall extract them by themselves in
order. Blessed be the Lord that made my dark-
ness as noon day.

Secondly, Christ designed his Father's glory in
the work. It was not honour, applause, and
credit from men that he sought, but purely the
Father's glory. Men that design not this, cannot
be useful to the church, if it be not per accidens%
This all actions are to level at ; it is that which in
all things should be designed as the ultimate end.
Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye
do, do all to the glory of God. Thou seest then
that thou, O my soul, must follow Christ in this,
if thou wouldst be a fisher of men. Lift up thy
heart to this noble end, and in all, especially in
thy preaching of the gospel, keep this before thine
eyes. Beware of seeking thy own glory by

Art of Man-Fishing. 6$

preaching. Look not after popular applause ; if
thou do, thou hast thy reward (Matth. vi. 2), look
for no more. O my soul, invert not the order,
Cant. viii. 12, "Thou, O Solomon, must have a
thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof
two hundred." Have a care of taking a thousand
to thyself, and giving God only two hundred.
Let his honour be before thine eyes ; trample on
thy own credit and reputation, and sacrifice it, if
need be, to God's honour. And to help thee to
this, consider,

1. That all thou hast is given thee of God.
What hast thou that thou hast not received ?
What an unreasonable thing is it then not to use
for his glory what he gives thee ; yea, what ingra-
titude is it ? and dost thou not hate the character
of an ungrateful person? Ingratut?i si dixeris,
omnia dixeris.

2. Consider that what thou hast is a talent'
given thee by thy great Master to improve till he
comes again. If thou improve it for him, then
thou shalt get thy reward. If thou wilt make thy
own gain thereby, and what thou shouldst improve

64 A Soliloquy on the

for him, thou improve for thyself, what canst thou
look for then but that God shall take thy talent
from thee, and command to cast thee as an un-
profitable and unfaithful servant into utter dark-
ness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth ? God has given some great talents ; if
they improve them for vain-glory to themselves to
gain the popular applause, or the Hosannas of the
learned, and so sacrifice all to their own net ;
what a sad meeting will such have at the great
day with Christ? What master would endure
that servant, to whom he has given money where-
with to buy a suit of good clothes to his master,
if he should take that money, and buy therewith
a suit to himself, which his master should have
had? How can it be thought that God will
suffer to go unpunished such a preacher as he has
given a talent of gifts to, if he shall use these
merely to gain a stipend or applause to himself
therewith, not respecting the glory of his Master?
Woe to thee, O my soul, if thou take this path
wherein destroyers of men's souls and of their own

go.

Art of Man-Fishing. 65

3. Consider that the applause of the world is
nothing worth. It is hard to be gotten ; for
readily the applause of the unlearned is given to
him whom the learned despise, and the learned
applaud him whom the common people care not
for. And when it is got, what have you ? A
vain empty puff of wind. They think much of
thee, thou thinkest much of thyself, and in the
meantime God thinks nothing of thee. Remem-
ber, O my soul, what Christ said to the Pharisees,
Luke xvi. 15, "Ye are they which justify your-
selves before men, but God knoweth your hearts.
For that which is highly esteemed among men, is
an abomination in the sight of God." Let this
scare thee from seeking thyself.

4. Consider, that seeking thy own glory is a
dreadful and abominable thing. (1.) In that thou
then puttest thyself in God's room. His glory
should be that which thou shouldst aim at, but-
then thy base self must be sacrificed too. O
tremble at this, O my soul, and split not on this
rock, otherwise thou shalt be dashed in pieces.
(2.) In that it is the most gross dissembling with

66 A Soliloquy on the

God that can be. Thou pretendest to preach
Christ to a people ; but seeking thy own glory,
thou preachest thyself, and not him. Thou
pretendest to be commending Christ and the ways
of God to souls, and yet in the meantime thou
commendest thyself. Will Christ sit with such a
mocking of him ? O my soul, beware of it ; look
not for it, but for his glory. Who would not take
it for a base affront, to send a servant or a friend
to court a woman for him, if he should court her
for himself? And will not Christ be avenged on
self-preaching ministers much more ? (3.) In
that it is base treachery and cruelty to the souls
of hearers, when a man seeks to please their fancy
more than to gain their souls, to get people to
approve him more than to get them to approve
themselves to God. This is a soul-murdering
way, and it is dear-bought applause that is won by
the blood of souls. O my soul, beware of this.
Let them call thee what they will ; but seek thou
God's glory and their good.

5. Consider that so to do is a shrewd sign of a
graceless, Christless, and faithless heart, John v.

Art of Man- Fishing. 67

44. How can ye believe, that receive honour one of
another, and seek not the honour that comet h fro?n
God only ? A grain of faith will cure this light-
ness of the head and heart.

6. Consider, 0 my soul, thy own vileness?
What art thou but a poor lump of clay, as to thy
body, that will soon return to the dust, and be a
sweet morsel for the worms that now thou
tramplest upon ! Hast thou not seen how loath-
some the body is many times in life, by filthy boils
and other noisome diseases, and after death what
an ugly aspect it has ? Forget not the sight that
thou sawest once in the churchyard of Dunse,
how a body, perhaps sometime beautiful, was like
thin mortar, but much more vile and abominable.
The time will come that thou wilt be such thyself.
But what art thou as to thy heart, but a vile, base,
and ugly thing, so many filthy idols to be found
there, like a swarm of the worst of vermin ? Art
thou not as a cage full of unclean birds ! What*
thoughtest thou of thyself on Monday night, Jan.
16, 1699? What unbelief sawest thou there,
what baseness of every kind? And what day goes

68 A Soliloquy on the

over thee, but thou seest still something in thee
to humble thee ? And what wast thou that God
has employed in this work ? Those that were
sometime thy fellows are mean and despised; and
wilt thou for all this seek thy own glory ? Woe
unto thee if thou dost so.

7. Consider, That "Him that honoureth God,
God will honour; but he that despiseth him,
shall be lightly esteemed." Have respect, O my
soul, with Moses, to the recompense of reiuard, and
beware of preferring thy own to the interest of
Christ, lest thou be classed among those that seek
their own, and not the things of Christ.

8. Lastly, Consider what Christ has done for
thee. Forget not his goodness, his undeserved
goodness to such a base wretch as thou art. Re-
member him from the land of the Hermonites,
and from Mizar-hill ; and let love to him pre-
dominate in thee, and thou shalt then be helped
to sacrifice all to his glory.

Thirdly, Christ had the good of souls in his
eye. He came to seek and save that which was
lost; he came to seek the lost sheep of the house

Art of Man-Fishmg. 69

of Israel. So he sent out the apostle to open the
eyes of the blind, to tur?i them froiti darkness to
light, and from the powtr of Satan unto God.
Follow Christ in this, O my soul, that thou mayst
be a fisher of men. When thou studiest thy
sermons, let the good of souls be before thee ;
when thou preachest, let this be thy design, to
endeavour to recover lost sheep, to get some
brands plucked out of the burning ; to get some
converted, and brought in to thy Master. Let
that be much in thy mind, and be concerned for
that, whatever doctrine thou preachest. Consider,
O my soul, for this effect,

1. What the design of the gospel is. What is
it but this ? This is the finis operis ; and if it be
not the finis operand's, it is very lamentable. It
is the everlasting gospel that Christ has made
manifest, declaring the will of God concerning the
salvation of man.

2. Consider wherefore God did send thee out.
Was it to win a livelihood to thyself? Woe to
them that count gain godliness ; that will make
the gospel merely subservient to their temporal

70 A Soliloquy on the

wants. Rather would I perish for want than win
bread that way. Well then, was it not to the
effect thou mightst labour to gain souls to Christ?
Yea, it was. Have a care then that thou be not
like some that go to a place, being sent thither by
their master, but forget their errand, when they
come there, and trifle away their time in vanity
and fooleries.

3. Consider the worth of souls. If thou re-
member that, thou canst not but have an eye to
their good. The soul is a precious thing : which
appears if thou consider, (1.) Its noble endow-
ments, adorned with understanding, capable to
know the highest object; will to choose the same;
affections to pursue after it, to love God, hate sin,
in a word, to glorify God here, and to enjoy him
here and hereafter. (2.) It must live or die for
ever. It shall either enjoy God through all the
ages of eternity, or remain in endless torments
for evermore. (3.) No worldly gain can counter-
balance the loss of it. "What shall it profit a
man, if he should gain the whole world, and lose
his own soul ? or what shall a man give in ex-

Art of Man-Fishing. 7 1

change for his soul?" (4.) It cost Christ his
precious blood ere it could be redeemed. It
behoved him to bear the Father's wrath, that the
elect should have borne through all eternity ; and
no less would redeem it. So that the redemption
of the soul is indeed precious. (5.) Christ courts
the soul. He stands at the door, and knocks, to
get in. The devil courts it with his baits and
allurements. And wilt thou, O my soul, be un-
concerned for the good of that which is so much
courted by Christ and the devil both ? Be
ashamed to stand as an unconcerned spectator,
lest thou show thyself none of the Bridegroom's
friends.

4. Consider the hazard that souls are in. Oh !
alas, the most part are going on in the high way
to destruction, and that blind-folded. Endeavour
then to draw off the veil. They are as brands in
the fire : wilt thou then be so cruel as not to be
concerned to pluck them out ? If so, thou shalt
burn with them, world without end, in the fire of
God's vengeance, and the furnace of his wrath,

72 A Soliloquy 071 the

that shall.be seven times more hot for uncon-
cerned preachers than others.

5. Consider what a sad case thou thyself wast
in, when Christ concerned himself for thy good.
Thou wast going on in the way to hell as blind
as a mole ; at last Christ opened thine eyes, and
let thee see thy hazard, by a preacher (worthy
Mr. H. Erskine) that was none of the unconcerned
Gallios, who spared neither his body, his credit,
nor reputation, to gain thee, and the like of thee.
And wilt thou preach unconcerned for others?
I should abhor myself as the vilest monster, in so
doing. Lord, my soul rises at it when I think on
it. My soul hates, and loathes that way of
preaching : but without thee, I can do nothing.
Lord, rather strike me dumb, than suffer me to
preach unconcerned for the good of souls ; for if
dumb, I should murder neither my own soul, nor
those of others.

6. Consider that unconcernedness for the good
of souls in preaching, argues, (1.) A dead lifeless
heart, a loveless soul, with respect to Christ. If
thou hast any life or love to Christ, darest thou

Art of Man-Fishing. 73

be unconcerned in this matter ? Nay, sure, he
that has life will move ; and he that hath love,
will be concerned for the propagating of Christ's
kingdom. (2.) Unbelief of the threatenings of
God especially. For if thou believe that the
wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the
nations that forget God, thou canst not preach to
them as if thou wert telling a tale. If thou be-
lieve that they must depart into everlasting fire,
thy heart will not be so frozen as to be uncon-
cerned for them. The sight of it by faith will
thaw thy frozen heart. (3.) A stupid heart, and
so a hateful frame. Who would not abhor a
watchman that saw the enemy coming on, if he
should bid them only in the general provide to
resist their enemies, or should tell them that the
enemy were coming on, so unconcernedly as they
might see he cared not whether they should live
or perish ? And what a hateful stupidity is it in
a preacher of the gospel to be unconcerned for
souls, when they are in such hazard ?

7. The devil shames such preachers. He goes
about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may

74 A Soliloquy on the

devour ; and they, set to keep souls, creep about
like a snail. He is in earnest when he tempts ;
but such are unconcerned whether people hear,
or forbear to hear their invitations, reproofs, etc.
Yea, how concerned are the devil's ministers that
agent his business for him ? They will compass
sea and land to gain one proselyte. And shall
the preachers of the gospel be unconcerned ?

8. If it be so that thou be unconcerned for the
good of souls, it seems thou earnest not in by the
door, but hast broken over the wall, and art but
a thief and a robber, John x. i, compared with
verse 12, " He that is an hireling, seeth the wolf
coming, fleeth, and leaveth the sheep, and the
wolf catcheth them." Ver. 15, "The hireling
fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not
for the sheep." O my soul, if at any time thou
findest thy heart unconcerned then, not having
the good of souls before thee, remember this.

9. Lastly, thou canst not expect God's help, if
thou forgettest thy errand. Hast thou not known
and experienced, that these two, God's help in
preaching, and a concernedness for the good of

Art of Man-Fishing. 75

souls, have gone with thee pari passu ? O my
soul, then endeavour to be much in following of
Christ this way, setting the good of souls before
thine eyes ; and if thou dost so, thou mayst be a
fisher of men, though thou knowest it not.

Fourthly, Christ had not only the good of souls
before his eyes, but he was much affected with
their case ; it lay heavy on his spirit. There are
these four things wherein this appeared, that
occur to me, with which he was much affected.

1. He had compassion on the multitude, be-
cause they were as sheep without a shepherd,
Matth. ix. 36. That the people wanted true
pastors, was affecting to him ; he had compassion
on them. Follow Christ in this, O my soul ; pity
them that wander as sheep without a shepherd.
And let this consideration move thee, when thou
goest to preach in planted congregations, where
thou wilt even see many that are wandering,
though they have faithful pastors. Look on
them as sheep not better for them than if they
wanted a shepherd. But especially when thou
goest to vacant congregations, pity them, com-

76 A Soliloquy on the

miserate their case, as sheep wanting a shepherd ;
which no doubt will be a notable means to make
thee improve well the little time allowed thee for
gathering them in. Be affected with their case ;
and, for this end, consider,

(i.) That such are in a perishing condition :
Where no vision is, the people perish. They are
ignorant, no wonder, they have none to instruct
them; they have lean souls, no wonder, they have
none to break the bread of life to them ; they
wander from God's way, they have none to watch
over them, and so the devil takes his opportunity.

(2.) Consider that foi the most part here at
least [this was written while I preached in the
presbytery of Stirling] people are deprived of
watchmen, in regard of the malignancy and tick-
lishness of their superiors ; so that though the
people would ever so gladly receive one to break
the bread of life to them, yet they cannot get their
will, by reason of these keeping it from them.
It would make thy heart to relent if thou sawest a
child that would be content to have a pedagogue
/to guide him, seeing he acknowledges he cannot

Art of Man-Fishing. 7 7

do it himself, if notwithstanding his tutor should
not allow him one, but stand in the way of it, and
so the child be lost for want of a pedagogue. So,
O my soul, commiserate thou the case of those
who would fain have one to watch over their
souls, but yet they that should employ their
authority, power, wit, etc., to find out one for
them, either lie by or oppose the same.

(3.) Consider the many souls that go out of
time into eternity, during the time that they want
a shepherd. They have none to instruct them,
none to let them see their hazard, none to comfort
them when death comes, but they slip away, many
of them at least, as the brutes that perish. Thou
hast found this to have been a cause of thy com-
miserating such before now, when thou hast
spoken to such being a dying. If this be well
considered, and laid to heart, thou canst not but
pity them on that very account, which will stir
thee up to employ the little time thou hast
among them, so as they may be fitted for death.

2. Christ wept, because people in their day did
not know, i.e., do, the things that belonged to

E

78 A Soliloquy on the

their peace, Luke xix. 41, 42. When he thought
upon this their stupidity, it made the tears trinkle
down his precious cheeks. O my soul, thou hast
this ground of mourning, this day, wherever thou
goest. Who are they that are concerned to do
what is necessary to be done in order to their
peace with God ? Few or none are brought in to
Christ. It is rare to hear now of a soul converted,
but most part are sleeping on in their sins in this
their day, like to sit the day of God's patience
with them, till patience be turned into fury.
Many heart-melting considerations to this purpose
may be found. I shall only say this in cumulo,
that such a case is most deplorable, in the noon-
tide of the day that people should venture on the
feud of such a dreadful enemy as God is, and
should sit as quiet even when the sword of
vengeance is hanging by a hair over their heads,
and notwithstanding that every day may be, for
ought I know, their last day, every sermon the
last that ever they shall hear, and that ere the
next day these enemies shall be made to rencoun-
ter with the terrible and dreadful Majesty, who

Art of Man-Fishing. 79

shall go through them as thorns and briers, and
burn them up together, by the fire of his wrath,
world without end. O my soul, how canst thou
think of this, and not be more affected with the
case of people as they are now-a-days ? Sure, if
thou couldst weep, here is ground enough for
tears of blood.

3. He was grieved for the hardness of people's
hearts, Mark iii. 5. It was ground of grief to the
Lord Jesus, that people were so hardened that no
means used for their amendment would do them
good. Follow Christ in this, O my soul ; be
grieved and affected with the hardness of the
hearts of this generation. O what hardness of
heart mayst thou see in every corner whither thou
goest, and where thou preachest, most part being
as unconcerned as the very stones of the wall ;
and say what thou wilt, either by setting before
them alluring promises or dreadful threatenings,
yet people are hardened against both, none
relenting for what they have done, or concerned
about it, though thou wouldst preach till thy eyes
leap out. O happy they whose time God has

8o A Soliloquy on the

brought to a period, and taken to himself!
Happy servants whom God has called out of the
vineyard before the ground grow so hard that
almost all labour was in vain ! This is a time of
mourning for the preachers of the gospel, for
people are strangely hardened. Which is the
more lamentable, O my soul, if thou consider (i.)
What God has done even for this generation.
He has taken off from our necks the yoke of
tyranny and arbitrary power, and has given
deliverance from Prelatic bondage ; and yet for
all this the generation is hardened. (2.) If thou
consider how the Lord has been dealing with us
by rods. For some time there was great dearth
of fodder for beasts ; yet that stirred us not up.
Afterwards was death of cattle ; yet we have not
returned to the Lord. Then followed death of
men, women, and children. He has sent blasting
among our corns. This is now, I suppose, the
fourth year of our dearth. And for all these
things we remain hardened. O Lord, thou hast
stricken them, but they have not grieved ; thou hast
consumed them, but they refuse to receive correction;

Art of Man-Fishing. 81

they make their faces harder than a rock, they
refuse to return. What shall be the end of such
hardness as this ? (3.) It is yet more lamentable,
in regard the plague of hardness seems to be
universal. It is not only the wicked, or openly
profane, or those that have no religion, but the
professors of religion that are hardened in part.
Oh my soul, this is a day wherein Scotland's
pillars are like to fail, a day wherein the hands of
our Moseses are like to fall, and Amalek is like
to prevail. Many professors desire to hear the
causes of God's wrath searched into, but they are
not mourning over them ; and truly it is most
lamentable, that those among us who as so many
Joshuas should be discovering the Achans in our
camp, that are the troublers of Israel, by a strange
kind of dealing are very wary in meddling there-
with, or to show them unto people. And it is
much to be feared, that there are among us some
accursed things that are not yet found out. O
that God would put it in the hearts of Zion's
watchmen to discover what these Achans are, and
that preachers were obliged even by the church'

82 A Soliloquy on the

to speak more freely of the sins of the land. But,
alas ! O Lord, why hast thou hardened all of us
from thy fear? (4.) If thou consider, that this
hardness of heart is a token of sad things yet to
come. Who hath hardened himself against God,
and prospered! Job x. 4. Alas ! it is a sad
prognostic of a further stroke, that seeing we will
not be softened either by word or rod, therefore
the Lord will thus do to us ; and seeing he will
do thus, we may prepare to meet the Lord coming
in a way of more severe judgment against us.
Sad it is already ; many families are in a deplor-
able condition, and yet nothing bettered by the
stroke ; and what a sad face will this land have,
if it be continued? Spare, O Lord, thine in-
heritance, thy covenanted people, and make us
rather fall on such methods as may procure the
removal of the stroke. These, and many other
things, O my soul, may indeed make thee grieved
for the hardness of this generation.

Fifthly y Christ was much in prayer ; and that,
1. Before he preached, as Luke ix. 18. Follow
him in this, O my soul. Thou hast much need

Art of Man-Fishing. 83

to pray before thou preachest. Be busy with God
in prayer, when thou art thinking on dealing with
the souls of men. Let thy sermons be sermons
of many prayers. Well doth prayer become every
Christian, but much more a preacher of the gos-
pel. Three things, said Luther, make a divine,
tentatio, meditatio, et prscatio. Be stirred up, O
my soul, to this necessary work ; and for this end
consider,

1. That thou canst not otherwise say of thy
preaching, Thus saith the Lord. How wilt thou
get a word from God, if thou do not seek it ; and
how canst thou seek it but by earnest prayer ? If
otherwise, thou mayst get something that is the
product of thy empty head to mumble over before
the people, and spend a little time with them in
the church. But O it is a miserable preaching
where the preacher can say, Thus say I to youy
but no more ; and cannot say, Thus saith the
Lord.

2. Consider thy own insufficiency and weak-
ness, together with the weight of the work, Who
is sufficient for these things ? which if thou do,

84 A Soliloquy on the

thou wilt not dare study without prayer, nor yet
pray without study, when God allows thee time
for both. It is a weighty work to bring sinners in
to Christ, to pluck the brands out of the fire.
Hast thou not great need then to be serious with
God before you preach ?

3. Consider that word, Jer. xxiii. 22. "But if
they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my
people to hear my words, then they should have
turned them from their evil way." There is no
doubt but preachers not standing in God's coun-
sel this day, and not making men to hear God's
words, is one great reason of the unsuccessfulness
of the gospel. Now this way, to wit, prayer in
faith, is the most proper expedient for acquaint-
ance with the counsel of God. Neglect it not
then. O my soul, but be much in the duty.

Lastly, Remember, that thou hast found much
good of such a practice, and hast found much of
the Lord's help both in studying and preaching,
by so doing. For which cause thou allottest the
Sabbath morning entirely to that exercise, and
meditation, if thou canst get it done. Wherefore

Art of Man-Fishing. 85

let this be thy work. And there are these things
which thou wouldst specially mind to pray for
with respect to this.

(1.) That thou mayst have a word from the
Lord to deliver unto them ; that thou mayst not
preach to them the product of thy own wisdom,
and that which merely flows from thy reason ; for
this is poor heartless preaching.

(2.) That thy soul may be affected with the
case of the people to whom thou preachest. If
that be wanting, it will be tongue preaching, but
not heart-preaching.

(3.) That thy heart may be inflamed with zeal
for the glory of thy Master ; that out of love to
God, and love to souls thy preaching may flow.

(4.) That the Lord may preach it into thy own
heart, both when thou studiest and deliverest it.
For if this be not, thou shalt be like one that
feeds others, but starves himself for hunger ; or
like a way-mark, that shows the way to men, but
never moves a foot itself.

(5.) That thou mayst be helped to deliver it ;
and that (1.) With a suitable frame, thy heart

86 A Soliloquy on the

being affected with what thou speakest; (2.)
Faithfully, keeping up nothing that the Lord gives
thee ; and (3.) Without confusion of mind, or
fear of man.

(6.) That thou mayst have bodily strength
allowed for the work, that thy indisposition dis-
turb thee not.

Lastly, That God would countenance thee in
the work with his presence and power in ordin-
ances, to make the word spoken a convincing and
converting word to them that are out of Christ ; a
healing word to the broken ; confirming to the
weak, doubting and staggering ones, etc. ; that
God himself would drive the fish into the net,
when thou spreadest it out. In a word, that thou
mayst be helped to approve thyself to God, as a
workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.

2. After preaching, Christ was taken up in this
work, Mark vi. 46, Matth. xiv. 23, And when he
had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a
mountain apart to pray. Follow Christ in this,
O my soul. It is better to do this, than go away

Art of Man- Fishing. 87

with the great people in the afternoon ; which I
shun as much as I can ; and when at any time I
do it, it is a kind of torment to me ; which I have
shunned, and do resolve to shun more ; and if at
any time I be necessitated to go, that I shall
spend more time alone through grace. Pray to
God, O my soul, that thy labours be not unsuc-
cessful ; that what thou hast delivered, may not
be as water spilt on the ground. Pray for pardon
of thy failings in public duties ; and that God
may accept of thy mite which thou givest with a
willing mind ; that he would not withdraw his
blessing because of thy failings ; but that he would
be pleased to water with the dew of heaven the
ground wherein thou didst sow the seed, that it
may spring up in due time ; that the word
preached may be as a nail fastened by the Master
of assemblies, so as the devil may not be able to
draw it out. Think not, O my soul, that thy
work is over, and thou hast no more to do when
the people are dismissed. No, no ; it is not so.
Think with thyself, that the devil was as busy as
thou wast, when thou wast preaching; and that

88 A Soliloquy on the

afterwards he is not idle. And shall he be work-
ing to undo thy work, and thou unconcerned to
hold it together ? O no, it must not be so ; God
will not be pleased with this. And alas ! I have
been too slack in this point before this : Lord,
help me to amend. If a man had a servant that
would go out and sow his seed very diligently and
faithfully ; but would come in, and sit down idle
when it is sown, and forget to harrow it, and hide
it with the earth ; would the master be well
pleased with him ? yea, would he not be highly
displeased, because the fowls would come and
pick it up ? So, O my soul, if thou shouldst be
never so much concerned to get good seed, and
never so faithful and diligent in sowing it ; yet if
after thou turn careless, and take not the way to
cover it, by serious seeking to the Lord, that he
may keep it in the hearts of people, and make it
to prosper, the devil may pick it all up ; and
where is thy labour then ; and how will the Lord
be pleased with thee ! Therefore pray more
frequently, cry more fervently to God, when the
public work is over, than thou hast done; and

Art of Man-Fishing. 89

endeavour to be as much concerned when it is
over, as when thou wast going to it. I do not
doubt, but many times, when thou preachest,
some get checks and convictions of guilt ; some
perhaps are strengthened ; but both impressions
wear off very soon. I fear thou must confess, and
take with a sinful hand in this, in that thou dost
not enough labour to get the seed covered when
it is sown, and the nail driven farther in when it
is entered. Though many times thy body is
wearied after the public work, yet sure thou mayst
do more than thou dost ; and if thy soul were
more deeply affected, the weariness of body
would not be so much in thy mind ; but thou
wouldst trample on it, that thou might get good
done by thy work, and souls might not always
thus be robbed by that greedy vulture and roaring
lion, the enemy of thy own salvation, and the
salvation of others. Although he has been as
busy to do harm all the day to souls as thou hast
been to do good, yet he will not complain of
weariness at night. Take courage then, O my
soul, and be strong in the Lord ; and do not give

90 A Soliloquy on the

it over to this enemy ; endeavour to hold him at
the staffs end. Thou hast a good second ; Christ
is concerned for his own seed as well as thou.
Go on then, and be strong in the Lord, and in the
power of his might, and let that ravenous fowl
never get a grain away as long as thou canst get
it kept from him. Thus then, O my soul, follow
Christ, in being taken up in this so necessary an
exercise. Thy Lord and Master had no wants to
get made up, there was no fear of his failing in
this work of the gospel ; yet he prayed, to give
all, and especially preachers of his word, an
example. Lay not aside the pattern then, but
write after his copy even in this.

Sixthly, Christ contemned the world. He
slighted it as not meet for any of his followers.
He became poor, that we might become rich,
Matth. viii. 20. He gave himself entirely, at
least after his inauguration, to matters that con-
cerned the calling he had to the work of the
gospel, John ix. 4. All, especially preachers, are
to follow Christ in the contempt of the world.
Yet we must beware of imitating him in those

Art of Man- Fishing. 91

things which we are not commanded to follow, as
voluntary poverty, this being a part of his satis-
faction for the sins of the elect. Neither doth
this exempt the preachers of the gospel from a
lawful provision of things necessary for them-
selves, or others they are concerned in ; for the
apostle tells us, that he is worse than an infidel,
who doth not provide for his family, 1 Tim. v. 8,
where church-men are not excepted. Yea, it is
clear that the ministers of the gospel may some-
times work with their hands for their maintenance,
either when the iniquity of the times wherein they
live does not allow them what may be for their
maintenance, or when the taking of it will hinder
the propagation of the gospel, as is clear by the
practice of the apostle Paul. So that that in
which, with respect to this, thou art to follow
Christ, O my soul, is, that thou do not needlessly
involve thyself in worldly matters, to the hindrance
of the duties of thy calling and station. As thou
art a preacher of the gospel, other things must
cede and give place to that. This is that which
our Lord teaches us, Matth. viii. 22, Follow thou

92 A Soliloquy o?i the

me ; and let the dead bury their dead: and the
apostle, 2 Tim. ii. 4, No man that warreth en-
tangleth himself with the affairs of this life. Which
was a thing not observed by some, especially our
bishops, who acted as magistrates, as well as
ministers ; a thing which our Lord absolutely
refused; Who made me a judge or a ruler 1 says
he ; yet digested by them, being an infallible sign
of their ignorance of the weight of that work.
And in my opinion it is not observed either by
some ministers now-a-days, who when they have
their glebes and stipends sufficient for their main-
tenance, do notwithstanding take more land
a-farming. For my part, I see not how such can
be said not to entangle themselves with the affairs
of this life, and go beyond what doth become
them as ministers of the gospel. Neither of these
are my temptation now, being a probationer.
But seeing I am unsettled, a corrupt heart and a
subtle devil may take advantage of me, if I be
not wary, and by their arguments from my present
state may cast me off my feet, if I take not heed.
Therefore, O my soul,

Art of Man-Fishing. 93

1. Beware of preaching smoothly upon the
account of getting a call from any parish. Have
a care, that the want of that, viz., a call, do not
put thee upon men-pleasing. No, no ; that must
not be thy business. Remember, God provides
for thee even now liberally, as he sees fit. Thou
dost not want even so much of the world as is
very necessary; and he that has provided for thee
hitherto, yea, took thee, and kept thee from the
womb, will not forsake thee as long as thou dost
not forsake him, but remaineth faithful. Remem-
ber, God hath set the bounds of thy habitation,
and determined the time. Though men and
devils should oppose it, they shall not be able to
hinder it. It is God himself that sets the solitary
in families ; and why shouldst thou go out of
God's way to procure such a thing to thyself, or
to antedate the time which is appointed of God ;
Go on in faithfulness, fear not ; God can make,
yea will make a man's enemies to be his friends,
when his ways please the Lord. And though
their corruptions disapprove of thy doctrine,
and thyself for it, yet their consciences may

94 A Soliloquy on the

be made to approve it, and God may bind
them up, that they shall not appear against
thee. And what though thou shouldst never
be settled in any charge at all ? Christ and his
apostles were itinerants. If the Lord see it fit,
why shouldst thou be against it? If the Lord
have something to do with thee in diverse corners
of his vineyard, calling thee sometimes to one
place, sometimes to another, thou art not to
quarrel that. Perhaps thou mayest do more good
that way than otherwise. If thou hadst been
settled at home, then some souls here, which per-
haps have got good of thy preaching, would have
been deprived of it at least as from thee ; and
God will always give thee meat as long as he
gives thee work; and go where thou wilt, thou
canst not go out of thy Father's ground. Further,
if thou shouldst take that way, and transgress for
a piece of bread, thou mayst come short of thy
expectation for all that, and lose both the world
and a good conscience. But suppose thou
shouldst by that means gain a call and a good
stipend, thou losest a good conscience, which is

Art of Man-Fishing. 95

a continual feast. For how can such a practice
be excused from simony, seeing it is munus a
lingua; and it is a certain symptom that a
preacher seeks not them, but theirs ; and so thou
gettest it, and the curse of God with it. No ;
Lord, in thy strength, 1 resolve never to buy ease
and wealth at such a dear rate.

2. Beware that thou close with no call upon
the account of stipend. Lay that by when thou
considerest the matter. See what clearness thou
canst get from the Lord, when any call may be
given thee, and walk according to his mind, and
the mind of the church. Woe is me if a stipend
should be that which should engage me to a
place. I would shew myself a wretched creature.
Consider matters then abstracting from that. For
surely,

(1.) This is direct simony ; selling the gift of
God for money. Let their money perish with
themselves that will adventure to do so. Such
are buyers and sellers, that God will put out of his
temple. Such are mere hirelings, working for

96 A Soliloquy on the

wages ; and too much of Balaam's temper is to be
found there.

(2.) That will provoke God to curse your
blessings, and to send a moth among that which
thou mayst get ; and it surely will provoke God
to send leanness to thy soul, as he did with the
Israelites in the wilderness, when he gave them
what they were seeking.

(3.) Thou canst not expect God's blessing on
thy labours, but rather that thou shouldst be a
plague to a people whom you so join with. In a
word, thou wouldst go in the wrong way, and be
discountenanced of God, when you have under-
taken the charge.

There is yet a third case wherein this contempt
or slighting of the world should appear in one
sent to preach the gospel ; that is, when a man is
settled, and has encouragement or stipend coming
in to him, and so must needs have worldly busi-
ness done, especially if he be not single, whereby
he is involved in more trouble thereabouts, than
any in my circumstances for the time are. In
such a case a minister would endeavour to meddle

Art of Man-Fishing. 97

as little as he can with these things, but shun them
as much as lies in him, especially if he have any
to whom he can well trust the management of his
affairs. For surely the making of bargains or
pursuing them are not the fit object of a minister's
employment. Not that I mean simply a man
may not do that, and yet be a fisher of men ; but
that many times the man that takes such trouble
in the things of the world to catch them, indis-
poses himself for the art of man-fishing. But this
not being my case, I pass it, referring any rules in
this case how to walk till the Lord be pleased so
to tryst me, if ever. Only do thou, O my soul,
follow Christ in the contempt of the world. Do
not regard it. Thou mayst use it as a staff in
thine hand, but not as a burden on thy back,
otherwise the care of souls will not be much in
thy heart. And to help thee to this contempt of
the world, consider,

(1.) The vanity of the world. Solomon knew
well what it was to have abundance, yet he calls
all vanity of vanities ', all is but vanity. The world
is a very empty thing, it cannot comfort the soul'

98 A Soliloquy on the

under distress. No ; the body it can do no good
to when sore diseases do afflict it. The world
cannot profit a man in the day of wrath. When
God arises to plead with a person, his riches avail
nothing. When he lies down on a death-bed,
they can give him no comfort, though all his
cofffers were full. When he stands before the
tribunal of God, they profit him nothing. Why
then should such an useless and vain thing be
esteemed ?

(2.) Consider that the love of the world where
it predominates, is a sign of want of love to God :
If any man love the worlds the love of the Father is
not in him. Yea, even in a gracious soul, in so
far as the love of the world sways the heart, in so
far doth the love of God decay. They are as the
scales of the balance, as the one goes up, the
other goes down.

(3.) Consider the uncertainty of worldly things.
They are as a bird that takes the wings of the
morning, and flees away. Set not thy heart then
on that which is not. How many and various
changes as to the outward state are in a man's

Art of Man- Fishing. 99

life ! The beggar may well say, Hodie mini, eras
tibi. Men sometimes vile are exalted, honourable
men are depressed ; and the world is indeed
volubilis rota ; that part which is now up, shall ere
long be down. Seest thou not that there is no
constancy to be observed in the world, save a
constant inconstancy ! All things go on in a con-
stant course of vicissitude. Nebuchadnezzar in
one hour is walking with an uplifted heart in his
palace, saying, Is not this great Babylon that T
have built, etc. ? and the next driven from men, and
made to eat grass as an ox. Herod in great
pomp makes an oration, the people cry out, 77 is
the voice of a God, and not of a man^ and he is
immediately eaten up of worms. The rich man
to-day fares sumptuously on earth, and to-morrow
cannot get a drop of water to cool his tongue.

(4.) Consider the danger that people are in by
worldly things, when they have more than daily
bread. The rich man in Luke xii. felt this to be
a stumbling-block on which he broke his neck.
The young man in the gospel, for love of what he
had of the world, parted with Christ, heaven, and

ioo A Soliloquy on the

glory, and so made a sad exchange. Prosperity
in the world is a dangerous thing ; it is that which
destroys fools ; Pro v. i. 32. When Jeshurun waxed
fat, he kicked against God, and forgat the Lord
that fed him, Deut. xxxii. 15. It was better for
David when he was on the one side of the hill,
and his enemies on the other, and so in great
danger, than when he was walking at ease
on his house-top, when he espied Bathsheba.
And of this, O my soul, thou hast had the ex-
perience. Our Lord tells us, that it is very hard
for a rich man to be saved ; and teaches us that
it is hard to have riches and not set the heart
on them. What care and toil do men take to
themselves to get them ! what anxiety are they
exercised with, and how do they torment them-
selves to keep them ! and when they are got and
kept, all is not opera pretium to them. Many by
riches and honour, etc., have lost their bodies,
and more have lost their souls. It exposes men
to be the object of others, as Naboth was even for
his vineyard ; and who can stand before envy ?
Prov. xxvii. 4. See 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10. This

Art of Man- Fishing. 101

ruined Naboth, i Kings xxi., Da ebolum Belisario^
quern virtus extuiit, invidia depressit. So that he
that handles the world, can very hardly come
away with clean fingers. It is a snake in the
bosom, that, if God prevent it not by his grace,
may sting thy soul to death.

5. Remember the shortness and the uncertainty
of thy time. Thou art a tenant at will, and know-
est not how soon thou mayst remove ; and thou
canst carry nothing with thee. Therefore having
food and raiment (which the Lord does not let
thee want), be therewith content, 1 Tim. vi. 7, 8.
Thou art a stranger in this earth, going home to
thy Father's house, where there will be no need
of such things as the world affords. Why shouldst
thou then, O my soul, desire any more than will
carry thee to thy journey's end ? Art thou going
to set up thy tent on this side Jordan to dwell
here ? Art thou saying, It is good for me to be
here ? Art thou so well entertained abroad, that
thou desirest not to go home? No, no. Well
then, O my soul, gird up the loins of thy mindt
Thou art making homeward, and thy Father bids

102 A Soliloquy on the

thee run and make haste : go then, and take no
burden on thy back; lest it make thee halt by
the way, and the doors be shut ere thou reachest
home, and so thou lie without through the long
night of eternity.

And to shut up all, remember that there are
other things for thee to set thy affections on than
the things of this world. There are things above
that merit thy affections. Where is Christ, heaven
and glory, when thou lookest upon the world,
highly esteeming it ? Seest thou no beauty in it
to ravish thy heart ? Surely the more thou seest
in him, the less thou wilt see in the world. And
hath not experience confirmed this to thee?
Alas, when the beauty of the upper house is in my
offer, that ever I should have any kindness for
the world, that vile dwarf and monster, that shall
at the last be seen by me all in a fire. Sursum cor,
O my soul ! thou lookest too low. Behold the
King in his glory ; look to him that died for thee,
to save thee from this present evil world. See
him sitting at the right hand of the throne of the
Majesty in heaven. Behold the crown in his

Art of Man-Fishing. 103

hand to give thee, when thou hast overcome the
world. Behold the recompense of reward bought
to thee with his precious blood, if thou overcome.
Ah ! art thou looking after toys, and going off thy
way to gather the stones of the brook, when thou
art running for a crown of gold, yea more than
the finest gold ? Does this become a man in his
right wits? Yea, does it not rather argue mad-
ness, and a more than brutish stupidity ? The
brutes look down, but men are to look up. They
have a soul capable of higher things than what
the world affords : therefore,

Pronaque cum spectent animaiia cat era terram,
Os homini sublime dedit, ccdumque tueri

Jussit, et erectos ad sidera tollere vultus.
Be then of a more noble spirit than the earth-
worms. Let the swine feed on husks. Be thou
of a more sublime spirit : trample on those things
that are below. Art thou clothed with the sun ?
get the moon under thy feet then ; despise it,
look not on it with love, tnrn from it, and pass
away. Let it not move thee if thou be poor,
Christ had not where to lay his head. Let not

104 A Soliloquy on the

the prospect of future troublesome times make
thee solicitous how to be carried through ; for
" thou shalt not be ashamed in the evil days, and
in the days of famine thou shalt be satisfied."
God hath said it, Psal. xxxvi. 19, therefore do
thou believe it. Be not anxious about thy pro-
vision for old age, for by all appearance thou wilt
never see it. It is more than probable thou wilt
be sooner at thy journey's end. The body is
weak ; it is even stepping down to salute corrup-
tion as its mother, ere it has well entered the hall
of the world : thy tabernacle pins seem to be
drawing out by little and little already. Courage
then, O my soul ; ere long the devil, and the
world, and the flesh shall be bruised under thy
feet; and thou shalt be received into eternal
mansions. But though the Lord should lengthen
out thy days to old age, he that brought thee into
life will not forsake thee then either. If he give
thee life, he will give thee meat. Keep a loose
hold of the world then; contemn it if thou wouldst
be a fisher of men.

Art of Man-Fishing. 105

Seventhly, Christ was useful to souls in his
private converse, taking occasion to instruct, re-
buke, etc., from such things as offered. Thus he
dealt with this woman of Samaria ; he took occa-
sion from the water she was drawing, to tell her
of the living water, etc. Thus being at a feast,
he rebuked the Pharisees that chose the upper-
most seats, and instructed them in the right way
of behaviour at feasts. O my soul, follow Christ
in this. Be edifying in thy private converse.
When thou art at any time in company, let some-
thing that smells of heaven drop from thy lips.
Where any are faulty, reprove them as prudently
as thou canst ; where they appear ignorant, in-
struct them when need requires, etc. And learn
that heavenly chemistry of extracting some
spiritual thing out of earthly things. To this
purpose and for this end endeavour after a
heavenly frame, which will, as is storied of the
philosopher's stone, turn every metal into gold.
When the soul is heavenly, it will even scrape
jewels out of a dunghill ; whatever the dis-
course be, it will afford some useful thing

106 A Soliloquy on the

or another. Alas ! my soul, that thou dost
follow this example so little. O what a shame
is it for thee to sit down in company, and
rise again, and part with them, and never a word
of Christ to be heard where thou art ? Be
ashamed of this, and remember what Christ says,
Matth. x. 32, 33, " Whosoever shall confess me
before men, him will I confess also before my
Father — but whosoever shall deny me before
men, him will I also deny before my Father which
is in heaven." How many times hast thou been
somewhat exact in thy conversation when alone ;
but when in company, by the neglect of this duty,
especially of rebuking, thou hast come away with
loss and a troubled mind, because of thy faint-
heartedness this way. Amend in this, and make
thy converse more edifying, and take courage to
reprove, exhort, etc. Thou knowest not what a
seasonable admonition may do ; the Lord may be
pleased to back it with life and power.

Eighthly i Christ laid hold upon opportunities
of public preaching when they offered, as is clear
from the whole history of the gospel. He gave a

Art of Man-Fishing. 107

pattern to ministers to be instant in season and
out of season. O my soul, follow Christ in this ;
refuse not any occasion of preaching when God
calls thee to it. It is very unlike Christ's practice
for preachers of the gospel to be lazy, and slight
the opportunities of doing good to a people, when
the Lord puts opportunities in their hand. For
this end consider,

1. Besides Christ's example, that thou art
nothing worth in the world, in so far as thou art
lazy. What for serve we, if we are not serviceable
for God ?

2. It may provoke God to take away thy talent
and give it to another, if thou be not active.
Whatever talent the Lord hath given thee, it must
be employed in his service. He gave it not thee
to hide it in a napkin. Remember what became
of the unprofitable servant that hid his Lord's
money.

3. Thou knowest not when thy Master shall
come. And blessed is that servant whom, when
his Lord shall come, he shall find so doing. If-
Christ should come and find thee idle, when he

10S A Soliloquy,

is calling thee to work, how wilt thou be able to
look him in the face ? They are well that die at
Christ's work.

END Or THE SOLILOQUY.