The works of George Swinnock, M.A

Once more, And the fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee. Though they are mute Masters, yet they are great Teachers; They declare unto thee, 1. The Affection and communion that ought to be amongst Saints; Fish of the same kind flock together in Shoals; The Greek word for Fish is, [Greek or Hebrew], which is derived as some think, from [Greek or Hebrew], to come, and [Greek or Hebrew] to be carried with force and violence, so the Fish swim in troops with great force. The safety of Saints consisteth much in their society. 2. The misery of want of government. The greater Fish devour the lesser; The Pike feed upon ⟨p. 458⟩Roach; Thou makest men like Fishes of the Sea that have no government, Hab. 1. 14. So Men without Magistrates, like Cannibals, feed on each other. 3. The folly of men that take not warning by others. Silly fish are caught by the Angle or Net, and carried to the fire, yet they that remain are still greedy of the bait; Satan takes some sinners with the snares and baits of his temptations, jerks them out of the water of life, and casteth them into the unquenchable fire, yet those that survive are as ready to hearken to his suggestions, as if there were no such thing, Eccles. 9. 12. 2 Tim. 2. 26. For man knoweth not his time, as the fishes that are taken in an evil Net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. That they may recover themselves out of the snares of the Devil, who are taken captive at his will. 4. The subtle malice of Satan; When thou seest the Fisher baiting his hook, thou mayst think of the policy of the Devil, who sugars over his poisoned hooks with seeming profit and pleasures. Eves Apple was candied over with Divine knowledge; Ye shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil. 5. The multitude of Believers that are begotten by the Gospel; When the Psalmist speaks of the Sea, he saith, Wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great Beasts, Psa. 104. 25. The Latin, Piscis, cometh of the Called word, Push, which signifieth, to multiply and increase, for nothing multiplieth more then Fish; So ⟨p. 459⟩