Selected quad for the lemma: work_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	holy_a	lord_n	sabbath_n	5,103	5	9.4103	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67462	The compleat angler or, The contemplative man's recreation. Being a discourse of fish and fishing, not unworthy the perusal of most anglers.	Walton, Izaak, 1593-1683.	1653 (1653)	Wing W661; ESTC R202374	77,220	254

in my judgment if it deserves to be commended it is more then justified for some practices that may be justified deserve no commendation yet there are none that deserve commendation but may be justified And now having said thus much by way of preparation I am next to tell you that in ancient times a debate hath risen and it is not yet resolved Whether Contemplation or Action be the chiefest thing wherin the happiness of a man doth most consist in this world Concerning which some have maintained their opinion of the first by saying That the nearer we Mortals come to God by way of imitation the more happy we are And that God injoyes himself only by Contemplation of his own Goodness Eternity Infiniteness and Power and the like and upon this ground many of them prefer Contemplation before Action and indeed many of the Fathers seem to approve this opinion as may appear in their Comments upon the words of our Saviour to * Martha And contrary to these others of equal Authority and credit have preferred Action to be chief as experiments in Physick and the application of it both for the ease and prolongation of mans life by which man is enabled to act and to do good to others And they say also That Action is not only Doctrinal but a maintainer of humane Society and for these and other reasons to be preferr'd before Contemplation Concerning which two opinions I shall forbear to add a third by declaring my own and rest my self contented in telling you my worthy friend that both these meet together and do most properly belong to the most honest ingenious harmless Art of Angling And first I shall tel you what some have observed and I have sound in my self That the very sitting by the Rivers side is not only the fittest place for but will invite the Anglers to Contemplation That it is the fittest place seems to be witnessed by the children of Israel * who having banish'd all mirth and Musick from their pensive hearts and having hung up their then mute Instruments upon the Willow trees growing by the Rivers of Babylon sate down upon those banks bemoaning the ruines of Sion and contemplating their own sad condition And an ingenuous Spaniard sayes That both Rivers and the inhabitants of the watery Element were created for wise men to contemplate and fools to pass by without consideration And though I am too wise to rank my self in the first number yet give me leave to free my self from the last by offering to thee a short contemplation first of Rivers and then of Fish concerning which I doubt not but to relate to you many things very considerable Concerning Rivers there be divers wonders reported of them by Authors of such credit that we need not deny them an Historical faith As of a River in Epirus that puts out any lighted Torch and kindles any Torch that was not lighted Of the River Selarus that in a few hours turns a rod or a wand into stone and our Camden mentions the like wonder in England that there is a River in Arabia of which all the Sheep that drink thereof have their Wool turned into a Vermilion colour And one of no less credit then Aristotle tels us of a merry River the River Elusina that dances at the noise of Musick that with Musick it bubbles dances and growes sandy but returns to a wonted calmness and clearness when the Musick ceases And lastly for I would not tire your patience Fosephus that learned Few tells us of a River in Fudea that runs and moves swiftly all the six dayes of the week and stands still and rests upon their Sabbath day But Sir lest this discourse may seem tedious I shall give it a sweet conclusion out of that holy Poet Mr. George Herbert his Divine Contemplation on Gods providence Lord who hath praise enough nay who hath any None can express thy works but he that knows them And none can know thy works they are so many And so complete but only he that owes them We all acknowledge both thy power and love To be exact transcendent and divine Who dost so strangely and so sweetly move Whilst all things have their end yet none but thine Wherefore most Sacred Spirit I here present For me and all my fellows praise to thee And just it is that I should pay the rent Because the benefit accrues to me And as concerning Fish in that Psalm wherein for height of Poetry and Wonders the Prophet David seems even to exceed himself how doth he there express himselfe in choice Metaphors even to the amazement of a contemplative Reader concerning the Sea the Rivers and the Fish therein contained And the great Naturallist Pliny sayes That Natures great and wonderful power is more demonstrated in the Sea then on the Land And this may appear by the numerous and various Creatures inhabiting both in and about that Element as to the Readers of Gesner Randelitius Pliny Aristotle and others is demonstrated But I will sweeten this discourse also out of a contemplation in Divine Dubartas who sayes God quickned in the Sea and in the Rivers So many fishes of so many features That in the waters we may see all Creatures Even all that on the earth is to be found As if the world were in deep waters drownd For seas as well as Skies have Sun Moon Stars As wel as air Swallows Rooks and Stares As wel as earth Vines Roses Nettles Melons Mushroms Pinks Gilliflowers and many milions Of other plants more rare more strange then these As very fishes living in the seas And also Rams Calves Horses Hares and Hogs Wolves Urchins Lions Elephants and Dogs Yea Men and Maids and which I most admire The Mitred Bishop and the cowled Fryer Of which examples but a few years since Were shewn the Norway and Polonian Prince These seem to be wonders but have had so many confirmations from men of Learning and credit that you need not doubt them nor are the number nor the various shapes of fishes more strange or more fit for contemplation then their different natures inclinations and actions concerning which I shall beg your patient ear a little longer The Cuttle-fish wil cast a long gut out of her throat which like as an Angler does his line she sendeth forth and pulleth in again at her pleasure according as she sees some little fish come neer to her and the Cuttle-fish being then hid in the gravel lets the smaller fish nibble and bite the end of it at which time shee by little and little draws the smaller fish so neer to her that she may leap upon her and then catches and devours her and for this reason some have called this fish the SeaAngler There are also lustful and chaste fishes of which I shall also give you examples And first what Dubartas sayes of a fish called the Sargus which because none can express it better