116 Caufes of Humiliation. Tit. I . z 6. Ca. 56.IT. Ezek, 13, 10'. I. z3.14. 2. I kings zz.S. z Chro.3 z.16 Ier.i 5. (5. z Sarn.io.4. Iildge.s I, 3. not all clean : Foure forts of ground received feed,but one- ly one good. Profeffion without pra&ife is odious in Gods prefence ; fuch of all people, are in Gods eye molt hatefull,. to Gods name mot+ difhonourable, to Gods religion --molt fcandalous, as profefe that they know Gad, but in workes deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good worke re- probate. As we Tooke on what we have, and are comforted ; fo let. us Tooke on what we want, and be humbled : and tlítis confider: First, how many ignorant, idle,. covetous, corrupt, un- profitable, carnali, and carelefíe Minifters we have, who ei- ther doe not Gods worke at all, or at leaft are very careleffe in the performance of it ; leaving their Congregations as candlefticks without a candle, children without a nurfe,Fa- milies without a ifewart, fhips without a Pilot. Some Foxes there are among the Shepheards, . fonle Drones among the Bees : thus of old, Some were covetous, looking for their gaine from every quarter; _tome dawbed with untempered morter,fome.cryed Peace, when there-was no peace ; fomea ffrengthened the hands of the wicked. Thus>of old, and thus now ; -and thus we have caufe of humiliation., Secondly, how are the painful' and faithful' Minifters of the Word entertained ? Are they not for the molt part ha- ted, mocked,made as men of contention to the whole earth? Doe not the men of the world handle them as Haunt: fer- vants did Davids men, when they fhaved off their beards unto the balfe, and cut off their garments to the. buttocks ; loading them with reproaches, depriving them of their maintenance, fil- ing them with manifold .ditcomforts, esteeming powerful' aiid plaine Preaching,. with the men of4thtn, no better then babling. Thirdly, what doe wefor the molt part profit by the la- bours -of Gods Minifters ? Where is our repentance, refor- mations new life ; Are not a great number of us like Micha theIdolater,.tbat pronounced himfelfe bleTed, becaufe he had dLe- vite to hir Prieft, though he Rill kept hir Idol ? And thin a great number bleffe themfelves in the naked having of the 'Miniftery of the Word, though they:ítill retaine their Idol, their
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