Page:Divine shepherd, or, The good minister's care over the flock of Jesus Christ.pdf/8

 ver. 5. 6. There was no ſhepherd? but all the ſheep, and all the flocks, were ſcattered upon the all face of the earth: and none, mark it, not one, did ſearch or ſeek after them. And therefore this dreadful curſe is denounced againſt them, Zech. xi 17. Woe to the idle ſhepherd. That is, that man who pretends to be a ſhepherd, but is no more a ſhepherd than an idol, which pretends to be God, is God. Woe to the idle ſhephered, that leaveth the flock to the care of an hireling: The ſword ſhall be upon his arm and his upon right eye; his arm ſhall be clean dried up, and his right eye ſhall be utterly darkened. Mark this as long as you live, a minifter that does not look after his pariſh in his own perſon, but leave it to the care of a hireling, is not really a miniſter but he is an idol. For, he has a mouth indeed, but he ſpeaks not a word in ſeaſon to the ſouls of his people; he has eyes, but he ſees not their ſtraise and neceſſities, he has ears but he hears not their groans and complaints for bread, and he has feet, but he walks not to viſit them upon their ſick or death-beds : and his puniſhment for this is very ſevere and terrible. For the ſword ſhall be upon his arm and upon his right eye: his arm ſhall be clean dried up, and his right eye utterly darkened. And when all this is come upon thee, what, О what will thou be the better for all that thou haſt gotten by the pluralities and non-reſiſtence? What, О what will thy money then avail thee, when thou and it will periſh both together? And if poor ignorant people have ſuch a covetous and voluptuous man for their miniſter, muſt they not, without a miracle neceſſarily periſh for want of knowledge? For how can a covetous man, whoſe god is his gold, preach againſt the love of money, which is the root of all evil? O how can a voluptuous man, whoſe god is his belly, preach ſome faſting, ſelf denial, and mortification? Or if he does yet, how can any one that bears him believe a word of what he ſays, when that may be juſtly ſaid to him which was unjuſtly ſaid to Moſes, Numb. xvi. 14. Wilt thou put out the eyes of theſe men, by preaching that to