[ 1256] The not laying of the Church's troubles to heart, reproovable.
IT is worth the taking notice of,* 1.1 how that when the holy Ghost doth reckon up the Tribes of Israel for their renown; as, Of the tribe of Iudah were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand, &c. But if you mark the enumeration, you shall find one Tribe left out, and that is the Tribe of Dan: And why is it so? Much ado there is to find out the reason of Gods omission of that Tribe; one reason is, and that a true one too, because this Tribe made a defection from the true worship of God,* 1.2 and fell to Idolatry: Another reason there is, (and that probable enough) because they did not lay to heart the calamities of Gods Church; for when the other Tribes were jeoparding their lives in the highest pla∣ces of the field, they remained in ships, let the rest of the Tribes shift for themselves, they would not lose their trading so, they would follow their Merchandizing. And for this it was, that God sets a brand of obloquy upon them, in not allow∣ing them so much as a name amongst their brethren and companions. And thus,* 1.3 reprovable are all they too, that lay nothing of the Church's calamities to heart; let Religion sink or swim, the Gospell stand or fall; the Church of God prosper or prosper not; they are but as so many Gallio's, they care for none of all these things, like the Tribe of Dan, they remain in their ships, at their trades, at their bargai∣ning, buying and selling; though the Church's sorrowes come on never so fast, they look on as altogether unconcerned, not in any way contributing to the support thereof.