Want of Maintenance, the waste of Religion. [ 826]
ONe asked sometimes how it was,* 1.1 that in Athens so good and great a City, there were no Physitians; to whom this Answer was made, because there are no Rewards proposed to them that practise Physick: The same Answer may be made for our times; the cause why the Church of God is so forsaken, why Religion and the profession thereof is so much undervalued, is, because of the want of zeal in them that should either for their courtesie, or for their ablility, be fosterers of Lear∣ning, and encrease the Livings,* 1.2 where occasion is, and give hope and comfort to learned Men; What said I? encrease? Nay, the Livings and Provisions which heretofore were given, are now quite taken away, so that he which ••eedeth the flock, hath least part of the Milk; and he that goeth a warfare, hath not halfe his wages; and he that laboureth and sweateth in the Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts, hath his hire abridged and abated; hence it is that scandalous livings make scanda∣lous Ministers, and scandalous necessitated Ministers, make the Ordinances of God vilipendious.