ruleover them, andwatch for their fouls, Heb. z 3 . 17. but they are not certain that in fuck a cafe it is an evil that is prefcribed by them, nor is it fuppofed to be much probable ; therefore a certain evil of difobedience muff be avoided before an un- certain and improbable evil. This the veryoffice ofChurchGo vernours doth plainly import. Objets. Then if the Minißer miflake, all thepeople that un- der/land not the grounds of the matter, muß err for company. Anfiv. Ifby Muß, you fpeak of their Duty, T deny the con- fequence : For their Duty is to be men of underftanding, and to fee the truth in its own evidence,and fonot to err ; But if by Mut,you only exprefsa Neceffity ofInfirmity which they have finfully contraâed themfelves,then I yield all : but I fay, that is is a greater fin to difobey their guides, without known reafon, and confequently never toobey them in any cafe beyond the pre - fent knowledge of the people, then it is to follow them fide hu- mana in filch miflakesas we have no fufficient means at prefent todifcover. For the former will overthrow almoft all Minifira- tion and Church - government. Obj. Then it is no fin for an Ignorant man to Err with his Teacher for company. Anfw. I deny that Confequence : for it is his fin tobe an Ignorant man : and confequently to have any Error. But fuppofinghim already Ignorant by his own finful- nefs, and that the Minifrers of the Gofpel come to heal it, we may well fay that it is bis greater fin to disbelieve and difobey themwithout apparent caule, then to miltake with them where he is not able to difcern the miftake. Prop. i i . He that difobeyeth the word ofGod in the mouth of a Minifier or Church. governor, committeth a double fin, in com- parifon ofhim that difobeyeth thefame word in the mouth of -a pri vate man : for b;de s thefinwhich he firf committed', he breabeth alto thefifth Commandment,and defpifeth Chrifi in his A?effenger As a man that (hall refufe to worfhip God, to ufe his name reve® rently,&c. when a private man telleth him that it is his duty, doth fin by that refufal : but if he refufe it when his own Father or Mother, or Minifier command him, he allo breaks the fifth Commandment befìdes the rep-. Minifterial Authority therefore Both aggravate the fins of perlons that are difobedient. Prop. I v. Tet for all this , one private man that evinceth out C z of
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