686 Ct;ap.3 t. An Expo,.tios upon at Book of J o a, Verf.33, l w e multitude to doe evi,tl: Which law Both more then imply, that many would encourage, and Tome even warrant ; hemfelves in doing evill by the example of themultitude. It is lomev hot d fñcWt to breike the ice, and begin; But when many have be- gun to -us in a way of fin, O howhard is it not to follow ? To follow the molt is to follow the worft, for fo the moll are; and to follow them as farre as they goe, is togot to he! for thither the mo-ft goe. It will be but cold comfort to perifh with a great company. Nor is it any whit fafer or better to follow the mighty then to follow the many, yet Tome thinke themfelves very fafe, while they walke in their way, how bad foever the way be. Had we ( fay they) only the multitude to follow, they being rude, and vaine, it were not fo excufable ; but we fee great men doe it, yea the wife and learned men of the world doe ir,and (hall not we beex- cused for doing that which the Great and wife and learned raaen ofthe world doe? No doubt we (hail. Thus they plead to their owne perdition; 'Tis indeed the unhappy priviledgeof Great ,qu;d onesto have more followers oftheir wort" aáions, then of their onme perfons.Many fin as it were (cum privilegio) under the cloake 6f ' ex- Great mens finnings.The very errors and mittakes ofRulers may a. Tack. prove a rule for others to erre and mil-take by, and the Authori- tyof their perlons puts a kind ofawthertickneffe upon their molt unwarrantable pra&ices. And therefore (tonote that by the way) it much concernes thofe that are above others in place, to take heed what they doe,efp;cially before their irafriors,becaule they are apt to beare themfelves high upon the caample of chofe una debe- that are above them. It bath been fáyd, Much reverence if due to uerár re' children ; wee fay ( and we fay truely) children owe great reve- `a' rence to their parents, and elders And 'tis as true, Parents itrel Elder, fhooldcarry it reverently towards their children, becaufe the example of a parent, or luparior, emboldens children to doe the like,even to a likeneffe in vanitie, whether in fpeech or beha- viour ; And as children are ready to take up the ex'mple of pa- rents,fo are all inferiors,the example of chore above then.What? (fay they) doe not our Lords and Matters doe there chirgs, and {hall we flicke at them,are we wirer then-they ? Doe they fweare and fhall we temple anoath? Are they drunken,and Thal not we freely take our cups ? are they wantons and fornicators, and.fhall we
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