ers,
nor yet for any utility of the laws themselves, yet for this reason, that
scandal and contempt would follow in case we do otherwise. _Ans._ We know
that human laws do bind in the case of scandal or contempt. But that
nonconformity is neither scandal nor contempt, Parker hath made it most
evident.(123) For, as touching contempt, he showeth out of fathers,
councils, canon law, schoolmen, and modern divines, that _non obedire_ is
not contempt, but _nolle obedire_, or _superbiendo repugnare_. Yea, out of
Formalists themselves, he showeth the difference betwixt subjection and
obedience. Thereafter he pleadeth thus, and we with him: "What signs see
men in us of pride and contempt? What be our _cetera opera_ that bewray
such an humour? Let it be named wherein we go not two miles, when we are
commanded to go but one, yea, wherein we go not as many miles as any shoe
of the preparation of the gospel will bear us. What payment, what pain,
what labour, what taxation made us ever to murmur? Survey our charges
where we have laboured, if they be not found to be of the faithfulest
subjects that be in the Lord, we deserve no favour. Nay, there is wherein
we stretch our consciences to the utmost to conform and to obey in divers
matters. Are we refractory in other things, as Balaam's ass said to his
master? Have I used to serve thee so at other times?" And as touching
scandal, he showeth first, that by our not conforming, we do not
scandalise superiors, but edify them, although it may be we displease
them, of which we are sorry, even as Joab displeased David when he
contested against the numbering of the people, yet did he not scandalise
David, but edify him. And, secondly, whereas it might be alleged, that
nonconformity doth scandalise the people, before whom it soundeth as it
were an alarm of disobedience, we reply with him, "Daniel will not omit
the ceremony of looking out at the window towards Jerusalem. Mordecai
omitteth the ceremony of bowing the knee to Haman; Christ will not use the
ceremony of washing hands, though a tradition of the elders and governors
of the church then being. The authority of the magistrate was violated by
these, and an incitement to disobedience was in their ceremonial breach,
as much as there is now in ours."

_Sect._ 11. But some of our opposites go about to derive the obligatory
power of the church's laws, not so much from the utility of the laws
themselves, or from any scandal which should follow upo