onies in respect of scandal, and yet conform themselves to the same,
are brought in by Hooker(365) making their apology on this wise: "Touching
the offence of the weak, we must adventure it; if they perish, they
perish, &c. Our pastoral charge is God's absolute commandment, rather than
that shall be taken from us," &c. The opinion of such, beside that it will
be hateful and accursed to every one who considereth it, I have said
enough against it heretofore.(366)

_Sect._ 2. Wherefore I will here meddle only with such as go about to
purge the ceremonies from the inconveniency of scandal. And first, they
commonly answer us, that the scandal which followeth upon the ceremonies
is passive and taken only, not active and given, which answer I find both
impertinent and false. It is impertinent, because, put the case: the
scandal were only passive and taken, yet the occasion of it should be
removed out of the way when it is not a thing necessary, according to my
8th, 11th, and 12th propositions; and if any of our opposites will deny
this, let them blush for shame. A Jesuit shall correct them,(367) and
teach them from Matt. xvii. 27, that Christ shunned a scandal which would
have been merely passive, and therefore that this is not to be taken for a
sure and perpetual rule, _scandalum datum, not acceptum esse vitandum_.
One of our own writers upon this same place noteth,(368) that this scandal
which Christ eschewed, had been a scandal taken only, because the exactors
of the tribute-money ought not to have been ignorant of Christ's immunity
and dignity; yet because they were ignorant of the same, lest he should
seem to give a scandal, _cedere potius sua libertate voluit. Ideo non
tantum dicit: ne scandalizentur: sed ne scandalizemus eos, hoc est, ne
scandali materiam eis demus_.

_Sect_. 3. Their answer is also false: 1. There is no scandal taken but
(if it be known to be taken, and the thing at which it is taken be not
necessary) it is also given. The scandal of the weak, in the apostles'
times, who were offended with the liberty of eating all sorts of meats,
was passive and taken, as Zanchius observeth,(369) yet was that scandal
given and peccant upon their part, who used their liberty of eating all
sorts of meats, and so cared not for the offence of the weak. Think they
then that our taking of offence can excuse their giving of offence? Nay,
since the things whereby they offend us are no necessary things, they are
greatly to be