ain, notwithstanding of their reason given, yet for all that
take not away the occasion of the scandal. But say some,(391) whoever
ought to be esteemed weak, or not capable of reason, ministers must not be
so thought of. Whereunto I answer with Didoclavius:(392) _Infirmitatem in
doctiores cadere posse, neminem negaturum puto, et superiorum temporum
historia de dimicatione inter doctores ecclesiae, ob ceremonias, idipsum
probat. Parati etiam sunt coram Deo testari se non posse acquiescere __ in
Formalistarum foliis ficulneis_. The reason which they give us commonly is
will and authority; or if at any time they give another reason, it is such
an one as cannot clear nor resolve our consciences. But let their reasons
be so good as any can be, shall we be thought obstinate for being
offended, notwithstanding of their reason? Dare they say that those who
contended so much of old about the celebration of Easter, and about the
feast of the Sabbath, were not weak, but obstinate and malicious, after a
reason was given? Why consider they not, that "men may, for their
science,(393) be profitable ministers, and yet fail of that measure of
prudence whereby to judge of a particular use of indifferent things?"

_Sect._ 8. 2d. They say they give no scandal by the ceremonies, because
they have no such intent as to draw any into sin by them. _Ans._ A
scandalous and inordinate quality or condition of an action, any way
inductive to sin, maketh an active scandal, though the doer have no
intention to draw into sin. This I made good in my fourth proposition; and
it is further confirmed by that great scandal whereby Peter compelled the
Gentiles to Judaise, Gal. ii. 14. "He constrained them (saith
Perkins(394)) by the authority of his example, whereby he caused them to
think that the observation of the ceremonial law was necessary." It was
then the quality of his action which made the scandal active, because that
which he did was inductive to sin, but we are not to think that Peter had
an intention to draw the Gentiles to sin. Cardinal Baronius(395) laboureth
to make Peter blameless, and his fact free of all fault; _quia praeter
ipsius spem id acciderat_, and it fell forth only _ex accidenti et
inopinato, ac praeter intentionem ipsius_. M. Ant. de Dominis(396)
confuteth him well: _Est scandalum et cum peccato, quando quis licet non
intendat peccatum alterius, facit autem opus aut ex se malum aut
apparenter, ex quo scit, aut scire debet, consequut