a
greater scandal than a private man's fornication, because both Jews and
Greeks were offended at that, 1 Cor. i. 23; whereas, perhaps, a small
congregation only is offended at this.

3. Our refusal is necessary, because of the unlawfulness of the ceremonies
which we refuse, so that we may not receive them, but must refuse them,
notwithstanding of any scandal which can follow upon our refusal. If he
had aught to say against this answer, why is he silent? He might have
found it at home. "Our forbearance of conformity (saith Parker(431)) is a
necessary duty, there is therein no fault of any scandal in us."

4. Our opposites should do well to assail our argument of scandal before
they propound any other argument against us; for so long as they make it
not evident that the scandal of the ceremonies, which we object, is an
active or faulty scandal, so long they cannot object the scandal of
non-conformity to us; because if the scandal (which is to be avoided) be
in their practising of the ceremonies, it cannot be in our refusing of
them.

5. We know many are grieved and displeased with our non-conformity, yet
that every one who is grieved is not by and by scandalised, the Bishop of
Winchester teacheth as well as we. "Many times (saith he(432)) men are
grieved with that which is for their good, and earnestly set on that which
is not expedient for them." But, in good earnest, what do they mean who
say they are scandalised, or made worse by our non-conformity? for neither
do we make them condemn our lawful deed as unlawful, nor yet do we animate
them by our example to do that which, in their consciences, they judge
unlawful. They themselves acknowledge that sitting is as lawful as
kneeling; that the not-observing of the five holidays is as lawful as the
observing of them; that the not-bishoping of children is as lawful as the
bishoping of them. Do they not acknowledge the indifferency of the things
themselves? Do they not permit many of their people either to kneel or to
sit at the communion? Have not many of themselves taken the communion
sitting in some places? Have not our Conformists in Scotland hitherto
commonly omitted bishoping of children, and the ministration of the
sacraments in private places? As for ourselves we make our meaning plain
when we object the scandal of conformity; for many ignorant and
superstitious persons are, by the ceremonies, confirmed (_expertus
loquor_) in their error and superstition; so that no