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That sentence of choosing the least of two evils, must be understood of evils of punishment, not of evils of sin, as I showed before, so that he is in a foul error whilst he would have us to choose the least of two scandals. As for the example which he allegeth, he deceiveth himself to think that Peter had given scandal to the Jews by his eating with the Gentiles.
Bellarmine allegeth for the cross the same two places. But for answer to the first, we say, that neither the sign whereof we read in that place, nor yet the use of it can make aught for them.
The Act of Perth Assembly allegeth the practice of the ancient church for warrant of holidays, and Tilen allegeth the judgment of antiquity to the same purpose. Ans. The festivities of the ancient church cannot warrant ours; for, 1. In the purest times of the church there was no law to tie men to the observation of holidays.
Augustine allegeth that which is said,—“The kingdom of God is within you,” Luke xvii. against superstitious persons, who exterioribus principalem curam impendunt.
For, 1, What can human testimony avail against such a clear truth? 2. We have more testimonies of divines against kneeling than he hath for it. Testimonies against kneeling are gathered out of those very same divines whom the Bishop allegeth for it; for Didoclavius hath clear testimonies against it out of Calvin, Beza, and Martyr, whom yet the Bishop taketh to be for it. Sect. 26.
The Bishop of Edinburgh, to prove that of necessity our consciences must be ruled by the will of the law, and that it is necessary that we give obedience to the same, albeit our consciences gainsay, allegeth that apostolical canon, Acts xv., for an example, just as Bellarmine maintaineth, Festorum observationem ex se indifferentem esse sed posita lege fieri necessariam . Hospinian, answering him, will acknowledge no necessity of the observation of feasts, except divine law could be showed for it.
His form of reasoning is very uncouth, for, to prove that the observation of days by the converted Jews was to a typical use, he allegeth, that they might have observed, &c. Thus proving a position by a supposition. O brave! 3.
He still allegeth, that the points of discipline for which we contend are not contained in the matter of the oath. Now, as touching the discipline of this church which is spoken of in the oath, he questioneth what is meant by it. Ans. 1. Put the case, it were doubtful and questionable what is meant by the word discipline in the oath; yet pars tutior were to be chosen.
But the Bishop further allegeth out of 2 Chron. xxxi. that Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and Levites, every man according to his service. Ans.
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