A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded upon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded vpon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…

3. 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. Cum Gentibus cibum capiens, recte utebatur libertate Christiana, say ^ethe Magdeburgians: but when certain Jews came from James he withdrew himself, fearing the Jews, and so quod ante de libertate Christiana edificarat, rursus destruebat: By eating then with the Gentiles he gave no scandal, but by the contrary he did edify. And further I say, that his eating with the Gentiles was a thing necessary, and that for shunning of two great scandals; the one, of the Gentiles, by compelling them to judaize; the other, of the Jews, by confirming them in Judaism, both which followed upon his withdrawing from the Gentiles; so that by his eating with the Gentiles no scandal could be given, and if any had been taken, it was not to be cared for. Wherefore there was but one scandal, which Peter and his companions were in danger of, which also they did give, & for which Paul reprehended them, namely, their withdrawing of themselves from the Gentiles, & keeping company only with the Jews; ⟨p. 52⟩whereby both the Jews and the Gentiles were scandalized, because both were made to think, (at least occasion was given to both for thinking) the observation of the Ceremonial law necessary. That which deceiveth Paybody, is the confounding of scandalizing and displeasing. Peter by eating with the Gentiles perhaps had displeased the Jews, but he had thereby edified them though: The scandal which he gave them was by judaizing; Judaizabat olim Petrus per dissimulationem saith ^fGerson: by this judaizing through such dissimulation and double dealing, as was his eating with the Gentiles first, & then withdrawing of himself, when certain Jews came; for keeping company with them only, he scandalized the Jews and confirmed them in Judaism, as ^gParaeus noteth. How then can it be said, that he had scandalized them by his eating with the Gentiles: for here upon it should follow that there was a necessity of doing evil laid upon Peter, so that he behooved to offend the Jews, either by his eating with the Gentiles, or by his not eating with the Gentiles, for he could not both eat with them and not eat with them.