Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	abide_v	bleed_a	zion_n	18	3	9.9590	5	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A21059	Tvvo treatises the one of Good conscicnce [sic]; shewing the nature, meanes, markes, benefits, and necessitie thereof. The other The mischiefe and misery of scandalls, both taken and given. Both published. by Ier: Dyke, minister of Gods Word at Epping in Essex.	Dyke, Jeremiah, 1584-1639.; Dyke, Jeremiah, 1584-1639. Mischiefe and miserie of scandals both taken, and given. aut; Dyke, Jeremiah, 1584-1639. Good conscience. aut	1635 (1635)	STC 7428; ESTC S100168	221,877	565

conscience that he ought and it was his safest course to goe out to the Chaldeans questionlesse his conscience prest him to it and bids him goe out Why then goes he not He is afraid Ier. 38. 19. that he shall be mockt Such consciences as will not preferre their owne good word a comfort before the good or ill words of the world Such consciences as more feare the mocks and flouts of men on earth then they doe the grinning mocks of the devils in hell Such as will not preferre the peace of conscience before all other things are meere strangers to good conscience The seventh and last note remaines 7. Note of a good conscience Constancie in good And that is in the Text Vntill this day Constancie and Perseverance in good is a sure note of a good conscience Paul had beene young and now was old and yet was old Paul still still the same holy man hee was Time changes all things but a good conscience and that is neither changed by Time nor with Time Age changes a mans favour but not a good mans faith his complexion not his religion and though his head turne gray yet his heart holds vigorous still Vntill this day And this day was not farre from his dying day And how held he out to his last day Heare as it were his last and dying breath 2 Tim. 4. 7. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith He sayes not I have finished my faith I have kept my life as many may but I have finished my course I have kept the faith He kept his faith till he had finisht his course not only here untill this day but there untill his finishing day So long hee kept the faith and therefore so long a good conscience for as the losing of them goe together 1 Tim. 1. 19. so the keeping of them goe together therefore keeping the faith he also kept a good conscience till he finisht his dayes Vntill this day And yet one would wonder that hee should keepe it to this day considering how hardly he had been used before untill and now at this day the most of those things 2 Cor. 11. 23. were before this day Often under stripes in prisons oft and yet stands constant in the maintenance of the liberty of his conscience vers 24 25. Thrice I suffered shipwracke c. and yet made no shipwracke of a good conscience vers 26 27. in a number of perils in perill of false brethren and yet his conscience playes not false with God neither is it weary of going on in a religious course Here then is the nature of a good conscience and the tryall of it A good conscience holds out constantly in a good Cause without Deflection and in a good Course without Defection 1. In a good cause Let a good conscience undertake the defence of a good Cause and it will stand rightly to it and neither grow weary nor corrupt It will not make shewes of countenancing Pauls cause till he come before Nero and then give him the slippe and give him leave to stand upon his owne bottome and shift for himselfe as well as hee can A conscionable Magistrate and a Iudge who cut of a conscience of the faithfull discharge of his place takes in hand the defence of a good or the punishment of a bad cause will not leave it in the suddes will not be wrought by feare or favour to let Innocency be thrust to the walls and Iniquity hold up the neb but will stand out stiffe and manifest the goodness of his conscience in his Constancie 2. In a good Course A man that is once in a good course having a good conscience wil neither be driven nor be drawn out of that good way to his dying day There be tentations on the right hand and there be tentations on the left but yet a good conscience will turne neither way Pro. 4. 27. but keepes on fore right and presses hard to the marke that is set before it Try it with tentations on the left hand Try it by the mockings and derisions of others whom it sees in good wayes will this stagger or stumble it and make it start aside not a whit but it wil go on with so much the more courage rather Iob 17 6 7 8 9. He hath made me also a by-word of the people and aforetime I was a Tabret Was not this enough to shake others to see such a prime man as Iob thus used thus scorned and mocked not a whit for all this The righteous shall hold on his way and hee that hath cleane hands be stronger and stronger Try it by mockings and derisions personall Si reddere beneficium non aliter quam per speciem injuria potero oequissimo animo ad honestum consilium peâ— medium infamiam â—endam Nemo mihi videtur pluris virtutem nemo illi magis esse devotus quam qui boni viri famam perdidit ne conscientiam perderet Senoc epi. 82. by personall infamy and reproach let a mans owne selfe be derided be defamed this will goe neerer than the former what will this move him out of the way No He will lose his good name before his good conscience See Ps 119. 51. The proud have had me greatly in derision yet have I not declined from thy Law And though Michol 2 Sam. 6. play the flouting foole yet David will not play the declining foole but if to be zealous be to be a foole he will be yet more vile And though Ieremy was in derision daily and every one mocked him yea and defamed him yet he was rather the more than the lesse zealous Ier. 20. 7 9 10. The righteous Psal 135. 1. are like Mount Sion that cannot be removed but abides for ever What likelihood that a puffe of breath should remove a Mountaine When men can blow downe Mountaines with their breath then may they scoffe a good conscience out of the waies of godlinesse and sinceritie Mount Sion and a good conscience abide for ever But these happily may be thought lighter trials put a good conscience to some more smarting and bleeding trials then these pettier ones are and yet there shall we find it as constant as in the former Let the Lord give the Sabeans ChaldeaÌ„s and satan leave to spoile Iob of his goods and children will not then Iob give up his Integrity doe ye not thinke that he will curse God to his face So indeed the devill hopes Iob 1. 15. But what is the issue what gets the devill by the triall onely gives God argument of triumph against him in Iobs constancie Iob 2. 3. And still he holdeth fast his integrity As if he had said See for all that thou canst doe in spight of all thy spight and mischievous malice he holds fast his Integrity untill this day See the terrible trials to which they were put Heb. 11. 37. They were stoned sawne asunder c. and

the people should goe Sacrifice but hee cannot abide that Moses should bee so peevishly precise that not an hoofe should be left behind Alas an hoofe is but a toy not worth the mentioning what need Moses bee so strict as to stand upon an hoofe Yet a good conscience will stand upon it having Gods Commandement and will make conscience as well of carrying away hoofes as of whole bodies of Cattell It is with a good conscience as it is with the apple of the eye of all the parts of the body it is the most tender not onely of some great shives or splints under the eye-lid but even the smallest haire and dust grieves and offends it It is so with a tender good conscience not onely beames but also moates disquiet the eye of a good conscience and not onely greater and fouler Sinnes but even such as the world counts veniall trifles doe offend it A good conscience straines not onely at a Camell but at a Gnat also Neither doth our Saviour blame the Pharisees simply for straining at a Gnat but for their hypocrisie who would pretend conscience in smaller things and meane while made none in the greater for otherwise a good conscience indeed hath a narrow passage for a Gnat as well as for a Camell The least corne of gravell galls his foot that hath a strait shooe but hee that hath a large wide shooe slopping about his foot it is no trouble to him It is just so with consciences good and evill A Gnat is but a small thing yet Pope Bol. pag. of Popes pag. 97. Hadrian the fourth was choakt with a Gnat and one Flye though but a small thing to a whole boxe of oyntment yet dead Flies as small things as they are cause the oyntment of the Apothecarie to send forth a stinking savour Ec. 10. 1. and so doth a little folly though but little doe a great deale of hurt And therefore a good conscience lives by Salomons rule Give not water passage no not a little And take not onely the Foxes but the little Foxes which spoyle not onely the Vines but the tender Grapes Cant. 2. 15. It knowes a little will make way for much Pharaoh is content that the people the men should go sacrifice Ex. 10. but their little ones should not goe he knew if hee had but their little ones with him he should be sure enough of their return therefore Moses will not onely have the men goe but their little ones also And therefore a good conscience deales with Satan as Marcus Arethusius dealt with Putantes pauperem vel medietatem petebant pecuniarum novissime vel paueum aliquid exigebant Quibus ait nec obolum unum pro omnibus dabo Hist Tripart lib. 6. cap. 12. his tormentours who having pulled downe an Idolatrous Temple and being urged by them to give so much as would build it up againe refused it They urged him to give but halfe hee still refused they urged him at last to give but a little towards it but he refused to give them so much as one halfe-penny No not an halfe-penny sayes he for it is as great wickednesse to conferre one Ad impietatem inquit obulum conferre unum perinde valet ac si quis coÌ„ferat omnia Theodor. lib. 3. cap. 7. halfe penny in case of Impiety as if a man should bestow the whole What was a poore halfe-penny it was a very small matter specially considering in what torture he was from which an half-penny gift would haue released him Indeed an half-penny is but a little but yet it is more then a good Conscience dares give to the maintenance of idolatrous worship A good conscience will not give so much as a farthing token to such an use as little a thing as it is For he that is faithfull in that which is least is faithfull also in much and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much Luke 16. 10. Even the least things are as great trials of a good conscience as the greatest A good Conscience will not greatifie Satan nor neglect God no not in a little Put mens consciences now vpon this triall Who crakes not of his good conscience there be none if they may bee beleeved but they have good Consciences But why are they good They can swallow no Camells Well yeeld them that though if their entrals were well searcht a man might finde huge bunch backt camells that have gone downe their gullets They can swallow no camells but what say they to gnats can they swallow them Tush Gnats are nothing whole swarmes of them can goe downe their throats and they never once cough for the matter Foule and grosse scandalls such as are infamous amongst meere heathen such Camells they swallow not but what say they to unsavorie and naughtie thoughts which their hearts prosecute with delight what say they to them Gnats doe not swarme more abundantly in the fennes then such vile thoughts doe in their hearts The prodigious oaths of wounds blood the damned language of Ruffians and the Monsters of the earth Oh their hearts would tremble to have such words passe out of their mouths but yet what say they to the neater and civilified Complements of Faith and Troth Tush these are trifles meere Gnats alas that you shall stand upon such niceties To rob a man upon the high way or to breake up a mans house in the night this is a monstrous Camell but in buying and selling to over-reach a neighbour a shilling or two a penny or two what say they to that Oh God forbid they should be so strictly dealt withall that is a small thing their throats are not so narrow but these Gnats will goe downe easily enough To beare false witnesse in an open Court of Iustice or to be guilty of pillory-perjury these bee foule things but to lye a little for a mans advantage or to make another man merriment what thinke they of this This is a very Gnat they are ashamed to straine thereat Tell many a man of his sinne in which he lyes that his sinne and a good conscience cannot stand together what is his answer but as Lot of Zoar Is it not a little one Gen. 19. 20 But the truth is that these little ones are great evidences of evill conscience It is but a dreame to thinke our consciences good that make no conscience of small sinnes and duties The conscionable Nazarite now did not only make conscience of guzling and quaffing whole cups of wine but of eating but an huske and a kernell of a Grape What a trifle is the kernell of a Grape and yet a good conscience will care to please God as well in abstinence from the kernell as from the cup. Indeed when David had defiled and hardned his conscience with his adultery then hee could cut Vriahs throat and his heart smites him not for it but when under his affliction his conscience was tender and good his heart smites him

but for cutting Sauls coat 1 Sam. 24. 5. See the nature of a good conscience it will smile not onely for cutting Sauls throat but for cutting Sauls coat but for an appearance vpon a suspicion and but a iealousie of evill Paul speakes of a pure Conscience 2 Tim. 1. 3. Now it is with the pure conscience as it is with pure Religion Iam. 1. 17. Pure religion and undefiled is to keepe Ã¡ mans selfe unspotted of the world It hates not onely wallowing with the Sow in the mire but is shie of very spots and hates not only the flesh but the garment not onely that is grosely besmeared but which is but spotted with the flesh Iude 23. according to that Ceremonial Levit. 15. 17. And this is that which differences civility and a good Conscience Civility shunnes mire but is not so trim as to wash off spots this is the pure Religion of a pure Conscience Pure Religion and nndefiled is to keep a mans selfe unspotted therefore they who are not unspoted are not undefiled but if their consciences be but spotted yet are they defiled Mens consciences are as their Religion is and pure Religion is spotlesse Yea to close this point the greatest evidence of a good conscience is in making Conscience of small things Whilst Probat enim etiam in majoribus si res exigat executorem se idoneum fore Ã quo minora compleantur Salvian de provid l. 3. men feare great sinnes or are carefull of maine duties it may bee their reputation and credits may sway them which otherwise would be impeached So that in them it may be a question whether it be Conscience or Credit that is the first mover but in smaller things where there is no credit to be had nay for scrupling whereof a man may rather receive some discredit from the world here it is more evident that good Conscience sets a man on This then is a note of a good Conscience to make Conscience as of small duties so of small sinnes as hee that feares poison feares to take a drop as well as a draught and men feare not onely when a firebrand is thrust into but when a sparke lights upon their thatch CHAP. VIII Three other notes of a good Conscience A Third note of good conscience may be this It loves and likes a Ministry and such Ministers as preach and speake 3. Note of good conscience To love a Ministry that speaks home to the conscience to the Conscience It likes such a dispensation of the Word as comes home to it whether for direction or reproofe The Word is the rule of conscience and a good conscience is desirous to know the rule it must live by The Word must judge the conscience this every good conscience knowes and therefore grudges not to be reproved by it as knowing that if it will not abide the Words reproofe it must abide the Words iudgement Therefore a man with a good conscience speakes as Samuel Speake Lord thy servant heares He can suffer the words of exhortation and not count himselfe to suffer whilst it is done He is of Davids minde Let the righteous smite me and it shall be a kindnesse let him reproue me and it shall bee an excellent oyle which shall not breake mine head Psal 141. 5. It is with good conscience as with good eyes that can abide the light and can delight in it whereas sicke and sore eyes are troubled and offended therewith A sound heart is like sound flesh that can abide not onely touching but also rubbing and chafing and yet a man will not bee put into a chafe thereby whereas contrarily if the least thorne or vnsoundnesse bee therein Tu scis Deus noster quod tunc de Alipio ab illa peste sanando non cogetaverim At ille in se rapuit meque illud non nisi propter se dixisle credidit quod alias acciperet ad succensendum mihi accepit honestus adolescens ad succensendum sibi ad meardentius diligendum Aug. conf lib. 6. ca. 7. a touch at vnawares provokes a man if not to smite yet to angry words and language of displeasure Vnsound flesh loves to be stroakt and to be handled gently the least roughnesse puts into a rage That is the ingenuity of a good conscienence which was the good disposition of Alipius when hee was vnwittingly taxed by Augustine for his Theatricall vanities hee was so sarre from being angry with him though he conceived him purposely to ayme at him that hee was rather angry with himselfe and loved Augustine so much the better Put mens consciences vpon this triall and we shall see what the consciences of most men are Let a man preach in an vnprofitable maner let him spend himselfe in idle curiosities and speculations let him be in combate with obsolete or forraine heresies so long their Minister is a faire and a good Churchman But let him doe as God commands Ezekiel to doe Ezek. 14. 4. Answer them according to their Idols preach to their necessities let him call them and presse them to holy duties and reprove them for their vnholy practises and make knowne vnto them what evill consciences they have what then is Scio me offensurum quam plurimos qui generalem de vitiis disputationem in suam referunt contumeliam dum mihi irascuntur suam judicant conscientiam multoque prius de se quam de me judicant Hieron ad Rustic Monach. their carriage and behaviour Even that Amos. 5. 10. They hate him that rebukes in the gate and they abhorre him that speaks vprighly This Ministry that comes to the conscience will not downe with them It lets in too much light vpon them and Ahab hates Micaiah for drawing the curtains so wide open he cannot endure such punctuall and particular preaching that clappes so close to his conscience A plaine signe that Ahab hath a rotten and an vnsound Conscience Micaiah could not be more punctuall with Ahab then Isaiah was with Hezekiah Isa 39. 6 7. And yet what sayes Hezekiah Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken as if he had said a good Sermon a good Preacher all good Whence comes this good entertainment of so harsh a message Hezekiah had a good Conscience and therefore though the message went against the haire yet he could give good words Let the righteous smite mee and it shall be a kindnesse Psal 141. I but that is wheÌ„ the righteous smites the righteous what if the Prophet smite Amaziah he will threaten to smite him againe 2 Chron. 25. 16. Forbeare why shouldest thou be smitten Why if Paul preach of a good Conscience and so make Ananias his Conscience to smite him Ananias will commaund the standers by to smite him on the mouth Now let all the standers by judge whether Ananias have any good Conscience in him who cannot brook the preaching of good CoÌ„science Let men professe they know God as long as they

Iesus with the palme of his hand c. Lu. 22. 63 64. And the men that held Iesus mocked him and smote him And when they had blind-folded him they stroke him on the face He felt the weight of their fists for the same quarrell that Paul did So it was fore-prophecied of him Isa 50. 6. I gave my backe to the smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the haire It was the kindnesse that Zidkiah could afford Micaiah 1 King 22. 24. He went neere and smote him on the cheeke it was the thanks the Prophet was like to have for the discharge of a good conscience 1 Chr. 25. 16. Forbear why shouldst thou be smitten It is that of which Iob coÌ„plained so long since Iob 16. 10. Mine enemie sharpens his eyes upon me they have gaped upon me with the mouth they have smitten me upon the cheeke reproachfully The same portion shall the Prophet Ieremy meet withall Ier. 20. 2. Then Pashur smote Ieremiah the Prophet What was the quarrell That in the former vers Hee heard that Ieremiah had prophecied these things Only for discharging his conscience for the conscionable dispensation of Gods truth And as sometime they smote him on the mouth so somtime they smote him with the mouth Ier. 18. 18. Come let us devise devices against Ieremiah come let us smite him with the tongue and let us not give heed to any of his words And why would they smite him with the tongue Onely for his conscience and fidelity in his Ministery There is mention made of two false Prophets against whom an heavie judgment is threatned Ier. 29. 21 23. Ahab Zedekiah two base scandalous debauched persons who committed villany in Israel and committed adultery with their neighbors wives The Prophet Ieremy he out of conscience fulfils his Ministry see how light-fingred Pashur is he hath fists for Ieremies face and stocks for his heeles but in the meane time Ahab Zedekiah they may whore play the villains and they feele not the weight of his little finger If his fingers must needs be walking there is worke for them there he may strike and stocke with credit But there is no such zeale against them No such dealing with them Zedekiah and Ahab may be in good tearmes of grace with Pashur whilst Ieremiah must have blowes on the face ly by the heeles So well can wicked men brook villany and any wretched courses better than they can a good conscience Pashur can better endure an aduletrous whoremaster than an honest conscionable Prophet villaines may wall at liberty whilst a good conscience shal sit in the stocks Heere then is the portion a good conscience may look for from the world The better conscience the harder measure For which of my good works do ye stone me saith our Saviour Ioh. 10. 32. A strange recompence for good works and yet oft-times the best recompence and reward that the world can afford good works and a good conscience stones and strokes And if so be that feare of law and happy government bind their hands yet then will they bee smiting with the tongue and if the law keep them in awe for smiting on the mouth yet then will they do what they dare they will smite with the mouth A faire Item to all that meane to undertake Vse 1 the profession and courses of good coÌ„science Do as many do in case of marriage before they affect the person they first consider how they like the portion So heere before thou meddle with good conscience thinke with thy selfe what is her portion and if thou like not that it is but a folly to think of a good conscience Do as our Saviour advises Luk. 14. 28. Sit down first count the cost and whether thou be able to endure that cost or no. Ananias hath a fierce spirit and a foule heavie fist Pashur is a club fisted fellow and the spitting adders of the world will smite their sting deepe Suppose a good conscience may speed better as having the protection of Christian government yet this it must reckon upon and it must account of the hardest Therfore think before haÌ„d before you meddle with it how you can beare the fists and blowes of smiters if ever you should come under them I may say here as our Saviour did to the Sons of Zebedeus Mat. 20. 20 21. Ye know not what ye aske Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of and to be baptized with the baptisme that I am baptized with Many say they desire to enter the courses of a good conscience but doe not well know nor well weigh what they desire Consider with your selves Are ye able to drink of the cup that a good conscience shall drinke of Can ye be baptized with the baptisme that a good conscience must be baptized with Can ye indure the smart of Ananias blows Can ye bear the load of Pashurs club fist Think upon this aforehand and weight it well this is that you must make account of that will set upon the courses of a good conscience Is this the portion of a good coÌ„science see then what a good measure of Christian Vse 2 resolution they shall need to have that take the profession of it upon them Be shod with the shoos of the preparation of the Gospel Eph. 6. 15. Grow marveilous resolute to harden thy self and to harden thy face against all enemies fists blows whatsoever that though Ananias should dash thee on the face yet he might not dash thee and thy good conscience out of Countenance Thus did our Saviour Is 50. 6. I gave my backe to the smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the haire I hid not my face from shame and spitting But how was hee ever able to endure all this See vers 7. I have set my face like a flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed So must thou doe that meanest to keepe a good conscience Get a face and a fore-head of flint that enemies may as soone cracke a flint with their knuckles as by their violence and injuries drive thee from a good conscience Get an Ezekiels face Ezek. 3. 9. Make thy forehead as an Adamant harder than a flint Steele and flint thy face with all heroicall resolution A face of flesh will never endure but a face of flint will hold Ananias fist tacke let him strike while he will he shall sooner batter a flint with his fist than stir a resolved conscience out of its station But believe me these be hard things to Quest undergo who will be able to abide such hard measure how therefore may one grow to such resolution to abide the worlds fists the smart of their smiting 1. Consider that conscience hath fists Answ as well as Ananias 1 Sam. 24. 5. 2 Sam. 24. 10. Davids heart smote him And what are Ananias his blowes on the face to the blowes of conscience at the

heart One blow on the heart or with the heart is more painefull than an hundred on the face and as Rehoboam speaks of himselfe 1 King 12. 10. so consciences little finger is thicker heavier and more intollerable than both Ananias his hands and loynes Now then here is the case If Paul will stand to his conscience then Ananias his fists will be about his eares If Paul do forsake or flawe good conscience for feare or for the favour of Ananias then will consciences fist be about his heart Now then if no remedy but a man must have blowes it is good wisedome to chuse the lightest fist and the softer hand and to take the blow on that part that is best able to beare it with most ease The face is better able to abide blows than the heart and Ananias his blowes are but fillips to the clubbing blowes of conscience We would scarce judge him a wise man that to avoyd a cuffe on the eare would put himselfe under the danger of a blow with a club Here is that then that may make us to compose our selves to patience and to grow to an hardinesse and a Christian resolution Better ten blowes on the face than one on the heart Better an hundred from Ananias than one from conscience that will lay on load let the world smite yet mine heart smites not yea that strokes and comforts whilst the world strikes and threatens Therefore being smitten in case of conscience rather than give out do as our Saviour bids in another case Math. 5. 39. Whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also 2. Consider that in the next verse God shall smite thee God hath smiting fists as well as Ananias Let him smite but yet there will come a time that God shall smite him God will call smiters to a reckoning 3. Consider that of David Psal 3. 7. Thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheeke bone thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly God will not onely smite the enemies of his people but will smite them with disgrace as it is a matter of vile disgrace to have a boxe on the cheeke and hee will give them such a dust on the mouth as shall dash out their very teeth he will lay heavie and disgracefull judgements upon them as he did upon Absolom of whom David speakes May it ever be thy lot to see good conscience under the fists of smiters be not discouraged start not stumble not at it Bee not ready to inferre It is in vaine to cleanse a mans conscience and wash his hands in innocencie But consider that this hath been ever the worlds madnesse and the ancient lot of a good conscience either to bee smitten with adversaries hands or varlets tongues CHAP. XVII The impetuous injustice and malice of the adversaries of a good conscience AS we have seene the entertainment a good conscience meets withall in the world so we may here further see the inordinat violences that the enemies and haters of a good conscience are carried with Therefore out of this insolent Injunction of Ananias we may in the second place observe The heady violence and impetuous injustice Doct. 2 of the adversaries of good conscience Smite him on the mouth A man would not imagine that hatred and malice against goodnesse should so transport a man as to make him run into so much so open so grosse Injustice Doe but examine the fact and you shall see a strange deale of injustice therein 1. Who is he that bids smite The high Priest He had a better Canon to live by Mal. 2. 6. He walked with me in peace and equity So Levi walked so should Gods Priests walke also And that Canon of Paul for the Ministry of the Gospel held no lesse good for the Ministry of the law That he should not be soone angry no striker Tit. 1. 7. How haps it then that the High Priest is thus light fingred Smite him on the mouth Oh! shame that such a word should come out of a Priests especially the High Priests mouth 2. Who must be smitten Paul an Innocent Foule injustice Questionlesse if Paul had offered such measure but to Ananias his dog to have smitten him for nothing but out of his meer spight Ananias would have judged him a dogged fellow And would Ananias use an innoceÌ„t person as he would be loth a man should use his dog 3. Where must this blow be given In open Court where they were all convened to doe justice Still the worse If he had commanded him to have been smitten in his private Parlour it had been unjustifiable but to smite him in open Court and to doe injustice in the place of Iustice this is deepe injustice The place he sate in the gravity of his person Gods High Priest the solemnity of the administration of justice all these might have manacled his hands and have a little tempered and bridled his spirit A foule indignity for the Iudge of Israel to bee smitten on the cheeke Mic. 5. 1. As foule an iniquity for a Iudge of Israel to smite on the mouth wrongfully and in an open Court of Iustice What an indecent thing for a Iudge to goe to cuffes on the Bench What an intemperate and a vindictive spirit argues it But what is the Indency to the Injustice And what Injustice to that which was done upon the Bench Of all wormwood that is the most bitter into which justice is turned 4. For what is the blow given For a good conscience What And hath Gods High Priest no more conscience than so his place teaches him to bee a Protector Defender and an Incourager of good conscience His whole office is matter of conscience and will he that should teach maintaine and incourage good conscience will he smite men for good conscience What is this but Is 58. 4. To smite with the fist of wickednesse 5. When is the blow given When he is begining to plead his own innocencie to speake in his own defence More injustice yet Did not Nicodemus speake reason Ioh. 7. 51. Doth our Law judge any man before it heare him Nay if Ananias have no regard to Gods Law as it seemes hee hath but a little that will smite a man for good conscience yet what will he say to Caesars Law Act. 18. 25. Is it lawfull for you to scourage and so to smite a man that is a Roman and uncondemned and unheard To judge and condemne a man unheard is deep Injustice but far deeper to punish and execute him Will hee hang a man and then try him Lo here indeed a right unrighteous Iudge that feares neither God nor man that regards neither Gods Law nor Caesars To have done by Paul as Gallio did Act. 18. 14 16. When Paul was about to open his mouth to drive him and the rest from the judgement-seat this had beene injustice but when Paul opens his mouth to speake for himself for Ananias to stop

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