Verse 55. Are ye come out as against a thief?]
Secretly, and by night, with all this clutter of people, and clashing of arms, so to make the world believe strange matters of me? whereas, had your 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and conscience bin good, you would 〈◊〉〈◊〉 taken a fitter time. and I should have had fairer dealing.
Ye wanted no will, but ye could never finde 〈◊〉〈◊〉: and which of you now accuseth me of sinne? It is doubtlesse very lawfull, and in some cases needfull for Chri∣stians to defend their own 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their wrong∣ed credit, as did Moses, Samuel, Paul, 〈◊〉〈◊〉: I never have sought profits, pleasures, nor preferments, saith he, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was I ever moved with emulation or envy against any man, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 conscientiam aufero, quocun{que} discedo. This conscience I carry with me 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I go. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of all that ever lived, might best challenge his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉〈◊〉: For of him it might be truly affirmed, what Xenophon 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 Socrates, what Paterculus* 1.1 doth of Scipio, Quod 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nisi laudandum aut fecit, aut dixit, aut sensit, that he did all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 well, as the people testified of him, and never said or thought any thingamisse.