duty, which are my public debt to your public labours, I have yet a store of gratitude laid up, which cannot be exhausted; and such thanks perhaps they may live to be, as shall more then whisper to the next ages. Yet that the Author may be known to ground himself upon his own innocence, and the merit of his cause, not upon the favour of a diversion, or a delay to any just censure, but wishes rather he might see those his detracters at any fair meeting, as learned debatements are privileg'd with a due freedome under equall Moderators, I shall here briefly single one of them (because he hath oblig'd me to it) who I perswade me having scarse read the book, nor knowing him who writ it, or at least faining the latter, hath not forborn to scandalize him, unconferr'd with, unadmonisht, undealt with by any Pastorly or brotherly convincement, in the most open and invective manner, and at the most bitter opportunity that drift or set designe could have invented. And this, when as the Canon Law, though commonly most favouring the boldnesse of their Priests, punishes the naming or traducing of any person in the Pulpit, was by him made no scruple. If I shall therfore take licence by the right of nature, and that liberty wherin I was born, to defend my self publicly against a printed Calumny, and do willingly appeal to those Judges to whom I am accus'd, it can be no immoderate, or unallowable course of seeking so just and needfull reparations. Which I had don long since, had not these employments, which are now visible, deferr'd me. It was preacht before ye, Lords and Commons, in August last upon a special day of humiliation, that there was a wicked Book abroad, and ye were taxt of sin that it was yet uncensur'd, the book deserving to be burnt, and impudence also was charg'd upon the Author, who durst set his name to it, and dedicate it to your selves. First, Lords and Commons, I pray to that God, before whom ye then were prostrate, so to forgive ye those omissions and trespasses, which ye desire most should find forgiveness, as I shall soon shew to the world how easily ye absolve your selves of that which this man calls your sin, and is indeed your wisdome, and your Noblenesse, wherof to this day ye have don well not to repent. He terms it a wicked book, and why but for allowing other causes of Divorce, then Christ and his Apostles mention; and with the same censure condemns of wickedness not onely Martin Bucer that elect Instrument of Reformation, highly honour'd and had in reverence by Edward the sixth, and his whole Parlament, whom also I had publisht in English by a good providence, about a week before this calumnious digression was preach'd; so that if he knew not Bucer then, as he ought to have known, he might at least have known him some months after, ere the Sermon came in print,
