wonder at its becoming the object of public odium, where credit is given to such most iniquitous accusations?  This is the cause of the general consent and conspiracy to condemn us and our doctrine.  Hurried away with this impulse, those who sit in judgment pronounce for sentences the prejudices they brought from home with them; and think their duty fully discharged if they condemn none to be punished but such as are convicted by their own confession, or by sufficient proofs.  Convicted of what crime?  Of this condemned doctrine, they say.  But with what justice is it condemned?  Now, the ground of defence was not to abjure the doctrine itself, but to maintain its truth.  On this subject, however, not a word is allowed to be uttered.

Wherefore I beseech you, Sire,—­and surely it is not an unreasonable request,—­to take upon yourself the entire cognizance of this cause, which has hitherto been confusedly and carelessly agitated, without any order of law, and with outrageous passion rather than judicial gravity.  Think not that I am now meditating my own individual defence, in order to effect a safe return to my native country; for, though I feel the affection which every man ought to feel for it, yet, under the existing circumstances, I regret not my removal from it.  But I plead the cause of all the godly, and consequently of Christ himself, which, having been in these times persecuted and trampled on in all ways in your kingdom, now lies in a most deplorable state; and this indeed rather through the tyranny of certain Pharisees, than with your knowledge.  How this comes to pass is foreign to my present purpose to say; but it certainly lies in a most afflicted state.  For the ungodly have gone to such lengths, that the truth of Christ, if not vanquished, dissipated, and entirely destroyed, is buried, as it were, in ignoble obscurity, while the poor, despised church is either destroyed by cruel massacres, or driven away into banishment, or menaced and terrified into total silence.  And still they continue their wonted madness and ferocity, pushing violently against the wall already bent, and finishing the ruin they have begun.  In the meantime, no one comes forward to plead the cause against such furies.  If there be any persons desirous of appearing most favourable to the truth, they only venture an opinion, that forgiveness should be extended to the error and imprudence of ignorant people.  For this is the language of these moderate men, calling that error and imprudence which they know to be the certain truth of God, and those ignorant people, whose understanding they perceive not to have been so despicable to Christ, but that he has favoured them with the mysteries of his heavenly wisdom.  Thus all are ashamed of the Gospel.  But it shall be yours, Sire, not to turn away your ears or thoughts from so just a defence, especially in a cause of such importance as the maintenance of God’s glory unimpaired in the world, the preservation of the honor of divine truth, and the