A vindication of the magistrates and ministers of the city of Gloucester,: from the calumnies of Mr. Robert Bacon, in his printed relation of his usage there, which he intitles, The spirit of prelacy yet working, or truth from under a cloud. Together with ten questions discussed, which tend to the discovery of close antinomianisme. / By John Corbet minister, and chaplain to Major generall Massie. Published by authority.

The summe and substance of that whole businesse, which is styled by Mr. Bacon, That great and publick contestation had in Gloucester, July 1644.

MR. Bacon arriving at Gloucester as a meer stranger (whether upon a call to supply the room of an absent Minister him∣self knows it matters not) was permitted, & by my self once re∣quested to preach there. His first Sermon in publick was upon the Monethly Fast before the greatest, if not the onely Congregation in the City that day. Divers Ministers then present were much troubled not onely at particular Doctrines delivered, but at the whole frame of his Prayer and Sermon, as being no way sutable to a solemn Humiliation. The Magistrates and religious persons of a better understanding and temper, took the like offence Sine Ira, & odio, for they knew him not, nor his former conversation. After this, he preached other Sermons, to supply the absence of Mr Hart; the drift of which Sermons shall be declared in the ex∣amination of particulars. The serious people had thoughts of heart concerning this thing, others discoursed, and the whole City was quickly filled with this businesse. The Magistrates were as much troubled as the Ministers, and that chiefly upon their own judgement, not others information. The Mayor stopp'd the course of his preaching (as himself relates) which restraint was taken off by the Governor for a further triall. The generall of∣fence was heightned. Whereupon it was moved among the Ma∣gistrates, that he should depart the City: but this motion was again let fall, and 'twas ordered that he should come to a dispute or Conference in the Governors Chamber the next Lords day af∣ter the Evening Exercise. The Mayor, Governor, Committee, and many principall Citizens together with the Ministers met at the time and place appointed. The result of our Conference was to be penned, that there might be no shifting on either party. And because Mr. Bacons preaching was full of affected ambiguity, we desired in the first place to propose certain Questions concerning fundamentall Doctrine, and those onely upon which his preach∣ing did immediately reflect. And though he pleaded this deal∣ing to be the way of the High Commission Court, yet the Equity thereof shall be made good. For the debate of these Questions, Mr. Bacon was allowed about three dayes preparation: But he in∣stead

of accepting the Dispute, brought in at large his own sta∣ting of the Questions, and his Judgement upon them. And when the Errors and impertinencies thereof were clearly argued, he utterly disclaimed all dispute, referring us to his Paper, and re∣quiring our Answer in writing, in which way there could be no end of the Controversie. Yet he received from my self an Answer in writing. Neverthelesse his own partie made great outcryes of palpable injurie in the manage of the Conference. Whereupon for a generall satisfaction a publick Disputation was had in the Colledge between Mr. Bacon and my self. Which being ended, the same day the Committee desiring the Ministers to be present, drew up an Order injoyning him to quit the Town. This Order was disobeyed: whereupon a second was drawn up more vehe∣ment then the former, but that also slighted, in pursuance wher∣of the Governor commanded a small party of horse to be his Convoy through places of danger to other quarters of the Par∣liament, and from these he received civill usage according to his own testimony. This is the truth of his remarkable Story, which he brought forth in so large a Declaration, professing that this Argument might have swollen into a greater Volume, but that there is no end of Disputes.