A Vindication of the Magistrates and Ministers of Gloucester, Text
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 himſelf knows it matters not) was permitted, & by my ſelf once requeſted to preach there. His firſt Sermon in publick was upon the Monethly Faſt before the greateſt, if not the onelyonly Congregation in the City that day. Divers Miniſters then preſent were much troubled not onelyonly 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 examination 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 offence was heightned. Whereupon it was moved among the Magiſtrates, 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 after 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 onelyonly upon which his preaching did immediately reflect. And though he pleaded this dealing 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 inſtead of accepting the Diſpute, brought in at large his own ſtating 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 requiring 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 vehement then the former, but that alſo ſlighted, in purſuance wherof the Governor commanded a ſmall party of horſe to be his Convoy through places of danger to other quarters of the Parliament, 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.
An Examination of the particulars in Mr. Bacons Relation of his uſage in Glouceſter.
Wherin if many triviall circumſtances ſhall nauſeat the ſerious Reader, let him take notice that I am bound to follow an extravagant Adverſary ſtep by ſtep: And for my faithfulneſſe herein, firſt let him look back upon my Appeals. Secondly, that theſe things were acted before many witneſſes, to whom I am well known, and with whom I value my Repute. Tbirdly, I am aſſured of the concurrence of godly Miniſters; but am now conſtrained to appear alone, becauſe haſte is my greateſt advantage.
I Cannot paſſe by the frontiſpice without obſervation, which would raiſe the thoughts of the Reader to expect ſome great and admirable diſcovery. And what is it? The ſpirit of Prelacy yet working, or truth from under a cloud. What an incongruous beginning yet proportionable to the reſt! If the latter part of the Title be an explanation of the former, as ſuch connexions would import; then the ſpirit of Prelacy yet working is Truth from under a Cloud. What then is intituled unto this great myſtery. A Relation of that great and publick Conteſtation had in Gloucester. July 1644. Certainly this Relater will abate nothing of his value. Such Titles are fit for ſome generall meeting of eminent perſons, a diſpute before the repreſentative Body of a Kingdom, or ſome famous reſult and notable periods of the debates of a Nationall Aſſembly. Beſides 'tis called that great Conteſtation, as if the whole Kingdom either did or were bound to take notice of it.
In the intimation to the Reader what greater advantage could I wiſh, Quam quod accuſatori maxime optandum conſitentem reum. He doth freely confeſſe, that nothing was done in this matter, but in the eye of Authority, and by their order. Let it be conſidered that this Authority was the joynt conſent of the Civill and Military Government of Glouceſter, a place famous for it's fidelitie to the Kingdoms Cauſe in the greateſt ſtrait, that the Parliament was as yet ever caſt into ſince the beginning of the War, a place which was a refuge and Sanctuary to godly Miniſters and people in their diſtreſſe, which they that were refreſhed will at this day acknowledge.
He deſires to give an Experiment of the ſeaſonableneſſe of Mr. Colemans caution to the Parliament, that the Clergie (ut vocant) may not carry on their own ſelf deſignes, that is in plain Engliſh, to hinder the ſetling of Church-Government. It is well known that they who retard or hinder the Reformation, muſt needs drive on ſelf deſignes.
He ſpeaks alſo of my Reply, and a Rejoynder made by himſelf at that time. In this point I accuſe him of palpable injury in publiſhing his own ſtating of the Queſtions, and concealing my Reply, which was not onelyonly given in to him in private, but was read at the publick Diſputation. Thus hath he prevaricated in a main part of his Relation. Then ſuch partialitie what can be more unworthy of an ingenuous Adverſary? As for his Rejoynder, I never ſaw it, nor remember that I heard of it. What is this more then to think a Rejoynder, yea a meer nothing? For, de non entibus & non apparentibus eadem eſt ratio.