A Vindication of the Magistrates and Ministers of Gloucester, Title page – Text
A VINDICATION OF THE MAGISTRATES And Miniſters of the City of GLOVCESTER, 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.
Prov. 18. 17.
He that is firſt in his own Cauſe ſeemeth juſt: but his neighbour cometh and ſearcheth him.
Publiſhed by Authority.
LONDON: Printed for Robert Bostock dwelling at the Signe of the Kings Head in Pauls Church-yard. 1646.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM, LORD VISCOUNT SAY and SEAL.
My Lord,
I Find my ſelf, with many others, repreſented to Your Honors view in as odious Colours as Malice it ſelf could deblazon, in Mr. Bacons Printed Relation of his uſage in Glouceſter. Whereupon I conceive my ſelf bound to maintain my integrity both in reſpect of my perſon as a Chriſtian, and of my calling as a Miniſter. I have therefore publiſhed this Vindication, which … preſent to Your Lordſhip, beſeeching You to receive it as an humble yet neceſſary addreſſe to Your Lordſhips Juſtice. Had I declined this Appeal, I might either be thought guilty, or to derogate from Your equity and impartiality. But I know that Your great and Noble Spirit highly diſdains the patronage of the leaſt falſhood, and will condeſcend to a Vindication of the Truth from what ever hand it comes. Let your Honour be pleaſed to conceive of me, as one who deſires and ſhould joy in your favourable opinion. My prayer is, that according to Your renowned Piety your Name may be precious and Honourable, for promoving a bleſſed Reformation, and the fixed Ordinances of Jeſus Chriſt: and for this the Souls of the people of God ſhall bleſſe You.
Your Honors humbly devoted Servant in the Goſpel of Chriſt, JOHN CORBET.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFULL the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of GLOUCESTER.
Gentlemen,
I Am conſtrained to publiſh an Anſwer to Mr. Bacons Relation, wherein both you, and the Miniſters of your City with divers others, are vehemently traduced. It troubles me that Glouceſter ſhould come in queſtion or be ſpoken of in ſuch a ſlender buſineſſe; yet ſince it is made publick I cannot neglect it. Beſides, greater Events do take their firſt Riſe from ſmall beginnings: And I know not what influence that vain Relation may have on the publick, if it paſſe uncontrolled. Unto you therefore I tender this Vindication, and caſt my ſelf upon your Cenſure where theſe things were acted. I value my Reputation with you, and I truſt ſhall ſtill behold my native place with comfort, and the manifeſtation of a good Conſcience, which I can never hope to do if mine integrity fail me. The Lord make you valiant for his Truth, and according to your power to avenge the Quarrel of His Covenant, and to contend for the Faith which was once given to the Saints.
Your Servant in the Goſpel of Chriſt, John Corbet.
THe preſent times do ſeem to groan under the multitude of Books, which are thruſt out into the world by a Generall opinion of ſelf-ſufficiencie. Inſomuch that the unskilfull Reader is quite oppreſſed, and inſtead of making progreſſe in the way of ſolid truth, ſits down amaz'd: Wherfore I ſhould eaſily reſolve never to divert the very looſer thoughts of men, by any object caſt before them, which according to Solomons expreſſion, doth neither help to abate the number of that which is wanting, nor to make ſtrait that which is crooked; i. e. neither to make up the defects of the ſtate of knowledge, nor to cure it's diſtempers. And for this cauſe I much bewail my unhappineſſe, that I am forced to the publick view in a buſineſſe in it ſelf mean and ſlender, but now to be undertaken of pure neceſſity. Which I ſpeak not to detract from the value of the leaſt materiall circumſtance appertaining to Religion: but all inferior paſſages are not worthy to trouble the world with a large declaration of circumſtances. Beſides points of high concernment were then ſlenderly handled in a ſubitaneous diſpute. The reading of this Reply I chalenge as a due from them that are acquainted with, have heard of, or are any way intereſſed in this Conteſtation, that the truth may be cleared. But for them that are ſtrangers, or have their judgements equally poyſed, if they will be ſo courteous as to behold, they may judge where the ſpirit of bitternes, and calumny doth lie under the inſinuations of a ſweet ſpirit of meekneſſe. Let none expect things of an higher nature then the matter it ſelf will reach. And for my Reply, 'tis the labour of ſix dayes without the advantage of my Papers, and the help of others ingaged with me, when the Relation hath been written well nigh two yeers ſince. Let this be accepted from one whoſe hearts deſire is for the glory of Sion in the Churches Reformation according to the genuine, not the conſtrained and rack't ſenſe of the Nationall Covenant.