Remarks on a Sermon About Corrupting the Word of God, Title page – Dedication
REMARKS ON A SERMON, ABOUT Corrupting the WORD of GOD. PREACH'D BY Tho. Gipps, Rector of Bury, On a Publick Occaſion, July 11. 1696.
Wherein the DISSENTERS ARE Fully Vindicated Againſt his Ʋnjuſt Accuſations.
By J. O. Miniſter of the Goſpel at Oſweſtry.
COM. ix.
Thou ſhalt not bear falſe Witneſs againſt thy Neighbour.
Et tuus Fronto, non ut …tor teſtimonium fecit, ſed Convicium ut Orator aſperſit.
Min. Fel. Octav. p. 92. Edit. Oxon.
London, Printed for Zachary Whitworth, Bookſeller in Mancheſter, 1697.
To the Right Honourable WILLIAM Earl of Derby, Lord of Man, and the Iſles, &c.
My Lord,
IT was a received Maxim in the Roman Judicatories, To Condemn no Man till he were admitted to anſwer for himſelf, which being agreeable to the Laws of Natural Juſtice, and the prevailing Sentiments of Mankind, I doubt not, but will paſs with Your Honour, for an equitable Rule of Judgment.
The Rector of Bury hath Publiſh'd a horrid Charge againſt a great Body of People, the Diſſenting Proteſtants, of Corrupting the Word of God, by Printing the Word Ye inſtead of We in Acts 6.3. and preſumes to ſhelter himſelf under your Great and Honourable Name, by which he hopes to render it unconteſtable, and to give it a more general Acceptation in the World.
Now, My Lord, ſince he Appeals to Ceſar, to Ceſar he ſhall go. All the Favour we deſire, is a Full and Fair Hearing of our Cauſe, which will bear the ſtricteſt Diſquiſition of a ſevere Judicature.
Our Accuſer ſaith, the firſt Corruption happen'd in the Year 1638. when the Presbyterians were in the Aſcendant, and that it was then begun, and continued ever ſince in ſeveral Editions to promote the People's Power of ſetting up their own Teachers.
But I have clearly Prov'd, that the Presbyterians were in no Power then; that they are as much againſt the People's Ordaining Miniſters as the Biſhops are; that there were far more corrupt Editions of that Place under King Charles II. when the Preſs was intirely at the Devotion of the Biſhops, than in the Year's between 40. and 60. when the Anti-Epiſcopal Party had the Power of the Preſs. I can find but Three Corrupt Editions during the long Parliament, and I have met with Three and Thirty under King Charles II. which I humbly Preſent to your Lordſhip's wiſe Conſideration, not doubting but the Intereſts of Truth have the Preference in your Eſteem to the inſinuating Artifices of officious Servants.
The Rector, who Honours himſelf with the Title of your Lordſhips Chaplain, knowing its below your Greatneſs to examine his Matters, and preſuming your Lordſhip would take all upon truſt (as one would think a Noble Perſon might rely much upon the Word of a Chaplain) thought he might impoſe herein upon your Honour, as no doubt he hath upon many others: But the Duty we owe to all, and to Perſons of Honour eſpecially, as well as our own neceſſary Vindication, hath obliged us to Expoſe the Falſeneſs of his Accuſations, and to recommend this true Narrative of the Caſe to your Lordſhips Exact and Impartial Judgment.
I humbly crave your Lordſhips Pardon for this Addreſs, occaſion'd by that of the Rector's, in which he very rudely Proſtitutes your Honour to the Patronage of the vileſt Calumny.
I leave him to your Lordſhip's juſt Cenſure, and wiſh him more Sincere Affection to the Truth, more Deference towards his Superiours, and more Charity towards his Neighbours, eſpecially in a Conjuncture, when our Civil as well as our Religious Intereſts do ſo loudly Call for the Exerciſe of 'em.
But I muſt not tire your Lordſhip's Patience, and therefore ſhall only add an Apprecation of all Bleſſings to your Honour, and beg leave to ſubſcribe my ſelf.
Right Honourable, Your Lordſhip's moſt Humble And moſt Obedient Servant In our Great Lord and Maſter JESƲS CHRIST. James Owen.