A Hind Let Loose: Or, An Historical Representation of the Testimonies of the Church of Scotland for the Interest of Christ. With the True State Thereof in All Its PeriodsShields, Alexander
History
A Hind Let Loose: Or, An Historical Representation of the Testimonies of the Church of Scotland for the Interest of Christ. With the True State Thereof in All Its Periods
Shields, Alexander
Church of Scotland -- Controversial literature; Church of Scotland -- History; Covenanters; Scotland -- Church history
Windsor, June 28, 1687, wherein he says--'Taking into our royal
consideration, the sinistrous interpretations, which either have or may
be made of some restrictions (mentioned in the last) we have thought fit
by this further to declare, that we will protect our arch bishops, &c.
And we do likewise, by our sovereign authority, prerogative-royal, and
absolute power, suspend, stop, and disable, all penal and sanguinary
laws; made against any for non-conformity to the religion established by
law in that our ancient kingdom----to the end, that by the liberty
thereby granted the peace and security of our government in the practice
thereof may not be endangered, we hereby strictly charge all our loving
subjects, that as we do give them leave to meet and serve God after
their own way, in private houses, chapels, or places purposely hired or
built for that use, so that they take care that nothing be preached or
taught, which may any way tend to alienate the hearts of our people from
us and our government, and that their meetings be peaceably and publicly
held, and all persons freely admitted to them, and that they do signify
and make known to some one or more of the next privy counsellors,
sheriffs, stewards, bailiffs, justices of the peace, or magistrates of
burghs royal, what place or places they set apart for these uses, with
the names of the preachers----provided always that the meetings be in
houses, and not in the open fields for which now after this our royal
grace and favour (which surpasses the hopes, and equals the very wishes
of the most zealously concerned) there is not the least shadow of excuse
left: which meeting in the fields we do hereby strictly prohibit and
forbid, against all which we do leave our laws and acts of parliament in
full force and vigour, notwithstanding the premises; and do further
command all our judges, magistrates, and officers of forces, to
prosecute such as shall be guilty of the said field conventicles with
the utmost rigour; for we are confident, none will after these liberties
and freedoms, given to all without reserve to serve God in their own
way, presume to meet in these assemblies, except such as make a pretence
of religion to cover their treasonable designs against our royal person
and the peace of our government.'----
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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