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
6. Considering the ends of its contrivance, they dare not have any
accession to accomplish such wicked projects, to which this acceptance
would be so natively subservient. The expressed ends of this grant are,
to unite the hearts of his subjects to him in loyalty and to their
neighbours in love, as in the former proclamation; and that by the
liberty granted the peace and security of his government in the practice
thereof may not be endangered, as in the latter proclamation; and to
unite the subjects to him by inclination as well as duty, which he
thinks can be done by no means so effectually as by granting the free
exercise of religion, as in the English declaration. Whence we may
gather not obscurely, what is the proper tendency of it, both as to the
work and worker, to wit, to incline and induce us by flattery to a
lawless loyalty, and a stupid contented slavery when he cannot compel us
by force, and make us actively co-operate in setting and settling his
tyranny, in the peaceable possession of all his usurpations, robberies,
and encroachments upon our religion, laws, and liberties, and to
incorporate us with Babylon; for who are the neighbours he would have us
unite with in love, but the papists? against whom all the lovers of
Christ must profess themselves irreconcileable enemies. The English
declaration does further discover the design of this device, in one
expression which will most easily be obtained to be believed of any in
it, viz. that he heartily wishes that all the people of these dominions
were members of the catholic church: which clearly insinuates, that
hereby he would entice them to commit fornication with that mother of
harlots; which enticing to idolatry (if we consult the scripture) should
meet with another sort of entertainment than such a kind and thankful
acceptance, which is not an opposing of such a wicked wish, but an
encouraging and corroborating of it. And further he says, that all the
former tract of persecutions never obtained the end for which it was
employed; for after all the frequent and pressing endeavours that were
used, to reduce this kingdom to an exact conformity in religion, it is
visible the success has not answered the design, and that the difficulty
is invincible. Wherein we may note his extorted acknowledgment, that all
former endeavours to destroy the work of God have been successless,
which induces him to try another method, to which this acceptance is
very subservient, to wit, to destroy us and our religion by flatteries,
and by peace to overturn truth, and by the subversion of laws to open a
door to let in popery and all abominations. But what is more obscurely
expressed in his words, is more visibly obvious in his works, to all
that will not willingly wink at them; discovering clearly the end of
this liberty is not for the glory of God, nor the advantage of truth, or
the church's edification, nor intended as a benefit to protestants; but
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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