DIRECTIONS TO OUR Arch-Bishops and Bishops, FOR THE Preserving of Unity in the Church, AND THE Purity of the Christian Faith, Concerning the Holy Trinity.

By His▪ Maiesties Special Command.

‘ [...] MON DROIT’‘HONI SOIT QVI [...]’

LONDON, Printed by Charles Bill, and the Executrix of Thomas Newcomb, deceas'd; Printers to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. 1695.

Directions to Our Arch-Bishops and Bishops, for the Preserving of Ʋnity in the Church, and the Purity of the Christian Faith, concerning the Holy Trinity.

WILLIAM R.

MOST Reverend, and Right Reve­rend Fathers in God, We Greet You well.

Whereas We are given to understand, That there have of late been some Differen­ces among the Clergy of this [Page 4]Our Realm about their Ways of Expressing themselves in their Sermons and Writings, concern­ing the Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity, which may be of dan­gerous Consequence, if not time­ly Prevented; We therefore, out of Our Princely Care and Zeal for the Preservation of the Peace and Unity of the Church, together with the Purity of the Christian Faith, Have thought fit to send You these following Directions, which We straightly Charge and Command You to Publish, and to see that they be Observed within Your several Dioceses.

  • [Page 5]I. THat no Preacher whatso­ever, in his Sermon or Lecture, do presume to Deliver any other Doctrine concerning the Blessed Trinity, than what is contained in the Holy Scriptures, and is agreeable to the Three Creeds and the Thirty nine Ar­ticles of Religion.
  • II. That in the Explication of this Doctrine they carefully a­void all new Terms, and confine themselves to such ways of Ex­pression as have been commonly used in the Church.
  • III. That Care be taken in this Matter, especially to observe the Fifty third Canon of this Church, which forbids publick Opposition between Preachers, and that a­bove all things they abstain from [Page 6]bitter Invectives and Scurrilous Language against all Persons whatsoever.
  • IV. That the foregoing Directi­ons be also observed by those, who write any thing concerning the said Doctrine.

And whereas We also under­stand, That divers Persons, who are not of the Clergy, have of late presumed, not only to Talk and to Dispute against the Chri­stian Faith, concerning the Do­ctrine of the Blessed Trinity, but also to Write and Publish Books and Pamphlets against the same, and industriously spread them through the Kingdom, contrary to Our known Laws Established in this Realm; We do therefore strictly Charge and Command [Page 7]You, together with all other Means suitable to Your Holy Pro­fession, to make use of Your Au­thority according to Law, for the Repressing and Restraining of all such exorbitant Practices. And for Your Assistance We will give Charge to Our Iudges, and all other Our Civil Officers, to do their Duty herein, in Executing the Laws against all such Per­sons as shall by these Means give Occasion of Scandal, Discord and Disturbance in Our Church and Kingdom.

Given at Our Court at Kensington the Third Day of February, 1695. In the Seventh Year of Our Reign.
By His Majesties Command, SHREWSBURY.

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