Blessed are the Peace-makers: for they shall be called the children of God.—Matthew 5.9

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LAWS AND ACTS:
That is,
Excerpts from the
Laws, Acts, Constitutions, &
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ONCE FAVOURED WITH THE LIGHT OF THE
GOSPEL OF
JESUS CHRIST,

King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven,
and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes
and commandments... But they and our fathers dealt proudly,
and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to
thy commandments
.—Nehemiah 9.13,16.

Nation:Scotland
Reign:James VI
Parliament:The First Parliament of King James the Sixth (1567-12-15 — 1567-12-29)
Session:Only Session of the First Parliament of James VI

5. Anent the Mass abolished, and punishing of all that hear or says the same.

ITEM, Our Sovereign Lord, with advice of his dearest Regent, and the three Estates of this present Parliament ratifies and approves the Act underwritten, made in the Parliament holden at Edinburgh, the 23rd day of August, the year 1560 years; And of new in this present Parliament statutes and ordains, the said Act to be as a perpetual Law, to all our Sovereign Lord’s Lieges in all times to come; Of {359} the which, the tenour follows: The which day, forsomuch as almighty God by his most true and blessed word, has declared the reverence, and honour which should be given unto him, And by his Son JESUS CHRIST has declared the true use of the Sacraments, willing the same to be used, according to his will and word; By which it is notour, and perfectly known, that the Sacraments of Baptism, and of the Body and blood of JESUS CHRIST, have been in all times by-past corrupted, by the Papistical Kirk, and by their usurped Ministers; And presently, notwithstanding the reformation already made, according to God’s word: Yet there is some of the said Papist Kirk, that stubbornly perseveres in their wicked Idolatry, saying Mass, and Baptizing, conform to the Pope’s Kirk, profaning there-through the Sacraments foresaid, in quiet and secret places, there-through neither regarding God, nor his word. THEREFORE, it is statute and ordained in this present Parliament, that no manner of person, or persons, in any time coming, administer any of the Sacraments foresaid, secretly, or any other manner of way, but they that are admitted, and having power to that effect. And that no manner of person nor persons, say Mass, nor yet hear Mass, nor be present thereat, under the pain of confiscation of all their goods moveable, and unmovable, and punishing of their bodies at the discretion of the Magistrate, within whose Jurisdiction such persons happen to be apprehended, for the first fault. Banishment of [from] the Realm, for the second fault: And Justifying to the death, for the third fault. And ordains all Sheriffs, Stewards, Baillies, and their deputes, Provosts, and Baillies of Burrows, and others Judges whatsomever, within this Realm, to take diligent suit and inquisition, within their bounds, where any such usurped Ministry is used, Mass-saying, or they that are present at the doing thereof, ratifying, and approving the same, take & apprehend them, to the effect, that the pains above written may be execute upon them. And therefore of new decerns & ordains the contraveners of the same, in any time hereafter, to be punished according to the pains of the aforesaid Act above rehearsed.