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Our sovereign lord, being truly sensible of the mercies of Almighty God towards him in his preservation, in the times of greatest trouble and danger, and in his miraculous restitution to his just right and government of his kingdoms; and being desirous to improve these mercies to the glory of God and honour of his great name does, with advice and consent of his estates of parliament, declare that it is his full and firm resolution to maintain the true reformed Protestant religion in its purity of doctrine and worship, as it was established within this kingdom, during the reign of his royal father and grandfather, of blessed memory, and that his majesty will be careful to promote the power of godliness, to encourage the exercises of religion, both public and private, and to suppress all profaneness and disorderly journeying; and for that end will give all due countenance and protection to the ministers of the Gospel, they containing themselves within the bounds and limits of their ministerial calling and behaving themselves with that submission and obedience to his majesty's authority and commands that is suitable to the allegiance and duty of good subjects. And as to the government of the church, his majesty will make it his care to settle and secure the same in such a frame as shall be most agreeable to the word of God, most suitable to monarchical government and most complying with the public peace and quiet of the kingdom, and in the meantime his majesty, with advice and consent foresaid, does allow the present administration by sessions, presbyteries and synods (they keeping within bounds and behaving themselves, as said is) and that notwithstanding of the preceding act rescissory of all pretended parliaments since the year 1638.†