as
essential to the being of a lawful Christian magistrate: but that
whosoever are set up, and while they continue to be acknowledged by
civil society, are lawful magistrates, though destitute of scripture
qualifications, and acting in a manifest opposition to the revealed will
and law of God.

The texts of scripture used by them, do prove this general proposition,
viz., That it is the duty of the people of God to obey and submit to
lawful rulers in their lawful commands: and that it is utterly unlawful
and sinful to oppose such lawful authority. But none of these texts
quoted by them, prove, that it is the duty of the people of God, blessed
with the knowledge of his revealed will, to submit to, and obey, for
conscience sake, an authority that is sinful, and opposite to the
revealed will of God, both in its constitution and general course of
administration. Nor do they prove, that a prelatical, Erastian or popish
government, is a lawful government, either expressly, or by right of
necessary consequence, over a people, who either do, collectively
considered as a church and nation, or are bound to profess all the parts
of the true religion, and to maintain all the divine ordinances in their
purity: nor do they prove, that any can be lawful rulers over these
Christian and covenanted nations, who want the essential qualifications
required by the word of God, the covenants, and fundamental laws of the
kingdoms: or that it is sinful in the people of God, to say so much, in
testifying against the joint and national apostasy from God and the
purity of religion. Particularly,

The first text they adduce is, _Prov._ xxvi, 21: "My son, fear, thou the
Lord and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change."
It is granted, that this scripture enjoins all those duties that, in a
consistency with the fear of the Lord, a people owe to their rightful
kings. But nothing can be more absurd, than to extend the command to all
that bear the name of kings, who are acknowledged by a nation as kings,
and while they do so own them, though their constitution should be most
anti-christian, and they justly chargeable with unparalleled evils not
only in their private character, but in their public conduct: be they
idolaters, adulterers, blasphemers, sabbath-breakers, murderers,
invaders, and avowed usurpers of the throne, crown and scepter, and
incommunicable prerogatives of Christ, the glorious King of Zion,
setting themselves in t