Page:Testimony to the work of reformation in Britain and Ireland (1).pdf/9

Rh Lord; and that his Majety may tand contantly, all the days of his life, to the covenant of God, by oath, eal, and ubcription, known to the world; that o peace and the bleings of heaven may follow his government; that the Lord may be his rock and hicid: that the jut may flourih in his time; that men fearing God, hating covetounes, and of known integrity and godlines, may be judges and rulers under his Majety:-and they are not really loyal and faithful to the upreme magitrate, who wih not uch qualification in him. We are not, in this particular, contending that a prince, who is not a convert or a found believer, falls from his royal dominion; the criptures of God warrant us to pray for and obey in the Lord, princes and upreme magitrates, that are otherwie wicked; and to render all due obedience to them, Rom. xii. 2, 5. 2 Tim. ii. 12. I Pet. ii. 18. Our ouls hould. be afflicted before the Lord, for the burning of the caues of God's wrath. A ad practice, too like the burning of the roll at Jehudi, Jer. xxxvi. 22. In thee controveries, we hould take pecial heed to this, that Chrit is a free, independent Sovereign, King and Lawgiver. The Father hath appointed him his own King in mount Zion; and he cannot endure, that the powers of the world hould encroach upon his royal prerogatives, and precribe laws to him: This preumption is not far from that of citizens that hated him, Luke xix. 14. 'He hall not rule over us;' and from the intolerable pride of thoe who are for breaking aunder the bands of the Lord, and his anointed, and for cating away their cords from them, Pal. ii. 3. Epecially eeing the man Chrit would not take the office of a judge upon him, Luke xii. 14. and dicharged his diciples, to exercie a civil lordhip over their brethren. True it is, the godly magitrate may command the miniters of the gopel to do their duty,