And finally, let this be further observed, that as it was a
beautiful branch of our glorious reformation, that the civil government
of this nation was modeled agreeable to the word of God; and that the
right of regal government was constituted, bounded and fixed by an
unalterable law, consonant to the word of God, and sworn to be
inviolably preserved both by king and people: so the _Associate
Brethren_, by their doctrine on this head, which is inconsistent with
our uncontroverted establishment, and fundamental laws, excluding from
the throne all papists and prelatists, have counteracted a most
important point of the covenanted reformation, and opened a wide door to
_Jacobitism_. For, if every one is bound to acknowledge implicitly any
government, in fact, that prevails: then, if a party in these nations
should rise up, and set a _popish_ pretender on the throne, according to
their doctrine, all should be obliged to subject to him; and it would be
sinful to impugn the lawfulness of his authority, although that, by
being popish, he is destitute of the essential qualifications required
of a king, not only by the word of God, but by the national constitution
and laws, in order to make him a lawful sovereign to these nations.
Pages:
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290