Taxes, Taxation, Covenanters and Civil Power, What Does the Bible Teach? (Probably Not What You Think) by Jim Dodson (Free MP3)

This MP3 is the last of 17 messages in Jim Dodson fascinating series entitled, "National Church Establishments". Much of this biblical and classic Reformation teaching has been lost in our day and you may email cameronian@covenanter.org if you would like to hear more. Just ask, in your email, to get free access to all the messages in the "National Church Establishments" series and much, much more in Jim Dodson's DropBox. Below is a list of some of the many free resources available in this DropBox:

1. Basil the Great on Trinitarianism translated from the Original Greek with Critical Notes by Jim Dodson

2. Close Communion (audio lectures and study guides-complete)

3. Confessionalism and the Need for Creeds (audio lectures and study guides-complete)

4. Directory for the Public Worship of God (audio lectures and study guides-complete)

5. Form of Presbyterial Church-Government (audio lectures and study guides-ongoing)

6. Westminster Larger & Shorter Catechism (audio lectures and study guides-ongoing)

7. Miscellaneous Papers by Jim Dodson

8. National Church Establishments (audio lectures and study guides-complete)

9. Occasional Hearing (study guides only)

10. Sermons (audio only)

11. Terms of Communion (audio lectures and study guides-ongoing)

12. Voluntary Associations (audio lectures and study guides-complete)

ALL FREE SWRB MP3s & VIDEOS BY JIM DODSON ON SERMONAUDIO

If you love the Bible, then you may well be Reformed. If you think of yourself as Reformed, but you have seldom or have never read older Reformed literature, prepare to be challenged. The Puritan Hard Drive provides primary sources and depth of theological and spiritual insight which is lacking in much of what is passed off as genuine Reformed theology. If you think of yourself as conservative, the older Puritan and Reformed authors will help you sort reality from myth in your quest to be truly Reformed. There are more solid resources for less money here than anywhere else. I highly recommend you take responsibility for your soul and spend a few shekels for this cup of cold water in the midst of the modern religious desert. - Jim Dodson, Reformed Presbyterian Scholar, https://www.covenanter.org/

Unlawful Taxation and Wicked Civil Governments That Disobey God & His Law (Free Reformation MP3s, Books & Videos)

No manifest idolater, nor notorious transgressor of God's holy precepts, ought to be promoted to any public regiment [i.e. government-GLP], honour, or dignity, in any realm, province, or city that has subjected itself to his blessed evangel. - John Knox, from "Summary of the Proposed Second Blast of the Trumpet" (1558), as cited in Greg Price, Biblical Civil Government Versus The Beast; and The Basis for Civil Resistance, both resources are on the Puritan Hard Drive.

Unlawful Taxation and Unlawful Civil Government (Mark #60) by Greg Price (Free MP3)

"I lay down this maxime of Divinitie; Tyranny being a worke of Sathan, is not from God, because sinne either habituall or actuall, is not from God; the power that is, must be from God; the Magistrate as Magistrate, is good, in nature of office, and the intrinsecall end of his office, Rom. 13:4. for he is the Minister of God for thy good; and therefore a power ethicall, politick, or morall, to oppresse, is not from God, and is not a power, but a licentious deviation of a power, and is no more from God, but from sinfull nature, and the old serpent, then a license to sinne." - Samuel Rutherford, Lex, Rex, or the Law and the Prince (1644, on the Puritan Hard Drive).

Ungodly Civil Governments, Taxation and Tyranny (Free Reformation MP3s, Books & Videos)

Resistance to tyranny is obedience to God. - John Knox on the Puritan Hard Drive

The U.S. Constitution, Taxation, Slavery, Antichrist, Church Discipline and the Covenanters (was "Circular No. 2," 1885) by David Steele (Digital Download, Searchable, Enhanced,SWRB PDF)

The following quote speaks of John Calvin's mature thinking about resistance to illegitimate civil rulers. "One factor behind this rising tension was that Huguenot political rhetoric had required a decidedly anti-royalist tone during the second and third civil wars. While Calvin's Institution of the Christian Religion seemed to suggest that private citizens owed their obedience even to an ungodly king -- only lesser magistrates could legally oppose the authority of a wicked king -- his biblical commentaries published late in his life offered more intriguing possibilities. In his Readings on the Prophet Daniel first published in 1561, Calvin argued that when Daniel refused to obey King Darius, 'he committed no sin', since whenever rulers disobeyed God, 'they automatically abdicate their worldly power'. Calvin went even further in his Sermons on the Last Eight Chapters of the Book of Daniel published posthumously in 1565. Describing the same biblical incident, Calvin argued that when Kings defy God, 'they are no longer worthy to be counted as princesŠ [And] when they raise themselves up against GodŠ it is necessary that they should in turn be laid low'." - Mack P. Holt, The French Wars of Religion 1562-1629, (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1995, 2005), p. 78.

The Bible On Taxation, Civil Government, Resistance To Tyranny, etc. (Free Reformed MP3s, Books, Videos, etc.)

Taxation By David Steele (Free Online Article)

The following comments were penned in answer to a query by a reader, in 1878, who asked concerning Christ's paying of tribute, "lest we should offend," etc. (Matt. 17:24-27), what the Covenanter position is regarding taxation.

The establishmentarianism of the Reformation was not limited to just individual divines, "Dr. M'Crie in his STATEMENT OF THE DIFFERENCE (which is on the Puritan Hard Drive), shows that all the Confessions of the Protestant and Presbyterian Churches of the Reformation, both in Britain and on the Continent of Europe, held and maintained the Establishment Principle." M'Crie goes on give extracts from THE CONFESSION OF HELVETIA; THE CONFESSION OF BOHEMIA, called the CONFESSION OF THE WALDENSES; THE CONFESSION OF SAXONY; THE FRENCH CONFESSION; THE BELGIC OR DUTCH CONFESSION; THE CONFESSION OF THE ENGLISH CONGREGATION IN GENEVA; THE SCOTS CONFESSION and THE WESTMINSTER CONFESSION, all proving that "these confessions harmoniously agree in declaring as with one mouth that civil authority is not limited to the secular affairs of men, and the public care and advancement of religion is a principle part of the official duty of magistrates." See our publication of Theodore Beza's (Calvin's successor in Geneva) HARMONY OF THE PROTESTANT CONFESSIONS (section 19, "Of the Civil Magistrate" [on the Puritan Hard Drive]) and the Westminster Confession of Faith (chapter 23) to confirm M'Crie's findings. M'Crie, in opposition to Tangelder, then rightly concludes, "Such is the harmony of doctrine in the Protestant churches on this head, expressed in their confessions and public formularies drawn from the word of God; a harmony which deserves great attention, and from which none should rashly depart." The only so-called Protestant group that generally opposed establishments was the anti-covenantal, anabaptists. (Dr. Reg Barrow, Reg Barrow's Reply to Christian Renewal Regarding Their Review of Mike Wagner's Presbyterian Political Manifesto, on the Puritan Hard Drive, emphases added)

RELATED REFORMATION RESOURCES

FREE: The Subjection of Kings and Nations to Messiah by James Willson, Greg Price, et al.

Biblical Civil Government Versus the Beast; and, the Basis for Christian Resistance by Greg Price (Free Book)

Biblical Civil Government Versus the Beast and the Basis for Christian Civil Resistance by Greg Price (Free MP3), Micah Series (Micah 3:1-4)

Covenants and Covenanting (Introduction) by Greg Price (7 Free MP3s)

A Defense of Covenanting and the Solemn League and Covenant (21 FREE MP3s) by Greg Price

This is definitive sermon series on covenanting, it is best we know of from throughout history on this topic. Exquisitely thorough and thoroughly biblical.

MORE FREE ONLINE RESOURCES BY GREG PRICE AT SWRB.COM

The Covenanted Reformation Defended by Greg Barrow (Free Online Book)

This post is very interesting for revealing how establishmentarians' believed that it was the duty of the civil magistrate to fund the propagation of the gospel and to support places of learning. It further proves that Libertarian Theology (small governmentism, that seeks to restrict the state to crime, defence, and very little else) is really a fruit of Baptist Voluntaryism and not Presbyterian establishmentarianism:

Were the State constituted on Scriptural principles, and the true religion established by public authority, it can never be shown that it would be unjust to decree a moderate tax, in order to maintain and propagate Christianity throughout the community. Who ever objects against the appropriations that are made out of the national treasury, to endow Colleges and Universities, and to promote general education? Now, if the reason for making these appropriations be that education advances the ends of civil government, as it tends to further the peace and prosperity of society, it can be shown, with tenfold conclusiveness, that civil rulers should extend their bounty to the true religion established in their dominions. Education is a blessing to a people, but pure Christianity is a blessing incomparably greater. All that education can ever do, towards promoting good order and industry and obedience to the laws throughout a community, will be accomplished much more efficiently by the doctrines of true religion faithfully inculcated, and its ordinances Scripturally administered. This being admitted, and we presume it will not be easy to deny the premises or conclusions, it follows, that a slight tax for the support of a national religious establishment cannot be regarded as a grievance, even by those who swell the ranks of dissent.

- From: The Belfast Covenanter on taxation for the propagation of Christianity