Matthew Henry says, "He is the minister of God to thee for good." Protection draws allegiance. 

More errors in that last sentence than words. 

1. The State neither promises nor delivers "protection." It only promises vengeance.
2. We are commanded to have "allegiance" even in the absence of protection. The argument of Paul in Rom 12-13 does not presuppose the goodness and protection of the State, but rather its evil, even demonic character. But we are still to submit, even when the State is an evil persecutor of the righteous, and overcome this evil with good.
3. Our allegiance to the State is clearly subordinate to our allegiance to God.
4. Our allegiance to the State has nothing at all to do with the legitimacy of State actions. Just because God commands us to pay tribute does not mean that it is Theonomically acceptable to exact tribute. 

It is, in fact, not Theonomically acceptable to conquer a nation and exact tribute, and this is proven by the fact that God destroyed Rome. Rome was a barbaric, conquering empire. I don't understand why this is a controversial point, and why Alvin is bringing up Marx and tax revolts. Nobody is advocating a tax revolt. I am advocating repentance on the pat of those who are violating the 8th Commandment. 

By upholding the government, we keep up our own hedge. 

This is a fundamentally false fact. It is socialist, rather than capitalist in its presupposition. It is not a Biblically proven or provable fact. It cannot be proven Scripturally that society's hedge is best protected by a socialist State rather than by a Christian free market. Our hedge is kept up by decentralized obedience to God's Law. Defense of the State qua State (and attack on anarcho-capitalism) is evil.

This subjection is likewise consented to by the tribute we pay (v.6): "For this cause pay you tribute, as a testimony of your submission, and an acknowledgment that in your conscience you think it to be due. 

Not a single person in this Forum believes that the government of any nation on the planet is taxing only what is "due." Every single person in this Forum believes that every government on the planet is exceeding Biblical authority by taking more from taxpayers than is authorized by Biblical Law. We do not pay 40% of our income to the State because the State has Theonomic authority to demand that much, we pay for purely pragmatic reasons, suggested by Jesus' command to walk a second mile with the Roman gestapo Mathew 5:41).

By your paying tribute you not only own the magistrate's authority, but the blessing of that authority to yourselves. 

"Authority" is a slippery word. Pilate had the "power" to execute Christ (John 19:11). Was his act lawful in God's eyes? The State claims the power to take half our income, and the power to do so is surely given to it by God. Is it lawful for Smith to take 40% of Jones' income. Absolutely not. But the power to do so comes from God, and the exercise of that power -- the act of sinning against God's Law -- "serves" God's purposes in our lives when we submit ina Christ-like way to his extortion. 

The State is demonic. God "ordains" evil.

Honour is a burden: and, if he do as he ought,

What do you mean, "if he do as he ought"?? The honor we are required to give to the emperor is in no way contingent on whether he obeys God or not. (In fact, if he were totally obedient, he wouldn't be the emperor at all!) Just as 1 Peter 2:18 tells slaves to obey their slavedrivers, not just the good, but also the wicked. Romans 12 says "resist not evil." Romans 13 says, "Resist not even this, the greatest evil."

he is attending continually upon this very thing, in consideration of which fatigue, we pay tribute." He does not say, "You give it as an alms," but, "You pay it as a debt." 

Anyone with even an inkling of acquaintance with capitalist price theory knows that we do not pay taxes because we are indebted to an equal degree to the State for the valuable goods and services it provides.

This is the lesson the apostle teaches, and it becomes all Christians to learn and practise it, that the godly in the land may be found (whatever others are) the quiet and the peaceable in the land. (The Matthew Henry Commentary p. 1789)

Quiet and peaceable, I agree; but also prophetic.

The Westminster Confession of Faith says, "It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates, to honour their persons, to pay them tribute and other dues, to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for conscience' sake. Infidelity, or difference in religion, doth not make void the magistrates' just and legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to them: from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted;" (cf. Ch. 23, Article 4). (This is also found in the Savoy Declaration Ch. 24, Article 4).

I agree with everything in that paragraph. It does not follow, by logic or by Scriptural authority, that the State is not disobeying God's commandments simply by being "the State," to say nothing of its armed aggression, confiscation of wealth, murder and kidnapping.

The Belgic Confession says, "Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God's Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency.

"Honor and respect" is also an issue which requires wisdom rather than slogans. If the "honor" and "respect" which the emperor demands is the worship of the emperor-cult, then we cannot give them that honor, correct?

And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings." (cf. Article 36)

My purpose is to establish true Theonomic moral order, not corrupt it.

Kevin C.
http://members.aol.com/VF95Theses/paradigm.htm
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And they shall beat their swords into plowshares
and sit under their Vine & Fig Tree.
Micah 4:1-7