panning him into a confession, that he trusted
for his salvation to the merits of good works, not to the death of the
Redeemer.[*] Having extricated himself from these theological toils, the
archbishop laid his head on the block, and it was severed from the
body at one blow.[**] Those religious opinions for which he suffered,
contributed, no doubt, to the courage and constancy of his end. Sincere
he undoubtedly was, and, however misguided, actuated by pious motives in
all his pursuits; and it is to be regretted that a man of such spirit,
who conducted his enterprises with so much warmth and industry, had not
entertained more enlarged views, and embraced principles more favorable
to the general happiness of society.

* Rush. vol. vi. p, 838, 839.

** 12th of July, 1644.

The great and important advantage which the party gained by Strafford's
death, may in some degree palliate the iniquity of the sentence
pronounced against him: but the execution of this old, infirm prelate,
who had so long remained an inoffensive prisoner, can be ascribed to
nothing but vengeance and bigotry in those severe religionists by whom
the parliament was entirely governed. That he deserved a better fate was
not questioned by any reasonable man: the degree of his merit in
other respects was disputed. Some accused him of recommending slavish
doctrines, of promoting persecution, and of encouraging superstition;
while others thought that his conduct in these three particulars would
admit of apology and extenuation.

That the letter of the law, as much as the most flaming court sermon,
inculcates passive obedience, is apparent; and though the spirit of
a limited government seems to require, in extraordinary cases, some
mitigation of so rigorous a doctrine, it must be confessed, that the
presiding genius of the English constitution had rendered a mistake in
this particular very natural and excusable. To inflict death, at
least, on those who depart from the exact line of truth in these nice
questions, so far from being favorable to national liberty, savors
strongly of the spirit of tyranny and proscription.

Toleration had hitherto been so little the principle of any Christian
sect, that even the Catholics, the remnant of the religion professed
by their forefathers, could not obtain from the English the least
indulgence. This very house of commons, in their famous remonstrance,
took care to justify themselves, as from the highest imputat