634 jP''- Perci-vaPs Notes an J Jlluftrations. 



it was burnt by the common executioner, in obedience to the order 

 of the houfe of peers.* 



When the great Lord Ruflel was condemned, on account of 

 the Rye-houfe plot, in 1683, Dr. Tillotfon and Dr. Burnet 

 were both anxioufly afliduous in their endeavours to perfuade his 

 Lordfhip, that " the chriftian religion abfolutely forbids the 

 " refiftance of authority ; and that it is not lawful, on any pre- 

 " tence whatfoever, to take up arms againfl government." The 

 impreffion they made on the mind of their noble friend may be 

 colle£led from the following paflage in his fpeech. " For my 

 " part, I cannot deny, but I have been of opinion, that a free 

 " nation, like this, might defend their religion and liberties, 

 " when invaded and taken from them, though under pretence 

 «' and colour of law. But fome eminent and worthy divines, 

 ** who have had the charity to be often with me, and whom I 

 " value and efteem to a very great degree, have offered weighty 

 " reafons to perfuade me, that faith and patience are the proper 

 " ways for the prefervation of religion, and the method of the 

 " gofpel is to fuffer perfecution, rather than to ufe refiftance. 

 " But, if I have finned in this, I hope God will not lay it to 

 " my charge, fmce he knows it was only a fin of ignorance." f 



The paffages in the New Teftament, wherein obedience to 

 magiftracy is fo emphatically inculcated, are juftly fuppofed to 

 have been particularly addrefTed to the Gaalanites, a wild 

 and deluded party, the followers of Theudas, a native of 

 Gaulan, in Upper Galilee. This fanatic, in the tenth year of 

 Jefus Chrift, " which was the laft of Auguftus, excited his 

 " countrymen the Galileans, and many others of the Jews, to 

 " take arms and venture upon all extremities, rather than pay 

 " tribute to the Romans. The principles he iufufed into his 

 " party were, not only that they were a free nation, and ought 

 " to be in fubjeftion to no other ; but that they were the eledl of 

 " God, that he alone was their governor, and that, therefor?. 



• Birch's Life of Tillotfon, p. 1S9. 

 f Idem, p, 116, 



they 



