The British Churches Under Cromwell [pp. 629-655]

18(37.] TJte Britisit ~kurc~es under Cromwell. (349
the Protector was for liberty, and the utmost latitude to all
parties, so far as consisted with the peace and safety of his
person and government." (Neal, ii. 158.) Mr. Baxter, a
strong Presbyterian adversary of Cromwell, also testifies "that
all men were suffered to live quietly, and enjoy their properties
under his government: that he removed the terrors and prejudices which hindered the success of the gospel, especially
considering that godliness had countenance and reputation as
well as liberty, whereas before, if it did not appear in all the
fetters and formalities of the times, it was the way to common
shame and ruin. It is well known that the Presbyterians did
not approve of the usurpation, but when they saw that Cromwell's design was to do good in the main, and encourage religion, as far as his cause would admit, they acquiesced."
Yarious causes conspired to render it impossible, at that
time, to grant free toleration to Romanists. For they were
not only dissenters in religion, but enemies to the whole Protestant connection, the subjects of a foreign prince ready to
accept every occasion of hostilities. Cromwell would suffer no
man to be molested for his religious belief, as long as he contained himself within the proper sphere of religion. But he
would not allow the clergy of any denomination to turn their
meetings into means of organizing resistance to the national
government: and wherever such a disposition showed itself it
was immediately suppressed. Although an Independent, he
sustained and defended the Presbyterian establishment.
Even before the dissolution of the little Parliament, he had
been engaged in devising measures for giving more effect to the
organization of the church; and for purifying it from incompetent or otherwise improper ministers. liis first step towards
that end was taken on the twentieth of March, 1(354, in the
appointment of a commission for the trial of public preachers.
It consisted of nine laymen and twenty-nine clergymen, selected
from the Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptists, with special
view to their prudence, sagacity, and sound Christian experience. By those Triers, as they were called, "any person pretending to h6ld a church living, or levy tithes, or clergy dues
in England," was first to be tried and approved.
A second step in the process, taken in the following August,
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