=Source.=--Richard Baxter, _Reliquæ Baxterianæ_. Vol. i., p. 72.
One of the chief works which he [Cromwell] did was the purging of
the Ministry; of which I shall say somewhat more. And here I suppose
the reader to understand that the Synod of Westminster was dissolved
with the Parliament; and therefore a society of ministers with some
others were chosen by Cromwell to sit at Whitehall, under the name of
Triers, who were mostly Independents, but some sober Presbyterians
with them, and had power to try all that came for institution or
induction, and without their approbation none were admitted. This
assembly of Triers examined themselves all that were able to come up
to London, but if any were unable, or were of doubtful qualification
between worthy or unworthy, they used to refer them to some ministers
in the country where they lived, and to approve them if _they_
approved them.
And because this assembly of Triers is most heavily accused and
reproached by some men, I shall speak the truth of them, and suppose
my word shall be the rather taken, because most of them took me for
one of their boldest adversaries as to their opinions, and because I
was known to disown their power, insomuch that I refused to try any
under them upon their reference, except a very few, whose importunity
and necessity moved me (they being such as for their episcopal
judgment, or some such cause, the Triers were like to have rejected).
The truth is that, though their authority was null, and though some
few over busy and over rigid Independents among them were too severe
against all that were Arminians, and too particular in enquiring
after evidences of Sanctification in those whom they examined, and
somewhat too lax in their admission of unlearned and erroneous men
that favoured Antinomianism or Anabaptism; yet to give them their
due, they did abundance of good to the church. They saved many a
congregation from ignorant ungodly drunken teachers; that sort of
men that intended no more in the ministry than to say a sermon, as
readers say their Common Prayers, and so patch up a few good words
together to talk the people asleep with on Sunday; and all the rest
of the week go with them to the alehouse and harden them in their
sin. And that sort of Ministers that either preached against a holy
life, or preached as men that never were acquainted with it; all
those that used the ministry but as a common trade to live by and
were never likely to convert a soul, all these they usually rejected,
and in their stead admitted of any that were able serious Preachers,
and lived a godly life, of what tolerable opinion soever they were.
So that though they were many of them somewhat partial for the
Independents, Separatists, Fifth Monarchy men and Anabaptists, and
against the Prelatists and Arminians, yet so great was the benefit
above the hurt which they brought to the Church, that many thousands
of souls blessed God for the faithful ministers whom they let in, and
grieved when the Prelatists afterwards cast them out again.