'Ihe HIS T 0 R Y ol the PuRI'TANs. V II ') OL. • Oliver wards bifhop of Chejter, Dr. Wild, Pem.fim, Ball, Hardy, Grijfith, Far– Pro~eElor. ringdo11, and others. Several of the bi(hops who had been kept from ~ public fervice by the covenant and enga7;ement, preached again publicly in the city, as archbifhop Ujher, bit11op Bro~vnrigge, and others. Mr. Bax– ter who was very far from being ~friend of the proteCtor's, f.1ys " that '' all men were fuffered to hve qutetly, and enjoy their properties under . I?· IS6. ProteElor's council. " his government- That he removed the terrors and prejudices which ' " hindered the fuccefs of the gofpel, efpecially confidering tbat !!od– ·« linefs had countenance and reputation as well as liberty, whereas'\e– " fore, if it did not appear in all the fetters and formalities of the « times, it was the way to common !hame and ruin. 'Tis well known " that the prefbyterians did not approve of the' zifitrpation, but when they " faw that Cromwell's defign was to do good in the main, and encourarre " religion as far as his caufe would admit, they acquiefced," And th~n comparing thefe times with thofc after tbe refioration, he adds, " I !hall " for the future think that land happy, where the people have but bare " liberty to be as good as they are willing; and if countenance and main– " tenance be hut added to liberty, and tolerated errors and fetts be but for– " ced to ke<;p the peace, I !hall not hereafter much fear fuch a toleration, '' nor defpair that truth will bear down its adverfaries." This was a con– fiderable tefl:imony to the protellor's adminifl:ration from the pen of an adverfary. _ The proteCtor's firfl: council were, major.general Lambert, lieutenant– general Fleetwood, colonel Montague, afterwards earl of Sandwich ; Phi– lip lord vifcount Lijle, fince earl of Leicdfer; colonel Desborough, Sir Gilbert Pickering, Sir Antbony Ajhley Cooper, afterwards earl of Shaftf– bury; Sir Charles Woo!fey, major-general Skippon, Mr. Strickland, cola– lone! Sydenham, colonel Jones, Mr. Rozife, Mr. Lawrence, and Mr. Ma– jor: Men of great name in thofe times; fome of whom made a confi– derable figure after the refl:oration. The proteCl:or's wife conduCt appear– ed in nothing more than in his unwearied endeavours to make all religious parties eafy. He indulged rhe army in their enthufiafl:ic raptures, and lame– times joined in their prayers and fermons. He countenanced the presby– terians, by aifuring them he would maintain the public minifiry, and give them all due encouragement. He fupported the independents, by making them his chaplains; by preferring them to confiderable livings in the church alld univerfities; and by joining them in one commiffion with the prefbyterians as TRY ERs of all fuch as defired to be admitted to be– nefices. But he abfolutely forbid the clergy of every denomination deal– ing in politics, as not belonging to their profeffion; and when he percei– ved the managing presbyterians took too much upon them, he always found
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