candidates who passed muster received a sealed instrument from the commissioners, investing them in the full possession of their benefices. The Tryers, however, left to their own discretion, being all Calvinists, and many of them extravagant fanatics, inquired only concerning the conversion and progress in in grace, perceptibly experienced by the probationers for the ministry; or, at best, investigated their proficiency in the Genevan doctrines.

* This body sate at Whitehall till after the death of Cromwell, in 1659. For the convenience of remote ordination, they had sub-committees in the several counties. They demanded letters testimonial, but imposed no oath of allegiance to Cromwell; and hence several of the episcopal clergy glided silently into preferment. Among others, Fuller the historian obtained a living, having only answered to their inquiries, that he made a conscience of his thoughts..

The powers granted to the Tryers have been, with justice, pronounced to have been higher archiepiscopal and supra-metropolitan. Under the old regime, a clerk, if aggrieved or rejected, had the redress of a Quare impedit; but here no appeal was allowed from the decision, comprised, without comment, in the words, Not approved. Much expense and trouble were incurred by the clergy, from long journeys, and the delay of their examinations. The questions were such as ignorance, impudence, and hypocrisy might answer; and a man's own account of his sensible experiences was taken for Gospel. Nye and Peters were the two chief Tryers. When a malignant minister came before them, it was their usual manœuvre, to pose him with dark and abstruse questions in theology, in order to set his claim quietly aside. Two specimens of their examinations have fortunately been transmitted to posterity;

Little learning being requisite to satisfy these interrogatories, the ministry was disgraced by ant

and it would have baffled the understandings of the wisest among the children of men, to have kept pace with the intricate windings of these inquisitors. But Duncombe and Sadler, the ministers under the torture, were themselves sublime Calvinists, or at least found it convenient to appear so; and their answers, in point of incomprehensible nonsense, fell not at all short of the questions which called them forth. Behold one or two examples! To me it is only matter of surprise, how these sophs and respondents could contrive to preserve their gravity.

Q. Is faith mediate or immediate?

A. It is mediate in one sense, and immediate in another. Q. Was God willing or unwilling that Adam should fall? A. With submission to your opinion, I conceive, there was a willing unwillingness.

N. B. These two answers will remind the reader of the student at Cambridge, who being interrogated, "Whether the sun moves round the earth, or the earth round the sun?" replied, in order to make quite sure of his point, "Sometimes the one, and sometimes the other."

Q. Which is greater, original or actual sin?

A. Actual.

Q. Is murder a greater sin than original sin?

Q. (By another.)-Is the branch greater than the root?

(Remark by a third.)—That's a home question.

A. Actual sin is an aggravation of original sin, and, there fore, it is a greater sin.

N. B. By this reasoning, resentment is an aggravation of murder, and, therefore, it is a greater sin.

Q. Is regeneration a substance or an accident?

A. I do not understand your meaning.

Q. Nye. It is plain; answer.

admixture of low mechanics and pedlars. It is certain, however, says that historian who is never

Q. Do you believe Christ when you know him? or, do you know him when you believe him?

4. I know whom I have believed. Q. Is he YOUR Lord only?

4. His death is sufficient for all worlds, but not effectual for all.

Q. Why so?

A. Because God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy yea, and as Mr. Tombs saith (who this apostle was, is not specified), whom he will he hardeneth.

Q. Doth God harden any heart?

A. Yes.

Q. How can God harden a heart, and not be the author of sin ?

A. God hardeneth a heart by withdrawing his grace.

Q. How can God withdraw his grace, when he could hinder sin, and not be the author of sin?

Here Mr. Sadler, not finding it quite convenient to return a direct answer, flew off at a tangent, rose like his aërial namesake of after-times, beyond the ken of mortals, and hid his head in clouds.

"There is a threefold precept," replied he; 66 1st, There is a precept of trial, as was that communicated to Abraham. 2dly, There is a precept of obedience, accompanied with sufficient grace; and, lastly, There is a precept of conviction, as is that addressed to the wicked."- Now, the precept of conviction addressed to the wicked, it appeared, was a precept accompanied with no grace; that is, an injunction without the power of performance: and yet, rejoined this consummate logician-yet is not God the author of sin. Q. E. D.

If these Tryers were Calvinists, it was surely the very height of imprudence to probe the question in this manner to the quick.

at a loss for something that may pass for a reason, that not one of these mechanics and pedlars, who conformed at the Restoration, was then rejected on the score of insufficiency. So he would make the indulgence of government towards Conformists

Who ever yet encountered a disciple of Calvin, who could endure, without evasion, this pushing of his principles, by question upon question, to their unavoidable consequences?

I shall record one other quere, for the sake of the felicitous reply :

Q. What think you of the church of Rome, Sir? Is sh á true church, as Bishop Hall thought?

A. She is no true church. I consider her as a virgin deflowered.

There is a good deal of naïveté in the anecdote related concerning Nye, which sums up the history of the malignant Mr. Sadler. Lord William Paget, his mother's candidate having been "NOT APPROVED," applied personally to Nye for a GODLY minister, who should receive institution to the still vacant living, which was that of Compton Hayway, in Dorsetshire. "What is the yearly value of this benefice?" asked the Tryer. "Something between 601, and 80l," replied his Lordship."I am afraid, my Lord, I cannot help you to a VERY godly man for such a place *."

To return to Mr. Sadler the aeronaut. Let me ask that gentleman, what he would say concerning a sovereign, who should first deprive him of his balloon, and then command him to fly in the air?-who should offer him 1000l. for his aerial excursion, and threaten to hang him up if he failed to accomplish it? Would he not consider him a monster, capricious, unjust, unmerciful-deserving of being either execrated for his tyranny, or bound in fetters for his frenzy ?

at the Restoration, a proof of the SUFFICIENCY of his pedlars. Bad logic! If this proves any thing at all, it proves that, as might be expected of pedlars, they would rather give up their principles than their places.

It appears not that the charges of bribery preferred against these commissioners, had any other foundation than malice; but their partiality for Independents, Antinomians, Anabaptists, and fifth monarchy men, to the exclusion of Presbyterians, Arminians, and Episcopalians, was manifest.

IX. A body of lay commissioners were shortly afterwards appointed to sit in judgment on the sufficiency of the officiating clergy, both in regard to learning and morals; a most humiliating authority for the ecclesiastical body, and ill-softened by the occasional calling in of ministers as assessors. The oath of one person was deemed adequate evidence to convict; and the reading of the Liturgy, a just ground of deprivation. No one was permitted to teach a school in the parish from which he had suffered ejection. One fifth part of the value of each ejected minister's benefice was, however, allotted to the support of his family.

X. Cromwell, whose policy was to obtain for his yet unsettled government the support of all parties, by distributing encouragement to all parties, displayed much more liberality towards the depressed members of the English Church, than had