A society of ministers, with some others, chosen by Cromwell to sit at Whitehall. They were mostly Independents, though some Presbyterians were joined with them. They had power to try all that came for institution and induction; and without their approbation none were admitted. They examined all who were able to come up to London; but if any were unable, or of doubtful qualifications, they referred them to some ministers in the county where they lived. They rejected all those who did not live according to their profession, and placed in their room able serious preachers who lived godly lives, though of different opinions.
Despite a stated reliance on the plain meaning of the Bible and the dictates of common sense, Buck's Theological Dictionary, first published in London in 1802, seeks to provide a textual basis for the evangelical community. By combining brief essays on orthodox belief and practice with historical entries on various denominations, Buck provided an interpretive lens that allowed antebellum Protestants to see Christianity's almost two millennia as their own history.Wikipedia
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