Retrospective: aim of all these Wars and Struggles; chief events of them; especially dismissal of the Long Parliament. Prospective: dayspring of divine Prophecy and Hope, to be struggled towards, though with difficulty. Demits his authority into their hands.
Letter
CLXXXIX.
To Lieutenant-General Fleetwood: Cockpit, 22 Aug. 1653
Goodwin's Sermon, On the Deliverance out of Egypt, and Pilgrimage towards Canaan through the Wilderness. Our difficulties: Antichrist; Levellers, Fifth-Monarchists, Jesuits. Our attainments: Some Reform of Law; Reform of Church; Peace, with almost all Nations. Finance; necessity of Concord.
Speech III.
To the First Protectorate Parliament, 12 Sept. 1654
Cannot have the Foundations of Government submitted to debate in this Assembly. A free Parliament they; but he also, in virtue of whom they sit, must be an unquestioned Protector. His history since he entered on these Public Struggles; Dismissal of the Long Parliament; Abdication of the Little Parliament; Protectorship, on what founded, by whom acknowledged. To proceed no farther, till they acknowledge it.
Regrets that they have not communicated with him: he was not unconcerned with them; has been struggling and endeavouring for them, keeping Peace round them;—does not know, on their part, whether they have been alive or dead. Of trees that foster only things poisonous under their shadow. Of disturbances, once well asleep, awakened into new perilous activity during these debates. Necessary that they be dissolved.
Our difficulties: Spain, and why we have gone to war with Spain; Papists, Cavaliers, Levellers, Fifth-Monarchists;—the need there was of Major-Generals. Our remedies: To prosecute the War with vigour; to maintain steadily the aim of all these struggles, Liberty of Conscience and a pure Gospel Ministry; to reform the Law:—to reform Manners; that will be the grand remedy of all. Finance, Exhortation; Divine encouragement and hope: Eighty-fifth Psalm.
