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Example: «...better to ask wisdom from heaven...which I am confident many thousand of Saints do...and have done and will do through the permission of God...» (4 July 1653). Example: «And if the magistrate by punishing visible miscarriages save them by that discipline, -God having ordained him for that end-I hope it will evidence love, and no hatred, to punish where there is cause» (4 Sept 1654). 2.1.4.2. Cromwell and the Army are the parental authority Finally, if Cromwell and the army are prophets, now God gives authority to them, they turn to be the parental authority in the nation: they are owners, God the king gave them the kingdom, they are the shepherds, they give protection, but this new authority is still under god’s authority. Example: «consider the circumstances by which you are called together...being called to the supreme authority...in such a way of owning God and being owned by him» (4 July 1653). Example : «why truly you are called by God to rule with him and for him, and you are called to be faithful with the Saints». Example: «...and the kingdom shall not be delivered to another people. Truly God brought it into your hands by his owning and blessing, and calling out a military power...it may be that it is not our duty to deliver it to any other people» (4 July 1653). Example: «...I think I need not, have a care of the whole flock. Love all the sheep, love the lambs, love all, and tender all...and if the poorest Christian the most mistaken Christian, should desire to live peaceably and quietly under you, soberly and humbly, desire to lead a life in godliness and honesty, let him be protected» (4 July 1653). 2.2. C ROMWELL AND THE A RMY ARE THE CHILDREN OF I SRAEL What Cromwell did in his speeches is to understand his political, social and religious reality of the XVII century in terms of the ancient reality lived by those people of Israel we are told about in the Old Testament. CROMWELL AND THE ARMY ARE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL 559