NG200403008

4. Being in God’s enterprise, means they must follow god’s commandments, accept God’s authority; God is a guide . As the members of the Army are prophets, also part of that work is to make people follow God’s commandments. Example: «If we...seeking directions from his guidance work together we should come to this, to submit to one another in this work’s sake» (23 March 1648). Example: «...he that ruleth over men» (4 July 1653). If God is a Ruler he is up we are down , we are god’s servants , we are under God’s commandments, and Cromwell is a servant to all the nation, he is under God and under the parliament authority , Example : «Doing service to God ...will be the best motive for this work» (4 July 1653). Example : «my will could not but be subject to those that were over me» (23 March 1648). 2.1.3. The relation between the army and the enemies: acting inmoraly gives one moral debit The enemies, Charles I and his men, did not do good actions, that is immoral, acting immorally gives them moral debit, they are in debt with God. But they do not want to pay their debts, furthermore, they are always giving something of negative value; so that, they are immoral people. In the speeches we find the following metaphors: Cromwell’s ememies are tyrants and robbers ; The whole nation, Cromwell and the army were slaves , and God was a victim . The consequence is that God fires the enemies out of the his enterprise, they are not good workers in God’s enterprise. Example: «And truly it is thus far, that the quarrel is brought to this state, that we can hardly return unto that tyranny that formerly we were under the yoke of, which through the mercy of God hath been lately broken» (23 March 1648). Example : «Ministers and profane persons, all rob God of all the glory...» (23 March 1648). Example :«The ground of our first undertaking to oppose that usurpation and tyranny that was upon us» (4 Sept. 1654). CROMWELL AND THE ARMY ARE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL 557

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDA3MTIz