Chapter X: SPEECH V. September 12, 1654

Indeed that hath been one of the vanities of our contest. Every sect saith, "O, give me liberty!" But give it to him and to his power he will not yield it to anybody else....

XI. _To the First Protectorate Parliament, January 22, 1654-55._

Is it ingenuous to ask liberty, and not to give it? What greater hypocrisy than for those who were oppressed by the bishops to become the greatest oppressors themselves so soon as their yoke was removed. I could wish that they who call for liberty now also had not too much of that spirit, if the power were in their hands!

As for profane persons, blasphemers, such as preach sedition; the contentious railers, evil speakers, who seek by evil words to corrupt good manners, persons of loose conversation--punishment from the Civil Magistrate ought to meet with these. Because, if they pretend conscience; yet walking disorderly and not according but contrary to the gospel and even to natural lights, they are judged of all. And their sins being open make them subjects of the magistrate's sword, who ought not to bear it in vain.--The discipline of the Army _was_ such, that a man would not be suffered to remain there, of whom we could take notice that he was guilty of such practices as those....

... And if it be my "liberty" to walk abroad in the fields, or to take a journey, yet it is not my wisdom to do so when my house is on fire!

XII. _Speech to the Major-Generals._

Why, truly, your great enemy is the Spaniard. He is a natural enemy. He is naturally so, he is naturally so throughout,--by reason of that great enmity that is in him against whatsoever is of God.

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Well, your danger is as you have seen. And truly I am sorry it is so great. But I wish it to cause no despondency;--as truly, I think it will not: for we are Englishmen; that is one good fact.

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To hang a man for six-and-eightpence, and I know not what; to hang for a trifle and acquit murder,--is in the ministration of the law through the ill-framing of it. I have known in my experience abominable murders committed. And to see men lose their lives for petty matters: this is a thing God will reckon for.

XIII. _To the Second Protectorate Parliament, January 23, 1657._

Truly, I shall in a word or two congratulate you with good _you_ are in possession of, and in some respect, I also with you. God hath bestowed upon you, and you are in possession of it,--Three Nations, and all that appertains to them. Which in either a geographical, or topical consideration, are Nations. In which also there are places of honour and consideration, not inferior to any in the known world,--without vanity it may be spoken. Truly God hath not made so much soil, furnished with so many blessings, in vain! But it is a goodly sight, if a man behold it _uno intuitu_. And therefore this is a possession of yours, worthy of congratulation.

This is furnished,--give me leave to say, for I believe it is true,--with the best People in the world, possessing so much soil. A People in civil rights,--in respect of their rights and privileges,--very ancient and honourable. And _in_ this People, in the midst of this People, you have, what is still more precious, a _People_ (I know every one will hear and acknowledge it) that are to God "as the apple of His eye,"--and He says so of them, be they many, or be they few! But they are many. A People of the blessing of God; a People under His safety and protection. A People calling upon the Name of the Lord; which the Heathen do not. A People knowing God; and a People (according to the ordinary expressions) fearing God. And you have of this no parallel; no, not in all the world! You have in the midst of you glorious things.

XIV. _April 13, 1657._

Truly I have, as before God, often thought that I could not tell what my business was, nor what I was in the place I stood in, save comparing myself to a good Constable set to keep the peace of the parish.