and truth, may flow from you, as a thankful return to our ⚫ gracious God. This shall be the prayer of,

"Your most humble and obedient servant,

"OLIVER CROMWELL."

Cromwell commissioned a number of the most godly men (Gillespie and some of his brethren) to arrange the affairs of the Scottish Church; and it was his desire that, in the election of pastors, they should have regard to the choice of the most religious portion of the flock, although these should not constitute the majority.

Dr. Hetherington, the historian of the Scottish Church, bears the following testimony to Oliver's policy: "Throughout the whole of Scotland, during the period of Cromwell's domination, there prevailed a degree of civil peace beyond what had almost ever before been experienced.'

An old historian, Kirkton, speaks thus of the religious condition of Scotland:-"I verily believe there were more souls converted to Christ in that short period of time, than in any season since the Reformation, though of triple its duration."-Such are the testimonies of two native writers.

Thus the result of Cromwell's campaigns both in Ireland and in Scotland was the peace and prosperity of those two countries. There are few wars recorded in history which have produced such beneficial consequences.

Here, properly speaking, terminates Oliver's military life. Before bidding it farewell, let us call to mind the testimony which Cromwell more than once has borne to his army. “I hope," wrote he to Colonel Walton, in September, 1644, “I hope the kingdom shall see that, in the midst of our necessities, we shall serve them without disputes. We hope to forget our wants, which are exceeding great, and ill cared for; and desire to refer the many slanders heaped upon us by false tongues to God,-who will, in due time, make it

* Hist. Church of Scotland, 120.

appear to the world that we study the glory of God, and the honor and liberty of the Parliament. For which we unanimously fight; without seeking our own interests. Indeed we never find our men so cheerful as when there is work to do. I trust you will always hear so of them. The Lord is our strength, and in Him is all our hope." With these soldiers he performed wonders. Before the battle of Worces ter, the alarm in London was very great. "Both the city and the country," says Mrs. Hutchinson, "were all amazed, and doubtful of their own and the commonwealth's safety. Some could not hide very pale and unmanly fears, and were in such distraction of spirit, that it much disturbed their councils."* Even Bradshaw, "stout-hearted as he was," trembled for his neck. But when Oliver came to Worcester, advantageous as that position was to the enemy, he rushed upon them immediately, as a lion on his prey; and not troubling himself with the formality of a siege, ordered his troops to fall on in all places at once. The loss on his side did not exceed 200 men; yet it was, he said, a stiff business-as stiff a contest for four or five hours as ever he had seen."

In one of his letters, Cromwell has preserved an anecdote characteristic of the times, and which relates to one of his early battles. "A poor godly man," he says, "died in Preston, the day before the fight; and being sick, near the hour of his death, he desired the woman that cooked to him, to fetch him a handful of grass. She did so; and when he received it, he asked whether it would wither or not, now it was cut? The woman said 'yea.' He replied, 'so should this army of the Scots do, and come to nothing, so soon as ours did but appear,' or words to this effect; and so immediately died ?"*

In this symbolical language there is a something reminding us of the Old Testament. The war of Scotland was

Memoirs of Colonel Hutchinson, 356. London, 1846.

† Letter to St. John, 1st September, 1648. Carlyle, i. 385.

ended, and its results were prosperity and peace. Another symbol was now required. One of the dying soldiers on the battle-field of Worcester, directing his eyes towards his distant home in Scotland, had sufficient strength to take up a handful of corn, and say, as he threw it on the ground: 'There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth." (Psalm lxxii. 16.)

13*

CHAPTER VIII.

THE PROTECTORATE.

Blake-Love and Fear-The Rump Parliament-Dissolved by Cromwell-The Little Parliament-Speech-Cromwell's Integrity-Reforms-Cromwell's Longing for Peace-The End-The Protectorate -Constitution-New Parliament-Cromwell's Apology-Death of his Mother-Obstructions to Religious Liberty-Cromwell dissolves the Parliament-His Plans-L'état, c'est moi-The Two French Invasions-Revival of English Liberty.

As soon as Ireland and Scotland were pacified, Cromwell turned his attention to the peace and prosperity of England. This was a more difficult task than either of those which he had accomplished in the two sister countries. The same elements which had overthrown despotism in England were then agitating the people, and were likely to banish from it all order and tranquillity. For some time foreign affairs had diverted men's minds from home matters. The fleet under the command of Admiral Blake had just triumphed over the Dutch; but now the thoughts of all were concentrated anew on internal matters.

After having commanded in the battle-field, the Protector was now to rule in the council-chamber. But let us first listen once more to the voice of the father and the Christian. The following letter addressed to Fleetwood, commander-inchief in Ireland, who had married Bridget Cromwell, Ireton's widow, will remind us of another in which the fond parent displays the same anxiety for the soul of his daughter:

"For the Right Honorable Lieutenant-General Fleetwood, Commander-in-chief of the Forces in Ireland: These.

"I thank you for your loving letter. The same hopes and desires, upon your planting into my family, were much the same in me that you express in yours towards me. However, the dispensation of the Lord is, to have it otherwise for the present; and therein I desire to acquiesce;-not being out of hope that it may lie in His good pleasure, in His time, to give us the mutual comfort of our relation: the want whereof He is able abundantly to supply by His own presence; which indeed makes up all defects, and is the comfort of all our comforts and enjoyments.

"Salute your dear wife from me. Bid her beware of a bondage spirit. Fear is the natural issue of such a spirit ;the antidote is, Love. The voice of Fear is: If I had done this; if I had avoided that, how well it had been with me! -I know this hath been her vain reasoning.

"Love argueth in this wise; what a Christ have I; what a father in and through Him! What a Name hath my Father: Merciful, gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth; forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. What a Nature hath my Father: He is LovE ;-free in it, unchangeable, infinite! What a Covenant between Him and Christ, for all the Seed, for every one: wherein he undertakes all, and the poor Soul nothing. The new Covenant is Grace,-to or upon the Soul; to which it (the Soul) is passive and receptive; I'll do away their Sins; I'll write my Law, &c.; I'll put it in their hearts: they shall never depart from me, &c.

This commends the love of God: it's Christ dying for men without strength, for men whilst sinners, whilst enemies. And shall we seek for the root of our comforts within us,-What God hath done, what He is to us in Christ, this