Podcast appearances and mentions of Oliver Cromwell

Hecate started as the ruling goddess of the Asian region of Caria, and got taken over by the Greeks as the only one able to operate in every realm of the cosmos. This then gave her special responsibility for travellers, doorways and restless ghosts. That slowly darkened her image, so that she became associated with the night, the moon, and magicians. By the Roman period, she was the goddess of sorcery par excellence, invoked for all sorts of enchantments, good or bad. In the late ancient worlds this also turned her into a saviour figure, enabling humans directly to contact the divine. This lecture traces that colourful journey.This lecture was recorded by Robin May on the 26th of November 2025 at Bernard's Inn Hall, LondonProfessor Hutton is Professor of History at the University of Bristol. He took degrees at Cambridge and then Oxford Universities, and was a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford. He is now a Fellow of the British Academy, the Royal Historical Society, the Society of Antiquaries and the Learned Society of Wales, and has won awards for teaching and research.He has lectured all over the world, authored twenty books and ninety-six essays, appeared in or presented scores of television and radio programmes, and sits on the editorial boards of six journals concerned with the history of religion and magic.He is currently working on the third volume of his biography of Oliver Cromwell. The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/goddess-hecateGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham College's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-today Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukX: https://x.com/GreshamCollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/greshamcollege.bsky.social TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greshamcollegeSupport Us: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-todaySupport the show

OGLĄDAM ☞ Czy Boże Narodzenie to pogańskie święto? ✣ Videtur Quod ✣ Radosław Więcławek OP ✣ Sprawdzamy, dlaczego Oliver Cromwell zakazał świąt i czy data 25 grudnia faktycznie pochodzi od kultu Sol Invictus. Radosław Więcławek OP wyjaśnia proces inkulturacji i tłumaczy, skąd wzięły się choinka, światełka oraz symbolika słońca. Poznaj fakty historyczne o "wojnie o święta" i dowiedz się, jak Kościół chrystianizował pogańskie zwyczaje. Obalamy mit o "kradzieży" daty i pokazujemy chrześcijańskie znaczenie przesilenia zimowego. Zobacz nowy odcinek!

SHOW 12-23-25 THE SHOW BEGINS WITH DOUBTS F THE EU... 1831 BRUSSELS EU STRUGGLES WITH RUSSIAN ASSETS AND AID Colleague Judy Dempsey. Judy Dempsey discusses the EU's difficulty in utilizing frozen Russian assets and the "defeat" for Chancellor Merz regarding the funding mechanism for Ukraine. NUMBER 1 THE RISE OF THE AFD IN GERMANY Colleague Judy Dempsey. Judy Dempsey continues, focusing on the rise of the AfD party in Germany and its connections to elements of the US Republican party. NUMBER 2 STALEMATES IN GAZA AND LEBANON Colleague Jonathan Schanzer. Jonathan Schanzer discusses the stalemate regarding the last hostage in Gaza, the fragmented control of the territory, and threats in Lebanon and Syria. NUMBER 3 EU REGULATION VS. US GROWTH Colleague Michael Toth. Michael Toth critiques the European Union's "regulatory imperialism" and contrasts it with the economic growth of the US. NUMBER 4 STATE DEPARTMENT RECALLS AND STRATEGY Colleague Mary Kissel. Mary Kissel discusses the recall of career ambassadors by the Trump administration and challenges in Panama and Greenland. NUMBER 5 AUSTRALIA'S DEFENSE AND CHINA Colleague Grant Newsham. Grant Newsham warns about Australia's lack of defense capabilities and the erosion of its influence in the Pacific islands due to Chinese political warfare. NUMBER 6 THE BORING BENEFITS OF AI Colleague Kevin Frazier. Kevin Frazier advocates for the "boring use cases" of AI, such as in healthcare and traffic management, to save costs and improve efficiency. NUMBER 7 REGULATING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Colleague Kevin Frazier. Kevin Frazier continues, warning against a "waterfall of regulation" by states and advocating for "regulatory sandboxes" to allow experimentation. NUMBER 8 US EXPANSIONISM AND DIPLOMATIC RIFTS Colleague Gregory Copley. Gregory Copley analyzes US foreign policy moves regarding Greenland, Panama, and Venezuela, describing them as a return to "might is right" expansionism. NUMBER 9 THE MONROE DOCTRINE AND NAVAL POWER Colleague Gregory Copley. Gregory Copley continues, debating whether the US is a naval or continental power in the context of enforcing the Monroe Doctrine and discussing a proposal for new battleships. NUMBER 10 THE DECLINE OF LITERACY AND CONTEXT Colleague Gregory Copley. Gregory Copley continues, discussing the decline of literacy and context since the mid-20th century, comparing modern society to the Eloi and Morlocks of H.G. Wells. NUMBER 11 KING CHARLES III AND UK POLITICAL TURMOIL Colleague Gregory Copley. Gregory Copley continues, analyzing the challenges King Charles III faces under the Keir Starmer government, which Copley compares to the era of Oliver Cromwell. NUMBER 12 THE LEGEND OF THE HESSIANS Colleague Professor Richard Bell. Professor Richard Bell discusses the American fear of Hessian soldiers and Washington's strategic victory at Trenton. NUMBER 13 FRANCE'S GLOBAL STRATEGY IN THE REVOLUTION Colleague Professor Richard Bell. Professor Richard Bell continues, highlighting the role of Foreign Minister Vergennes and how French involvement expanded the war globally. NUMBER 14 BENEDICT ARNOLD AND PEGGY SHIPPEN Colleague Professor Richard Bell. Professor Richard Bell continues, discussing Peggy Shippen's influence on Benedict Arnold's defection and their subsequent life in London. NUMBER 15 THE ACCIDENTAL COLONIZATION OF AUSTRALIA Colleague Professor Richard Bell. Professor Richard Bell concludes, recounting the story of convict William Murray and the accidental selection of Australia as a penal colony following the loss of the American colonies. NUMBER 16

  KING CHARLES III AND UK POLITICAL TURMOIL Colleague Gregory Copley. Gregory Copley continues, analyzing the challenges King Charles III faces under the Keir Starmer government, which Copley compares to the era of Oliver Cromwell. NUMBER 12 1824 HIGH GROVE HOUSE

PREVIEW STARMER COMPARED TO CROMWELL AS MONARCHY FACES THREATS Colleague Gregory Copley. Gregory Copley analyzes the tension between the British King and Parliament, comparing politician Keir Starmer to Oliver Cromwell. Copley suggests Starmer aims to dismantle the monarchy, while the King must carefully navigate these threats, retaining reserve powers as Commander-in-Chief to prevent civil unrest or stagnation caused by parliamentary taxation.

In 1647 Christmas vanished by the decree of the Puritans who ruled Britain. But not everyone complied. Families lit candles behind closed doors, whispered carols, and held secret services. And protestors in Canterbury launched the infamous "plum pudding riots". This was more than a fight over festivities; it was a struggle over power and belief.Prof. Suzannah Lipscomb is joined by Prof. Mark Stoyle to explore how the war on Christmas revealed a deeper contest between authority and resistance, godliness and joy, and how echoes of it can even be found in the works of C.S. Lewis and Charles Dickens.MORE:Tudor Christmas CarolsListen on AppleListen on SpotifyTudor Ghosts and Angels: Spirits of Christmas PastListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Max Wintle, audio editor is Max Carrie and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christopher Hill was one of the leading historians of his generation. His work across more than 15 books and dozens of articles fundamentally rewrote the way we understand the English Revolution and the development of the modern British state. While his career brought many of the trappings of establishment respectability – he was both a Fellow of the British Academy and the Master of Balliol College, Oxford - he was also seen as a threat to that very same establishment. Under surveillance by the security services for decades, in the 1980s Hill was publicly accused of having been a Soviet agent during the war. His was a Cold War life, as well as a scholarly one.In this brilliant work of biography Christopher Hill: The Life of a Radical Historian (Verso Books, 2025), Michael Braddick charts Hill's development from his abandonment of the respectable provincial Methodism of his youth, through his embrace of Marxism, his membership and eventual break with the Communist Party, as well as his celebrated intellectual career. While many of his books - not least the thrilling work of historical resurrection, The World Turned Upside Down, and God's Englishman, his classic biography of Oliver Cromwell - are still widely read and admired, his intellectual reputation was damaged by sustained academic criticism in the politically-charged atmosphere of the 1980s.Braddick's judicious biography not only situates Hill's life and work in their historical context but seeks to rescue Hill for a new generation of readers. Mike Braddick is a Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Lucas Tse is an Examination Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Christopher Hill was one of the leading historians of his generation. His work across more than 15 books and dozens of articles fundamentally rewrote the way we understand the English Revolution and the development of the modern British state. While his career brought many of the trappings of establishment respectability – he was both a Fellow of the British Academy and the Master of Balliol College, Oxford - he was also seen as a threat to that very same establishment. Under surveillance by the security services for decades, in the 1980s Hill was publicly accused of having been a Soviet agent during the war. His was a Cold War life, as well as a scholarly one.In this brilliant work of biography Christopher Hill: The Life of a Radical Historian (Verso Books, 2025), Michael Braddick charts Hill's development from his abandonment of the respectable provincial Methodism of his youth, through his embrace of Marxism, his membership and eventual break with the Communist Party, as well as his celebrated intellectual career. While many of his books - not least the thrilling work of historical resurrection, The World Turned Upside Down, and God's Englishman, his classic biography of Oliver Cromwell - are still widely read and admired, his intellectual reputation was damaged by sustained academic criticism in the politically-charged atmosphere of the 1980s.Braddick's judicious biography not only situates Hill's life and work in their historical context but seeks to rescue Hill for a new generation of readers. Mike Braddick is a Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Lucas Tse is an Examination Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Christopher Hill was one of the leading historians of his generation. His work across more than 15 books and dozens of articles fundamentally rewrote the way we understand the English Revolution and the development of the modern British state. While his career brought many of the trappings of establishment respectability – he was both a Fellow of the British Academy and the Master of Balliol College, Oxford - he was also seen as a threat to that very same establishment. Under surveillance by the security services for decades, in the 1980s Hill was publicly accused of having been a Soviet agent during the war. His was a Cold War life, as well as a scholarly one.In this brilliant work of biography Christopher Hill: The Life of a Radical Historian (Verso Books, 2025), Michael Braddick charts Hill's development from his abandonment of the respectable provincial Methodism of his youth, through his embrace of Marxism, his membership and eventual break with the Communist Party, as well as his celebrated intellectual career. While many of his books - not least the thrilling work of historical resurrection, The World Turned Upside Down, and God's Englishman, his classic biography of Oliver Cromwell - are still widely read and admired, his intellectual reputation was damaged by sustained academic criticism in the politically-charged atmosphere of the 1980s.Braddick's judicious biography not only situates Hill's life and work in their historical context but seeks to rescue Hill for a new generation of readers. Mike Braddick is a Senior Research Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Lucas Tse is an Examination Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

Send us a textWhat does Oliver Cromwell, Calvinist Lord Protector of England (and infamous prig), British garage rockers The Kinks and the Insane Clown Posse have in common? Come for Christmas list of song goodies, stay for how Ghost Riders in the Sky is a now a Christmas song.Happy Holidays from Jackalope Carnival! Support the show

Gregory Copley observes a 2025 shift toward nationalism and decisive leadership, asserting that globalism is declining. He notes that nuclear weapons are becoming "unusable" due to changing military doctrines and warns that Western democracies are sliding toward autocracy, drawing historical parallels to Oliver Cromwell's rise as Lord Protector. 1648 CROMWELL

C Judy Dempsey examines fears that Russia will shift military forces to the NATO border if a Ukraine peace deal is reached. She discusses reported US pressure on Kyiv to surrender the Donbas, noting that both Ukraine and the EU oppose such concessions due to sovereignty concerns and lack of security guarantees. Judy Dempsey addresses the industrial crisis in Germany, specifically the auto industry's struggle against Chinese electric vehicles. She notes that Chancellor Merz is avoiding necessary pension reforms due to political pressure, while the rise of the AfD and a shifting transatlantic relationship further complicate Germany's economic stability. Mary Kissel argues that Ukraine cannot surrender the Donbas without ironclad security guarantees, citing past broken agreements like the Budapest Memorandum. She validates Finnish and Baltic fears regarding Russian aggression and questions whether the Trump administration's business-centric approach can effectively manage Vladimir Putin's ideological brutality. Mary Kissel characterizes China's economy as collapsing under Xi Jinping's mismanagement. She highlights the plight of Jimmy Lai, a 78-year-old British citizen imprisoned in Hong Kong, and urges Western leaders to use economic leverage to demand his release as a prerequisite for any improved relations. Jonathan Schanzer critiques the slow Australian police response to the Bondi Beach attack, linking the shooters to ISIS training in the Philippines. He warns that the Albanese government's political "virtue signaling" regarding Palestine may have emboldened radicals, while noting Hezbollah is reconstituting its money and weapons pipelines in Lebanon. Jonathan Schanzer analyzes the "murky" killing of US servicemen in Syria, attributing it to jihadist elements within the government's security forces. He describes the situation in Gaza as a deadlock where Hamas remains armed because no international force, other than the unacceptable option of Turkey, is willing to intervene. Gregory Copley details how the Bondi Beach attackers trained in the Philippines' insurgent areas. While praising Australian intelligence agencies, he blames the Albanese government for encouraging anti-Israel sentiment, arguing this political stance has given license to radical groups and undermined public safety. Gregory Copley reflects on the 25-year war on terror, arguing that Western governments have become distracted. He contends that elevating terrorists like Bin Laden to "superpower" status was a strategic error, as the true objective of terrorism is to manipulate political narratives and induce paralysis through fear. Gregory Copley observes a 2025 shift toward nationalism and decisive leadership, asserting that globalism is declining. He notes that nuclear weapons are becoming "unusable" due to changing military doctrines and warns that Western democracies are sliding toward autocracy, drawing historical parallels to Oliver Cromwell's rise as Lord Protector. Gregory Copley reports on King Charles III's improving health and his unifying role within the Commonwealth. He contrasts the stability of the constitutional monarchy with the historical chaos of Cromwell's republic, suggesting the Crown remains a vital stabilizing force against political turmoil in the UK and its dominions. Joseph Sternberg challenges the Trump administration's antagonistic view of the EU, citing polls showing the institution remains popular among Europeans. He argues that US policy should not be based on the expectation of the EU's collapse, noting that the UK's exit was unique to its specific history and not a continental trend. Joseph Sternberg condemns the imprisonment of British citizen Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong as a failure of UKdiplomacy. He argues that Hong Kong's economic success cannot be separated from its political freedoms, warning that the erosion of the rule of law threatens the territory's viability as a business center. Joseph Postell discusses the 1983 INS v. Chadha decision, which eliminated the legislative veto. He explains how this ruling stripped Congress of its ability to check the executive branch, transforming a once-dominant legislature into a weak institution unable to reverse administrative decisions on issues like tariffs. Joseph Postell suggests correcting the Chadha precedent by adopting a view of severability where delegations of power are unconstitutional without the accompanying legislative veto. He notes that the War Powers Resolutionremains a rare exception where Congress still retains a mechanism to reverse executive actions via simple majority.

Para algunos Oliver Cromwell era un líder cruel, traidor e hipócrita. Para otros un comandante tolerante, apasionadamente religioso y ferozmente moral. Su influencia como líder político y militar durante la Guerra Civil Inglesa alteró de modo dramático el panorama militar y político de las islas británicas. La masacre de cerca de 3.500 personas en el asedio de Drogheda tras la captura del pueblo es uno de los recuerdos históricos que ha avivado el conflicto entre irlandeses e ingleses durante más de tres décadas.

A brutal film set during the English Civil War of the 17th century. Oliver Cromwell makes a brief appearance. The post W035b: Witchfinder General (1968) appeared first on .

[Slide 1] Today, I'd like to do something a little different. Today I'll preach a message that has already been preached at least one time before. Although we aren't sure when this sermon was preached originally, I do know that it is over 300 years old. The original composer was Dr. Thomas Manton. I have preached a sermon from the past before. Why do I do this? For several reasons actually but the most important reason is that every time I've preached a message like this, it has been abundantly relevant to our time even though it is separated from us by centuries. This proves not the wisdom of the man, but the living nature of the Word of God and how it transcends through all generations. [Slide 2] But let me tell you a bit about Dr. Thomas Manton… Born in Somerset in 1620 from a long line of ministers. He was ordained by Bishop Hall at the age of nineteen. He served as a chaplain to the Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell. Yet Manton was firmly opposed to the execution of Charles I, causing considerable offence by preaching against it before Parliament. Later he was instrumental in the restoration of Charles II and became a Royal Chaplain. But when offered the Deanery of Rochester he chose rather to suffer with his Puritan brethren in the Great Ejection of 1662. Preaching afterward in his own home he was imprisoned for his ministry. Manton died in 1677, after a lifetime of rich and practical biblical ministry. [Slide 3] The following sermon “Sermon LXX (70)” is included in Several Sermons upon Psalm 119, which contains 190 sermons and was his crowning achievement as a pastor. One quick note. I haven't abridged and translated very little of this sermon. Therefore, it is necessary for you to pay extra close attention as the language will be understandable – but challenging. Keep your eyes on the screen since the outline of the sermon will appear there. It should help you stay with me. But you must be extra attentive listeners today if you are to understand Dr. Manton's sermon. From this point on, all the words I say until the prayer at the end, will be Thomas Manton's Words with few alterations. [Slide 4] At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee, because of thy righteous judgments.—Ver. 62. In these words observe three things:— 1. David's holy employment, or the duty promised, giving thanks to God. 2. His earnestness and fervency, implied in the time mentioned, at midnight I will rise; rather interrupt his sleep and rest than God should want his praise. 3. The cause or matter of his thanksgiving, because of thy righteous judgments, whereby he meaneth the dispensations of his providence in delivering the godly and punishing the wicked according to his word… [Slide 5] [Which establishes 3 doctrines] Doct. 1. One special duty wherein the people of God should be much exercised is thanksgiving. Doct. 2. That, God's providence rightly considered, we shall in the worst times find much more cause to give thanks than to complain. Doct. 3. That a heart deeply affected with God's providence will take all occasions to praise God and give thanks to his name, both in season and out of season. [Slide 6] Doct. 1. One special duty wherein the people of God should be much exercised is thanksgiving. This duty is often pressed upon us: Heb. 13:15, ‘Let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually, which is the fruit of our lips;' giving thanks unto his name. There are two words there used, praise and thanksgiving: generally taken, they are the same; strictly taken, thanksgiving differeth from praise. They agree that we use our voice in thanksgiving, as we do also in praise, for they are both said to be the fruit of our lips. What is in the prophet Hosea, chap. 14:2, ‘calves of our lips,' is in the Septuagint, ‘the fruit of our lips;' and they both agree that they are a sacrifice offered to our supreme benefactor, or that they belong to the thank-offerings of the gospel. But they differ in that thanksgiving belongeth to benefits bestowed on ourselves or others; but in relation to us, praise to any excellency whatsoever. Thanksgiving may be in word or deed; praise in words only. Well, then, thanksgiving is a sensible acknowledgment of favours received, or an expression of our sense of them, by word and work, to the praise of the bestower. The object of it is the works of God as beneficial unto us, or to those who are related to us, or in whose good or ill we are concerned. As public persons, as magistrates: 1 Tim. 2:1, 2, ‘I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplication, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority.' Pastors of the church: 2 Cor. 1:11, ‘You also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.' Or our kindred according to the flesh, or some bond of Christian duty: Rom. 12:15, ‘Rejoice with them that do rejoice.' Another place where this duty is enforced is Eph. 5:20, where we are bidden to ‘give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;' where you see it is a duty of a universal and perpetual use, and one wherein the honour of God and Christ is much concerned. A third place is 1 Thes. 5:18, ‘In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.' See what reason he urgeth; the express will of God requiring this worship at our hands. We are to obey by the insight of the will. God's will is the fundamental reason of our obedience in every commandment; but here is a direct charge, now God hath made known the wonders of his love in Christ. [Slide 7] I shall prove to you that this is a necessary duty, a profitable duty, a pleasant and delightful duty. [Slide 8] 1. The necessity of being much and often in thanksgiving will appear by these two considerations:— [1.] [Slide 9] Because God is continually beneficial to us, blessing and delivering his people every day, and by new mercies giveth us new matter of praise and thanksgiving: Ps. 68:19, ‘Blessed be the God of our salvation, who loadeth us daily with his benefits, Selah.' He hath continually favoured us and preserved us, and poured his benefits upon us. The mercies of every day make way for songs which may sweeten our rest in the night; and his giving us rest by night, and preserving us in our sleep, when we could not help ourselves, giveth us songs in the morning. And all the day long we find new matter of praise: our whole work is divided between receiving and acknowledging. [2.] [Slide 10] Some mercies are so general and beneficial that they should never be forgotten, but remembered before God every day. Such as redemption by Christ: Ps. 111:4, ‘He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered.' We must daily be blessing God for Jesus Christ: 2 Cor. 9:15, ‘Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.' I understand it of his grace by Christ. We should ever be thus blessing and praising him; for the keeping of his great works in memory is the foundation of all love and service to God. 2. [Slide 11] It is a profitable duty. The usefulness of thanksgiving appeareth with respect to faith, love, and obedience. [1.] [Slide 12] With respect to faith. Faith and praise live and die together; if there be faith, there will be praise; and if there be praise, there will be faith. If faith, there will be praise, for faith is a bird that can sing in winter: Ps. 56:4, ‘In God will I praise his word, in God have I put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me;' and ver. 10, ‘In God I will praise his word, in the Lord I will praise his word.' His word is satisfaction enough to a gracious heart; if they have his word, they can praise him beforehand, for the grounds of hope before they have enjoyment. As Abraham, when he had not a foot in the land of Canaan, yet built an altar and offered sacrifices of thanksgiving, because of God's grant and the future possession in his posterity. Then, whether he punisheth or pitieth, we will praise him and glory in him. Faith entertaineth the promise before performance cometh, not only with confidence, but with delight and praise. The other part is, if praise, there will be faith; that is, supposing the praise real, for it raiseth our faith to expect the like again, having received so much grace already. All God's praises are the believer's advantage, the mercy is many times given as a pledge of more mercy. In many cases God will give gifts. If life, he will give food and bodily raiment. It holdeth good in spiritual things. If Christ, other things with Christ. One concession draweth another; if he spares me, he will feed me, clothe me. The attributes from whence the mercy cometh is the pillar of the believer's confidence and hope. If such a good, then a fit object of trust. If I have found him a God hearing prayer, ‘I will call upon him as long as I live,' Ps. 116:2. Praise doth but provide matter of trust, and represent God to us as a storehouse of all good things, and a sure foundation for dependence. [2.] [Slide 13] The great respect it hath to love. Praise and thanksgiving is an act of love, and then it cherisheth and feedeth love. It is an act of love to God, for if we love God we will praise him. Prayer is a work of necessity, but praise a mere work of duty and respect to God. We would exalt him more in our own hearts and in the hearts of others: Ps. 71:14, ‘I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.' We pray because we need God, and we praise him because we love him. Self-love will put us upon prayer, but the love of God upon praise and thanksgiving; then we return to give him the glory. Those that seek themselves will cry to him in their distress; but those that love God cannot endure that he should be without his due honour. In heaven, when other graces and duties cease, which belong to this imperfect state, as faith and repentance cease, yet love remaineth; and because love remaineth, praise remaineth, which is our great employment in the other world. So it feedeth and cherisheth love, for every benefit acknowledged is a new fuel to keep in the fire: Ps. 18:1, ‘I will love thee, O Lord, my strength;' Ps. 116:1, ‘I will love the Lord, who hath heard the voice of my supplications;' Deut. 30:20, ‘That thou mayest love the Lord, who is thy life, and the length of thy days.' The soul by praise is filled with a sense of the mercy and goodness of God, so that hereby he is made more amiable to us. [3.] [Slide 14] With respect to submission and obedience to his laws and providence. (1.) His laws. The greatest bond of duty upon the fallen creature is gratitude. Now grateful we cannot be without a sensible and explicit acknowledgment of his goodness to us: the more frequent and serious in that, the more doth our love constrain us to devote ourselves to God: Rom. 12:1, ‘I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present yourselves a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.' To live to him: 2 Cor. 5:14, 15, ‘For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead, and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.' And therefore praise and thanksgiving is a greater help to the spiritual life than we are usually aware of; for, working in us a sense of God's love, and an actual remembrance of his benefits (as it will do if rightly performed), it doth make us shy of sin, more careful and solicitous to do his will. Shall we offend so good a God? God's love to us is a love of bounty; our love to God is a love of duty, when we grudge not to live in subjection to him: 1 John 5:3, ‘His commandments are not grievous.' (2.) Submission to his providence. There is a querulous and sour spirit which is natural to us, always repining and murmuring at God's dealing, and wasting and vexing our spirits in heartless complaints. Now, this fretting, quarrelling, impatient humour, which often showeth itself against God even in our prayers and supplications, is quelled by nothing so much as by being frequent in praises and thanksgivings: Job 1:21, ‘The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.' It is an act of holy prudence in the saints, when they are under any trouble, to strain themselves to the quite contrary duty of what temptations and corruptions would drive them unto. When the temptation is laid to make us murmur and swell at God's dealings, we should on the contrary bless and give thanks. And therefore the Psalmist doth so frequently sing praises in the saddest condition. There is no perfect defeating the temptation but by studying matter of praise, and to set seriously about the duty. So Job 2:10, ‘Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?' Shall we receive so many proofs of the love of God, and quarrel at a few afflictions that come from the same hand, and rebel against his providence when he bringeth on some needful trouble for our trial and exercise? and having tasted so much of his bounty and love, repine and fret at every change of dealing, though it be useful to purge out our corruptions, and promote our communion with God? Surely nothing can be extremely evil that cometh from this good hand. As we receive good things cheerfully and contentedly, so must we receive evil things submissively and patiently. [Slide 15] 3. It is a most delightful work to remember the many thousand mercies God hath bestowed on the church, ourselves, and friends. To remember his gracious word and all the passages of his providence; is this burdensome to us? Ps. 147:1, ‘Praise ye the Lord, for it is pleasant;' and Ps. 135:3, ‘Sing praises unto his name, for it is pleasant.' Next to necessity, profit; next to profit, pleasure. No necessity so great as spiritual necessity, because our eternal well-being or ill-being dependeth on it; and beggary is nothing to being found naked in the great day. No profit so great as spiritual; that is not to be measured by the good things of this world, or a little pelf, or the great mammon, which so many worship; but some spiritual and divine benefit, which tendeth to make us spiritually better, more like God, more capable of communion with him: that is true profit, it is an increase of faith, love, and obedience. So for pleasure and delight; that which truly exhilarateth the soul, begets upon us a solid impression of God's love, that is the true pleasure. Carnal pleasures are unwholesome for you, like luscious fruits, which make you sick. Nothing is so hard of digestion as carnal pleasures. This feedeth the flesh, warreth against the soul; but this holy delight that resulteth from the serious remembrance of God, and setting forth his excellences and benefits, is safe and healthful, and doth cheer us but not hurt us. [Slide 16] Use. Oh, then, let us be oftener in praising and giving thanks to God! Can you receive so much, and beg so much, and never think of a return or any expression of gratitude? Is there such a being as God, have you all your supplies from him, and will you not take some time to acknowledge what he hath done for your souls? Either you must deny his being, and then you are atheists; or you must deny his providence, and then you are epicureans, next door to atheism; or you must deny such a duty as praise and thanksgiving, and then you are anti-scripturists, for the scripture everywhere calleth for it at our hands; or else, if you neglect this duty, you live in flat contradiction to what you profess to believe, and then you are practical atheists, and practical epicureans, and practical anti-scripturists; and so your condemnation will be the greater, because you own the truth but deny the practice. I beseech you, therefore, to be often alone with God, and that in a way of thanksgiving, to increase your love, faith, and obedience, and delight in God. Shall I use arguments to you? [Slide 17] 1. Have you received nothing from God? I put this question to you, because great is our unthankfulness, not only for common benefits, but also for special deliverances—the one not noted and observed, the other not improved. Humble persons will find matter of praise in very common benefits, but we forget even signal mercies. Therefore, I say, have you received nothing? Now, consider, is there no return due? You know the story, Luke 17:15–19, Christ healed ten lepers, and but one of them ‘returned and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down at his feet giving thanks, and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed, but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.' All had received a like benefit, but one only returned, and he a Gentile and no Jew, to acknowledge the mercy. They were made whole by a miraculous providence, he was made whole by a more gracious dispensation: ‘Thy faith hath made thee whole;' he was dismissed with a special blessing. God scattereth his benefits upon all mankind, but how few own the supreme benefactor! Surely a sensible heart seeth always new occasions of praising God, and some old occasions that must always be remembered, always for life, and peace, and safety, and daily provision; and always for Christ, and the hopes of eternal life. Surely if we have the comfort, God should have the glory: Ps. 96:8, ‘Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name, bring an offering, and come into his courts.' He that hath scattered his seed expecteth a crop from you. [Slide 18] 2. How disingenuous is it to be always craving, and never giving thanks! It is contrary to his directions in the word; for he showeth us there that all our prayers should be mingled with a thankful sense and acknowledgment of his mercies: Phil. 4:6, ‘In everything let your requests and supplications be made known with thanksgiving.' Do not come only in a complaining way: Col. 4:2, ‘Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.' They are not holy requests unless we acknowledge what he hath done for us, as well as desire him to do more. Nothing more usual than to come in our necessities to seek help; but we do not return, when we have received help and relief, to give thanks. When our turn is served, we neglect God. Wants urge us more than blessings, our interest swayeth us more than duty. As a dog swalloweth every bit that is cast to him, and still looketh for more, we swallow whatever the bounty of God casteth out to us without thanks, and when we need again, we would have more, and though warm in petitions, yet cold, rare, infrequent in gratitude. It is not only against scripture, but against nature. Ethnics abhor the ungrateful, that were still receiving, but forgetting to give thanks. It is against justice to seek help of God, and when we have it to make no more mention of God than if we had it from ourselves. It is against truth; we make many promises in our affliction, but forget all when well at ease. [Slide 19] 3. God either takes away or blasts the mercies which we are not thankful for. Sometimes he taketh them from us: Hosea 2:8, 9, ‘I will take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and I will recover my wool and flax.' Why? ‘She doth not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and gave her silver and gold.' Where his kindness is not taken notice of, nor his hand seen and acknowledged, he will take his benefits to himself again. We know not the value of mercies so much by their worth as by their want. God must set things at a distance to make us value them. If he take them not away, yet many times he blasts them as to their natural use: Mal. 2:2, ‘And if you will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; yea, I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart.' The creature is a deaf-nut; when we come to crack it, we have not the natural blessing as to health, strength, and cheerfulness, or if food, yet not gladness of heart with it; or we have not the sanctified use, it is not a mercy that leadeth us to God. A thing is sanctified if it cometh from God and leadeth us to God: 1 Cor. 3:21–23, ‘All things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours, for you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.' You have a covenant right, a holy use. [Slide 20] 4. Bless him for favours received, and you shall have more. Thanksgiving is the kindly way of petitioning, and the more thankful for mercies, the more they are increased upon us. Vapours drawn up from the earth return in showers to the earth again. The sea poureth out its fulness into the rivers, and all rivers return to the sea from whence they came: Ps. 67:5, 6, ‘Let the people praise thee, O God; yea, let all the people praise thee: then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even our own God, shall bless us.' It is not only true of outward increase, but of spiritual also: Col. 2:7, ‘Be ye rooted in the faith, and abound therein with thanksgiving.' If we give thanks for so much grace as we have already received, it is the way to increase our store. We thrive no more, get no more victory over our corruptions, because we do no more give thanks. [Slide 21] 5. When God's common mercies are well observed or well improved, it fits us for acts of more special kindness. In the story of the lepers—Luke 17:19, ‘Thy faith hath made thee whole,'—he met not only with a bodily cure, but a soul cure: Luke 16:11, ‘If, therefore, ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?' When we suspect a vessel leaketh, we try it with water before we fill it with wine. You are upon your trial; be thankful for less, God will give you more. [Slide 22] Means or directions:— [1.] Heighten all the mercies you have by all the circumstances necessary to be considered. By the nature and kind of them: spiritual eternal blessings first; the greatest mercies deserve greatest acknowledgment: Eph. 1:3, ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ'—Christ's spirit, pardon of sins, heaven, the way of salvation known, accepted, and the things of the world as subordinate helps. Luke 10:20, ‘Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.' [Slide 23] Then consider your sense in the want of mercies; what high thoughts had you then of them? The mercies are the same when you have them and when you want them, only your apprehensions are greater. If affectionately begged they must be affectionately acknowledged, else you are a hypocrite either in the supplication or gratulation. [Slide 24] Consider the person giving, God, so high and glorious. A small remembrance from a great prince, no way obliged, no way needing me, to whom I can be no way profitable, a small kindness melts us, a gift of a few pounds, a little parcel of land. Do I court him and observe him? There is less reason why God should abase himself to look upon us or concern himself in us: Ps. 113:6, ‘He humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth.' We have all things from him. [Slide 25] Consider the person receiving; so unworthy: Gen. 32:10, ‘I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast showed unto thy servant;' 2 Sam. 7:18, ‘Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?' [Slide 26] Consider the season; our greatest extremity is God's opportunity: Gen. 22:14, ‘In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen,' when the knife was at the throat of his son; 2 Cor. 1:9, 10, ‘We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we trust, that he will yet deliver us.' [Slide 27] Consider the end and fruit of his mercy; it is to manifest his special love to us, and engage our hearts to himself: Isa. 38:17, ‘Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption,' or ‘thou hast loved me from the grave;' otherwise God may give things in anger. [Slide 28] Consider the means by which he brought them about, when unlikely, unexpected in themselves, weak, insufficient. The greatest matters of providence hang many times upon small wires: a lie brought Joseph into prison, and a dream fetched him out, and he was advanced, and Jacob's family fed. Consider the number of his mercies: Ps. 139:17, ‘How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!' The many failings pardoned, comforts received, dangers prevented, deliverances granted. How he began with us before all time, conducted us in time, and hath been preparing for us a happiness which we shall enjoy when time shall be no more. [Slide 29] [2.] Satisfy yourselves with no praise and thanksgiving but what leaveth the impression of real effects upon the soul; for God is not flattered with empty praises and a little verbal commendation. There is a twofold praising of God—by expressive declaration or by objective impression. Now, neither expression nor impression must be excluded. Some platonical divines explode and scoff at the verbal praise more than becometh their reverence to the word of God: Ps. 50:23, ‘He that offereth praise glorifieth me.' But then the impression must be looked after too, that we be like that God whom we commend and extol, that we depend on him more, love him more fervently, serve him more cheerfully. [Slide 30] Doct. 2. That God's providence rightly considered, we shall find in the worst times much more cause to give thanks than to complain. I observe this because David was now under affliction. He had in the former verse complained that ‘the bands of the wicked had robbed him,' yet even then would he give thanks to God. [Slide 31] 1. Observe here, the matter of his thanksgiving was God's providence according to his word, seen in executing threatenings on the wicked, and performing his promises to the godly. God's word is one of the chiefest benefits bestowed on man, and therefore should be a subject of our praises. Now, when this is verified in his providence, and we see a faithful performance of those things in mercy to his servants, and in justice to his enemies, and the benefits and advantages of his law to them that are obedient, and the just punishment of the disobedient, and can discern not only a vein of righteousness but of truth in all God's dealings, this is a double benefit, which must be taken notice of, and acknowledged to God's praise. O Christians! how sweet is it to read his works by the light of the sanctuary, and to learn the interpretation of his providence from his Spirit by his word: Ps. 73:17, ‘I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I their end;' by consulting the scriptures he see the end and close of them that walk not according to God's direction: his word and works do mutually explain one another. The sanctuary is the place where God's people meet, where his word is taught, where we may have satisfaction concerning all his dealings. [Slide 32] 2. That when any divine dispensation goeth against our affections, yea, our prayers and expectations, yet even then can faith bring meat out of the eater, and find many occasions of praise and thanksgiving to God; for nothing falleth out so against but we may see the hand of God in it working for good. [Slide 33] [1.] Though we have not the blessing we seek and pray for, yet we give thanks because God hath been sometimes entreated, he hath showed himself a God hearing prayer, and is only delaying now until a more fit time wherein he may give us that which is sought: Ps. 43:5, ‘Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.' Now we are mourning, but he is our God, and we are not left without hope of a blessed issue. God, that hath been gracious, will be gracious again. He is our gracious father when we are under his sharpest corrections, a father when he striketh or frowneth; therefore we are not without hope that he will give us opportunities again of glorifying his name. [Slide 34] [2.] We bless God for continuing so long the mercies which he hath taken from us. Former experiences must not be forgotten: ‘Ebenezer, hitherto the Lord hath helped us.' If he shall afflict us afterward, yet ‘hitherto he hath helped us,' 1 Sam. 7:12. If he take away life, it is a mercy that he spared it so long for his own service and glory; if liberty, that we had such a time of rest and intermission. [Slide 35] [3.] God is yet worthy of praise and thanksgiving for choicer mercies yet continued, notwithstanding all the afflictions laid upon us. That we have his Spirit supporting us under our trials, and enabling us to bear them: 1 Peter 4:13, 14, ‘Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. For if ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth on you.' And that we have any peace of conscience: Rom. 5:1, ‘Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.' That the hope of eternal life is not diminished but increased by our afflictions: Rom. 5:4, 5, ‘We glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed: because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us.' That many of our natural comforts are yet left, and God will supply us by ways best known to himself. [Slide 36] [4.] That evils and afflictions which light upon us for the gospel's sake, or righteousness' sake, and Christ's name's sake, are to be reckoned among our privileges, and deserve praise rather than complaint: Phil. 1:29, ‘To you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.' If it be a gift, it is matter of praise. [Slide 37] [5.] Take these evils in the worst notion, they are less than we have deserved: Ezra 9:13, ‘And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve.' Babylon is not hell, and still that should be acknowledged. [Slide 38] [6.] That no evil hath befallen us but such as God can bring good out of them: Rom. 8:28, ‘All things shall work together for good to them that love God.' All things that befall a Christian are either good, or shall turn to good; either to good natural: Gen. 50:20, ‘Ye thought evil, but God meant it for good;' or good spiritual: Ps. 119:75, ‘I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me;' or good eternal: 2 Cor. 4:17, ‘For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' [Slide 39] Use 1. For information, that God's righteous judgments are matter of praise and thanksgiving. An angel is brought in speaking, Rev. 16:5, ‘Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.' Indeed, the formal object of thanksgiving and praise is some benefit: Ps. 135:3, ‘Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.' We praise God for his judgments, because they are just and right; we praise God for his mercies, not only because they are just and equal, but comfortable and beneficial to us, and so a double ground of thanksgiving. Use 2. For reproof, that we make more noise of a little trouble than we do of a thousand benefits that remain with us. We fret and complain and manifest the impatiency of the flesh; like a great machine or carriage, if one pin be out of order, all stoppeth, or one member hurt, though all the rest of the body be sound; or as Haman, the favours of a great king, pleasures of a luxurious court, all this availeth him nothing as long as Mordecai was in the gate; notwithstanding his riches, honours, multitude of children, great offices, this damped all his joy: Mal. 1:2, ‘I have loved you, saith the Lord; yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us?' Oh! let us check this complaining spirit; let us consider what is left, not what God hath taken away; what we may or shall have, not what we now want; what God is, and will be to his people, though we see little or nothing in the creature. [Slide 40] Doct. 3. That a heart deeply affected with God's providence will take all occasions to praise and give thanks. [Slide 41] 1. It is certain that our whole life should be a real expression of thankfulness to God. The life of a Christian is a life of love and praise, a hymn to God: 1 Peter 2:9, ‘But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.' Christianity is a confession; the visible acting of godliness is a part of this confession; we are all saved as confessors or martyrs. Now the confession is made both in word and deed. [Slide 42] 2. There are special occasions of thanksgiving and praise to God, as the apostle bids Timothy preach: 2 Tim. 4:2, ‘in season, out of season,' meaning thereby that he should not only take ordinary occasions, but extraordinary; he should make an opportunity where he found none. So we should press Christians to praise God not only in solemn duties, when the saints meet together to praise, but extraordinarily redeem time for this blessed work; yea, interrupt our lawful sleep and repose, to find frequent vacancies for so necessary a duty as the lauding and magnifying of God's mercy. [Slide 43] 3. As for rising up at midnight, we can neither enforce it as a duty upon you, nor yet can we condemn it. It was an act of heroical zeal in David, who employed his time waking to the honour of God, which others spent in sleeping; and we read that Paul and Silas ‘sang praises at midnight,', though then in the stocks, and they had been scourged the day before. And it is said, Job 35:10, ‘None saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night?' that is, giveth matter of praise if we wake in the night. And David saith elsewhere, Ps. 42:8, ‘The Lord will command his loving-kindness in the day-time, and in the night his song shall be with me;' day and night he would be filled with a sense of God's love, and with songs of praise. Therefore we cannot condemn this, but must highly commend it. Let men praise God at any time, and the more they deny themselves to do it, the more commendable is the action; yet we cannot enforce it upon you as a necessary duty, as the Papists build their nocturnal devotions upon it. That which we disapprove in them is, that those hours instituted by men they make necessary; that they direct their prayers to saints and angels which should only be to God, that they might mingle them with superstitious ceremonies and, observances; that they pray and sing in an unknown tongue without devotion, appropriating it to a certain sort of men, to clerks for their gain, with an opinion of merit. [Slide 44] 4. Though we cannot enforce the particular observance upon you, yet there are many notable lessons to be drawn from David's practice. [1.] The ardency of his devotion, or his earnest desire to praise God, ‘at midnight;' then, when sleep doth most invade us, then he would rise up. His heart was so set upon the praising of God, and the sense of his righteous providence did so affect him, and urge him, or excite him to this duty, that he would not only employ himself in this work in the day-time, and so show his love to God, but he would rise out of his bed to worship God and celebrate his praise. That which hindereth the sleep of ordinary men is either the cares of this world, the impatient resentment of injuries, or the sting of an evil conscience: these keep others waking, but David was awaked by a desire to praise God; no hour is unseasonable to a gracious heart; he is expressing his affection to God when others take their rest. Thus we read of our Lord Christ, that he spent whole nights in prayer. It is said of the glorified saints in heaven, that they praise God continually: Rev. 7:17, ‘They are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple, and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.' Now, holy men, though much hindered by their bodily necessities, yet they will come as near as present frailty will permit; we oftentimes begin the day with some fervency of prayer and praise, but we faint in evening. [2.] His sincerity, seen in his secrecy. David would profess his faith in God when he had no witness by him, at midnight, then no hazard of ostentation. It was a secret cheerfulness and delighting in God when alone; he could have no respect to the applause of men, but only to approve himself to God who seeth in secret. See Christ's direction, Mat. 6:6, ‘But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly;' his own practice: Mark 1:35, ‘Rising early in the morning, he went into a desert to pray.' Both time and place implied secrecy. [3.] We learn hence the preciousness of time. It was so to David. See how he spendeth the time of his life. We read of David, when he lay down at night, he ‘watered his couch with his tears,' after the examination of his heart; at midnight he rose to give thanks; in the morning he prevented the morning-watches, seven times a-day praising God, morning, noon, night. These are all acts of eminent piety. We should not content ourselves with so much grace as will merely serve to save us. Alas! we have much idle time hanging upon our hands; if we would give that to God it were well. [4.] The value of godly exercises above our natural refreshings; the word is sweeter than appointed food: Job 23:12, ‘I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.' David preferreth his praises of God before his sleep and rest in the night. Surely this should shame us for our sensuality. We can dispense with other things for our vain pleasures; we have done as much for sin, for vain sports, broken our rest for sin. Some monsters of mankind turn night into day, and day into night for their drunkenness, gaming, vain sports, &c., and shall we not deny ourselves for God? [5.] The reverence to be used in secret adoration. David did not only raise up his spirits to praise God, but rise up out of his bed to bow the knee to him. Secret duties should be performed with some solemnity, not slubbered over. Praise, a special act of adoration, requireth the worship of body and soul. [Slide 45 (end)] Use. Let David's example condemn our backwardness and sluggishness, who will not take those occasions which offer themselves. Mark, he gave thanks when we fret; at midnight he rose to do it with the more secrecy and fervency; this not to pray only, but to give thanks.

[Slide 1] Today, I'd like to do something a little different. Today I'll preach a message that has already been preached at least one time before. Although we aren't sure when this sermon was preached originally, I do know that it is over 300 years old. The original composer was Dr. Thomas Manton. I have preached a sermon from the past before. Why do I do this? For several reasons actually but the most important reason is that every time I've preached a message like this, it has been abundantly relevant to our time even though it is separated from us by centuries. This proves not the wisdom of the man, but the living nature of the Word of God and how it transcends through all generations. [Slide 2] But let me tell you a bit about Dr. Thomas Manton… Born in Somerset in 1620 from a long line of ministers. He was ordained by Bishop Hall at the age of nineteen. He served as a chaplain to the Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell. Yet Manton was firmly opposed to the execution of Charles I, causing considerable offence by preaching against it before Parliament. Later he was instrumental in the restoration of Charles II and became a Royal Chaplain. But when offered the Deanery of Rochester he chose rather to suffer with his Puritan brethren in the Great Ejection of 1662. Preaching afterward in his own home he was imprisoned for his ministry. Manton died in 1677, after a lifetime of rich and practical biblical ministry. [Slide 3] The following sermon “Sermon LXX (70)” is included in Several Sermons upon Psalm 119, which contains 190 sermons and was his crowning achievement as a pastor. One quick note. I haven't abridged and translated very little of this sermon. Therefore, it is necessary for you to pay extra close attention as the language will be understandable – but challenging. Keep your eyes on the screen since the outline of the sermon will appear there. It should help you stay with me. But you must be extra attentive listeners today if you are to understand Dr. Manton's sermon. From this point on, all the words I say until the prayer at the end, will be Thomas Manton's Words with few alterations. [Slide 4] At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee, because of thy righteous judgments.—Ver. 62. In these words observe three things:— 1. David's holy employment, or the duty promised, giving thanks to God. 2. His earnestness and fervency, implied in the time mentioned, at midnight I will rise; rather interrupt his sleep and rest than God should want his praise. 3. The cause or matter of his thanksgiving, because of thy righteous judgments, whereby he meaneth the dispensations of his providence in delivering the godly and punishing the wicked according to his word… [Slide 5] [Which establishes 3 doctrines] Doct. 1. One special duty wherein the people of God should be much exercised is thanksgiving. Doct. 2. That, God's providence rightly considered, we shall in the worst times find much more cause to give thanks than to complain. Doct. 3. That a heart deeply affected with God's providence will take all occasions to praise God and give thanks to his name, both in season and out of season. [Slide 6] Doct. 1. One special duty wherein the people of God should be much exercised is thanksgiving. This duty is often pressed upon us: Heb. 13:15, ‘Let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually, which is the fruit of our lips;' giving thanks unto his name. There are two words there used, praise and thanksgiving: generally taken, they are the same; strictly taken, thanksgiving differeth from praise. They agree that we use our voice in thanksgiving, as we do also in praise, for they are both said to be the fruit of our lips. What is in the prophet Hosea, chap. 14:2, ‘calves of our lips,' is in the Septuagint, ‘the fruit of our lips;' and they both agree that they are a sacrifice offered to our supreme benefactor, or that they belong to the thank-offerings of the gospel. But they differ in that thanksgiving belongeth to benefits bestowed on ourselves or others; but in relation to us, praise to any excellency whatsoever. Thanksgiving may be in word or deed; praise in words only. Well, then, thanksgiving is a sensible acknowledgment of favours received, or an expression of our sense of them, by word and work, to the praise of the bestower. The object of it is the works of God as beneficial unto us, or to those who are related to us, or in whose good or ill we are concerned. As public persons, as magistrates: 1 Tim. 2:1, 2, ‘I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplication, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority.' Pastors of the church: 2 Cor. 1:11, ‘You also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons, thanks may be given by many on our behalf.' Or our kindred according to the flesh, or some bond of Christian duty: Rom. 12:15, ‘Rejoice with them that do rejoice.' Another place where this duty is enforced is Eph. 5:20, where we are bidden to ‘give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;' where you see it is a duty of a universal and perpetual use, and one wherein the honour of God and Christ is much concerned. A third place is 1 Thes. 5:18, ‘In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.' See what reason he urgeth; the express will of God requiring this worship at our hands. We are to obey by the insight of the will. God's will is the fundamental reason of our obedience in every commandment; but here is a direct charge, now God hath made known the wonders of his love in Christ. [Slide 7] I shall prove to you that this is a necessary duty, a profitable duty, a pleasant and delightful duty. [Slide 8] 1. The necessity of being much and often in thanksgiving will appear by these two considerations:— [1.] [Slide 9] Because God is continually beneficial to us, blessing and delivering his people every day, and by new mercies giveth us new matter of praise and thanksgiving: Ps. 68:19, ‘Blessed be the God of our salvation, who loadeth us daily with his benefits, Selah.' He hath continually favoured us and preserved us, and poured his benefits upon us. The mercies of every day make way for songs which may sweeten our rest in the night; and his giving us rest by night, and preserving us in our sleep, when we could not help ourselves, giveth us songs in the morning. And all the day long we find new matter of praise: our whole work is divided between receiving and acknowledging. [2.] [Slide 10] Some mercies are so general and beneficial that they should never be forgotten, but remembered before God every day. Such as redemption by Christ: Ps. 111:4, ‘He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered.' We must daily be blessing God for Jesus Christ: 2 Cor. 9:15, ‘Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.' I understand it of his grace by Christ. We should ever be thus blessing and praising him; for the keeping of his great works in memory is the foundation of all love and service to God. 2. [Slide 11] It is a profitable duty. The usefulness of thanksgiving appeareth with respect to faith, love, and obedience. [1.] [Slide 12] With respect to faith. Faith and praise live and die together; if there be faith, there will be praise; and if there be praise, there will be faith. If faith, there will be praise, for faith is a bird that can sing in winter: Ps. 56:4, ‘In God will I praise his word, in God have I put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me;' and ver. 10, ‘In God I will praise his word, in the Lord I will praise his word.' His word is satisfaction enough to a gracious heart; if they have his word, they can praise him beforehand, for the grounds of hope before they have enjoyment. As Abraham, when he had not a foot in the land of Canaan, yet built an altar and offered sacrifices of thanksgiving, because of God's grant and the future possession in his posterity. Then, whether he punisheth or pitieth, we will praise him and glory in him. Faith entertaineth the promise before performance cometh, not only with confidence, but with delight and praise. The other part is, if praise, there will be faith; that is, supposing the praise real, for it raiseth our faith to expect the like again, having received so much grace already. All God's praises are the believer's advantage, the mercy is many times given as a pledge of more mercy. In many cases God will give gifts. If life, he will give food and bodily raiment. It holdeth good in spiritual things. If Christ, other things with Christ. One concession draweth another; if he spares me, he will feed me, clothe me. The attributes from whence the mercy cometh is the pillar of the believer's confidence and hope. If such a good, then a fit object of trust. If I have found him a God hearing prayer, ‘I will call upon him as long as I live,' Ps. 116:2. Praise doth but provide matter of trust, and represent God to us as a storehouse of all good things, and a sure foundation for dependence. [2.] [Slide 13] The great respect it hath to love. Praise and thanksgiving is an act of love, and then it cherisheth and feedeth love. It is an act of love to God, for if we love God we will praise him. Prayer is a work of necessity, but praise a mere work of duty and respect to God. We would exalt him more in our own hearts and in the hearts of others: Ps. 71:14, ‘I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.' We pray because we need God, and we praise him because we love him. Self-love will put us upon prayer, but the love of God upon praise and thanksgiving; then we return to give him the glory. Those that seek themselves will cry to him in their distress; but those that love God cannot endure that he should be without his due honour. In heaven, when other graces and duties cease, which belong to this imperfect state, as faith and repentance cease, yet love remaineth; and because love remaineth, praise remaineth, which is our great employment in the other world. So it feedeth and cherisheth love, for every benefit acknowledged is a new fuel to keep in the fire: Ps. 18:1, ‘I will love thee, O Lord, my strength;' Ps. 116:1, ‘I will love the Lord, who hath heard the voice of my supplications;' Deut. 30:20, ‘That thou mayest love the Lord, who is thy life, and the length of thy days.' The soul by praise is filled with a sense of the mercy and goodness of God, so that hereby he is made more amiable to us. [3.] [Slide 14] With respect to submission and obedience to his laws and providence. (1.) His laws. The greatest bond of duty upon the fallen creature is gratitude. Now grateful we cannot be without a sensible and explicit acknowledgment of his goodness to us: the more frequent and serious in that, the more doth our love constrain us to devote ourselves to God: Rom. 12:1, ‘I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present yourselves a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.' To live to him: 2 Cor. 5:14, 15, ‘For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead, and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.' And therefore praise and thanksgiving is a greater help to the spiritual life than we are usually aware of; for, working in us a sense of God's love, and an actual remembrance of his benefits (as it will do if rightly performed), it doth make us shy of sin, more careful and solicitous to do his will. Shall we offend so good a God? God's love to us is a love of bounty; our love to God is a love of duty, when we grudge not to live in subjection to him: 1 John 5:3, ‘His commandments are not grievous.' (2.) Submission to his providence. There is a querulous and sour spirit which is natural to us, always repining and murmuring at God's dealing, and wasting and vexing our spirits in heartless complaints. Now, this fretting, quarrelling, impatient humour, which often showeth itself against God even in our prayers and supplications, is quelled by nothing so much as by being frequent in praises and thanksgivings: Job 1:21, ‘The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.' It is an act of holy prudence in the saints, when they are under any trouble, to strain themselves to the quite contrary duty of what temptations and corruptions would drive them unto. When the temptation is laid to make us murmur and swell at God's dealings, we should on the contrary bless and give thanks. And therefore the Psalmist doth so frequently sing praises in the saddest condition. There is no perfect defeating the temptation but by studying matter of praise, and to set seriously about the duty. So Job 2:10, ‘Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?' Shall we receive so many proofs of the love of God, and quarrel at a few afflictions that come from the same hand, and rebel against his providence when he bringeth on some needful trouble for our trial and exercise? and having tasted so much of his bounty and love, repine and fret at every change of dealing, though it be useful to purge out our corruptions, and promote our communion with God? Surely nothing can be extremely evil that cometh from this good hand. As we receive good things cheerfully and contentedly, so must we receive evil things submissively and patiently. [Slide 15] 3. It is a most delightful work to remember the many thousand mercies God hath bestowed on the church, ourselves, and friends. To remember his gracious word and all the passages of his providence; is this burdensome to us? Ps. 147:1, ‘Praise ye the Lord, for it is pleasant;' and Ps. 135:3, ‘Sing praises unto his name, for it is pleasant.' Next to necessity, profit; next to profit, pleasure. No necessity so great as spiritual necessity, because our eternal well-being or ill-being dependeth on it; and beggary is nothing to being found naked in the great day. No profit so great as spiritual; that is not to be measured by the good things of this world, or a little pelf, or the great mammon, which so many worship; but some spiritual and divine benefit, which tendeth to make us spiritually better, more like God, more capable of communion with him: that is true profit, it is an increase of faith, love, and obedience. So for pleasure and delight; that which truly exhilarateth the soul, begets upon us a solid impression of God's love, that is the true pleasure. Carnal pleasures are unwholesome for you, like luscious fruits, which make you sick. Nothing is so hard of digestion as carnal pleasures. This feedeth the flesh, warreth against the soul; but this holy delight that resulteth from the serious remembrance of God, and setting forth his excellences and benefits, is safe and healthful, and doth cheer us but not hurt us. [Slide 16] Use. Oh, then, let us be oftener in praising and giving thanks to God! Can you receive so much, and beg so much, and never think of a return or any expression of gratitude? Is there such a being as God, have you all your supplies from him, and will you not take some time to acknowledge what he hath done for your souls? Either you must deny his being, and then you are atheists; or you must deny his providence, and then you are epicureans, next door to atheism; or you must deny such a duty as praise and thanksgiving, and then you are anti-scripturists, for the scripture everywhere calleth for it at our hands; or else, if you neglect this duty, you live in flat contradiction to what you profess to believe, and then you are practical atheists, and practical epicureans, and practical anti-scripturists; and so your condemnation will be the greater, because you own the truth but deny the practice. I beseech you, therefore, to be often alone with God, and that in a way of thanksgiving, to increase your love, faith, and obedience, and delight in God. Shall I use arguments to you? [Slide 17] 1. Have you received nothing from God? I put this question to you, because great is our unthankfulness, not only for common benefits, but also for special deliverances—the one not noted and observed, the other not improved. Humble persons will find matter of praise in very common benefits, but we forget even signal mercies. Therefore, I say, have you received nothing? Now, consider, is there no return due? You know the story, Luke 17:15–19, Christ healed ten lepers, and but one of them ‘returned and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down at his feet giving thanks, and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed, but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.' All had received a like benefit, but one only returned, and he a Gentile and no Jew, to acknowledge the mercy. They were made whole by a miraculous providence, he was made whole by a more gracious dispensation: ‘Thy faith hath made thee whole;' he was dismissed with a special blessing. God scattereth his benefits upon all mankind, but how few own the supreme benefactor! Surely a sensible heart seeth always new occasions of praising God, and some old occasions that must always be remembered, always for life, and peace, and safety, and daily provision; and always for Christ, and the hopes of eternal life. Surely if we have the comfort, God should have the glory: Ps. 96:8, ‘Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name, bring an offering, and come into his courts.' He that hath scattered his seed expecteth a crop from you. [Slide 18] 2. How disingenuous is it to be always craving, and never giving thanks! It is contrary to his directions in the word; for he showeth us there that all our prayers should be mingled with a thankful sense and acknowledgment of his mercies: Phil. 4:6, ‘In everything let your requests and supplications be made known with thanksgiving.' Do not come only in a complaining way: Col. 4:2, ‘Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.' They are not holy requests unless we acknowledge what he hath done for us, as well as desire him to do more. Nothing more usual than to come in our necessities to seek help; but we do not return, when we have received help and relief, to give thanks. When our turn is served, we neglect God. Wants urge us more than blessings, our interest swayeth us more than duty. As a dog swalloweth every bit that is cast to him, and still looketh for more, we swallow whatever the bounty of God casteth out to us without thanks, and when we need again, we would have more, and though warm in petitions, yet cold, rare, infrequent in gratitude. It is not only against scripture, but against nature. Ethnics abhor the ungrateful, that were still receiving, but forgetting to give thanks. It is against justice to seek help of God, and when we have it to make no more mention of God than if we had it from ourselves. It is against truth; we make many promises in our affliction, but forget all when well at ease. [Slide 19] 3. God either takes away or blasts the mercies which we are not thankful for. Sometimes he taketh them from us: Hosea 2:8, 9, ‘I will take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and I will recover my wool and flax.' Why? ‘She doth not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and gave her silver and gold.' Where his kindness is not taken notice of, nor his hand seen and acknowledged, he will take his benefits to himself again. We know not the value of mercies so much by their worth as by their want. God must set things at a distance to make us value them. If he take them not away, yet many times he blasts them as to their natural use: Mal. 2:2, ‘And if you will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; yea, I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart.' The creature is a deaf-nut; when we come to crack it, we have not the natural blessing as to health, strength, and cheerfulness, or if food, yet not gladness of heart with it; or we have not the sanctified use, it is not a mercy that leadeth us to God. A thing is sanctified if it cometh from God and leadeth us to God: 1 Cor. 3:21–23, ‘All things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours, for you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.' You have a covenant right, a holy use. [Slide 20] 4. Bless him for favours received, and you shall have more. Thanksgiving is the kindly way of petitioning, and the more thankful for mercies, the more they are increased upon us. Vapours drawn up from the earth return in showers to the earth again. The sea poureth out its fulness into the rivers, and all rivers return to the sea from whence they came: Ps. 67:5, 6, ‘Let the people praise thee, O God; yea, let all the people praise thee: then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even our own God, shall bless us.' It is not only true of outward increase, but of spiritual also: Col. 2:7, ‘Be ye rooted in the faith, and abound therein with thanksgiving.' If we give thanks for so much grace as we have already received, it is the way to increase our store. We thrive no more, get no more victory over our corruptions, because we do no more give thanks. [Slide 21] 5. When God's common mercies are well observed or well improved, it fits us for acts of more special kindness. In the story of the lepers—Luke 17:19, ‘Thy faith hath made thee whole,'—he met not only with a bodily cure, but a soul cure: Luke 16:11, ‘If, therefore, ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?' When we suspect a vessel leaketh, we try it with water before we fill it with wine. You are upon your trial; be thankful for less, God will give you more. [Slide 22] Means or directions:— [1.] Heighten all the mercies you have by all the circumstances necessary to be considered. By the nature and kind of them: spiritual eternal blessings first; the greatest mercies deserve greatest acknowledgment: Eph. 1:3, ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ'—Christ's spirit, pardon of sins, heaven, the way of salvation known, accepted, and the things of the world as subordinate helps. Luke 10:20, ‘Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.' [Slide 23] Then consider your sense in the want of mercies; what high thoughts had you then of them? The mercies are the same when you have them and when you want them, only your apprehensions are greater. If affectionately begged they must be affectionately acknowledged, else you are a hypocrite either in the supplication or gratulation. [Slide 24] Consider the person giving, God, so high and glorious. A small remembrance from a great prince, no way obliged, no way needing me, to whom I can be no way profitable, a small kindness melts us, a gift of a few pounds, a little parcel of land. Do I court him and observe him? There is less reason why God should abase himself to look upon us or concern himself in us: Ps. 113:6, ‘He humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth.' We have all things from him. [Slide 25] Consider the person receiving; so unworthy: Gen. 32:10, ‘I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast showed unto thy servant;' 2 Sam. 7:18, ‘Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?' [Slide 26] Consider the season; our greatest extremity is God's opportunity: Gen. 22:14, ‘In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen,' when the knife was at the throat of his son; 2 Cor. 1:9, 10, ‘We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we trust, that he will yet deliver us.' [Slide 27] Consider the end and fruit of his mercy; it is to manifest his special love to us, and engage our hearts to himself: Isa. 38:17, ‘Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption,' or ‘thou hast loved me from the grave;' otherwise God may give things in anger. [Slide 28] Consider the means by which he brought them about, when unlikely, unexpected in themselves, weak, insufficient. The greatest matters of providence hang many times upon small wires: a lie brought Joseph into prison, and a dream fetched him out, and he was advanced, and Jacob's family fed. Consider the number of his mercies: Ps. 139:17, ‘How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!' The many failings pardoned, comforts received, dangers prevented, deliverances granted. How he began with us before all time, conducted us in time, and hath been preparing for us a happiness which we shall enjoy when time shall be no more. [Slide 29] [2.] Satisfy yourselves with no praise and thanksgiving but what leaveth the impression of real effects upon the soul; for God is not flattered with empty praises and a little verbal commendation. There is a twofold praising of God—by expressive declaration or by objective impression. Now, neither expression nor impression must be excluded. Some platonical divines explode and scoff at the verbal praise more than becometh their reverence to the word of God: Ps. 50:23, ‘He that offereth praise glorifieth me.' But then the impression must be looked after too, that we be like that God whom we commend and extol, that we depend on him more, love him more fervently, serve him more cheerfully. [Slide 30] Doct. 2. That God's providence rightly considered, we shall find in the worst times much more cause to give thanks than to complain. I observe this because David was now under affliction. He had in the former verse complained that ‘the bands of the wicked had robbed him,' yet even then would he give thanks to God. [Slide 31] 1. Observe here, the matter of his thanksgiving was God's providence according to his word, seen in executing threatenings on the wicked, and performing his promises to the godly. God's word is one of the chiefest benefits bestowed on man, and therefore should be a subject of our praises. Now, when this is verified in his providence, and we see a faithful performance of those things in mercy to his servants, and in justice to his enemies, and the benefits and advantages of his law to them that are obedient, and the just punishment of the disobedient, and can discern not only a vein of righteousness but of truth in all God's dealings, this is a double benefit, which must be taken notice of, and acknowledged to God's praise. O Christians! how sweet is it to read his works by the light of the sanctuary, and to learn the interpretation of his providence from his Spirit by his word: Ps. 73:17, ‘I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I their end;' by consulting the scriptures he see the end and close of them that walk not according to God's direction: his word and works do mutually explain one another. The sanctuary is the place where God's people meet, where his word is taught, where we may have satisfaction concerning all his dealings. [Slide 32] 2. That when any divine dispensation goeth against our affections, yea, our prayers and expectations, yet even then can faith bring meat out of the eater, and find many occasions of praise and thanksgiving to God; for nothing falleth out so against but we may see the hand of God in it working for good. [Slide 33] [1.] Though we have not the blessing we seek and pray for, yet we give thanks because God hath been sometimes entreated, he hath showed himself a God hearing prayer, and is only delaying now until a more fit time wherein he may give us that which is sought: Ps. 43:5, ‘Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.' Now we are mourning, but he is our God, and we are not left without hope of a blessed issue. God, that hath been gracious, will be gracious again. He is our gracious father when we are under his sharpest corrections, a father when he striketh or frowneth; therefore we are not without hope that he will give us opportunities again of glorifying his name. [Slide 34] [2.] We bless God for continuing so long the mercies which he hath taken from us. Former experiences must not be forgotten: ‘Ebenezer, hitherto the Lord hath helped us.' If he shall afflict us afterward, yet ‘hitherto he hath helped us,' 1 Sam. 7:12. If he take away life, it is a mercy that he spared it so long for his own service and glory; if liberty, that we had such a time of rest and intermission. [Slide 35] [3.] God is yet worthy of praise and thanksgiving for choicer mercies yet continued, notwithstanding all the afflictions laid upon us. That we have his Spirit supporting us under our trials, and enabling us to bear them: 1 Peter 4:13, 14, ‘Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. For if ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth on you.' And that we have any peace of conscience: Rom. 5:1, ‘Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.' That the hope of eternal life is not diminished but increased by our afflictions: Rom. 5:4, 5, ‘We glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed: because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us.' That many of our natural comforts are yet left, and God will supply us by ways best known to himself. [Slide 36] [4.] That evils and afflictions which light upon us for the gospel's sake, or righteousness' sake, and Christ's name's sake, are to be reckoned among our privileges, and deserve praise rather than complaint: Phil. 1:29, ‘To you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.' If it be a gift, it is matter of praise. [Slide 37] [5.] Take these evils in the worst notion, they are less than we have deserved: Ezra 9:13, ‘And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve.' Babylon is not hell, and still that should be acknowledged. [Slide 38] [6.] That no evil hath befallen us but such as God can bring good out of them: Rom. 8:28, ‘All things shall work together for good to them that love God.' All things that befall a Christian are either good, or shall turn to good; either to good natural: Gen. 50:20, ‘Ye thought evil, but God meant it for good;' or good spiritual: Ps. 119:75, ‘I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me;' or good eternal: 2 Cor. 4:17, ‘For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' [Slide 39] Use 1. For information, that God's righteous judgments are matter of praise and thanksgiving. An angel is brought in speaking, Rev. 16:5, ‘Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.' Indeed, the formal object of thanksgiving and praise is some benefit: Ps. 135:3, ‘Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.' We praise God for his judgments, because they are just and right; we praise God for his mercies, not only because they are just and equal, but comfortable and beneficial to us, and so a double ground of thanksgiving. Use 2. For reproof, that we make more noise of a little trouble than we do of a thousand benefits that remain with us. We fret and complain and manifest the impatiency of the flesh; like a great machine or carriage, if one pin be out of order, all stoppeth, or one member hurt, though all the rest of the body be sound; or as Haman, the favours of a great king, pleasures of a luxurious court, all this availeth him nothing as long as Mordecai was in the gate; notwithstanding his riches, honours, multitude of children, great offices, this damped all his joy: Mal. 1:2, ‘I have loved you, saith the Lord; yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us?' Oh! let us check this complaining spirit; let us consider what is left, not what God hath taken away; what we may or shall have, not what we now want; what God is, and will be to his people, though we see little or nothing in the creature. [Slide 40] Doct. 3. That a heart deeply affected with God's providence will take all occasions to praise and give thanks. [Slide 41] 1. It is certain that our whole life should be a real expression of thankfulness to God. The life of a Christian is a life of love and praise, a hymn to God: 1 Peter 2:9, ‘But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.' Christianity is a confession; the visible acting of godliness is a part of this confession; we are all saved as confessors or martyrs. Now the confession is made both in word and deed. [Slide 42] 2. There are special occasions of thanksgiving and praise to God, as the apostle bids Timothy preach: 2 Tim. 4:2, ‘in season, out of season,' meaning thereby that he should not only take ordinary occasions, but extraordinary; he should make an opportunity where he found none. So we should press Christians to praise God not only in solemn duties, when the saints meet together to praise, but extraordinarily redeem time for this blessed work; yea, interrupt our lawful sleep and repose, to find frequent vacancies for so necessary a duty as the lauding and magnifying of God's mercy. [Slide 43] 3. As for rising up at midnight, we can neither enforce it as a duty upon you, nor yet can we condemn it. It was an act of heroical zeal in David, who employed his time waking to the honour of God, which others spent in sleeping; and we read that Paul and Silas ‘sang praises at midnight,', though then in the stocks, and they had been scourged the day before. And it is said, Job 35:10, ‘None saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night?' that is, giveth matter of praise if we wake in the night. And David saith elsewhere, Ps. 42:8, ‘The Lord will command his loving-kindness in the day-time, and in the night his song shall be with me;' day and night he would be filled with a sense of God's love, and with songs of praise. Therefore we cannot condemn this, but must highly commend it. Let men praise God at any time, and the more they deny themselves to do it, the more commendable is the action; yet we cannot enforce it upon you as a necessary duty, as the Papists build their nocturnal devotions upon it. That which we disapprove in them is, that those hours instituted by men they make necessary; that they direct their prayers to saints and angels which should only be to God, that they might mingle them with superstitious ceremonies and, observances; that they pray and sing in an unknown tongue without devotion, appropriating it to a certain sort of men, to clerks for their gain, with an opinion of merit. [Slide 44] 4. Though we cannot enforce the particular observance upon you, yet there are many notable lessons to be drawn from David's practice. [1.] The ardency of his devotion, or his earnest desire to praise God, ‘at midnight;' then, when sleep doth most invade us, then he would rise up. His heart was so set upon the praising of God, and the sense of his righteous providence did so affect him, and urge him, or excite him to this duty, that he would not only employ himself in this work in the day-time, and so show his love to God, but he would rise out of his bed to worship God and celebrate his praise. That which hindereth the sleep of ordinary men is either the cares of this world, the impatient resentment of injuries, or the sting of an evil conscience: these keep others waking, but David was awaked by a desire to praise God; no hour is unseasonable to a gracious heart; he is expressing his affection to God when others take their rest. Thus we read of our Lord Christ, that he spent whole nights in prayer. It is said of the glorified saints in heaven, that they praise God continually: Rev. 7:17, ‘They are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple, and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.' Now, holy men, though much hindered by their bodily necessities, yet they will come as near as present frailty will permit; we oftentimes begin the day with some fervency of prayer and praise, but we faint in evening. [2.] His sincerity, seen in his secrecy. David would profess his faith in God when he had no witness by him, at midnight, then no hazard of ostentation. It was a secret cheerfulness and delighting in God when alone; he could have no respect to the applause of men, but only to approve himself to God who seeth in secret. See Christ's direction, Mat. 6:6, ‘But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly;' his own practice: Mark 1:35, ‘Rising early in the morning, he went into a desert to pray.' Both time and place implied secrecy. [3.] We learn hence the preciousness of time. It was so to David. See how he spendeth the time of his life. We read of David, when he lay down at night, he ‘watered his couch with his tears,' after the examination of his heart; at midnight he rose to give thanks; in the morning he prevented the morning-watches, seven times a-day praising God, morning, noon, night. These are all acts of eminent piety. We should not content ourselves with so much grace as will merely serve to save us. Alas! we have much idle time hanging upon our hands; if we would give that to God it were well. [4.] The value of godly exercises above our natural refreshings; the word is sweeter than appointed food: Job 23:12, ‘I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.' David preferreth his praises of God before his sleep and rest in the night. Surely this should shame us for our sensuality. We can dispense with other things for our vain pleasures; we have done as much for sin, for vain sports, broken our rest for sin. Some monsters of mankind turn night into day, and day into night for their drunkenness, gaming, vain sports, &c., and shall we not deny ourselves for God? [5.] The reverence to be used in secret adoration. David did not only raise up his spirits to praise God, but rise up out of his bed to bow the knee to him. Secret duties should be performed with some solemnity, not slubbered over. Praise, a special act of adoration, requireth the worship of body and soul. [Slide 45 (end)] Use. Let David's example condemn our backwardness and sluggishness, who will not take those occasions which offer themselves. Mark, he gave thanks when we fret; at midnight he rose to do it with the more secrecy and fervency; this not to pray only, but to give thanks.

Pan started as a shepherds' god in a wild and backward area of Greece, but became one of the best-known in the Greek and Roman world. This was partly because the leading city of Athens imported him as a saviour, and partly because he came to represent the freedom, peace and simplicity of the countryside to urban people. He was the most earthy of Greek deities, summing up wild nature in its beauty but also its danger. He was a god of both liberation and menace, and this lecture faces up to him as both.This lecture was recorded by Professor Ronald Hutton on the 17th of September 2025 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.Professor Hutton is Professor of History at the University of Bristol. He took degrees at Cambridge and then Oxford Universities, and was a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford. He is now a Fellow of the British Academy, the Royal Historical Society, the Society of Antiquaries and the Learned Society of Wales, and has won awards for teaching and research.He has lectured all over the world, authored twenty books and ninety-six essays, appeared in or presented scores of television and radio programmes, and sits on the editorial boards of six journals concerned with the history of religion and magic.He is currently working on the third volume of his biography of Oliver Cromwell. The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/god-panGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: https://gresham.ac.uk/support/Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukTwitter:  https://twitter.com/greshamcollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeSupport the show

Dans l'Angleterre du XVIIᵉ siècle, déchirée par les guerres civiles et les complots politiques, le pouvoir en place doit s'appuyer sur des individus capables d'agir dans l'ombre. Et qui mieux que des femmes, à une époque où l'on ne leur accordait guère d'importance, pour endosser ce rôle ? C'est dans un contexte de conflit entre parlementaires et royalistes qu'émerge notre héroïne du jour : Susan Hyde. Son destin tragique incarne tristement le sort réservé aux Anglaises engagées dans la tourmente politique, aussi haute soit leur place sur l'échelle sociale.Secrets d'agents • Histoires Vraies est une production Minuit.

Dans l'Angleterre du XVIIᵉ siècle, déchirée par les guerres civiles et les complots politiques, le pouvoir en place doit s'appuyer sur des individus capables d'agir dans l'ombre. Et qui mieux que des femmes, à une époque où l'on ne leur accordait guère d'importance, pour endosser ce rôle ? C'est dans un contexte de conflit entre parlementaires et royalistes qu'émerge notre héroïne du jour : Susan Hyde. Son destin tragique incarne tristement le sort réservé aux Anglaises engagées dans la tourmente politique, aussi haute soit leur place sur l'échelle sociale.Pour asseoir son pouvoir, Oliver Cromwell déploie un réseau d'espions à travers toute l'Europe ; de Bruxelles à Paris, de Rome à Madrid, jusqu'aux ports de commerce dépendant du Royaume comme Danzig, aujourd'hui Gdansk. Ces agents ne se contentent pas d'intercepter le courrier. Ils ont également pour mission de traquer et de neutraliser tous les espions ennemis, hommes ou femmes, où qu'ils se trouvent. Pour coordonner cette machinerie, Cromwell place à sa tête un homme redoutablement efficace, John Thurloe.Secrets d'agents • Histoires Vraies est une production Minuit.

Dans l'Angleterre du XVIIᵉ siècle, déchirée par les guerres civiles et les complots politiques, le pouvoir en place doit s'appuyer sur des individus capables d'agir dans l'ombre. Et qui mieux que des femmes, à une époque où l'on ne leur accordait guère d'importance, pour endosser ce rôle ? C'est dans un contexte de conflit entre parlementaires et royalistes qu'émerge notre héroïne du jour : Susan Hyde. Son destin tragique incarne tristement le sort réservé aux Anglaises engagées dans la tourmente politique, aussi haute soit leur place sur l'échelle sociale.Si l'on connaît de nombreux détails sur la fin de la vie de Susan Hyde, on en sait peu sur ses débuts. Il y a tout de fois un détail qui n'est pas anodin : sa lignée familiale. Ses parents sont Henry Hyde, un homme politique influent de l'Angleterre du XVIIᵉ siècle, et Mary Langford, issue d'une famille aisée et cultivée. Parmi ses sept frères et soeurs, l'un va jouer une grande importance dans sa vie : Edward Hyde.Secrets d'agents • Histoires Vraies est une production Minuit.

Une vie dédiée au plaisir et à la poésie… C'est en ces mots qu'Aphra Behn, première autrice britannique à se faire rémunérer pour ses écrits, définit son existence. Féministe avant l'heure, provocatrice, dramaturge aimée de la noblesse de son époque dont elle fait pourtant la critique assurée, elle défie les codes de son temps et se plaît à demeurer objet de scandale. Avec tout ça, on en oublierait presque qu'elle était aussi espionne.Secrets d'agents • Histoires Vraies est une production Minuit.

Une vie dédiée au plaisir et à la poésie… C'est en ces mots qu'Aphra Behn, première autrice britannique à se faire rémunérer pour ses écrits, définit son existence. Féministe avant l'heure, provocatrice, dramaturge aimée de la noblesse de son époque dont elle fait pourtant la critique assurée, elle défie les codes de son temps et se plaît à demeurer objet de scandale. Avec tout ça, on en oublierait presque qu'elle était aussi espionne.William Scott remet à Aphra Behn des informations sur les mouvements militaires et de marchandises, qu'elle compile dans dix-neuf lettres manuscrites envoyées à son supérieur à Londres, Henry Bennett. Elle estime que son travail est accompli et s'attend à une réponse de Bennett, ou à l'envoi d'un peu d'argent pour lui permettre de se loger et de se nourrir. Les mois s'écoulent, l'hiver s'installe doucement, mais rien ne se passe.Secrets d'agents • Histoires Vraies est une production Minuit.

Une vie dédiée au plaisir et à la poésie… C'est en ces mots qu'Aphra Behn, première autrice britannique à se faire rémunérer pour ses écrits, définit son existence. Féministe avant l'heure, provocatrice, dramaturge aimée de la noblesse de son époque dont elle fait pourtant la critique assurée, elle défie les codes de son temps et se plaît à demeurer objet de scandale. Avec tout ça, on en oublierait presque qu'elle était aussi espionne.La vie personnelle d'Aphra Behn est tout aussi brumeuse que sa vie d'espionne. Même ses contemporains ne parviennent pas à se mettre d'accord sur son origine !Sturry, Canterbury, Wye ou peut-être Harbledown ? Impossible de le savoir. Une chose est sûre, elle est née dans la région du Kent, en 1640. Son baptême se déroule précisément le 14 décembre de la même année à Canterbury.Secrets d'agents • Histoires Vraies est une production Minuit.

This week we are embarking on a three part series covering the most notorious pirate port in the Caribbean, so naturally we are starting by talking about Oliver Cromwell.While the Spanish were busy conquering South America, they saw Jamaica as little more than a convenient staging post. So much so that when the English were considering which Spanish territories to invade, it didn't even make the list. However even the best laid plans can go awry, and the ones made by the Commonwealth Government were far from the best, meaning that Jamaica suddenly and unexpectedly became the focus of English interests in the region. Though they were going to need some help in order to stop the Spanish taking it back...Guest Host: Emma Heathcote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I'm joined by author Marc Harzman who has been described by ABC News as "One of America's leading connoisseurs of the bizarre." Marc has written books about UFOs, ghosts, Mars, Oliver Cromwell's embalmed head, weird things on eBay, sideshow performers, unorthodox messages from God, and more.   We get into all that today, everything from the Phoenix lights incident to scrotum bags for sale on Ebay. So if you like the sound of that, buckle up for an hour of absolute bizarreness.   Marc's website

David Woollin • Selected Scriptures • Grace Community Church

Luke's HAARP Time Warp: Part 4 Marion grows as a leader but only after some serious pain. Based on a post by somethin fishy, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Luke was glad to get out of there. Richard smelled terrible. Not only was he super obese and he smelled from that, but he had bad body odor and smelled of stale sex. He went to make his way back to his chambers, but he stopped before he got there. He had to do some recon. He explored the castle from top to bottom and stopped to have friendly chats with the guards that he came across. Luke was quickly gaining a reputation for being polite and considerate. Any maids that he crossed paths with didn't fear being attacked by him. Instead, they all stopped to have a quick chat. Through all this Luke learned that Richard was very unpopular with the men and women of the castle and only stayed in charge because he had the support of about a dozen key men. Luke also learned that the last of the men that had been openly loyal to Charles or Marion had been killed, but the general opinion was that it was for the best for they had long ago resigned from the human race and had become animals just to survive. Finally, after some hours, Luke returned to his quarters. There he found the others very tense and it didn't take long for Luke to find out why. Richard was planning on leaving within a week and was demanding that Luke's women accompany him back to his regular home. “Well, that decides it. We have to act tonight.” “Tonight? Luke are you sure?” squeaked Marion. “Yes sweetheart, I'm sure. Because if we don't act, they will find out who you really are.” Marion nodded her final agreement. The group went through all their gear and Luke shared all the intel that he had gathered. This was the first time that any of them other than Marion had seen Luke's handgun and they were all amazed. “I promise that after all this is over and if I am still alive then I shall explain everything to all of you. Marion knows most of the things about me but not all.” Chapter 16. It was almost midnight when Marion's group started their attack. Luke had instructed them that if they heard him firing then they should leave as soon as possible and not to look back; Luke wouldn't accept any arguments. Their first target was Richard's key supporters. Slip up, kill the guards quickly, then kill the key supporters. Gabriel would start off each attack with her bow. She would hide in a dark corner and shoot the guards throats out. This way they couldn't scream. Luke would then usually pick the lock and they would slip in. When they found their target, they would slit his throat and usually would have to cover the mouths of the women with them so that no one screamed. Usually, Stella would calm down the whore that was in the bed. Stella was well known in the castle and had the respect of all the woman. After everything was taken care with one target, they would move on to the next. They worked like this through all the key supporters. Eventually, they only had one target left, Richard. Problem was that he was under heavy guard by loyal men, not the run of the mill castle guards like the rest of them had been. It took almost three hours to get through all the key personal. This had the benefit that by the time they struck at Richard, most of his guards would be drowsy. Luke stopped the attack for a couple of minutes to regroup and plan out their final assault. After looking things over Luke decided that it just might be time to get the trump card out and ready. He put his sword away and pulled out his sig. Quietly he checked to make sure that there was a round in the chamber. Just as the group was starting their assault, there was a blood curdling scream from where they had just been. Their latest target had just been found. Luke moved in as soon as Gabriel had shot the door guards. Luke shot the lock out of the door after finding the door was locked. He burst into the room and this being Charles's old rooms Marion had drawn very exacting sketches so Luke knew exactly where to go. Marion and he moved fast through the rooms, clearing them as they went, while the others guarded the door. Luke and Marion killed anyone that opposed them. By the time they got to Richard, they had killed fifteen men and two women. “Who the hell are you? What do you mean by barging in here?” “Why Richard” said Marion taking off her helmet “I am insulted that you do not recognize the rightful owner of these lands.” When Richard realized just who was standing in front of him, he smiled. “Ah I see that you have returned; Marion of York. Problem is that the rightful owner already has signed over the lands.” “What do you mean?” “Cecilia, you want to come out and meet our guest for this evening?” Marion and Luke started when they caught sight of Cecilia coming out of an adjacent room “Good morning, Marion. Ever the night owl I see. Nice to see you again Luke. It will be so nice to finally have your giant cock buried inside me; but do not worry about Marion for she will have to watch while tied she's to her old bed.” “You traitor. You betray father and every person living in these lands for what? Empty promises from this tub of lard.” This pissed Cecilia off and she started to move toward Marion but Luke pointed his gun at her. “Ah so that is the “gun” that Cecilia has told me so much about. And before you ask and waste more time, I know that it was you, Luke, who killed my son and his men. And now I think that it is time for all of your people to die.” Richard then whistled and his men started coming out of hiding. Luke was faster though. As soon as he heard Richard whistle, he shot Richard dead by double tapping him in the heart. Now he had to get Marion and the rest of the team out of this ambush. Luke shot any soldier that he saw while Marion was busy cutting down more. They worked their way back to the door, only to find a battle royal going on. The team was in serious trouble. They were heavily outnumbered and Gabriel was out of arrows. Luke had to act and act fast. He slapped another clip in and started to walk and shoot. Richard's men unfamiliar with such a device got nervous and broke. The team took full advantage of this and made their break for it. They had left hidden ropes so that they could make their escape. All they had to do was get to them. As they were running, Gabriel caught an arrow in her leg. She wanted the rest of the team to leave her and get out, but Luke wouldn't hear of it. “You never leave a team member behind, Gabriel. Now come on, let's get the fuck out of here.” Luke picked Gabriel up and threw her over his massive shoulder in a fireman's carry. This way Luke could still fight and Gabriel could shoot her bow as she got the arrows. As the team was getting through one of the doors, Tom was taken down. He had just helped Pollyanna get out for she had turned her ankle and was limping when a swordsman came out of nowhere and ran Tom threw. Pollyanna turned as quickly as she could and killed the swordsman. Stella came out then and seeing Tom lying dead started cursing. She turned to go back in and kill as many bastards as she could find but Marion got to her first and pulled her towards the ropes. Alice got them first and got everything ready for the rest. Marion came up with Stella and Pollyanna. Stella went down first, followed by Pollyanna and Alice. Marion in the meantime waited for Luke and Gabriel. She didn't have long to wait either. Luke came up and Marion was horrified. Luke had numerous cuts across his armor and placed that were not armored were bleeding badly, but Luke was so full of adrenaline that he didn't even notice. He went over with Gabriel hanging on to his back, for dear life, for they had to go down almost forty feet. Marion was the last over and made it down safely but almost didn't. When she was only ten feet from the ground, someone cut her rope and when she landed, she got herself a bad ankle sprain. Thankfully for all their sakes their horses were nearby and they were able to get out of town without too much hassle. Granted this meant that they had to kill the guard at the gate they used and had to lower the drawbridge themselves, still all things considered not bad. Chapter 17. The team had a long ride ahead of them to get back to their campsite, and they were all exhausted. As the team put distance between themselves and the town, their injuries began to make themselves known. Not one of them had managed to escape unscathed. Luke had numerous cuts, especially on his legs and near his hands. Pollyanna had a twisted ankle and was now missing two fingers on her left hand. Gabriel still had the arrow sticking out of her leg and had numerous other cuts. Marion was cut up bad and had a strained ankle. Stella was missing a finger on her right hand and was an emotional wreck after losing Tom. Alice was now missing part of an ear and had a very dramatic cut running down her jawline. Just before daybreak the group finally had to stop. They picked the thickest woods that they could find so that they would at least have some cover until they recovered a bit. Since Alice was the most talented medic in the group, she took charge of tended the wounds while Luke was her adviser. It took Alice almost two hours to tend to the team's wounds while Luke tended to hers. As soon as Marion was taken care of, she started cooking some food for everyone. It wasn't much, just a little bit of stew that Marion made up with the food that was in their saddlebags. “Well Marion, what is going to be our next move for we cannot go anywhere near York now?” asked Stella. “I don't know, Stella. I don't know.” Luke could see and feel the mood of the group get even darker now. He knew that he would have to step in but he had to be careful for he wanted Marion to grow into the leader that he knew she was capable of being. But right now, he had to keep the group together long enough for Marion to learn how to led. “Excuse me ladies but I think that we need to get back to our campsite and hunker down until things calm down a bit. After all, if Cecilia's forces catch us it's pretty much a sure thing that we will all be killed as painfully as possible.” When the rest of the group was far enough away, Luke pulled Marion to him and talked quietly; “Marion, never ever say that you “I don't know” when asked what to do ever again. Do you hear me?” she just stared at Luke for he was frigid. “Those three words will destroy a unit faster than any kind of enemy action. As the leader it's your job to know what to do even when you don't. If you truly want to be a leader then you need to take this advice to heart.” With that Luke helped Marion onto her horse and then mounted his. With the thought of Cecilia chasing them, to keep them company, the group set out again. Luke was worried about Gabriel's leg but right now he had more important worries for Cecilia's troops were starting to get out this far to look for them. The team slipped away as quietly as possible and keep moving though the day. As one member would sleep another one would guide that person's horse. Finally, they got back to their camp from which they had set off from just a couple of days before. Back at camp, the mood was somber for they had lost their friend and comrade, Tom. Emotions ran from just sad for Luke to furious from Stella. This wasn't the first time Luke had lost people in combat and he knew that it wouldn't be the last. Stella in the meanwhile was dealing with a bad case of survivor guilt. Everyone else in camp was between these two extremes. Since it was late in the afternoon, Luke started cooking supper. Yes, it was time to mourn but things still needed to be done, like cleaning his weapons and mending his clothes. As he was cleaning his Sig, Alice came up to him and asked: “Luke, are you going to tell us about that thing and about yourself now?” Luke looked at the others and saw that they wanted the answers. “Can we eat first and then after dinner I will show you all everything?” “I guess.” Alice replied melodramatically. “Thank you.” Dinner that evening was quiet to say the least. The only talking was to ask for food and to say thanks. Luke had managed a hearty venison stew for supper and there was enough left over for breakfast the following morning. After the dishes had been cleaned Luke pulled all of his gear out of hiding. This was going to be the first time that even Marion had seen all his gear. Sure, she had seen the cases, but she had never seen Luke open them. “Ladies, before I show you what I have to show and before I tell what all I have to tell; I must demand that you swear an oath of silence for if the wrong people, like Cecilia, get ahold of the information that I know, the world as you know it could come to an end. If you cannot do this then you need to leave now.” All of the women nodded their heads, agreeing to his terms. Luke started with his rifle. It was one of his most prized weapons, even before getting thrown back into the middle ages. It was a .338 caliber with a Leupold scope on it. With this rifle and the Lapua ammo that he was packing, he could shoot someone between the eyes at almost 1500 meters. Gabriel was amazed with this and Luke could see that she really wanted to try shooting it. “Gabriel” Luke continued once she looked him in the eye “I promise that I will teach you how to use this weapon, as soon as I can start making ammo for it. You will understand why in a little bit.” Luke then pulled out his computer and powered it up. During the last few months, he had taken it out periodically to make sure that the battery stayed charged. He had charged it with his solar powered charging station. When his laptop finished booting up, he started explaining: “Now this devise is called a computer. This one in particular probably holds more information than if you combined all the current knowledge on this planet. Stored in here are text on medicine, engineering, math, geography, economics, general science, and physics. I also have a large selection of music and many pictures of my past life.” “How can all that be stored in that little thing?” asked Marion. “Well, it's kind of hard to explain but let me see if I can massively simplify it so that you all can hopefully understand. The information is stored in a form called bytes. That's the basic building block of all computer languages. A byte is kind of like a letter. Computers like mine can store trillions upon trillions of bytes. Does that make any sense? Computer science was never my strong suit.” “Somewhat” the women responded. “Okay. Now it's time I tell you all my biggest secret. Now before I tell the rest of you; I will tell you that Marion already knows. Okay here it goes.” Luke took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “You know this to be the year 1065 A D. Where I am from it was the year 2021 A D.” All the women, except Marion, had the same stunned look. “Yes, I am from almost a thousand years in the future and as such I not only carry huge amounts of scientific information but I also know the general outline of European history for the next almost thousand years.” When the ladies heard this: Alice passed out, Stella and Pollyanna gasped, and Gabriel looked thoughtful. Only Marion didn't react. “So that's why you have been so quiet about yourself!” exclaimed Gabriel “And I agree with you as it happens. If the information that you possess gets into the wrong hands then the world would change in every way possible and most likely not for the better. Every king and petty noble would want to get their hands on you to learn about their future and then try to change that future to suit them. Problem would be that if you start changing the events then you change the history too.” Luke just nodded at her; he was thankful that Gabriel understood. When Luke looked at Marion, he expected to see anger. Instead, he saw complete love for she now understood why Luke had been so quiet about himself. “Now gather round ladies” Luke said after everyone recovered “I want to show you all my previous life.” Over the next two hours, Luke showed everyone pictures of his pervious life. Everything from his time in the marines, to growing up with his family, to Mackenzie's family, to pictures of his company and some of the projects that he had worked on, all over the world. He also showed them pictures of the places that he had been to and the people that he had seen. Then after promising that she would take upmost care of it, Luke loaned his computer to Alice and Pollyanna. To Alice so that she could study his medical books, and Pollyanna so that she could study the engineering text that was stored with the provision that they only study of about an hour a day so that they wouldn't suffer eye strain. “Okay ladies, time for a brief history lesson, well my history. There is a storm coming. It will start next year when King Edward dies. He will name Herold Godwinson as his successor. Two problems with this though. Herold's brother believed that he should have been named king and gets the king of Norway to support him. The Vikings would invade England, but would be almost animated by Herold's forces. The other problem came from Normandy, and his name was… well is William, Duke of Normandy. Apparently, Edward had also promised him the throne before he gave it to Herold. William would also invade England, but he would beat Herold's troops at the Battle of Hastings. During the battle Herold will die from an arrow to his eye, and William would be forever be known as William the Conqueror. This would be the last time that England would be successfully invaded. During the 1200's, England would control almost all of France but would be eventually driven out completely. England would then turn their attention North and after almost five hundred years of intermittent struggle would conquer Scotland. Eventually they would conquer Ireland as well and would be known as Great Britain. There will be at least two civil wars that I can remember fought over the English crown. The first one was in the 1400's, and was called the War of the Roses and was fought between the houses of Lancaster and York. Eventually the house of York would win but it was a very long and bloody struggle. The second civil war would be in the mid to late 1600's and this one would cement the power of Parliament over the King, for the winner of that war was the forces of Parliament, under the command of a man named Oliver Cromwell and the King would end up losing his head. Eventually the monarchy would be restored but they would remain at best equal with Parliament. After this civil war Britain would eventually go on to rule over one quarter of the globe, and would be one of the most influential empires the world has ever seen. Now by my time the idea of the divine rights of Kings would be dead and the people ruled over themselves. Most of the time this was a better thing then having a king and at other times; well let me say that anyone, no matter at what level they were born at can be just as cruel, for instead of kings or dukes, we had dictators or juntas. Both of these usually came to power through the military and for the most part, as long as they had military support then they would stay in power. Now where I am from, we were once part of the British empire, but fought a war with them and kicked them out in the late 1700's. Over the next 200+ years we would be ruled be the same type of government with only one civil war. That type of government was a constitutional republic that was set up with three separate branches of government that were designed to fight with each other so that none of the three could gain too much power. Also it was what is known as a federal type government, meaning that the national government shared power with the provincial, state was the term that we used, governments and local governments. Another provision in the way our government was set up was the minority would also get to have a say in government and not get rode over by the majority. As if that wasn't enough, the men that set up our government made sure that the people would be able to have their say in government. They even made sure to protect the peoples to firearms so that if somehow the government did become too strong the people could rise up against it. Was our government prefect? Of course not. But was the most stable form of government, over the long term, that humans have ever came up with.” When Luke was done, he was exhausted and all the women sat stunned. They could hardly believe what all Luke had told them, but once they thought it through, they could see the merits of the people wielding power and protections being put in place to protect the minority as well as the majority. Eventually Marion was able to speak up: “Wow, no wonder why you are so afraid to tell people what you know.” Luke just looked at her with sad eyes and nodded. Marion was thrilled and terrified at the same time. She was thrilled because she finally knew everything there was to know about Luke and she was terrified for the same reason. “So, with all those advances were there still diseases and famines?” asked Alice “Yes, although most diseases would be curable in my time and smallpox would be eradicated. Famines still stuck with amazing fluency, especially in Africa and parts of Asia. Most of the time the cause was human related, usually wars or the mismanagement of natural resources at the hands of a corrupt government. Sometimes though, the weather patterns would change and an area would have a series of bad harvest and that would set off famines. And before you ask yes, we still had wars a plenty and they were usually fought the same petty reasons as they are fought for in this time. Only in my time, wars could have casualties in the millions of people and we had weapons that could obliterate the largest cities on Earth. We had enough of these weapons that we could eliminate all the humans on Earth.” “Oh” Alice looked very sad and she even shed a tear hearing Luke. Eventually Marion stood up and stretched. “Well now, I do believe that it is time for us all to lay down and try to get some sleep for tomorrow we need to get focused on surviving and figuring out our next move.” No one moved but Luke. He was the only one that moved towards getting ready for bed. “Marion, I'm scared” confessed Gabriel “your sister will never stop hunting us and unlike you, none of us have skills that are useful out in the world.” “You all have skills” responded Marion “You Gabriel are an amazing fighter and a lot of fun to be around. Alice, you have an interest in real medicine. One of the only people in our world that can say that. Pollyanna, your skills lay in engineering and science. Stella, you Milady are one hell of a leader and I suspect that one day you may be quite famous. We all have our own talents and skills; the trick is knowing how to harness them.” “Still, I'm not only scared for next year but also tomorrow and next week.” Marion gave her a warm smile. “I know the feeling and I get over it by curling up in Luke's arms” They all looked to Luke now. “But...” Marion cut her off with a finger over Gabriel's lips. “Come with me.” Marion and Gabriel went over to where Luke was laying down. Marion then slowly stripped Gabriel's clothes off and Gabriel returned the favor for Marion. Once they were both naked, they laid down with Luke. Marion made sure that Gabriel took the spot right next to Luke so that she could feel all of Luke's body. Luke looked up at Marion with alarm, but Marion just gave him a warm smile and mouthed to him to be gentle. What followed was a whirlwind for Gabriel. She had never been naked with any man and here she was now with a gentle giant. Not only that but Marion was also pressed up against her, encouraging her to be herself and have fun. Luke went slow with Gabriel. He started off be slowly rubbing his hands all over her body feeling her muscles, her tits, her stomach, the pubes, her legs. At first Gabriel was so nervous that she thought that she might be sick. That disappeared when Marion gave her a tender kiss that she had poured all her passion into. Gabriel could feel the love in it and her tension melted away. Finally, her hands started coming to life as well. She started off rubbing Marion because that was the way the Gabriel was facing. Gabriel was amazed at how soft and smooth Marion was, and yet she could feel the power that Marion possessed just under her skin. Eventually though, Gabriel's attention was pulled to the monster that was poking her in her ass. She was amazed when she first felt it. It felt like the size of a horse and it was hot. She could also feel the ridges caused by Luke's veins and she was amazed that something could be so hard and yet so soft feeling at the same time. Gabriel had started to get wet while she had been rubbing Marion, but in feeling Luke, she started to get soaked between her legs. Soon she felt a hand trying to get between her legs, so Gabriel opened up. What came next was the best thing that she had ever felt. It felt like there was an inferno burning between her legs, but Gabriel wanted it to continue. Before long she started to wonder just who's hand was causing her to feel so good and it didn't take long for her to find out for when she looked at Luke, one of his hands was rubbing her tit and his other one was propping his head up so that he could get a better view. That meant that the hand that was making her so hot belonged to Marion. Gabriel had never given a thought as to what it might be like, being with another woman, but she figured what the hell. Within minutes, Gabriel's hips were humping Marion's hand by themselves and Gabriel was having a hard time making noise never mind actually speaking. Finally, she started to shake like a leaf and she saw bright flashes in her eyes. When she finished, she felt like a wet rag for she had a very hard time moving. She tried to open her eyes, but even the dim light from the fire was too much for her to handle at the moment. Marion was giggling as Gabriel struggled to come back to her senses. Once she had come back to her senses enough to be able to function again, Gabriel looked over and into Luke's eyes. She gave him a silent promise that she would never, ever abandon either him or Marion. With that she gently pushed Luke onto his back and with a bit of final encouragement from Marion; Gabriel mounted Luke. At first, she had some problems getting lined up, but a little help from Marion holding Luke's cock; Gabriel figured it out. She slowly made her way down Luke's shaft thoroughly enjoying every bit of it. Finally, Gabriel felt Luke's cock run into her hymen and with a deep breath forced Luke through and he was inside her. Marion gently kissed the tears from Gabriel's face while Gabriel sat perfectly still. It felt like she was being split open by Luke, but she had no desire to remove Luke from inside her. Eventually, the heat from Luke's cock combined with her own heat encouraged Gabriel to start moving. What came next was like seeing another beautiful world for the first time. She slowly built-up speed as her pussy figured out what it liked the best. As she had been moving, Luke had been matching her. Thrust for thrust, move for move. Together they travelled toward a massive orgasm. As Gabriel rode Luke, Marion was busy kissing Gabriel's nipples and rubbing her clit. Gabriel had simply never imagined that she could ever feel this good. As he got close, Luke tried to pull out of her cunt, but Gabriel wasn't having any of it. She knew why Luke was almost desperate to pull out of her, but she didn't care and more to the point, kind of hoped that she would get knocked up. Once Gabriel had made her command known, Luke began to unleash his little swimmers. He first six large shots up inside her and the pulsing of his organ set Gabriel off with an orgasm that might have caused her injury if Marion hadn't been there to hold her and keep her safe. Gently Marion helped Gabriel lay down between Luke and herself. Gabriel couldn't have fought back even if she had wanted to for she had passed out form her orgasm. Luke and Marion formed a human sandwich with Gabriel holding the place of honor between them and within minutes all three had passed out. Chapter 18. Two months earlier. Lucy and Cecilia had just set off after it was decided that Luke and Marion would stay and try to kill Richard. Cecilia though had plans of her own. On the way to Lincoln, she and Lucy talked and Lucy filled Cecilia in on everything Richard had been doing. This was important to Cecilia's plans, plus she wanted Lucy to feel safe. Once the two got to Lincoln, Cecilia led Lucy to a different inn then she had stayed at when she was with Marion and Luke. This inn was one that Cecilia actually owned under an alias. The inn was one of the fronts that Cecilia used to force woman and girls into the sex trade. Cecilia figured that Lucy was good enough looking that she might just be worth a fair amount of money. The inn keeper had strict orders to never acknowledge Cecilia in public. Cecilia was to be treated the same as anyone else. Cecilia would always initiate the contact, usually after most everyone had got to bed for Cecilia had her secrets too. Cecilia's biggest secret was that she was actually extremely intelligent. She had figured out though, at a very young age, that if she played the clumsy fool then no one would expect anything of her and would generally leave her alone. Another one of Cecilia's secrets was that she had killed so many people that she had actually lost count. She either had killed them herself or had ordered their death. By this point in her life, she had built the most powerful crime network in the British islands, and one of the largest in Europe. She dealt in everything from stolen church artifacts to slaves. From commanding pirates on the open seas to highway men on land, she was into everything. Basically, if she could make money from someone else's suffering she did it. She even extorted church officials for land, forgiveness, and money. Once Lucy had gone to sleep, which didn't take long for Lucy was exhausted, Cecilia made contact with her henchmen. In this world she was known by the name Elizabeth and she was not a person that any sane person would ever cross. “That other woman in my room, get her. Just make sure that you idiots don't damage the goods too badly this time. I lost good money with the last bitch you idiots captured.” “Yes ma'am” they barked and were off. Cecilia sat, by herself in a corner, enjoying a good pint when she heard Lucy get captured and a cold smile came across her face. She then heard the soft thud of her men knocking Lucy out. Lucy's life was now for all real purposes over for she was now just one of Cecilia's sex slaves and would be taken to a coastal brothel take specialized in catering to sailors. After Cecilia had finished her pint and food, she went up to bed where the first thing she did was to collect all of Lucy's former possessions. Among them was the money that Luke and Marion had given her. When Cecilia counted it out, she was amazed at how stupid Marion and Luke were for they had given Lucy almost fifty pounds. Lucy quickly pocketed this and went to bed where she slept just as peacefully as she always did. The next morning, after breakfast, she sent a message to Richard telling him that William was dead and that Marion was still alive. She went on to explain briefly about the stranger that had interfered and ruined all their plans. When she was done dictating, the scribe read it back to her and she approved by using her ring to seal the letter. After the message was off, Cecilia spent the rest of the day on business. She had been away for a while and had a lot to catch up on. By that evening she was finally done and was feeling extra horny; so, she went to her special brothel where she could get some well-hung guy either fuck her senseless or rock her gently all night long, depending on her mood. Tonight, she was in the mood to get pounded senseless all night long. She would have to switch out men for they were always so weak but that was just one of the facts of life. When she got there, she got a surprise for there was a large black man that had just came in and she just had to get a piece of that. Cecilia took him up to her room where she ordered him to strip so that she could inspect the goods. She so enjoyed making big, strong men feel powerless. When he finally got naked, Cecilia carefully inspected the man. He had well developed muscles, a large almost pitch-black cock, and he was tall at about six foot. He actually kind of reminded Cecilia of Luke in demeanor but Luke was white, was taller, a little larger cock, and bigger muscles. This man though was far, far better than anything else that was available so Cecilia was happy. She made the man go down on her and eat her to her first orgasm of the evening. She never sucked cock for she wanted the men to last longer inside her. Before Cecilia started fucking herself on his cock, she made sure that he understood the penalty for him cumming too soon. If he cum before Cecilia had cum at least once, then she would castrate him, fry his balls in front of him, and force him to slowly eat them. He was bigger than anyone she had ever had inside her and she was thoroughly stretched out. Cecilia absolutely loved the color contrast between her body and the man she was with. She was snow white while he was dark brown. Needless to say, that Cecilia had no problems with this guy for he fucked her until she had to actually beg for him to fill her cunt with cum, before he pumped her full of juice. Before Cecilia began the night, she figured that she would end up going through several men, but now she could barely move, never mind go look for another guy, so she passed out for the night, after telling the guy to get out. So was Cecilia's life for the next week or so. Wake up whenever she felt like it, take care of business until supper. After supper, she went to get her brains screwed out by her now favorite gigolo. She was a bit worried that she might get pregnant but the sex was far too good to stop and with her stress levels getting fucked senseless every night by a dark piece of forbidden fruit was just what she needed. After eight days, she got a response from Richard. In it he thanked her for the news of his son and also offered to marry her, seeing as he had his own wife killed after suspecting her of cheating on him even though, he kept a harem for himself. Cecilia agreed but with the stipulation that she be made his sole heir and that their marriage be kept an absolute secret. After almost three weeks of back and forth, Cecilia and Richard had come to an agreement. Cecilia would get most everything that she wanted, Richard would keep his harem and Cecilia would pay Richard 2000 pounds. While this was a significant amount of money for Cecilia, it meant that she would by her own calculation be in control of most of Northern England. For she knew something that Richard didn't. Luke, Marion's boy toy, was still out there, he was extremely dangerous, and that he actually cared about the filthy masses. Cecilia figured that sooner or later he would make a move to get rid of Richard and she also figured that Luke would succeed with that. Richard kept his end of the bargain so Cecilia kept hers. She privately figured that she would have all her money back within a month or two especially once she had figured out that Luke had already been in the castle and had met Richard once. Not only that but Richard's men were being attacked by mysterious forces in the areas outside of town, and some of the dead were left where they could be easily spotted from the castle walls. Privately Cecilia figured that Richard had only a month left and she wasn't far off. Within two weeks of the extremely private wedding Luke and Marion struck. As soon as the attack had been driven off Cecilia commanded her most trusted lieutenant: “Go and seal Luke's chambers. Kill anyone that tries to get in or out and wait for me to get there before going in.” “Yes ma'am.” And off he went. When Cecilia examined the armor on the one dead intruder, she was completely amazed at how well it was made and how well it had worked for it was a very lucky strike that took him down. Some of the soldiers identified the man as Tom. It seems that he was one of the soldiers that Luke had chosen to accompany him when he went to look for Richard's son. The other man hadn't been seen at all. The other women were all identified as fresh whores that Richard's men had captured and Richard hadn't had an opportunity to fuck before Luke took them. The thing was that when they had come back, they were all much stronger both mentally and physically then when they had left with Luke. When Cecilia went to investigate Luke's chambers, she was discouraged to find that none of his gear was there. In fact, it didn't look like anyone had been in there for days. Publicly Cecilia spoke about taking strong action against her rebellious little sister and her minions. Privately however, Cecilia was terrified. Marion had almost succeeded and if it hadn't been for the measures that Cecilia had just barely got put in place, Marion most likely would have succeeded. Cecilia knew that she might not be so lucky the next time for she had tipped her hand when Richard called her into the room with him, just before he was killed. Plus, Marion and especially Luke had a knack for winning over the lower classes; while Cecilia hated and was hated by the lower classes. One more thing to turn her world over was that she got word that her favorite gigolo had escaped. It had apparently been quite a bloody thing with five of her best people being killed in the process. He had then got a spot on a ship and had left England for parts unknown. She had made her decision with the rising sun on the morning after the attack; she ordered her armorers to do their best to duplicate the armor that was captured with Tom. Tom's body was beheaded and his head was put on a pikestaff in the town square and his body was burned to ash. Cecilia then made it known that there was a 500-pound reward for the capture of Luke and Marion. The only stipulation was that they had to be taken alive. Cecilia then put a 250-pound reward on the other team member's heads. She also made it known that aiding them in any way was punishable by a very slow and painful death. That done, she then worked on putting a better training program in place for her troops. For they would have to be very well trained and motivated to even stand a chance against Marion. Chapter 19. The next morning, Gabriel woke up more rested than she had felt in years, granted her leg was still throbbing and her pussy was sore, but that was to be expected. At first, she was confused as to why she had slept so well, then she remembered and started to feel guilty because she felt that she had taken advantage of Luke and made herself a promise right there that would never happen again. The next thing she noticed was that it was light out and she was alone. As she looked around, she could hear Luke and Marion talking quietly. Finally, she forced herself to stand and wrapped the blanket around her body. She limped to where everyone else was at. She was hit with the smell of breakfast; the sound of blades being sharpened, and the music that was coming from Luke's computer. “Well look at what the cat drug in.” chirped Alice and to Gabriel's embarrassment everyone including Luke laughed. Her embarrassment deepened when Stella pointed out Gabriel's rapidly reddening checks and the dried cum on her legs and the group laughed harder. Marion actually fell off the stump that she was sitting on she was laughing so hard. Gabriel couldn't run away so eventually she started laughing with the group. As she laughed, she felt her guilt melt away. After all Marion had insisted on sharing Luke with her and Gabriel was very thankful that her first time was with a man that knew how to take proper care of her. She then noticed just how hungry she was as Pollyanna handed her a bowl of left-over stew and a piece of bread. “So, Marion, what's our game plan now?” Gabriel asked. “Well, you are restricted to camp until your leg heals and don't even think about arguing. You can still make arrows and other gear without leaving camp. The rest of us will be taking turns posting lookouts around the camp. When not on lookout duty or hunting, we will be training hard and working on developing better arms and armor. After your leg heals, then we will start collecting fresh intel on Cecilia. She might be better than Richard, but I highly doubt it. I figure that her harsh policies will start to drive people out of their homes and when that happens, we will encourage them to join us. Once we are strong enough then we will strike again. This time we will have even more advanced weapons, much better intel, and most importantly won't be underestimating Cecilia. “So, what happens if we are discovered before I heal?” “Well then we fight. There are booby traps hidden all around camp that enemy troops are sure to fall into. By the time they get through, we should be able to have our horses saddled and get out of here with all of our gear. If we fail, well then we fight and die here.” Gabriel looked like she had turned into a ghost she was so pale. Marion had changed and until that moment, no one had realized just how much Marion had changed. Marion was starting to show the makings of becoming a great Queen. The rest of the women also caught Marion's change and quickly came to the same conclusion as Gabriel. Not only that, they all privately had come to the realization that they would follow Marion into the pits of hell itself. Gabriel then limped over and picked up her sword. She took it out and walking up to Marion kneeled in front of her and offered her the sword and swore an oath of absolute loyally until Gabriel's dying breath. The rest of the group following, including Luke much to everyone's surprise. Everyone had figured that Luke's loyalty was already a given. Through this Marion's cheeks were red with embarrassment. After Luke had finished, Marion swore her loyalty to the group to her dying day. She would gladly die to defend them. This all this done, Marion started giving the team their individual assignments and their watch rotation. Marion made sure that she spent at least as much time on watch during the difficult times of day as the rest of them. She also made sure that everyone had at least a couple of hours a day to relax a bit. The next month was busy for the team. An infection had set into Gabriel's leg and she almost died. Only Alice's dedication and Luke's knowledge had saved her. Marion had gotten over her morning sickness, finally. The rest of the team had fully recovered although Stella still had bouts of survivor's guilt. She kept this at bay by working her ass off and reminding herself that she would get her revenge. Eventually the group started to extend the area that they patrolled. Included in that area was one of the main roads to York. At first, they just watched the traffic and looked for patterns. They noticed that a lot of the traffic was iron ore, food, horses, and textiles and it was all headed for York. Traffic coming from York was very light to say the least and mostly consisted of empty carts that had transported in supplies. At first Marion wondered if Cecilia had come to her senses and had started to care for the people. This idea was forever chased out when she and Alice came across a young man one day by the side of the road. He was barely alive and he wasn't much more than a skeleton with skin. Between the two of them, they easily picked the man up and carried him to their camp. Of course, they blindfolded him after explaining that it was for their safety. The man was so weak that he couldn't have resisted anyway. Once back in camp, Alice went to work on tending to the man's wounds while Marion questioned him. At first Marion would keep her name a secret. She could see no need to give away any more information then was necessary. “So, what is your name, lad?” “Robin.” “Where are you from and where are you going?” “Where I was from was burnt to the ground a week ago and no longer exist. As to where I was going, well I hope that it is heaven for I am not long for this world.” “Now there is no need to think like that. This woman here is an amazing doctor. Now what can you tell me of Cecilia?” “She is pure evil and I bet that the devil himself would be kinder. At first everyone hoped that she would be better than Richard, but hopes of that were dashed within days of Marion's brave, but unsuccessful attack. First Cecilia put out a reward of 500 pounds for Marion and her friend Luke, but they have to be brought in alive. The rest of the group has a 250 pound reward on their heads. I highly doubt though that anyone is fooled by her anymore; for if they did bring in one of the outlaws, Cecilia would have them killed before they could even count out the reward money. Then she raised everyone's taxes even more. Not only that but rumors are that she is extorting the churches in the district into handing over most of their money and artifacts so that she can pay for her soldiers. She is building a massive army but no one really knows why. I mean, after all Marion and her group are most likely dead for nobody has seen or heard them since the attack.” With that Robin bowed his head and started to softly cry. Marion stood up and went over to Luke, who was out of the visitor's line of sight. “You heard?” “Yep. What do you want to do?” Marion looked at Robin for a second. “We will keep him with us as long as Alice can heal him. We will also start attacking Cecilia's troops, but only if we catch them mistreating civilians. When we do attack, we will make sure to do so only in areas away from here. We will also let it be known through the land that we are in fact not dead and are looking for volunteers willing to fight for justice and liberty.” “I agree. When are you planning on telling Robin who you are?” “Soon honey. Soon.” Marion said patting Luke's cheek. Marion returned to Robin and helped Alice by putting cool, damp rags on Robin's forehead to help keep him cool. After he had passed out and was sleeping soundly, Marion quietly called a meeting to announce the new plans. She strictly forbid the use of any of their names around Robin until they were sure of him. She figured about a week or so before they could revile just who they were. The rest of the group nodded their heads in agreement with her. Chapter 20. Marion returns with vengeance. The next week was an extremely busy one for Marion's crew. It had been touch and go for Robin, but he was now starting to mend slowly. They also had their first encounter with Cecilia's men since they had gone into hiding. Pollyanna and Stella had been coming back from a scouting trip when they almost literally stumbled on a group of Cecilia's men raping five women that they had taken from a local village. Since they had the element of surprise and there were only five bastards, Stella quickly made the choice to strike. While Pollyanna stayed hidden in the brush, Stella worked her way around the group. Once she was on the other side, which had only taken her five minutes, she signaled Pollyanna and she signaled back. With that the angel of death spread its wings over the men and within seconds they were all dead, for while neither Stella or Pollyanna were in Gabriel's league; they were no slouches either and the range here was only about 10 meters. They then stepped out of hiding to make sure all the men were dead and to check on the women. The women were so scared that a couple of them peed themselves. First, they had been taken for payment because their families couldn't pay the outrageous taxes that Cecilia was charging. Then when their guards had stopped for lunch, the women were brutally raped for dessert. Then without warning arrows flew out of the woods, killing the guards. Then two very strangely dressed men came out of the woods and checked on the guards. They had to be men for they were wearing pants and had on strange green overcoats that had hoods on them that covered their faces. Then the older one spoke, these “men” were actually women and they removed their hoods. The women that had been raped started crying for they had hope that they might now be safe. Prior to Cecilia's reign of terror, they had been part of successful families that usually didn't have to worry about paying their taxes or putting food on the table, but now they were beyond dirt poor. “Do any of you know who we are?” Asked the younger woman warmly. All five women shook their heads. “Well then introductions are in order then. My name is Pollyanna and I am an engineer. My companion here is Stella, and she is my immediate superior. We are both followers of Marion of York” All five of the women's reactions were about the same. They were shocked beyond belief for they had thought that Marion and her followers had all died. In fact, nobody believed that they were still alive. “Thank you for rescuing us” one of the younger women said quietly. The woman named Stella responded with a smile. “No thanks are necessary. We do have a couple of small favors to ask before we escort you home.” “What are they?” sharply asked the same woman that had spoken up before. “Hey calm yourself if you please. We ask that once all of you have gotten dressed you help us get these bastards off the road. The other thing we ask that you quietly tell people just who's group rescued you.” Again, the women nodded their heads only this time there was no hesitation. They quickly got dressed and then helped Stella and Pollyanna get the bastards off the road and hidden. After the dead were hidden, Pollyanna brought their horses up and loaded all the looted gear up. Going through their loot, they found a total of five pounds ten shillings which Stella divided between the raped women. For Stella and Pollyanna this was no big deal but for the other five this was a godsend for them. They did suggest that the women hide the money so that it wouldn't get stolen from them. After making sure that everything was ready, they set off. Stella made the decision to give the women an escort back to their villages and since Pollyanna didn't have too much to do for the rest of the day went with them. Along the way, the women were full of questions about everything it seemed but especially Marion. Stella and Pollyanna answered most of the questions but not all. They were silent about where they were hiding and they refused to talk about what all they had been doing since the attack. They did answer the questions that pertained to the group's goals. The women had a hard time believing that Marion was aiming toward making all people equal in the law's eyes and giving everyone the opportunity to prove themselves and succeed in life. As the group was coming up to a bend in the road, Pollyanna suddenly stopped and quietly signaled the group to get off the road fast. Stella was the last into hiding: “What's up?” “I heard horses.” “Well, we know what to do with them. Ladies listen to me and listen well. You need to hide. If anything happens to us run and make sure to scatter so that if one of you are found then the rest will still have a chance.” Stella said as she was unlimbering her bow and making sure that her arrows were ready as Pollyanna quickly followed suit. Within minutes a troop of cavalry came around the corner and they were wearing Cecilia's colors. Stella counted twenty men and numerous pack horses as they drew back their bows. Both of them had a new type of bow that Luke had designed. It was far more powerful than anything else in existence and was capable of being shot rapidly. To be continued in part 5, Based on a post by somethin fishy, for Sex Stories.

Do you think you know Oliver Cromwell and Prince Rupert of the Rhine? I've discussed both figures on this podcast, but I don't think I've delved into their wives, daughters, mothers or consorts who all give a more nuanced and view of these two major players of 17tg century Britain and Ireland. Miranda Malins, author of a forthcoming history of the Cromwell dynasty, and Mark Turnbull, author of Prince Rupert of the Rhine join to discuss the women of these two men who fought each other during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Links Puritan Princess Rebel Daughter Prince Rupert of the Rhine ⁠Charles I's Private Life Aspects of History Links ⁠⁠Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Ollie on X⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Aspects of History on Instagram⁠⁠ Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Book Title: The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603-1689 Author: Jonathan HealeyHeadline: The Gunpowder Plot's Enduring Legacy The 1605 Gunpowder Plot, an attempt by a small group of Catholics to destroy James I and Parliament, deeply shaped English politics. It fueled anti-Catholic paranoia, associating Catholicism with tyranny, foreign powers like Spain and France, and arbitrary government. This fear of a "popish plot" became a recurrent theme for the next 80 years, influencing decisions up to James II's reign. 1653 OLIVER CROMWELL

Book Title: The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603-1689 Author: Jonathan HealeyHeadline: Monarchs' Fiscal Struggles & Parliamentary Power 17th-century monarchs like James I and Charles I faced immense financial challenges due to long-term inflation and the rising cost of war, particularly with the "military revolution." English common law required Parliament's consent for taxation, forcing kings to seek funds from a "fractious" Parliament. Controversial extra-parliamentary taxes, like forced loans or ship money, sparked debates over royal power and people's liberties, notably championed by Edward Coke. 1658 OLIVER CROMWELL

Book Title: The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603-1689 Author: Jonathan HealeyHeadline: Charles I's Personal Rule and the Scottish Revolt After dismissing Parliament in 1629, Charles I ruled personally, relying on figures like Archbishop William Laud and the Earl of Strafford. Their controversial religious policies and "arbitrary" actions, such as the Ship Money tax, generated significant opposition. The King's attempt to impose a new prayer book on Scotland in 1637 led to a revolt, ultimately collapsing his rule in England and leading to Laud and Strafford's arrests. 1661 OLIVER CROMWELL

Book Title: The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603-1689 Author: Jonathan HealeyHeadline: New Model Army and the Regicide of Charles I Parliament reorganized its forces into the New Model Army, led by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell, promoting based on effectiveness, not social status. After their decisive victory at Naseby in 1645, King Charles Isurrendered to the Scots in 1646. Following further conflict, Henry Ireton pushed for the king's trial, leading to Charles I's public execution in 1649, a shocking moment for many. 1600 QUEEN ANNE, KING JAMES, WALES, LATER CHARLES I

Book Title: The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603-1689 Author: Jonathan HealeyHeadline: Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate and Its Challenges After Charles I's execution, John Lambert drafted the "Instruments of Government," establishing Oliver Cromwellas Lord Protector. Despite widespread horror in Europe, Cromwell's rule brought stability to England, though it involved moving away from radical democrats and imposing Puritan values, making it unpopular. He refused the crown in 1657, believing God had spoken against monarchy. 1649

Book Title: The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603-1689 Author: Jonathan HealeyHeadline: The Restoration of Charles II and Its Aftermath Following Oliver Cromwell's death in 1658 and a period of political chaos, George Monk led the army to London, eventually inviting Charles II back to restore stability in 1660. Reforms like banning Ship Money remained, and Parliament's financial power significantly increased. The Anglican Church reasserted control, leading to the repression and emigration of dissenters. Royalist revenge included the grotesque public hanging of Cromwell's corpse. 1649

Charles II Stuart returns to London, and the Restoration tries to turn the clock back in England, Scotland, and Ireland. But a generation of civil war and revolution is not something that can be easily reversed. Alice Hunt, Republic, 2024. Martyn Bennet, Oliver Cromwell, 2006. Michael Braddick (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution, 2015. Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World, 2023. Paul Lay, Providence Lost: The Rise and Fall of the English Republic, 2020. Anna Keay, The Restless Republic, 2022. Ian Gentles, The New Model Army: Agent of Revolution, 2022. Rebecca Rideal, 1666: Plague, War, and Hellfire, 2016. Micheál Ó Siochrú, God's Executioner: Oliver Cromwell and the conquest of Ireland, 2008. Charles Wilson, England's Apprenticeship: 1603-1763, 1975. Charles Spencer, Killers of the King Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On 30 January 1649, the unthinkable happened: for the first time in history, a reigning monarch was tried and condemned by his own people. But how did a kingdom that once believed in the divine right of kings arrive at this unprecedented moment? In this second special explainer episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb guides us through the final and most dramatic years of the English Civil Wars. With contributions from leading historians drawn from the Not Just the Tudors archive, Suzannah traces the pivotal events that shattered the monarchy and gave rise to the emergence of parliamentary government.MORE:Prelude to the English Civil Warhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/0er6EmZ1cfwxTLAMwO2aO1Oliver Cromwell: Massacres and Manoeuvreshttps://open.spotify.com/episode/4n7d4Rm9YXzStJBSL2TVpsPresented by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb. Audio editor is Amy Haddow and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds.Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

George Monck arrives in London and restores the Long Parliament. Charles Stuart moves to Breda. The Republic votes itself out of existence. Alice Hunt, Republic, 2024. Martyn Bennet, Oliver Cromwell, 2006. Michael Braddick (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution, 2015. Barry Coward, The Cromwellian Protectorate, 2002. Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World, 2023. Paul Lay, Providence Lost: The Rise and Fall of the English Republic, 2020. Anna Keay, The Restless Republic, 2022. Ian Gentles, The New Model Army: Agent of Revolution, 2022. Carla Gardina Pestana, The English Conquest of Jamaica: Oliver Cromwell's Bid for Empire, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Army brings back the Rump Parliament, but they quickly regret that decision. In Scotland, George Monck prepares to march. Alice Hunt, Republic, 2024. Martyn Bennet, Oliver Cromwell, 2006. Michael Braddick (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution, 2015. Barry Coward, The Cromwellian Protectorate, 2002. Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World, 2023. Paul Lay, Providence Lost: The Rise and Fall of the English Republic, 2020. Anna Keay, The Restless Republic, 2022. Ian Gentles, The New Model Army: Agent of Revolution, 2022. Carla Gardina Pestana, The English Conquest of Jamaica: Oliver Cromwell's Bid for Empire, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Lucifer's rebellion to Adam and Eve's expulsion, from Lancelot's betrayal to Macbeth's downfall, stories of greatness undone have gripped audiences for centuries. For America's Revolutionaries, the cautionary examples of Julius Caesar and Oliver Cromwell warned of leaders who turned against the people.No figure embodies this tragic arc in American history more than General Benedict Arnold. Once a brilliant and passionate commander whose daring made him one of the Revolution's most effective leaders, Arnold's defection to the Crown became a devastating blow to the patriot cause—and forever branded him the nation's most infamous traitor.Historian Joyce Lee Malcolm joins us to explore Arnold's rise, fall, covered in her acclaimed book  The Tragedy of Benedict Arnold: An American Life.Tell us what you think! Send us a text message!

With the death of Oliver Cromwell, his eldest son Richard becomes Lord Protector. Can he balance the competing demands of the army and the republicans? Alice Hunt, Republic, 2024. Martyn Bennet, Oliver Cromwell, 2006. Michael Braddick (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution, 2015. Barry Coward, The Cromwellian Protectorate, 2002. Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World, 2023. Paul Lay, Providence Lost: The Rise and Fall of the English Republic, 2020. Anna Keay, The Restless Republic, 2022. Ian Gentles, The New Model Army: Agent of Revolution, 2022. Carla Gardina Pestana, The English Conquest of Jamaica: Oliver Cromwell's Bid for Empire, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I will not seek to set up that which Providence hath destroyed, and laid in the dust, and I would not build Jericho again." Oliver Cromwell refuses to become a king, and a new constitution takes effect. But Cromwell is not long for this world, and the question of succession had still not been settled. Alice Hunt, Republic, 2024. Martyn Bennet, Oliver Cromwell, 2006. Michael Braddick (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution, 2015. Barry Coward, The Cromwellian Protectorate, 2002. Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World, 2023. Paul Lay, Providence Lost: The Rise and Fall of the English Republic, 2020. Anna Keay, The Restless Republic, 2022. Ian Gentles, The New Model Army: Agent of Revolution, 2022. Carla Gardina Pestana, The English Conquest of Jamaica: Oliver Cromwell's Bid for Empire, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oliver Cromwell dies. His son is NOT a chip off the old block. And Charles II sees the Stuart line restored.Western Civ 2.0

This book is a sweeping transatlantic history of Puritanism from its emergence out of the religious tumult of Elizabethan England to its founding role in the story of America. Shedding critical new light on the diverse forms of Puritan belief and practice in England, Scotland, and New England, David D. Hall provides a multifaceted account of a cultural movement that judged the Protestant reforms of Elizabeth's reign to be unfinished. Hall's vivid and wide-ranging narrative describes the movement's deeply ambiguous triumph under Oliver Cromwell, its political demise with the Restoration of the English monarchy in 1660, and its perilous migration across the Atlantic to establish a “perfect reformation” in the New World. A breathtaking work of scholarship by an eminent historian, The Puritans: A Transatlantic History (Princeton University Press, 2019) examines the tribulations and doctrinal dilemmas that led to the fragmentation and eventual decline of Puritanism. It presents a compelling portrait of a religious and political movement that was divided virtually from the start. In England, some wanted to dismantle the Church of England entirely and others were more cautious, while Puritans in Scotland were divided between those willing to work with a troublesome king and others insisting on the independence of the state church. This monumental book traces how Puritanism was a catalyst for profound cultural changes in the early modern Atlantic world, opening the door for other dissenter groups such as the Baptists and the Quakers, and leaving its enduring mark on what counted as true religion in America. Ryan Tripp is part-time and full-time adjunct history faculty for Los Medanos Community College as well as the College of Online and Continuing Education at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

Oliver Cromwell refuses the crown but agrees to become the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth. Western Civ 2.0

This book is a sweeping transatlantic history of Puritanism from its emergence out of the religious tumult of Elizabethan England to its founding role in the story of America. Shedding critical new light on the diverse forms of Puritan belief and practice in England, Scotland, and New England, David D. Hall provides a multifaceted account of a cultural movement that judged the Protestant reforms of Elizabeth's reign to be unfinished. Hall's vivid and wide-ranging narrative describes the movement's deeply ambiguous triumph under Oliver Cromwell, its political demise with the Restoration of the English monarchy in 1660, and its perilous migration across the Atlantic to establish a “perfect reformation” in the New World. A breathtaking work of scholarship by an eminent historian, The Puritans: A Transatlantic History (Princeton University Press, 2019) examines the tribulations and doctrinal dilemmas that led to the fragmentation and eventual decline of Puritanism. It presents a compelling portrait of a religious and political movement that was divided virtually from the start. In England, some wanted to dismantle the Church of England entirely and others were more cautious, while Puritans in Scotland were divided between those willing to work with a troublesome king and others insisting on the independence of the state church. This monumental book traces how Puritanism was a catalyst for profound cultural changes in the early modern Atlantic world, opening the door for other dissenter groups such as the Baptists and the Quakers, and leaving its enduring mark on what counted as true religion in America. Ryan Tripp is part-time and full-time adjunct history faculty for Los Medanos Community College as well as the College of Online and Continuing Education at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This book is a sweeping transatlantic history of Puritanism from its emergence out of the religious tumult of Elizabethan England to its founding role in the story of America. Shedding critical new light on the diverse forms of Puritan belief and practice in England, Scotland, and New England, David D. Hall provides a multifaceted account of a cultural movement that judged the Protestant reforms of Elizabeth's reign to be unfinished. Hall's vivid and wide-ranging narrative describes the movement's deeply ambiguous triumph under Oliver Cromwell, its political demise with the Restoration of the English monarchy in 1660, and its perilous migration across the Atlantic to establish a “perfect reformation” in the New World. A breathtaking work of scholarship by an eminent historian, The Puritans: A Transatlantic History (Princeton University Press, 2019) examines the tribulations and doctrinal dilemmas that led to the fragmentation and eventual decline of Puritanism. It presents a compelling portrait of a religious and political movement that was divided virtually from the start. In England, some wanted to dismantle the Church of England entirely and others were more cautious, while Puritans in Scotland were divided between those willing to work with a troublesome king and others insisting on the independence of the state church. This monumental book traces how Puritanism was a catalyst for profound cultural changes in the early modern Atlantic world, opening the door for other dissenter groups such as the Baptists and the Quakers, and leaving its enduring mark on what counted as true religion in America. Ryan Tripp is part-time and full-time adjunct history faculty for Los Medanos Community College as well as the College of Online and Continuing Education at Southern New Hampshire University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Check out the University of Aberdeen Online Courses: http://on.abdn.ac.uk/online-history-courses⁠ Oliver Cromwell is offered a crown... but will he take it? Alice Hunt, Republic, 2024. Martyn Bennet, Oliver Cromwell, 2006. Michael Braddick (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution, 2015. Barry Coward, The Cromwellian Protectorate, 2002. Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World, 2023. Paul Lay, Providence Lost: The Rise and Fall of the English Republic, 2020. Anna Keay, The Restless Republic, 2022. Ian Gentles, The New Model Army: Agent of Revolution, 2022. Carla Gardina Pestana, The English Conquest of Jamaica: Oliver Cromwell's Bid for Empire, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out the University of Aberdeen Online Courses: http://on.abdn.ac.uk/online-history-courses The Second Protectorate Parliament meets, and the Major-Generals purge a third of the MPs before it even begins. Royalists and Levellers conspire to assassinate Lord Protector Cromwell. Thoughts turn towards a new royal dynasty. Alice Hunt, Republic, 2024. Martyn Bennet, Oliver Cromwell, 2006. Michael Braddick (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution, 2015. Barry Coward, The Cromwellian Protectorate, 2002. Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World, 2023. Paul Lay, Providence Lost: The Rise and Fall of the English Republic, 2020. Anna Keay, The Restless Republic, 2022. Ian Gentles, The New Model Army: Agent of Revolution, 2022. Carla Gardina Pestana, The English Conquest of Jamaica: Oliver Cromwell's Bid for Empire, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After rebellion and disappointment, Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell fears he has lost God's favour. The only way to restore it is do his work on earth - the moral reformation of England and Wales. Alice Hunt, Republic, 2024. Martyn Bennet, Oliver Cromwell, 2006. Michael Braddick (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the English Revolution, 2015. Barry Coward, The Cromwellian Protectorate, 2002. Jonathan Healey, The Blazing World, 2023. Paul Lay, Providence Lost: The Rise and Fall of the English Republic, 2020. Anna Keay, The Restless Republic, 2022. Ian Gentles, The New Model Army: Agent of Revolution, 2022. Carla Gardina Pestana, The English Conquest of Jamaica: Oliver Cromwell's Bid for Empire, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Jenner is joined in 17th-century England by Dr Jonathan Healey and comedian Toussaint Douglass to learn about King Charles I and the causes of the British Civil Wars.This year marks the 400th anniversary of Charles I coming to the throne on 27 March, 1625. Less than two decades later, his antagonistic relationship with Parliament would ignite a civil war, one that would end with his capture, trial and execution, and the rule of Oliver Cromwell. The war is remembered as a fight between Cavaliers and Roundheads, but what did each side actually believe in, and what were the causes of this conflict? Tracing the breakdown of the relationship between the King and Parliament, this episode takes in clashes over taxation, religion and the limits of royal power, disastrous wars, unpopular advisers, and Charles's attempts to rule without Parliament altogether. It also moves outside London, exploring popular uprisings against everything from the King's taxes and contentious church reforms to the 17th-century cost-of-living crisis.This is a radio edit of the original podcast episode. For the full-length version, please look further back in the feed.Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Matt Ryan Written by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Ben Hollands Senior Producer: Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: James Cook