The Faith, Constitutional Freedom,
and Our Destiny
Published by the Covenant Publishing Company Ltd., London England
Marking the 350th Anniversary of the great Army debates under the presidency
of Oliver Cromwell from 28th October, 1647 in the 15th century church of
St. Mary the Virgin at Putney, London
Let the great debate begin ...
In 1997, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (and
the Commonwealth) has arrived at a new watershed in the long history of
its nation state -- a moment more decisive than any other it has faced
in preceding centuries. Powers other than those of the parliament at Westminster
now rule and dictate in this the Queen’s Realm and other forces, committed
to casting aside the basic integrity of society, are undermining the very
foundations of the nation.
As in every other case in history of a collapsing civilization, we are
seeing ‘every man doing that which is right in his own eyes’ having no
moral restraints; but what is also apparent is that this lawlessness is
a direct cause of a ever-increasing violent dislocation of society. Church
and State no longer truly defend the Realm which is the prime responsibility
of government.
It is quite evident that the politicians and the clergy, possessed by
a fear of the ‘politically correct’, have given in to what amounts to moral
warfare against the supreme standards of nationhood and civilization inherited
from our forebears. They will have much to answer for in the years to come.
The ‘Divine Right of Kings’ eliminated in the 17th century with the
establishment of a democratic parliamentary system of civil government,
has returned in the form of a prerogative power exercised by an elite,
who, by stealth, have brought about a state of constitutional illegality.
Great statutes of the realm still in force, count for nothing in the face
of prerogative power exercised by over-mighty subjects.
The binding of future parliaments and subjugation of our Common law
by Roman Civil Law has broken the covenant between those who govern and
hold the rod of justice under the Crown and the governed, the subjects
of the Queen’s Realm. Parliament at Westminster (and Ottawa) is now but
a mere shell of its former self. In any other century, what has happened
would have been called treason.
Our concept of government by the ‘The Queen-in-Parliament’ under God,
consisting of Monarch, Lords (Senate in Canada) and Commons has worked
best when all three have been in balance. For a considerable while now
this has no longer been the case, for not only have the Monarch and the
Lords (Senate in Canada) lost power, the Commons also has seen the Cabinet
and the Prime Minister’s department become more and more presidential,
if not, dictatorial. Beyond this and since 1972, all have lost very considerable
power to Europe, a process which continues daily like the movement of shifting
sand in a tidal flow. (In Canada, Europe is having an ever increasing effect
on our national policies and economy.)
When Charles the First was beheaded, the understanding was that he had
broken faith with the people. In our day, the Queen has been caused to
break faith with her subjects -- or placed in a position known at law as
having been ‘Deceived in Her Grant.’ It is therefore, a legitimate action,
which was enshrined by original statute law (Magna Carta 1215, 61st Article)
and repeated with great distinctness by Henry III, to restrain and hinder
by all means those responsible for the unlawful and unconstitutional use
of prerogative power.
The break-up of the United Kingdom into regions will take place if future
governments fail to take back the powers given over to Europe. (Canada
as well is breaking up, albeit for differing reasons but this still affects
the nation because Quebec civil law is European.) It is imperative that
the long-term effects of devolution for Scotland and Wales and of the future
of rural communities -- affected by decisions made by Europe -- be faced
as a matter of the highest national importance. The people of the countryside
have already been provoked to restrain those in government who have broken
faith with them -- they will certainly not be the last to act. Added to
this is the future of Northern Ireland which will remain crucial to the
defence of the mainland.
Many other questions on behaviour in our constitutionally Christian
society need to be debated, questions which threaten the family as the
basic building block of society. It is the law abiding family that requires
to be defended, not the single issue of the minority which has become an
ever-increasing burden upon and destruction of the foundation family.
At this 350th Anniversary of the great Army debates under the presidency
of Oliver Cromwell, we issue a call for a new ‘great debate’ on the Crown
and Commonwealth -- the Spirit of the Covenant. the British nation must
know itself once more and reawaken its spiritual and physical gifts of
leading the nations in peace.
The foundations of our great nation must be restored. Let us look at
them anew and indeed ‘unto the rock form whence we were hewn,’ as the people
of The Faith, inheritors of a unique constitutional freedom and a destiny
with global dimensions. Our imperative at this hour is not only for a great
debate, but for a great Alliance to restore the British way of life.
The Divine Law: Foundation of the Nation
There was an extraordinary dedication to our biblical heritage shown
in the great Army debate of 1647. In Cromwell our Chief of Men by Antonia
Fraser, page 212, we read: ‘With their breaks for prayer -- the resolution
for proceedings of the second day read “from eight to eleven to see God,
etc.” -- and in their earnest invocation of Scriptural texts and even the
laws of the Israelites as equally relevant to the case as English laws,
these debates must rank as one of the most extraordinary moots in British
history.’
In the context of our heritage of the Divine Law, we should not forget
Alfred the Great (871-901) and the fact that this enlightened ruler drew
freely upon the Mosaic code and made many of these early Hebrew laws the
laws of the Realm.
The one great difficulty regarding the absolute need of observing Divine
Law by the nation which is responsible for much of the confusion regarding
the relevance of that law today, has been the failure to recognize the
distinction between the laws contained in ordinances and those given in
Commandments, Statutes and Judgements. The lack of a clear definition of
the Divine Law in each of its particular applications, especially concerning
the operation of the ordinances, is responsible for most confusion.
In the book Digest of the Divine Law, (pub. 1943) by Howard B. Rand,
LL.B, there is set forth the operation of the Law between firstly, those
parts which govern the activities and operations of men and nations and
secondly, the ordinances or ritual. These ordinances had their place and
purpose in the Divine plan fully revealed through Jesus Christ in His life,
ministry, death and resurrection. As to the laws apart from the ordinances,
if we must obey some, then we are as a nation bound to keep them all! If
indeed we can, with impunity, violate some, then God has failed and the
Bible has ceased to be an authority for the guidance of our people and
the nation -- which constitutionally it just cannot be. God has not failed
and the authority of His Word stands immutable for the nation in its teachings
and laws. The undermining of this authority is producing the present chaos
at all levels in the Realm.
The New Covenant so stressed by the teachings of Christianity is, according
to the Bible, definitely associated with the keeping of the law. Jeremiah
prophesied and Hebrews affirms, ‘I will put my law in their inward parts,
and write it in their hearts’ (Jeremiah 31:33). If then the Christian citizen
is not bound to keep the law, how can it be written into his heart?
Our leaders in Church and State need to realize that we are not required
constantly to rewrite the national laws as if some new path of enlightenment
has been received. The ordinances of the Divine law -- the sacrifices --
have passed away now that Christ has come. What remains are the Commandments,
Statutes and Judgements. What we have today are many Aarons building golden
calves which the citizens of our nation are being encouraged to worship.
We need to familiarize ourselves again with our great heritage of the
Divine Law, before the present lawlessness drags the nation fully into
the pit of despair and death. As the result of God’s recognition of the
needs of men, there has been revealed to mankind a supreme standard of
law for the nation, the keeping of which will bring prosperity and happiness
to all people everywhere. Observance, with the resultant peace and goodwill,
will characterize all national and international relationships. We shall
be a nation at peace with ourselves and lift high once more a moral standard
for the nationals of the world.
For the nation which is founded upon the supreme national code of law,
our return to true leadership can but draw us back to the Divine Law. The
great Army debates of 1647 took place because a civilian New Model Army
was behind Cromwell -- the middle ground majority spoke and acted to deliver
the nation from the corrupt court of Charles the First. Today we see Church
and State in almost lifeless forms about to be buried by a global paganism
and growing politico-economic dictatorship in Europe; it is the only alternative
to (unfortunate result of) the rejection of the supreme code of law for
the nation.
In remembrance of all those who have fought and died for The Faith and
our constitutional freedom and for our children who will come after us
-- let the civilian army of the 21st century be an Alliance of all those
who know that what Great Britain was in the past, the United Kingdom can
be in the future.
(Note: editors comments in parentheses)
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Permission to reprint given by the editors of:
The magazine: “Thy Kingdom Come”
The official monthly publication of:
The Association of the Covenant People
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