ise of it.

In this notable assembly were some persons of the rank of gentlemen;
but the far greater part were low mechanics; Fifth Monarchy men,
Anabaptists, Antinomians, Independents; the very dregs of the fanatics.
They began with seeking God by prayer: this office was performed by
eight or ten gifted men of the assembly; and with so much success, that,
according to the confession of all, they had never before, in any of
their devotional exercises, enjoyed so much of the Holy Spirit as was
then communicated to them.[*] Their hearts were, no doubt, dilated
when they considered the high dignity to which they supposed themselves
exalted. They had been told by Cromwell, in his first discourse, that he
never looked to see such a day, when Christ should be so owned.[**]

* Parl. Hist. vol. xx. p. 182.

* These are his expressions: "Indeed, I have but one word
more to say to you, though in that perhaps I shall show my
weakness: it is by way of encouragement to you in this work;
give me leave to begin thus: I confess I never looked to
have seen such a day as this,--it may be nor you neither,--
when Jesus Christ should be so owned as he is at this day
and in this work. Jesus Christ is owned this day by your
call, and you own him by your willingness to appear for him,
and you manifest this (as far as poor creatures can do) to
be a day of the power of Christ. I know you will remember
that scripture, 'he makes his people willing in the day of
his power.' God manifests it to be the day of the power of
Christ, having through so much blood and so much trial as
has been upon this nation, he makes this one of the greatest
mercies, next to his own Son, to have his people called to
the supreme authority. God hath owned his Son, and hath
owned you, and hath made you to own him. I confess I never
looked to have seen such a day: I did not." I suppose at
this passage he cried; for he was very much given to
weeping, and could at any time shed abundance of tears. The
rest of the speech may be seen among Milton's State Papers,
p. 106. It is very curious, and full of the same obscurity,
confusion, embarrassment, and absurdity, which appear in
almost all Oliver's productions.

They thought it, therefore, their duty to proceed to a thorough
reformation, and to pave the way for the reign of the Redeemer, and
for that