Cromwell spent only nine months of his eventful life in Ireland yet he stands accused there of war crimes religious persecution & ethnic cleansing. In a century of unrelenting bloody warfare & religious persecution throughout Europe Cromwell was in many ways a product of his times. As commander-in-chief of the army in Ireland however the responsibilities for the excesses of the military must be laid firmly at his door while the harsh nature of the post-war settlement also bears his personal imprint. A warrior of Christ somewhat like the crusaders of medieval Europe he acted as Gods executioner convinced throughout the horrors of the legitimacy of his cause & striving to build a better world for the chosen few. ...

The Puritan Revolution escaped the control of its creators. The parliamentarians who went to war with Charles I in 1642 did not want or expect the fundamental changes that would follow seven years later: the trial & execution of the king the abolition of the House of Lords & the creation of the only republic in English history. There were startling & unexpected developments too in religion & ideas: the spread of unorthodox doctrines; the attainment of a wide measure of liberty of conscience; new thinking about the moral & intellectual bases of politics & society. Gods Instruments centres on the principal instrument of radical change Oliver Cromwell & on the unfamiliar landscape of the decade he dominated from the abolition of the monarchy in 1649 to the return of the Stuart dynasty in 1660. Its theme is the relationship between the beliefs or convictions of politicians & their decisions & actions. Blair Worden explores the biblical dimension of Puritan politics; the ways that a belief in the workings of divine providence affected political conduct; Cromwells commitment to liberty of conscience & his search for godly reformation through educational reform; the constitutional premises of his rule & those of his opponents in the struggle for supremacy between parliamentary & military rule; the relationship between conceptions of civil & religious liberty. The conflicts Worden reconstructs are placed in the perspective of long-term developments of which historians have lost sight in ideas about parliament & about freedom. The final chapters turn to the guiding convictions of two writers at the heart of politics John Milton & the royalist Edward Hyde the future Earl of Clarendon. Material from previously published essays much of it expanded & extensively revised comes together with freshly written chapters. ...

From Cullen Murphy editor at large of Vanity Fair" " Gods Jury" is a chilling & powerful account of how the techniques used by the Spanish Inquisition created our modern world. For centuries states have used their power to censor watch manipulate & punish. " Gods Jury" argues that the Inquisition
- the Catholic body that existed for over 700 years
- is not a medieval oddity but is intrinsically bound up with modernity. From Vatican archives to Guantanamo Bay & the Third Reich Cullen Murphy shows how the Inquisitions techniques
- record-keeping bureaucracy & a terrifying sense of certainty
- are now standard operating procedure & that the battle between private conscience & outside forces is the central contest of the modern era. Cullen Murphy is " Vanity Fairs" editor at large & the author of " Are We Rome?" & " The Word According to Eve". He was previously the managing editor of " The Atlantic Monthly". " Lucid & provocative blistering cogent & powerful...A persuasive argument that we still live in the world the inquisition made
- a world of us & them of moral self-righteousness & intellectual intolerance". (" Sunday Times"). " Beguiling & horrifying.. .a book rich in stories & imaginative connections". (John Cornwell author of " Hitlers Pope"). "A grand & scary tour of inquisitorial moments racing back & forth in history from Torquemada to Dick Cheney". (Adam Gopnik " New Yorker"). "A dark but riveting tale told with luminous grace". (Michael Sandel author of " Justice" & " What Money Cant Buy"). "" Gods Jury" is a reminder & we need to be constantly reminded that the most dangerous people in the world are the righteous". (Mark Bowden author of " Black Hawk Down" & " Guest of the Ayatollah")."




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This wonderful little book provides in a nutshell words that can restore a sense of wellbeing & peace. Each page has an inspirational thought or idea along with a related Bible reference for futrther reading & encouragement. It is not work that wears us out but sadness anxiety & worry. To God all your griefs are worthy of consideration. This wonderful collection of spiritual thoughts restores peace to our minds & brings refreshment to our hearts enabling us to face the challenges ahead. Full of spiritual gems this book will prove its value time & again whenever life gets too much: Talking to someone about your problems or fears reduce the pain by 50% so when everyone else fails God simply says Come to me". Worry is blind & cannot discern the future. But God sees the end from the beginning & in every difficulty he has his way prepared to bring relief." ...

A pocket-sized book filled with inspirational religious thoughts on the theme of hope. Each page has an inspirational thought or idea along with a related Bible reference for futrther reading & encouragement. What a caterpillar calls the end the rest of the world calls a butterfly." In a time when things seem rather despairing & when the news of the day seems to be nothing more than bad news what hope is there when the future seems so hopeless? There are people dying with no hope & perhaps even worse people living with no hope.. .and yet in the midst of such a seemingly dark & gloomy outlook there is a ray of light. We can experience life & be optimistic of a bright future & a hopeful tomorrow. It is Gods desire that we live life abundantly but how can we do this? Open this little book at any page & answers will be provided enabling you to experience a life worth living: " Pick yourself up when you fall down. No one else is likely to." " There are no hopeless situations.. .only attitudes that have grown hopeless about them."" ...

Gods Little book of Love features inspiring thoughts "es each set on a background illustration & accompanied by references to relevant Bible passages for further reading & encouragement. There is no fear in love; perfect love casts out fear." Love. The very word has inspired thousands of songs poems speeches & stories. It is the basis upon which human relationships are born & develop & it is the golden cord that keeps us together. It is love indeed that makes the world go around. Each of us has the seeds of love that can cultivated to grow & spread out to each other. Anyone can make a difference even if it is with just one person at a time. This small volume is designed to provide a few ideas & thoughts to help you make a positive difference in somebodys life. " One principle ought to give you courage -- that is the principle that no evil lasts forever nor indeed for very long." " What lies behind us & what lies before us are but small matters compared to what lies within us."" ...

Open this inspirational little book at any page & restore your sense of peace & calm. Each page has an inspirational thought or idea along with a related Bible reference for futrther reading & encouragement. Our first step in finding true peace is in getting to know God. In a world where distress & anxiety have become the norms how can we truly experience peace in a seemingly peaceless world? Harmony among nations & between people struck by terror & disaster is often hard to come by. Yet in the midst of turmoil peace can still be achieved. It is possible to live in a world without peace & yet still be in peace. Such an experience only comes from knowing God. This small volume is designed to provide you with insightful words to help you discover true peace for yourself. Open this book at any page & be inspired: Never feel guilty about taking a break
- God didnt. Time taken in rest replenishes your soul & aids a peaceful spirit. Live one peaceful day at a time. Remember yesterday is gone & tomorrow is unborn; all you have is today.
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In one of the most celebrated debut novels of recent years Ross Raisin tells the story of solitary young farmer Sam Marsdyke & his extraordinary battle with the world. Expelled from school & cut off from the town mistrusted by his parents & avoided by city incomers Marsdyke is a loner until he meets rebellious new neighbour Josephine. But what begins as a friendship & leads to thoughts of escape across the moors turns to something much much darker with every step. ...

This new edition of Norman Daviess classic study of the history of Poland has been revised & fully updated with two new chapters to bring the story to the end of the twentieth century. The writing of Polish history like Poland itself has frequently fallen prey to interested parties. Professor Norman Davies adopts a sceptical stance towards all existing interpretations & attempts to bring a strong dose of common sense to his theme. He presents the most comprehensive survey in English of this frequently maligned & usually misunderstood country. ...

This new edition of Norman Daviess classic study of the history of Poland has been revised & fully updated with two new chapters to bring the story to the end of the twentieth century. The writing of Polish history like Poland itself has frequently fallen prey to interested parties. Professor Norman Davies adopts a sceptical stance towards all existing interpretations & attempts to bring a strong dose of common sense to his theme. He presents the most comprehensive survey in English of this frequently maligned & usually misunderstood country. ...