“What is all our histories, but God showing himself, shaking and trampling on everything that he has not planted.”
- April 25, 1599 – September 3, 1658
- English
- Military and Political Leader, Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland
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Quote
“What is all our histories, but God showing himself, shaking and trampling on everything that he has not planted.”
Explanation
This quote presents history as the unfolding of divine will, portraying God as an active force who destroys all that is not rooted in His truth. Cromwell suggests that human institutions, empires, and traditions are subject to judgment, and that only those aligned with God’s purpose will endure. “Shaking and trampling” evokes the image of divine upheaval, reflecting a belief that God intervenes to remove corruption and falsehood.
Oliver Cromwell lived during a period of intense religious conflict and political transformation. As a Puritan leader, he interpreted events such as the English Civil War as manifestations of God’s judgment on a corrupt monarchy and church. To him, history was not a random sequence of events, but a theological narrative, where God was purging false foundations—be they royalist, Catholic, or even self-serving republican. His actions, including the execution of Charles I, were justified through this lens of divine providence.
In modern terms, the quote serves as a warning against complacency in unjust systems. It implies that power not based on truth or moral foundation is unstable, and will eventually be “shaken.” This concept resonates in times of revolution, social reform, or institutional collapse, where movements driven by moral clarity often overturn longstanding but flawed structures. The quote thus combines religious determinism with revolutionary potential, making it both a historical reflection and a timeless insight.
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