Gods free mercy to England presented as a precious and powerful motive to humiliationGods free mercy to England presented as a pretious and powerfull motive to humiliation

May we not give praise and thanks to the Parliament that ¹hath taken such indefatigable pains for our good?

May we not give praise and thankes to the Parliament that ¹hath taken such indefatigable paines for our good?

1. 1Quest.

Yes certainly, but not as to the first Authors and Fountains, but ¹only as to the Messengers of the good things we enjoy; as when a great Lord sends a gift by his servant, we may thank the servant for his pains in bringing the gift, and give him a reward for his pains, but the whole praise for the gift is to the Lord that sent it; so it is here, the great God hath made you (right Honourable) his Servants, and Ambassadors to bring great ⟨p. 13⟩blessings to us; And we thank you for your cost, and care, and pains, and the Lord reward you a thousand fold; But the mercies are not yours, but Gods; And therefore, Not unto you, not unto you, but unto God be all the praise. You must be as careful to appropriate all the glory to God as Joab was to preserve the glory of David, when he sent for him, to come to Rabbah and take it ²lest if Joab had taken the City, it should have been called by his name. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord. It was the last speech of dying Chrysostom; Glory be to God from all creatures. Let the Jesuits at the end of their Books subscribe; Laus Deo, & beatae Virgini; Praise be to God, and the blessed Virgin; Let this be the badge of the Beast: But let every true Protestant subscribe; Soli Deo gloria, to God only be praise; for so Christ hath taught us, Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory; And therefore to him only be glory.