My Lords Spirituall and Temporall, and you the Knights and Burgesses of this Parliament, It was farre from my thoughts till very lately before my comming to this place, that this Subiect should haue bene ministred vnto mee, whereupon I am now to speake. But now it so falleth out, That whereas in the preceding Session of this Parliament, the principall occasion of my Speach was, to thanke and congratulate all you of this House, and in you, all the whole Common-wealth (as being the representatiue body of the State) for your so willing, and louing receiuing and embracing of mee in that place, which God and Nature by descent of blood, had in his owne time prouided for me: So now my Subiect is, to speake of a farre greater Thankesgiuing then before I gaue to you, being to a farre greater person, which is to God, for the great and miraculous Deliuery he hath at this time granted to me, and to you all, and consequently to the whole body of this Estate.

I must therefore begin with this old and most approued Sentence of Diuinitie, Misericordia Dei supra omnia opera eius. For Almightie God did not furnish so great matter to his glory by the Creation of this great World, as he did by the Redemption of the same.