REMERCIEMENT FAIT AU ROI DE LA PART DE L'EGLISE FRANCOISE ET DE L'EGLISE FLAMANDE DE LA Ville de LONDRES, POUR Les graces que sa Majesté a accordées aux Estrangers Protestans qui se retirent dans son Roiaume.
Prononcé par DAVID PRIMEROSE, Ministre de l'Eglise Francoise, le 19 Octobre, 1681.
Imprimé par le Commandement de sa Majesté.
NOus venons nous jetter aux pieds de votre Majesté de la part des Eglises Froncoise, & Flamande de vótre ville de Londres, pour vous témoigner le profond tessentiment que nous auons de toutes les graces que vous aués faites aux Etrangers Protestants qui viennent chercher dans vótre Empire vn asyle pour leur conscience. Nous en auons, SIRE, vne reconnoissance si sensible que nous n'auons peu nous abstenir de la faire eclatter jusques deuant vous. C'est a la verité une grande hardiesse a des personnes comme nous d'approcher de vótre Majesté, mais considerans que ce Dieu infini qui a son trône dans le ciel daigne [Page 2]accepter les remercimens de ses creatures, nous avons creu que vous ne dédaigneriés pas de receuoir les nótres, & que vous agreeriés que nous rendions nos hommages a vótre clemence.
Dans cette consideration nous prenous la liberté de venir dire a vótre Majesté ce que nous disons part tout que l'on ne peut assés admirer vos bontés, & que quoi que ne voiant dans le monde personne au dessus de vous, vous soiés grand & digne de nos plus humbles respects, ils vous sont pourtant deusd'vnefacon toute particulere par ce qu'étant si grand & si eleué vousétes eanté-moins si clement & si debonnaire. C'est la, SIRE, soutenir dignement cet éloge de Bienfaiteurs que Jesus Christ declare que l'on donne aux Maistres des Nations, & celui de Defenseur de la foi qui est l'vn de vos tiltres, c'est la faire servir la puissance souueraine a la fin pour laquelle Dieu l'a ordonnée, qui est de procurer autant qu'il est possible le bonheur de tous les hommes, c'est la ressembler a ce Dieu trés bon & trés grand dont vótre Majesté est le Lieutenant.
Nous vondrions bien pouuoir exprimer plus fortement nos ressentimens, mais les termes nous manquent, & d'ailleurs nous n'oserions importuner plus long temps uótre Majesté, nous concluons donc en la suppliant dans vne humilité profonde qu'a l'exemple de ce grand Dieu qui aime jusques a la fin ceux qu'il a vne fois aimês elle daigne continuer a nous fauoriser de sa protection, & en protestant que nous sommes dans la resolution de vous rendre inuiolablement tous les respects & toutes les soumissions qui vous sont deuës par de fideles subjets, & de prier continuellement ce Dieu supreme par qui les Rois regnent qu'il veille combler vótre Majesté de toutes sortes de benedictions.
Sa Majesté eut la bonté de repondre,
‘JE promets de vous donner toute la protection imaginable.’
A LONDRES Chez GEORGE WELLS, 1681.
THE THANKS GIVEN TO THE KING On the behalf of the FRENCH and DUTCH CHURCHES In the City of LONDON, FOR The Favours granted by his Majesty to the Protestant Strangers Retired into his Kingdom.
Spoken the 19th of October 1681, By David Primerose Minister of the French Church in London.
Printed by his Majesties Command.
WE are come to cast our selves at your Majesties Feet, on the behalf of the French and Dutch Churches in your City of London, to testify the profound Acknowledgments which we have of all the Favours that you have shown to the Protestant Strangers who are come to seek for a Sanctuary for their Consciences within your Majesties Dominions. Sir, We are so deeply sensible of your Royal Bounties, that we cannot refrain from declaring it publickly to your Royal Self. Most certainly it is a very great boldness for such mean Persons as we are to Approach your Majesty; but considering that that Infinite God who has his Throne in Heaven vouchsafes to accept the Thanksgiving [Page 2]of his Creatures, it is our hope that your Mjaesty will not disdain to receive ours; and that you will be favourably pleased with us, in rendring our Homages to your Clemency.
Upon these Considerations we take the Liberty to come here to tell your Majesty that which we every where declare, that it is impossible for us sufficiently to admire your goodness; and tho it were only that we beheld in the World no Person above you, you are most worthy of our most Humble Respects; yet they are due to you in a manner altogether particular; for that altho so great and so Elevated, you are nevertheless so Clement and Benign. Thus, Sir, you worthily maintain that Name of Benefactor, which Jesus Christ declares that we should give to the Lords of Nations; and that of Defender of the Faith, which is one of your Titles: This is to make use of your Soveraign Power to that end for which God has ordain'd it, which is to procure as much as is possible, the happiness of all Men. This is to resemble the most great and most good God, whose Vicegerent your Majesty is.
We would more vehemently farther express our acknowledgments, but we want Words; and besides we dare not give your Majesty longer trouble. Therefore we conclude, beseeching your Majesty with a most profound Humility, that according to the Example of that great God, who to the end loves those whom he hath once lov'd, that your Majesty would be pleased to continue to us the favour of your Protection, protesting on our side, that we are firm in our Resolution, to render you inviolably all those Respects and Homages which are due to your Majesty from the faithfullest of your Subjects, and continually to pray to that Supream God by whom Kings Reign, that he would heap upon your Majesty the abundance of his Blessings.
His Majesty was pleased Graciously to Answer.
‘I Promise to give you all the Protection imaginable.’
LONDON, Printed for GEORGE WELLS, 1681.