Sermon to Parliament, Title page – Dedication
A SERMON PREACHED TO THE TWO HOVSES OF PARLIAMENT, At their ſolemn Meeting to Praiſe God for his infinite Mercy in the reſtoring of the ſaid Houſes of PARLIAMENT to their Honor and Freedome with ſo little effuſion of Blood: At the Abbey-Church in Weſtminſter, Aug. 12. 1647. By STEPHEN MARSHALL, B.D. Miniſter of Finchingfield in Eſſex.
And David ſaid to Abigail, Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael, which ſent thee this day to meet me. And bleſſed be thy advice, and bleſſed be thou which haſt kept me this day from comming to ſhed blood,
1 Sam. 25, 32, 33.
Scatter thou the people that delight in Warre,
Pſal. 68. 30.
London, Printed by R. Cotes for Stephen Bowtell, at the Bible in Popeshead-Alley, 1647.
Die Veneris, 13 Auguſti, 1647.
ORdered by the Commons aſſembled in Parliament, That thanks be given to Mr. Marſhall, for the great pains he took in the Sermon he preached yeſterday before the Lords and Commons the day of publique Thankſgiving: And that hee bee deſired to print his Sermon with the uſuall priviledge. Sir William Maſsam is appointed to give him the Thanks of this Houſe; and to deſire him to print his Sermon accordingly.
H. Elſynge, Cler. Parl. D. Com.
I appoint Stephen Bowtell to Print my Sermon:
Stephen Marſhall.
TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORDS and COMMONS Aſſembled in PARLIAMENT.
My Lords and Gentlemen,
I Am not ignorant of the truth and weight of that ſpeech of Pliny, Aliud eſt ſcribere uni, aliud omnibus: the ſame holds of Preaching, it's one thing to Preach a Sermon to a Congregation, another thing to Preach it to all the world in Print; eſpecially upon ſuch an occaſion as this, and ſuch a ſeaſon as this, when the ſpirit of jealouſie and miſ-underſtanding is let looſe, and mens hearts as tinder ready to catch and kindle at every ſparke; yet ſince you are pleaſed to conceive that this plaine Sermon may bee uſefull to others, and thereupon to order my publication of it, I humbly obey your Order, deſiring the Lords bleſsing to accompany it ſo farre as to make men wiſely conſider the wonderfull works of God, and returne to him the glory due unto his name; The ſame Lord watch over you, ſanctifie you and guide all your conſultations, that you may bee his bleſſed inſtruſtruments to make this Land a quiet habitation for his people, and a place which himſelfe may delight in: This is the daily prayer
Of your humble ſervant in the Lords work S. M.