of the world, be any more
our God, but let the Lord be our God; let our thanksgiving appear in
owning the Lord for our God, and in walking answerable to our
mercies; let our prayers be according to the counsel of the Apostle
(Eph. v.), 'See then that ye walk circumspectly, giving thanks
always for all things.' How much more are we bound to do it from our
special mercies!

"Gentlemen, give me leave to conclude with my particular thanks to
you who accompanied me in my journey, and have manifested very much
respect, care, diligence, courage, and discretion. You have, by your
demeanour, done honour to our profession of religion, to our
country, to yourselves, to your Ambassador, who will be ready to
testify the same on all occasions, and to do you all good offices;
chiefly in bearing you company to return praises to our God, whose
mercies endure for ever."

After these exercises performed, wherein Whitelocke was the more large in
manifesting the abounding of his sense of the goodness of God towards
him, and was willing also to recollect his thoughts for another occasion,
the company retired themselves; and Whitelocke complimented his
particular friends, giving them many thanks who had shown kindness to
his wife and family, and had taken care of his affairs in his absence.

[SN: A banquet held in State, as in Sweden.]

He bid them all welcome, and desired them to accompany company him the
next day to his audience before the Protector and Council. Then he led
them into a great room, where the table was spread, and all things in the
same state and manner as he used to have them in Sweden, that his friends
might see the fashion of his being served when he was in that condition,
and as his farewell to those pomps and vanities.

The trumpets sounding, meat was brought in, and the mistress of the house
made it appear that England had as good and as much plenty of provisions
as Sweden, Denmark, or Germany. His friends and company sat down to meat
as they used to do in Sweden; the attendants, pages, lacqueys, and
others, in their liveries, did their service as they were accustomed
abroad. Their discourse was full of cheerfulness and recounting of God's
goodness; and both the time of the meat and the afternoon was spent in
rejoicing together for the present mercy, and for the whole series of
God's goodness to them; and in the evening they parted, every one to his
own quarte