“You have heard from our worthy Christian friends many words of precious truth, with which I hope all our souls are refreshed, and do pray that our practice may be conformed.  The duty of this day, and of every person, is gratiarum actio:  I wish we may all act thankfulness to our God, whereunto we are all obliged who have received so great benefits from Him.  In a more peculiar manner than others I hold myself obliged to render thanks—­

    “1.  To our God, who hath preserved us all, and brought us in safety
    and comfort to our dear country and relations.

    “2.  To our Christian friends, from whom we have received such
    powerful instructions this day, and prayers all the days of our
    absence.

    “3.  To you, Gentlemen, who have shown so much affection and respect
    in bearing me company in a journey so full of hardships and dangers.

“I am of the opinion of the Roman soldier who told Caesar, ’I have in my own person fought for thee, and therefore that the Emperor ought in his own person to plead for the soldier’ (which he did); and have in your own persons endured all the hardships, difficulties, and dangers with me:  and were I as able as Caesar, I hold myself as much obliged in my own person to serve you, and, to the utmost of my capacity, shall do all good offices for any of you, who have, with so much affection, respect, and hazard, adventured your persons with me.

“I am obliged, and do return my hearty thanks, to our worthy friends who have so excellently performed the work of the day, and shall pray that it may be powerful upon every one of our hearts, to build us up in the knowledge of this duty; and I should be glad to promise, in the name of all my company, that we shall give a ready and constant observance of those pious instructions we have received from you.

“Some here have been actors with us in our story; have gone down to the sea in ships and done business in great waters; have seen the works of God and His wonders in the deep; His commanding and raising the stormy wind, lifting up the waves thereof, which mount up to the heavens and go down again to the deep, whose souls have melted because of trouble, and have been at their wits’ end:  then have cried unto the Lord in their distress, and He hath brought them out of trouble.  We have seen Him make the storm a calm, and the waves thereof still:  then were we glad, and He brought us to our desired harbour.  Oh that we would praise the Lord for His goodness, for His wonderful works!  Let us exalt Him in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the assembly of the elders.

“These my companions, who have been actors, and others, I hope will give me leave to make them auditors of some special providences of the Lord, wherein we may all reap benefit from the relation.  The Apostle saith, 2 Pet. i.,