On
Plymouth Plantation
by
William Bradford [/] http://j.mp/0OnPlymouth
[/] or
https://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/nereligioushistory/bradford-plimoth/bradford-plymouthplantation.pdf
It
is well known to the godly and judicious, how ever since the first
breaking out of the light of the gospel in our Honorable Nation of
England ([…] after the gross darkness of popery […]) what wars
and oppositions ever since, Satan has raised, maintained, and
continued against the Saints […]
Mr.
Foxe records how beside those worthy martyrs and confessors which
were burned in Queen Mary's days and otherwise tormented, many fled
out of the land to the number of 800, and became several
congregations at Wesell, Frankfort, Basil, Emden, Markpurge,
Strausborough, and Geneva, etc.[...]
The
one side labored to have the right worship of God and discipline of
Christ established in the church, according to the simplicity of the
gospel, without the mixture of men;s inventions, and to have and to
be ruled by the laws of God's word, dispensed in those offices, and
by those officers of Pastors, Teachers, and Elders, etc,, according
to the Scriptures. […]
So
many therefore of these professors as saw the evil of these things
[bishops, ceremonies, and other relics of popery], in these parts
[the north of England], and whose hearts the Lord had touched with
heavenly zeal for his truth, they shook off this yoke of
anti-christian bondage, and as the Lord's free people, joined
themselves (by a covenant of the Lord) into a church estate, the the
fellowship of the gospel, to walk in all his ways, made known, or to
be made known unto them, according to their best endeavors,
whatsoever it should cost them, the Lord assisting them. And that it
cost them some thing this ensuing history will declare. [...]
But
after these things they could not long continue in any peaceable
condition, but were hunted and persecuted on every side, so as their
former afflictions were but as flea bitings in comparison of these
which now came upon them. […]
So
after they had continued together about a year, and kept their
meetings every Sabbath in one place or other, exercising the worship
of God among themselves, notwithstanding, all the diligence and
malice of their adversaries, they seeing they could not longer
continue in the condition, they resolved to get over into Holland.
But
these things [learning a new language and new trades, etc.] did not
dismay them (though they did some times trouble them) for their
desires were set on the ways of God, and to enjoy his ordinances; but
they rested on his providence, and knew whom they had believed. […]
And
afterward endured a fearful storm at sea, […] the mariners cried
out, We sink, we sink; they cried (if not with miraculous, yet with a
great height or degree of divine faith), Yet Lord you can save, yet
Lord you can save. {..] The Lord […] brought them to their desired
Haven where the people came flocking admiring their deliverance, the
storm having been so long and sore, [….]
And
so they left that goodly and pleasant city [Leyden], which had been
their resting place near 12 years; but they knew they were pilgrims
(Heb 11[:13-16:]) and looked not much on those things, but lifted up
their eyes to the heavens, their dearest country, and quieted their
spirits.
Of
the troubles that befell them on the coast [of southeast England],
and at sea being forced, after much trouble, to leave one of their
ships and some of their company behind them […]
And
thus, like Gidieons army [Judges 7.7], this small number was divided,
as if the Lord by this work of his providence thought these few too
many for the great work he had to do. […]
They
met […] with many fierce storms, with which the ship was thoroughly
shaken, and her upper works made very leaky; and one of the main
beams in the midships was bowed and cracked, which put them in some
fear that the ship could not be able to perform the voyage. […] The
master and others affirmed they knew the ship to be strong and firm
under water, and for the buckling of the main beam, there was a great
iron screw the passengers brought out of Holland which would raise
the beam into his place; which being done […] So they committed
themselves to the will of God and resolved to proceed. […]
Being
thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell
upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven, who had brought them
over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the
perils and miseries thereof, again to set their feet on the firm and
stable earth, their proper element. [...]
[But,]
What could now sustain them [separated from friends on an alien coast
with winter coming on and no shelter] but the spirit of God and his
grace? [...]
[O]ne
of their company being abroad came runing in, and cried, “Men,
Indians, Indians”' and their arrows came flying among them. [..]
But they soon got their ams and let fly among them and quickly
stopped their violence. [...]
Afterward
they gave God solemn thanks and praise for their deliverance, and
gathered up a bundle of their arrows, and sent them to England
afterward by the master of the ship, and called that place the first
encounter. […]
On
Monday they sounded the harbor, and found it fit for shipping and
marched into the land, and found diverse cornfields, and little
running brooks, a place (as they supposed) fit for situation; at
least it was the best they could find and the season and their
present necessity, made them glad to accept it. […]
“In
the name of God, Amen. We whose names are under-written, the loyal
subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of
God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, king, defender of the
faith, etc., having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement
of the Christian faith and the honor of our king and country, a
voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia,
do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God,
and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a
civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation and
furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact,
constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts,
constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought
most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto
which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof
we have here-under subscribed our names at Cape-Cod the 11th
of November, in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord, King
James, of England, France, and Ireland the eighteenth and of Scotland
the fifty-forth. Anno Domini 1620.” [- The Mayflower Compact,
signed by all the adult male colonists, both “saints” (members of
their congregation) and “strangers” (volunteer paid
co-colonists).]
But
it pleased God to visit them with death daily, and with such a
general increase of illness that the well were wholly unable to care
for the sick and the living scare able to bury the dead. [from an
alternate source text of the account]
But
that which was most sad and lamentable was, that in 2 or 3 months
time half of their company died, […] being the depth of winter and
wanting houses and other comforts; being infected with scurvy and other
diseases, which this long voyage and their in-accommodate condition
had brought upon the; […] of 100 odd persons, scarce 50 remained.
And of these in the time of most distress, there were but 6 or 7
sound persons, who, to their great commendation be it spoken, spared
no pains, night nor day, but with abundance of toil and hazard of
their own health, fetched them wood, made them fires, dressed them
meat, made their breads, washed their loathsome clothes, clothed and
unclothed them; in a word, did all the homely and necessary offices
for them which dainty and queasy stomachs cannot endure to hear
named; and all this willingly and cheerfully, without any grudging in
the least, showing herein their true love unto their friends and
brethren. [...]
But
about the 16th of March a certain Indian came boldly among
them and spoke to them in broken English, […] Squanto [another
English speaking Indian] continued with them, and was their
interpreter, and was a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectation. He directed them how to set their corn,
where to take fish, and procure other commodities, and was also their
pilot to bring them to unknown places for their profit, and never
left them till he died. He was a native of the place, and scarce any
left alive beside himself.[...]
May
12 was the first marriage in this place, which […] was thought most
requisite to be performed by the magistrate, as being a civil thing,
upon which many questions about inheritances do depend, with other
things most proper to their cognizance, and most consonant to the
scriptures, Ruth 4, and nowhere found in the gospel to be laid on the
ministers as a part of their office.[...]
They
began now to gather in the small harvest they had, and to fit up
their houses and dwellings against the winter, being all well
recovered in health and strength, and had all things in good plenty;
for as some were thus employed in affairs abroad, others were
exercised in fishing, aboute cod, and bass, and other fish, of which
they took good store, of which every family had their portion. All
the summer there was no want. And now began to come in store of fowl,
as winter approached, of which this place did abound when the came
first [...] And besides water fowl, there was great store of wild
Turkies, of which they took many, besides venison, etc. Besides they
had about a peck of meal a week to a person or now sin since harvest,
Indian corn to the proportion. Which made may afterwards write so
largely of the plenty here to their friends in England, which were
not exaggerated but true reports. [...]
Thus
out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by His hand
that made all things of nothing, [Gen 1.1; 1Co 1.28; Rom 4.19] and
gives being to all things that are; and, as one small candle may
light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shone unto many, yea
in some sort to our whole nation. [from Wikiquote]
I2C
151125ba Heb11v13to16 Pilgrims | I2C | 151125 1821 et
