John Robinson's Charge to the Pilgrims
HERE is a part of John Robinson’s famous charge to the Pilgrims as they started for America. It will never grow old:— “He charged us, before God and his blessed angels, to follow him no further than he followed Christ; and, if God should reveal anything to us by any other instrument of his, to be as ready to receive it as ever we were to receive any truth by his ministry. For he was very confident the Lord had more truth and light yet to break forth out of his Holy Word. Here, also, he put us in mind of our church covenant, or, at least, that part of it whereby we promise and covenant with God, and one with another, to receive whatever light or truth shall be made known to us from his written word. But, withal, he exhorted us to take heed what we receive for truth, and well to examine and compare it, and weigh it with other scripture of truth before we receive it. For, saith he, it is not possible the Christian world should come so lately out of such thick anti-Christian darkness and full perfection of knowledge break forth at once.”