More Truth to Break Forth.
On the occasion of the departure of the Pilgrims from Leyden to this country in the Mayflower, 1620, Robinson addressed them as follows: “Brethren, we are now quickly to depart from one another, and whether I may live to see you face to face on earth any more the God of heaven only knows; but whether the Lord hath appointed that or not, I charge you before God and His blessed angels that you follow me no further than you have seen me follow the Lord Jesus Christ. If God reveals anything to you by another instrument, be as ready to receive it as you ever were to receive any truth by my ministry; for I am verily persuaded, I am very confident, THAT THE LORD HAS MORE TRUTH YET TO BREAK FORTH OUT OF HIS HOLY WORD. For my part, I can not sufficiently bewail the condition of the reformed churches, who are come to a period in religion, and will go at present no further than the instruments of their reformation. The Lutherans can not be drawn to go any further than what Luther saw, and the Calvinists, you see, stick fast where they were left by that great man of God, who yet saw not all things. “This is a misery much to be lamented; for tho they were burning and shining lights in their time, yet they penetrated not into the whole counsel of God, but were they now living, would be AS WILLING TO EMBRACE FURTHER LIGHT AS THAT WHICH THEY FIRST RECEIVED. I beseech you, remember it is an article of your church covenant that you be ready to receive whatever truth shall be made known to you from the written word of God. “But I must herewith exhort you to take heed what you receive as truth. Examine it, consider it, compare it with other scriptures of truth before you receive it; for it is not possible that the Christian world should come so lately out of such thick antichristian darkness, and that PERFECTION OF KNOWLEDGE SHOULD BREAK FORTH AT ONCE.”