Bradford's History of 'Plimoth Plantation': From the Original Manuscript. With a Report of the Proceedings Incident to the Return of the Manuscript to MassachusettsBradford, William
History
Bradford's History of 'Plimoth Plantation': From the Original Manuscript. With a Report of the Proceedings Incident to the Return of the Manuscript to Massachusetts
Bradford, William
Massachusetts -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
A 4. thing ther is carfully to be provided for, to witte, that with
your co[=m]one imployments you joyne co[=m]one affections truly bente
upon y^e generall good, avoyding as a deadly [41] plague of your both
co[=m]one & spetiall comfort all retirednes of minde for proper
advantage, and all singularly affected any maner of way; let every man
represe in him selfe & y^e whol body in each person, as so many rebels
against y^e commone good, all private respects of mens selves, not
sorting with y^e generall conveniencie. And as men are carfull not to
have a new house shaken with any violence before it be well setled &
y^e parts firmly knite, so be you, I beseech you, brethren, much more
carfull, y^t the house of God which you are, and are to be, be not
shaken with unnecessarie novelties or other oppositions at y^e first
setling therof.
Lastly, wheras you are become a body politik, using amongst your
selves civill govermente, and are not furnished with any persons of
spetiall eminencie above y^e rest, to be chosen by you into office of
goverment, let your wisdome & godlines appeare, not only in chusing
shuch persons as doe entirely love and will promote y^e co[=m]one
good, but also in yeelding unto them all due honour & obedience in
their lawfull administrations; not behoulding in them y^e
ordinarinesse of their persons, but Gods ordinance for your good, not
being like y^e foolish multitud who more honour y^e gay coate, then
either y^e vertuous minde of y^e man, or glorious ordinance of y^e
Lord. But you know better things, & that y^e image of y^e Lords power
& authoritie which y^e magistrate beareth, is honourable, in how meane
persons soever. And this dutie you both may y^e more willingly and
ought y^e more conscionably to performe, because you are at least for
y^e present to have only them for your ordinarie governours, which
your selves shall make choyse of for that worke.
Sundrie other things of importance I could put you in minde of, and of
those before mentioned, in more words, but I will not so farr wrong
your godly minds as to thinke you heedless of these things, ther being
also diverce among you so well able to admonish both them selves &
others of what concerneth them. These few things therfore, & y^e same
in few words, I doe ernestly co[=m]end unto your care & conscience,
joyning therwith my daily incessante prayers unto y^e Lord, y^t he who
hath made y^e heavens & y^e earth, y^e sea and all rivers of waters,
and whose providence is over all his workes, espetially over all his
dear children for good, would so guide & gard you in your wayes, as
inwardly by his Spirite, so outwardly by y^e hand of his power, as y^t
both you & we also, for & with you, may have after matter of praising
his name all y^e days of your and our lives. Fare you well in him in
whom you trust, and in whom I rest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account