Governor Bradford's first dialogue : $b A dialogue, or the sum of a conference between some young men born in New England and sundry ancient men that came out of Holland and old England, anno Domini 1648.Bradford, William
History
Governor Bradford's first dialogue : $b A dialogue, or the sum of a conference between some young men born in New England and sundry ancient men that came out of Holland and old England, anno Domini 1648.
Bradford, William
Pilgrims (New Plymouth Colony) -- Early works to 1800; Separatists
We were in the company of a godly man that had been a long time
prisoner at Norwich for this cause, and was by Judge Cooke set at
liberty. After going into the country he visited his friends, and
returning that way again to go into the Low Countries by ship at
Yarmouth, and so desired some of us to turn in with him to the house
of an ancient woman in the city, who had been very kind and helpful to
him in his sufferings. She knowing his voice made him very welcome,
and those with him. But after some time of their entertainment, being
ready to depart, she came up to him and felt of his band (for her eyes
were dim with age), and perceiving it was something stiffened with
starch, she was much displeased, and reproved him very sharply, fearing
God would not prosper his journey. Yet the man was a plain countryman,
clad in gray russet, without either welt or guard (as the proverb
is), and the band he wore scarce worth threepence, made of their own
homespinning; and he was godly and humble as he was plain. What would
such professors, if they were now living, say to the excess of our
times?
Mr. HENRY AINSWORTH, a man of a thousand, was teacher of this church
at Amsterdam at the same time when Mr. Johnson was pastor. Two worthy
men they were and of excellent parts. He continued constant in his
judgment and practice unto his end in those things about the church
government, from which Mr. Johnson swerved and fell. He ever maintained
good correspondence with Mr. Robinson at Leyden, and would consult
with him in all matters of weight, both in their differences and
afterwards. A very learned man he was, and a close student, which much
impaired his health. We have heard some, eminent in the knowledge of
the tongues, of the university of Leyden, say that they thought he had
not his better for the Hebrew tongue in the university, nor scarce
in Europe. He was a man very modest, amiable, and sociable in his
ordinary course and carriage, of an innocent and unblamable life and
conversation, of a meek spirit, and a calm temper, void of passion and
not easily provoked. And yet he would be something smart in his style
to his opposers in his public writings; at which we that have seen his
constant carriage, both in public disputes and the managing of all
church affairs, and such like occurrences, have sometimes marvelled.
He had an excellent gift of teaching and opening the Scriptures; and
things did flow from him with that facility, plainness, and sweetness,
as did much affect the hearers. He was powerful and profound in
doctrine, although his voice was not strong; and had this excellency
above many, that he was most ready and pregnant in the Scriptures, as
if the book of God had been written in his heart; being as ready in
his quotations, without tossing and turning his book, as if they had
lain open before his eyes, and seldom missing a word in the citing of
any place, teaching not only the word and doctrine of God, but in the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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