And I thought to myself, I think I'm doing what they would have done. Luther, Calvin, John Robinson, William Bradford, William Brewster. I think I'm doing what they would have done if they were alive today. and had received a little bit more of that light, they had their struggle and what they inherited and what they're coming out of. But if they had the advantage of being born where I was with the background I had, I think those men would be doing the same thing. And the truth is, I kind of knew that all along. I just didn't think those thoughts. I didn't have a cause to have to put that together. And I say that, of course, because Pastor Robinson so very plainly said, there is more truth yet to break forth out of God's holy word. And you be willing to receive it. Maybe I'll give that quote in its literalness tonight, in its fullness. But John Robinson, the pastor of the pilgrims, says there's more truth in God's word. Now you've got to be willing to follow it no matter what and wherever it takes you. I'm saying that's what we want to remember in the pilgrims. Not the kind of hats they wear, the furniture they made, tricky dinners, or even true facts about their history. I'm thinking to myself, you know, it's 400 years, that's a big deal. When we were preaching on Reformation Day, Reformation Sunday for us, I didn't talk about Luther. Usually I always talk about Luther. I kind of focused on Calvin. And part of what was undergirding what I was saying is that, you know, when I watch the Reformed nowadays, today, many in the Reformed community, they copy They like to almost mimic. And I don't mean to be unkind, but it's my wry way of saying it's almost like they're going to put on their play clothes, dress up and make believe. And many of the reform, I'm not saying all of them, but many of the reform, they revel in that history and that's good because everybody else ignores it. So kudos to them for that. They revel in that history, but oftentimes, Those who revel in that history understand them the least. Maybe that's an exaggeration because how much do the Armenians understand? They don't even know anything hardly. But what I'm saying is that, look, reveling in their history doesn't mean you understand what drove them. And when I observe them, they're not doing what they did. They just want to live out their memory and duplicate it. And they do that with John Calvin all the time. Westminster this, Westminster that, Westminster this, and Westminster that. And they've got a box. They can't go beyond it because that won't be orthodox. So that whole council of John Robinson is out the window. But boy, do they honor the pilgrims. And you can have some historian come in the pulpit and gives you every little nuance and detail of every move they ever made. So what? I'm of the opinion, and that's why when I was talking about Calvin for Reformation Day, I was talking about experimental salvation and experimental Calvinism. In other words, I wasn't interested in going into the details of Calvin's history. We went into some, but my point was, but what was it that he had that made him memorable to us? That's the most important thing. Calvin never thought, never wanted all that he ever did to be about himself. And that was evident, I told you, when he was buried, he was very specific, I don't want a headstone. And he didn't believe that famous man that had achieved much notoriety in serving Christ should ever have headstones. Because he, you know, it's like if they knew where they buried Moses, you know, there'd be shrines there, you better believe it. And Calvin didn't want any of that. Same thing with Luther. Luther never did what he did just to be seen of men, to puff himself. Luther says that the diet of worms, basically, if you don't recant, we're gonna have you killed. And he says, I'm captivated by the word of God, which is to say, then kill me if you must. No, I won't, I will not recant, he told him. Why, because I am captivated by the word of God. That is what we want to remember in the Pilgrims. We remembered it for the Protestants, the Reformers, now I want to do the same thing with the Pilgrims. I could dig up more sermons by William, by Mr. Brewster or John Robinson. We could examine them. We could look at other details of their history and gather some more facts and figures. But I think that would miss the point. And I don't think that's what William Bradford would want us to do, honestly. Because I think William Bradford, like John Calvin, He wants us to remember what the Lord did for them and through them in his grace and mercy. It wasn't about making a name for themselves. And should we at Clavel, should I, should we at all Build a shrine to Moses' gravesite? No, I don't think we should build a shrine to Moses' gravesite. There's plenty of reform that want to make a shrine out of the reformers, to be sure. You know, it's interesting, though. We did, a few years ago, we went to Burial Hill in Plymouth, and we went to the graveside of William Bradford, where he was buried, and we took two church vans. It was our harvest supper. Took two church vans, and we rented, and we went there. We laid flowers at his grave, and I read, I believe it was an excerpt from something that William Bradford had said, along with a quick scripture, and then we sang a couple of psalms right there on the hill in Plymouth, and I was hoping there'd be a lot of people in that graveyard coming up to Thanksgiving, and it's where the pilgrims are buried, and there weren't many people around at all. I was kind of hoping, let them see us do this, let them hear it, right? But it doesn't matter whether they're there or not, it's the symbolic gesture. We weren't looking to make a shrine out of it, and we didn't. We didn't make it a three-wing circus. We didn't sell William Bradford kazoos and John Robinson yo-yos or anything like that. We were serious about what we were doing. And honestly, if it wasn't for this stupid COVID thing, we would have been back there for the harvest supper this year. That's what I wanted to do, but you couldn't make the plans ahead of time. You didn't even know what they're gonna do. So very restrained. Let's go to John chapter three. And it may seem like an odd passage of scripture, to remember the pilgrims but I think it fits for the very particular point I want to make today and it's really quite singular. John chapter 3 in verse 22. After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea and there he tarried with them and baptized. So it's not that Jesus himself was baptized, and we don't have any record of that, but no doubt Jesus was instructing his disciples to baptize, and they were doing that. And I would be surprised if Jesus ever did baptize anybody because I think Jesus knows full well, look, the Lord would keep the body of Moses hid because he knew what they'd do with it. Well, imagine being baptized by Jesus himself. You'd have an extra special magical baptism that blows away everybody else's, I mean, the Lord knows better. So he had his disciples baptizing in the land of Judea. And obviously this baptism is a baptism prior to his death, burial, and resurrection. It's the equivalent of the baptism that John was baptizing. It's a baptism of preparation, a baptism of repentance to prepare the way of the coming of the Messiah. So this was being done by Jesus and his disciples in Judea. And then in verse 23, and John also was baptizing in Enon near Salem because there was much water there and they came and were baptized. So you've got these two different groups. You've got Jesus and his disciples baptizing over here and John and his disciples baptizing over there. All right, so verse 24, John was not yet cast into prison. Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. And they came unto John, these are the disciples of John, coming to John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, that'd be Jesus, to whom thou bearest witness, because John was bearing witness of Christ, he's the one whose shoe latchets I'm not worthy to unloose. He's the one you need to see. The Lamb of God that would take away the sin of the world. John promoted Jesus, right? And they know that. It said unto John, and he said unto them, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. So. a little bit about human nature being seen here, and so obviously they're feeling a little jealous, because you think about what they're saying. John, Jesus, whom you built up, you told people to look to him. You pointed to him. Jesus has a very famous reputation, and you contributed to that greatly, because the people followed you, and you said, look at him. And how does he repay you? He's stealing your thunder. He's over there baptizing. They say, and all men come to him. Hey, Jesus, and he's baptizing more than you are, John. Like he's kind of cutting in your turf. They don't want to quite say it that plainly, but that's what it appears like. So a little bit of jealousy. I'm not overly critical of it. It's in a sense that it's very typical and common in human nature. Obviously, they're wrong to think that way, and John's going to correct them. So John responds to them. Verse 27, John answered and said, a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven. And no doubt John means that about himself but he also means it about Jesus, if that's what's happening that's God's will. A man only receives that which comes from heaven. See John's answering their question, he's doing it very gently, he isn't scolding them. John wasn't all fire and brimstone, he could be a gentle man too. Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. Now, he's kind of implying don't, you know, you're kind of approaching this as if I'm the Messiah. I've already told you I'm not. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom. That's Jesus. But the friend of the bridegroom, that's John, which standeth and heareth him rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice." I got to tell you, at the wedding, the bridegroom is central, not the friend of the bridegroom, see? But the bridegroom is, see? This my joy therefore is fulfilled. I'm happy that they're following him. And then John puts it out plainly in verse 30, he must increase, but I must decrease. Well, that's kind of what we're talking about in a little bit of the history of the pilgrims that we'll see here. And in verse 31, he says, he that cometh from above, that would be Jesus, is above all. He that is of the earth, that would be John, is earthly and speaketh of the earth. Remember John even had to send a message when he was in jail, you are the one right? John didn't know all things, he only knew what God in a limited way revealed to him which was more than the average person because he was a prophet, a great one. But see how little he knew, see how he could still be unsure, he gets these messages but he can't necessarily put them all together, the pieces. He that cometh from heaven, that's Jesus, is above all. So case closed. Don't worry about it. It's supposed to be this way. I must back off. Now John Calvin did that. He proved that when he died and he told us his personality was to retire, he doesn't like the limelight, he didn't want to be a mover and a shaker but the Lord grabbed him and made him and he revealed that through his life and even in his death. I think the same thing is true of Governor Bradford and the Pilgrims. What they were doing, they were doing not to be seen of men to bring glory to their name. I don't know how you can read that book on Plymouth Plantation with any kind of thoughtfulness and for a second think that's true. What they did, they did for the glory of Jesus Christ, they did it to bring glory to the Lord not to themselves. And some may object, well if it isn't about them. then why did William Bradford write such an extensive, detailed book of their history? I mean, every little nuance, it seems, of what they did, I mean, that's a pretty detailed book. So if he didn't want us, if it wasn't about them, what did he write that kind of history for? Everything in their journeyings and trials, it seems to all be there. And my answer to that would be because he knew, William Bradford knew, that that chronicled history that he would try and write as accurately and succinctly as he could, that chronicle history would glorify God. He knew it wouldn't bring glory to them. That's not how he saw it. It would bring glory to God, so he must do it because the Lord had dealt with those people. If he didn't do it, he wouldn't be honoring the Lord in a way that he was in a unique position to do it, being their governor. As soon as they got over there, he was their governor. You know, when he retired from being governor, he died just a few months later. His whole life. There was only five years he didn't serve as governor. He said, well, you know, it's time for someone else to do it. But, you know, they wanted him back. So he went back, and he served his whole life. from the time that he was there. He was a young man when he got there, served as their governor. But it wasn't about William Bradford. Did Bradford write to think about this? When you read that book on Plymouth Plantation, ask yourself, is he writing to puff up the memory of himself and his pilgrim brethren? Is that what he's doing? Is he writing an overly positive picture? Is he looking through rose-colored glasses to lift them up as if their piety was above all men in order to spiritually put them on some sort of imaginary pedestal for others to know? Do you really think, does anyone really think that's what William Bradford, I keep wanting to say John Robinson, that's what William Bradford was doing. Why haven't I read that book very carefully? I don't see spiritual embellishment. I don't see him whitewashing their failures and their shortcomings and even their sins. There's no artificial covering of those things up. And what I'm going to show you here in these few examples is that Bradford was meticulous. and open and extremely frank about their personal failures and weaknesses. So on the 400th anniversary of the pilgrims, I want to honor them. I'm going to read you about their failures and weaknesses. It doesn't sound like, well, that's not the way to honor them. I beg to differ, and I think he would too. And you'll see what I mean as we go along. I've got my trusty worn-out book. I don't have a cover on either side. In fact, I'm missing several pages in the front, but those are just introductions from the editor, so it's not Bradford himself. So I wrote down a few examples. The first thing I'd point to, this isn't so much an example, but just to show you the frame of mind, because I'm trying to show you that the point of this message is that the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims Like, I'm saying to myself, well, how come I haven't been studying more history? And the thought that occurred to me, because subconsciously, I wasn't thinking of it in the forefront of my mind, I knew it wasn't necessary. We, look, there's already enough history we have right here that can reveal to us what we really need to know. This isn't about we can go in jeopardy and answer the most questions of trivial pursuit about what they did. No, that's not the point. That's to miss the point. So my point is to say William Bradford did not write to be seen of men. He wrote for the glory of God. This is very much similar to what I was talking about on Reformation Day. I'm just applying it to these men. And I realized I didn't need more facts and figures. There's more than enough right here. Although I'm always interested in those things, right, and have usually pursued them. But the very first page of what he writes, the first sentences, this little bracket I put on top here, this is what he says. This is how he starts the history off. He says, and first of the occasion and inducements thereunto. And what he means by that is why am I writing this extensive history? Why did we do what we did as I've recorded it here? In first of the occasion and inducements thereunto, the which that I may truly unfold, I must begin at the very root and rise of the same, the which I shall endeavor to manifest in a plain style, with singular regard unto the simple truth in all things, at least as near as my slender judgment can attain the same. And I've always admired that because that's not him putting on false humility when he says that. Not when you're done reading this and you think about what you're reading. No, he meant that. That was, I mean, religiously, devotedly meant that, at least as my near slender judgment can attain the same. So he wants to write the simple truth as it was, and it seems to me that's what he's done. Now, to show you that he wasn't trying to puff his people, That he wasn't trying to overlook their shortcomings. That he was trying to make this about them so they somehow could maybe get famous. Maybe they'd get famous and make money off it. You know, we've got to be an idiot to think that's what they were doing. It's like you really don't understand what was going on. I'll give you exhibit number one, page 25. They're in Holland. So they had to escape England, all this persecution. They were being thrown in prison. Bad things were happening. Some could be tortured. They were dividing families. They were spying on churches. If you didn't go to the Church of England, you had your own separate church, which is what they had. You were breaking the law. They'd throw you in jail. So they were being persecuted for their faith. They knew we had to go. And when the opportunity availed itself, they did. And they went to Holland, over to Leiden. While they're there in Holland, they're there about 10 years, they came to a conclusion, we've got to leave. We finally got to make our trip to the new world, as dangerous as it is. And he lists out several reasons of why they couldn't remain permanently in Holland. They've got to make that dangerous trip into the unknown. And he lists out the reasons. One of the reasons he lists is quite humbling. And he didn't have to lift it. The other reasons were spiritually sufficient. We say, yeah, well, that makes sense. See what God-fearing men they are. But he added this other one, which isn't so complimentary. And this is what he writes. But that which was more lamentable, and of all sorrows most heavy to be born in Holland, was that many of their children, the children of the pilgrims, By these occasions and the great licentiousness of youth in that country and the manifold temptations of the place, many of our own youth were drawn away by evil examples into extravagant and dangerous courses, getting the reins off their necks and departing from their parents. Some became soldiers. Others took upon them far voyages by sea, and others some worse courses, tending to dissoluteness and the danger of their souls to the great grief of their parents and dishonor of God. Now, if you go to a PTA meeting today, and say, your little boy was acting up in class and that's why I did what I did, the teacher might say. And the average parent today will get up and defend little Johnny with tooth and nail. And it's hard to get parents to acknowledge the faults of their children. No, I love my children more than anything in the world. I wouldn't dare. That's not how they thought about it, brethren. William Bradford, when you boil it down he says, some of our children were going in a sinful direction and bringing dishonor to God. He didn't have to say that. The other reasons he gives are utterly sufficient and don't diminish their picture. He's actually saying like, but they were such God-fearing Christians that their children almost have grown up to know the Lord and been perfect models because that's how God-fearing they were. Oh, they belong on a pedestal and a whole bunch of people want that to be true. But William Bradford says, I'm going to write in a plain style, the truth as much as my slender judgment gives me the ability to do it. Well, he's doing it. He said it because it was true, even if it's embarrassing that some of their children, he doesn't say in all of them, but some of them were going in this direction. He even says, remember he says, getting the reins off their necks and departing from their parents. He's acknowledging that some of the children wanted to get out from the spiritual confines as they saw it. the spiritual discipline of the gospel. Like, oh, I don't wanna be so, they gotta get out from under their parents. So they became soldiers, they became sailors, and just to get away. That's an embarrassing thing to say. And he ends up concluding to a dissoluteness and the danger of their souls to the great grief of their parents and the dishonor of God. That's raw, that's honest, it's humbling, and he said it. And he's in the position, he didn't have to lie. Just don't bring that part up. And I think that's what the average Christian parent would do. There's no sense in airing our dirty laundry. They're not airing dirty. You don't know anybody's details of what children and what parents, but he's acknowledging in his humility, this is part of the reason we got to go. This culture has been a bad influence on our children. We have to do it. See? Example two, page 132. This is the area where he describes how when things were so bad those first years, Of course, remember, they're getting there late, right? It's November, December. They spent most of their money when they were trying to fix the other boat that kept springing leaks. They had to keep going back to England. And finally, they had to go from two boats to one. And they're consuming the food that was meant to consume to get them through that winter. in these months back and forth, and they're not making any money. They left their homes. Now they've left where they're enlightened, and they're in like harbor. No one's making any money. No one can produce anything. They're dwindling their supplies until finally one boat, and then they go over, and it's freezing cold. It's the mini ice age in that age, scientists today tell us. And there's almost no food left. There's sickness. There's Indians in the woods. They don't know how many. There could be thousands of them. There's no place to stay, and it's far more stark and raw. I mean, they're off the coast of Provincetown. If the wind blows, it's... So that first winter, they suffered a lot. We'll talk about that later, but... To survive, they said, well, we're so under the gun, maybe we need to follow the scriptures. Turn to Acts chapter four. Acts chapter four in verse 32. Acts 4.32. So when they were there, they decided to do what these people did. Verse 32, in the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul, neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common. The church, in first century Jerusalem in these early days were being persecuted, they were being killed. Saul of Tarsus was dragging believing Jews to Jerusalem to be persecuted and often many of them put to death. The people were in a drastic way. What happens to a wife when she comes to receive Christ but her husband back then in that culture didn't? She's out of the house. Oh, she'll just file for unemployment. No, there's no unemployment to file for. Go die. shunned, it was desperate. So they shared, they got rid of their private possessions. They didn't declare them. They're just gonna share with their brethren. We will all survive because we're the body of Christ. This was not done by the point of a gun via communism. And this was done out of the love of their hearts. Utterly different, but there's a principle here. And with great power, verse 33, gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet. And distribution was made unto every man according as he had need." It was an act of grace and love because they were under the gun. It's not something you normally do, but emergency situation. Well, the pilgrim said, we're kind of in the same boat. Let's look to the Bible for answers. And they see that and they say, let us do the same. And they did. And he records how it didn't work out at all. Well, I guess they weren't made out of the same cloth. All sorts of things can be said. He recorded it, brethren, which tells me they are made a little bit out of the same cloth. Now watch this, what he says. The common cause, he calls it the common cause and condition. They didn't start that way, but when things get real bad, they're going to have everything in common. Because don't forget, they've got a debt, and the document they signed. So they have to take the vast majority of what they produce and make and build and grow, put it on a ship, and send it back to England to pay their debts for the guys that financed them. And it was so much that they didn't know how they had, as much food as they were growing, there was almost nothing to survive on for themselves to honor that contract. So there was like a war going back and forth. It was like survival. These guys overestimated what we can do here. And so they were in a bad way. So they adopted this method, you know, in the, it says, this chapter is entitled Indian Conspiracy, Communism, Gorges. Well, communism is by the force of the state. They were trying to, but they're in principle trying to share and have all things in common, each according to the ability, each according to the need. And this is what he says, all this while no supply was heard of, neither knew they when they might expect any from England, some help, some stuff, some ability to live. So they began to think how they might raise as much corn as they could and obtain a better crop than they had done. that they might not still thus languish in misery. At length, after much debate of things, the governor, with the advice of the chieftess amongst them, gave way that they should set con every man for his own particular. In other words, they had been sharing it. They all plowed a common field. They all weeded and labored in that common field, which is meant to send back to England. And then they'd take a little spot and divide it up equally amongst everybody that worked. But that wasn't working out. So now they're saying, we got to go back to the old way, where every man raises his own food. It says, uh, set corn every man for his own particular. And in that regard, trust to themselves and all other things to go on in the general way as before. And so assigned to every family, a parcel of land, according to the proportion of their number for that end only for present use. and ranged all boys and youth under some family. There were some children that came over that didn't have families. And they would be assigned families, and now your fortune is with that family. This had very good success for it made all hands very industrious. The implication was they weren't so industrious when they shared and had all things in common. So as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been by any means the governor or any other could use and saved him a great deal of trouble and gave far better content. The women now, went willingly into the field, and took their little ones with them to set corn, which before would allege weakness and inability." Oh, my weak composition of being. I'm just a female, so I can't go out into the fields. Well, they're all going to divide it up equally, right? But now that make you grow your own food or die, they would never let that happen, but make your own food and live off what you got. Now all of a sudden they're well motivated and they're dragging Junior out into the field with them. Oh, it's amazing what you can do. Which before would allege weakness and inability, whom to have compelled when it was the common cause and make them go out in the field To compel would have been thought great tyranny and oppression. We're not going to force the women to go out, but now they're going out willingly. The experience that was had in this common cause and condition tried sundry years. And that amongst godly and sober men may well avenge the vanity of that conceit of Plato's and other ancients applauded by some of latter times. That the taking away of property and bringing in community into a commonwealth would make them happy and flourishing as if they were wiser than God. You get that all that? So yeah, he's saying, look, what we did, we went back to every man grows his own food and works. And we're all going to have to contribute to the common thing to put back on the ship, but you're all growing your own food. So he says, look, Plato and these other philosophers tried to make it well, if we could all get into a society that's communist, and we all share in everything alike, and we all do that, it'll just make for a happy time. And he's saying, no, they're pretending they're wiser than God, because that isn't God's way. Now, see, he's realizing that, and maybe he knew all along, well, this wasn't commanded what was in Acts 4. That's a historical record of what they did. But, well, we'll listen to what he says while I speak on his behalf. He says, for this community was found to breed much confusion and content. Oh yeah, so what he's saying is some people may say, see, that makes things happier. But he says, for this community was found to breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort. For the young men that were most able and fit for labor and service did repine that they should spend their time and strength to work for other men's wives and children without any recompense." You can only imagine that. Some young guy, you know, I'm doing most of the work and I got to share it with all these people? Well, you know, a little bit of... Reality to that, and this is the kind of complaints that were going on, the strong or men of parts had no more division in victuals, food and clothes, than he that was weak and not able to do a quarter of what others could. This was thought injustice. The aged and graver men to be ranked and equalized in labors and victuals and clothes, et cetera, with demeanor and younger sought, thought it some indignity and disrespect unto them. All of these are understandable. And for men's wives to be commanded to do service for other men, as dressing their meat, washing their clothes, et cetera, they deemed it a kind of slavery. Neither could many husbands well brook it, You know, I don't need that guy washing. I don't need that guy, you know, taking advantage of my wife's labor. What's going on here? It's my wife, you know. Completely understandable is what he's saying. He says, upon the point all being to have alike and all to do alike, they thought themselves in the like condition and one as good as another. And so, If it did not cut off those relations that God has set upon men, talking about the family unit, if that action of having all things in common, if it did not cut off those relations that God has set amongst men, yet it did at least much diminish and take off the mutual respects that should be preserved amongst men. He's basically saying that common cause is destroying the sanctity of a family unit. and would have been worse if they had been men of another condition, non-Christian. Let none object this is men's corruption and nothing of the cause itself." In other words, now don't argue with me. He's saying that, oh, this doesn't happen. There's nothing wrong with communism. It's just you guys are particularly bad. He's saying, no, no, no, no. He doesn't talk like me. Let none object this is men's corruption and nothing to the cost itself. I answer, seeing all men have this corruption in them, God in his wisdom saw another cost fitter for them. If a man will not work, neither shall he eat. Paul wrote about it. Now look, that whole aspect Look, we knew about that, but think about it. He didn't have to go into that kind of detail. He's showing that these God-fearing people, they were God-fearing people. But when you put them on a common cause, some of them became lazy. And he brings it out because it's true. and he isn't whitewashed in the history. See, that kind of stuff tells me that you can have confidence in what he's writing because it's to their own humiliation to write this. By the way, that's a profitable lesson for this generation. Communists read China, oh, this is scapes. And then the Democrats, oh, we need to do mail-in ballots. And oh, and oh, and now we've got AOC in the squad. And now we can shut down businesses and we can lock down society. So maybe we do need common income that comes from the government. I honestly believe there's a real attempt at a Marxist revolution going on in certain quarters. It's a matter of degree. William Bradford is saying don't fall for it. So there's a good practical lesson here for us. I'll give you another example. There's so many. Even when they suffered, he records their suffering. He records so much suffering, you know, the average person is gonna say, well, I guess God was really on their side. He talks like God's with them and he loves them, but. And unbelievers are gonna read this history and say, well, I don't see the big deal. They just suffered everything they did. then let them harden their hearts and be damned if that's what it is. You can't help that. He's going to write what was true. That tells me a lot. People don't normally do that. Now watch, unless they're looking to make money. They do it today, right? Oh, Mom, Oprah Winfrey. Well, I was abused when I was a child, too. And that's all meant, oh, the sympathy, pour the money, the email, the love, interviews on TV, and maybe a GoFundMe page, who knows? Well, you know, this wasn't on the radar then. What's going on here? Oh yeah, so they're suffering, but to the glory of God. There's no health and wealth gospel here. This is what he says, I may not, Yeah, that's what I want to read. I may not here omit how, notwithstanding all their great pains in industry, and by the way, this is 1623, so they've been there like two or three years. I may not here omit how, notwithstanding all their great pains in industry, in the great hopes of a large crop, the Lord seemed to blaft and take away the same, and to threaten further And more saw famine unto them, that first famine, that first winter, which we haven't talked about, but he's saying, here's another one. And the Lord seems to be blasting upon them by a great drought, which continued from the third week in May. Now that's in Plymouth in New England, that's planting time, right? That's when you plant, right? You're just about the point, I don't think a frost gonna come, so I can flip those in the ground quick. A drought from the third week of May till the middle of July. Now think about that. What would that do to your garden? Ah, just hook up the hose from the house. Sorry, that's not available. Without any rain and with great heat for the most part, insomuch as the corn began to wither away, though it was set with fish, the moisture whereof helped it much, yet at length it began to languish sore. And some of the drier grounds were parched like withered hay, pot whereof was never recovered. Upon which they set apart a solemn day of humiliation to seek the Lord by humble and fervent prayer." These are the kind of holidays they had. They weren't on a calendar and preset. As the need came, we're all going to stop working. We're going to get down on our knees and pray and fast and seek God's face. He calls it a solemn day of humiliation. You can almost imagine the neighbors of Noah walking by. Nice book you got there. Well, maybe the Indians are walking by. Look at these groveling English. They don't even know how to live. Look at them. They talk about their God. Look at them. And the Indians seem to find ways. They know the lay of the land. They've been at this longer. It's a day of humiliation and he's recording it. But they seek God's face. Now something happens on that day and he was both a day of great distress and he was pleased to give them a gracious and speedy answer both to their own and the Indians admiration that lived amongst them. For all the morning, the day of humiliation, prayer and fasting, for all the morning, the greatest part of the day, it was clear weather and very hot, and not a cloud or any sign of rain to be seen. Third week of May is the middle of July. Yet toward evening it began to overcast, and shortly after to rain with such sweet and gentle showers as gave them cause of rejoicing and blessing God. It came without either wind or thunder or any violence, considering it was very hot, he said. That's something. And by degrees in that abundance as that the earth was thoroughly wet and soaked and therewith, which did so apparently revive and quickened the decayed corn and other fruits, as was wonderful to see, and made the Indians astonished to behold." You know, the white man's God answered their prayers. And afterward the Lord sent them such seasonable showers with interchange of fair warm weather as though His blessing caused a fruitful and liberal harvest to their no small comfort in rejoicing, for which mercy in time convenient, they also set apart a day of thanksgiving, which is not the Thanksgiving turkey time in November. There's no set holiday. This was another day of thanksgiving, because how the Lord had answered their prayer and showed mercy. Now, we do see God answering their prayers, but he's recording all these hardships. Where was the Lord? Why did the Lord let this happen? But he records it all. even God's mercies and blessings, which I think he's most forward to want to record. And then lastly, well, I won't read the first part of this. It should go with it, but I've got to read it tonight for a different reason. And this is something you've heard me read before. on multiple occasions. It's just one of those classic portraits. If you could paint these words, you know. Back to the children. Did John, did, John Robinson, did William Bradford write to puff their reputations? Was he going to get anything out of doing that? By the way, he wrote this when he was an old man. What was he going to get out of it? No one was paying him for his journal. He probably was surprised that it even was published. I don't know. But he brings out the defection of their children which caused the weakening of their assembly. Again, he didn't really have to do that. He wouldn't be lying. He thought he should. And he writes about the bond of the assembly. He says, oh, sacred bond. whilst inviolably preserved. How sweet and precious were the fruits that flowed from the same. But when this fidelity decayed, then their ruin approached. Oh, that these ancient members had not died or been dissipated, if it had been the Lord's or else that his holy care, this holy care in constant faithfulness, which is what they were used to, had still lived and remained with those that survived. If it only rubbed off on the next generation and were in times afterwards added to them, because they had other people that kept coming from England and some would join that Plymouth Assembly. If only they had that fidelity that we had always known, But alas, he says, see, but alas, that subtle serpent hath slyly wound in himself under fair pretenses of necessity and the like to untwist these sacred bonds and tied, as it were, insensibly by degrees to dissolve or in great measure to weaken the same. I got to stop there. He says that Satan moved the younger people and some of the older ones that had come in from overseas, but mainly he's going to talk about second generation. He had convinced them that they needed to leave under fair pretenses of necessity and the like. They're pretenses of spiritual necessity. We need we can't go here anymore because you know, I don't know the Lord isn't leading I'm not happy. Why aren't you happy? Are you missing some pizzazz? Why aren't you happy? Oh, but the pilgrims answers in that little assembly was so raw and and poignant, I am sure, in their simplicity. It's uncomfortable. We want to find a way to get happiness that's more circuitous, deceptive, and can leave us more satisfied in our backsliding. That's what he's saying. Now listen to him. I have been happy in my first times to see, and with much comfort to enjoy, the blessed fruits of this sweet communion. but is now a part of my misery in old age. To find and feel the decay in want thereof, he puts in parentheses, and in great measure. Did he really have to do that? He did. And with grief and sorrow of heart, to lament and bewail the same. Now he's saying that our children have forsaken us and the new folks that have come over don't have the same stuff. See, we could have gone over some facts and figures about the pilgrims. I'm interested in the stuff and so is Bradford because he knows the other stuff doesn't last. It produces false happiness that is here today and gone tomorrow. We're gonna talk about that a little bit more. Maybe tonight, that's not the subject, but for some reason, maybe I'm wrong. Lots of thoughts go between two sermons, you know. With grief and sorrow of heart to lament and bewail the same. Now why did he write this? By the way, what happened is, There's a text where, and I'll read it tonight, and you've heard me read it before, but John Robinson and the elder William Brewster wrote how you should view your church membership and what it is biblically. Almost zero Christians today think of it that way. I'm going to show you that tonight. And see, that stands in perfect contrast to this. That's why it belonged for this, but I needed that portion more for the point we'll be making about the pilgrims tonight. So why does he write this? Obviously, he can't be writing this so that they can be puffed up. You see, the model church. He's saying, but in my old age, it's falling apart because the young people have gone south. And we left Holland to prevent that from happening. He's being rawly honest, because that's the kind of man he was. He's the kind of guy who had the stuff. And he's writing about people that don't have it. And he's not doing it arrogantly. Here's why he writes it. And for others wanting, that's why he includes it. He wouldn't be lying if he didn't include this. This is like spiritual in the heart stuff. You don't have to include that. Well, he thought it necessary. He says, so why did he write this honestly? For others' warning and admonition and my own humiliation, do I here note the same. So did Bradford write to put the pilgrims on a pedestal? No. Was he glossing over their blemishes and weaknesses and faults and defections? Nope. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a church historian in a modern church that would write with such brutal honesty. He wrote, for our admonition and warning, for his own humiliation so that we would learn, but I think I can add to this, he wrote that we would see the glory and the mercy and the kindness of God and working through an obviously imperfect yet God-fearing people. His slender judgment was to me monumental and very few make note of it. I'll just have to give you one more example in passing because I'm out of time. I can't develop the thought the way I really wanted to. But Governor Bradford, when he was 23 years old, in Leiden, Holland, married Dorothy May. She was 16, he was 23. They're in Holland. They've already escaped England. And he married Dorothy May. Dorothy May was The daughter, I didn't realize this until now, unless I learned it a long time ago and forgot, but I don't think I knew this. Dorothy May was the daughter of the author of the Ainsworth Psalter. The Ainsworth Psalter, which we sang from before. I brought a page I found on the internet and mimeographed it. And the Aynsworth psalter was the psalter that they sang from and came over on the Mayflower. It was the psalter that was used in the Plymouth Assembly, not the Bay psalter made in Boston in 1650. And when 1650 came and all of Boston and all of New England was using the Bay psalter, they kept using the Aynsworth until 1690. That Aynsworth psalter they felt was so rigorous and true and pure. The author of that psalter, his daughter, is the person that married William Bradford, Dorothy May. And her father was an elder in the Ainsworth Church in Amsterdam. And the pastor of that church was the guy who wrote that psalter. So just that close connection. See, I gave you a little trivia, see? But it's interesting to us as psalm singers, I think, Well, they had a son, so they get married in 1617 in Holland, and they had a son, John. Three years later, they had to come over to the New World, and they left their son, John, three years old, behind with his grandfather because they knew, we could die, we don't know what's going to happen. And it was worse than they thought, because they thought they were going to the northern parts of Virginia, where there's a straggling few others. And they were blown off, so they knew anything could happen. So they hoped to bring John back in a year or two or three, whatever it would take, when it was safe for a little child at that. And he actually did end up making his way over and lived a long time. And he ended up and finally settled, I don't know, was it Norwich, Connecticut? It was a place down in the more southern part of Connecticut. So they had to leave their three-year-old son behind. They'd been married for three years, leaving their son behind. They come up to the Cape, they anchor, and William Bradford goes off with a bunch of other men in a shallop to go scout out, is there a place we can anchor the Mayflower? Is there any place we can build a quick building? Can we scrounge up any food? And of course, The coastline of Provincetown is like a desert next to an ocean, you know what I mean? And so, and there was Indians, and there was cold weather, and rain, and sleet, and no food, and being attacked, and it was a very desperate kind of situation. And William Bradford comes back, and his wife had fallen overboard, and she's dead. Now, he doesn't give the account of her dying. in his book. The only thing he had to say about his own wife dying. is this, and this is in a section where later on he's just saying, and here is my summation of what happened to the original pilgrims that came over the Mayflower, like how did it go with them, just to summarize at the end of his history. This is the only reference in his whole book to his wife's death. And it's in a list of what happened to all of them. So he puts an entry for himself and says, William Bradford, I'm quoting him, William Bradford, comma, his wife died soon after their arrival and he married again. Period. That's it. You say, that almost seems cold. Not understanding the man. It isn't about him. And I think he was particularly concerned with that because he's the author and he's controlling this narrative. And he went out of his way to make sure he didn't get to have special treatment to show how much he suffered because other people suffered too. Is he to write about them with that detail? If he's not going to write about them with that detail and their heartaches and their suffering, Then why should he have the privilege of saying, see how much I suffered particularly, so I was, no wonder they made me governor. No, no, no, none of that. So very plain, very simple, completely understated. That's all he had to say. You can only imagine how a modern author in, oh, I was sleepless nights. I woke up one night and this happened. Oh, the anguish of heart, but then the Lord came down on me, bro, and see, oh, the sorrow, the depths, then how the Lord intervened. No, none of that. That's the humility. And by the way, that was a part of how they thought. It isn't just William Bradford. But William Bradford was the man that God called to record this history. And it wasn't about them. It's about the Lord and his goodness. So when I sat there on the couch with my wife saying, I haven't started any history. I didn't even give it any thought. Why haven't I? Like the first thought that came to my mind was this general thought. Because that's not how they would have it. It's why they did what they did that's important. And that's because Christ was in them. And he was first and foremost. And that's why we read the passage that we read. He must increase, but I must decrease. Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for this wonderful history that You have given us. It was Your providential wisdom that caused them to pass through the fire and through the floods and through all they had to endure. To see their weaknesses and the flesh come to the fore, but to see them cry out for Your mercy And you gave it to them. It stands as a testimony, like an epistle. And we thank thee for this history. And Father, we thank thee that it's a part of our heritage. As corrupt and as wicked as our nation has become. Our sins are only magnified all the more because this is the foundation from which we sprang. The very few people that can claim that for their nation. So we thank you for this history. We pray that we would preserve the spiritual realities that we've considered in our own lives. That we too would not serve to lift up our own names but through life doctrine and practice that we would honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We pray this in his name. Amen.