Fare Thee God Speedwell

In the year 1620, before setting sail to the New World with a group of dissenting separatists on the ships Mayflower and Speedwell, Puritan pastor John Robinson preached his final sermon in Leyden, England wherein his text was that of Ezra 8:22-23.

The following is the excerpt of his conclusion:

We are now ere long to part asunder, and the Lord knows whether ever we shall live to see one another’s faces. But whether the Lord has appointed it or not, I charge you before God and His blessed angels, follow me no further than I follow Christ; and if God shall reveal anything to you by any other instrument of His, be as ready to receive it as ever you were to receive any truth by my ministry. For I am confident the Lord has more truth and light to break forth from His holy word. I bewail the state and condition of the Reformed churches, who have come to a full-stop in religion, and will go no further than the instrument of their reformation.

The Lutherans cannot be drawn beyond what Luther saw; the Calvinists, they stick where Calvin left them.

This is a misery much to be lamented; for though they were shining lights in their times, yet God did not reveal His whole will unto them, and if they were alive today they would be as ready to and willing to embrase further light, as that they had received.

Keep in mind our church covenant, our promise and covenant with God and one another, to receive whatsoever light or truth shall be made known to us from His written word. But take heed what you receive for truth- examine it well and compare and weigh it with other Scriptures of truth before you receive it.

It is not possible that the Christian world should so lately come out of such thick anti-Christian darkness, and that the perfection of knowledge should break forth at once.

Friends, let us keep these things in mind, bearing with one another, seeking to edify one another instead of tearing down. Let us seek to spur one another on to love and good works, supporting one another, getting under others, not being lords and masters over another, but truly honoring the other as higher than our own selves, seeking to increase others and pouring ourselves out in service, rather than hindering others, hoarding for our own lusts, or building our own kingdoms. But rather, to seek every opportunity to peacefully and joyfully build the Kingdom of God and make much of the Name of Jesus for the Glory of God the Father, going from glory to glory to ever increasing glory.

Let us search opportunities to build up one another. Let us pursue the bond of peace and unity of the brotherhood as we walk together in submission under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, who alone is Sovereign King, who has liberally poured his Spirit out to fill us with his life, cause us to walk in his statutes, to lead and guide us into all truth, as we become known by all as his disciples by our love for one another.