Governor Bradford's First Dialogue
by Governor William Bradford (excerpt)
ANCIENT MEN.
They ought not indeede to be thus presumptuous (as you well say), but you will find it otherwise. For the Papists hold, and bouldly affirme, that the church is not known by the word of God; but the word of God is knowne by the church. And vpon this ground it was that in the Councill of Basell the Cardinall Cusanus (the pope's legate) maintained that the church is not knowne by the gospell, but the gospell by the church.
YOUNG MEN.
How doe they describ this church, & what power & authority doe they giue thereto?
ANCIENT-MEN.
They calle it the Roman-Catholick-Church, and say it is the only true church, out of which ther is no saluation. And that it is an vniversall, visible-church, ouer whom the pope is visible head and Christs vickar. And that this Romane church is mother and mistres of all churches; and (by the Lord's ordinance) hath principality of ordenary power aboue all others, as being the mother and mistres of all Christian belieuers.
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How is the theme developed in this passage?
through argument
by the use of imagery
through narration
by listing viewpoint
