Capt Robert Chapmans Legacie to his Children. Left to them in writing before his decease who departed this Life the 13th day of October 1687 TO leave Something with my Children that may be of use to them whilst they are passing through a perilous world the design of this writing The first Part of my time till I was about 15 or 16 years of age I lived with my parents I was Educated in the way they then called puretansme in observance of gospell rules and especially of the Sabath which ?? no Little tryall to me to see ?? others of neighbors around about me to have their plays and Sports on the Sabbath and my Self held in by the rains of family Government to the dutys of the Sabbath: When I was about 15 years of age I had a mind to be put out to Learn a trade great care wastaken to Place me in Some Godly famaly and because therewas not of that trade then known near my fathers house I was bound out to a man that Lived about 30 miles off who in a formall Shew had the name of [ ] Christian but in truth and real[ ] a poor man. when I had been there a while I had my Liberty as other boys had to play on the Sabbath days and improved my Liberty Some time till the Lord was pleased to make me to remember the way of Education at home and how just it was with God to Leave me now to have my [ ] to be vain and profain as others by the Good hand of God upon me it So prevented that I left of that course and attended the [S?] as well as I Could Remember Children be not wanting to your children when they are young begin betimes to teach them the knowlege of the god of their fathers you will finde the first of time to be the Best of time: and though not much Encouragement may at present appear yet be assured there is a blessing anexed thereto that Shall in due time appear : After I had Somtime refrained my Self from those Sabath daye Sports Providentially there was a Scotch Minister who traviling through The town on xxx xxxxx xxx the Last day of the week was persuaded by Some Christians to Stay in town and preach to them on the morrow which was the Sabbath: which he yielded unto and did preach from those words : put you on the Lord Jesus Christ : which words was in the opening and prosecution Such words as I thought I never heard before as to inward Soul Concernments and this did give a Second lift to me : After Some years Service with my master the way was opened for me as that I Returned home to my fathers house then was the great name and fame of new:England Sounding about the Country: then Also liberty and Sports upon the Sabath publickly allowed then. Great numbers appeared to Embrace the Same and make a scoff at those that would not fall in with them : then the signs of a black and dark time did appear inso much that it Caused Great thoughts of heart amongst the Godly what was their way whether to go for new:England there being then an open door Some chose to keep their Standing and others to great numbers from all parts of England of all Sorts of persons with their familys cast them Selves upon the providence of God by Shiping themselves for new England in which time it being the year 1635 : I wrought Jorney [?] work with one Tillinghust for the Space of half a year and until I Came for new:England a blessed change it was to me to fall into such a Godly family where I had my desire of Christian Comunion and so as that I grew apace in Knowledge and Stability with Such warmed affections as that I thought my Estate was Good but my purpose for Newengland being setled and the time drawing near of taking Ship after I had Spent Some time in visiting my friends in Kent and Sussex in the beginning of September was dismissed from them to the blessing of God and tooke Ship and after a long and dangerous voyage arrive at Boston in new England the 26 day of December 1635 and my Self with Several others lovingly Entertained on Shore and had our entertainment that winter at Govenour winthrops farm : When I had been Some time on Shore I had a Great fit of sickness and many terrors with it as Concerning my Estate : could make no Comfortable work of what I had thought I had been wrought in me before but many discouragments and heart mis-givings that Surely here must be Something more done then yet I had found: the Lord was pleased to raise me up again and from thence brought me to this place in the beginning of April 1636 where I have remained to this day ---- after After I had been here Some time that black and dark day of the pequod war fell upon us in such Sort that our lives were in hazard night and day and when we Saw one taken away one day 2 at another 4 at another out of our little number and the Enemy rage and insult that he will have us all : now comes home two questions what do I hear :and what must I do here : here after much Strugling I was Satisfied in that that I was in the Place that God had Set me in that I did not bring my Self into it no further then I was advised by my friends Especially by my faithful Loving mother who I know did lay up a Stock of prayers for me Remember this Children your obediance to parents may Stand by you when you have Little Else to relieve you 2dly what must I do here the voice of God to me both in his word and works was prepare thy Self the son of man Comes in an hour when you look not for him Saw it So by others and to help on this Great work the Lord was pleased to Send mr. Higginson amongst us to be preacher unto us whose labour in the work of the ministry was Suitable Seasonable profitable according to the then present Dispensation of providence all which to gether put me upon more earnest indeavours then formerly by prayer hearing and laying up the word Studying the Scriptures acquainting my Self with the principles of the oracles of God unto which all truths may be refered and have found the benefit of that Study even to keep me Stedy from being deceived by the cunning and Subtle contrivances of Such as would be accounted to be angels of Light and yet in truth are the children of darkness who can cry up the Scriptures with great zeal and Solemnity even those that favour the lu[st?] of their hearts and others will Slight for this my time hath been a perilous age when So many false Christs hath appeared in the world to deceive Some they must have [Imediate] Revelations from heaven or else of no value others do affirm that though the Spirit doth witness witness according to the word yet without any condition or qualification wrought in us : another Sort are those that Say there is nothing required of them but to believe that Christ hath done all for them and therefore neither Repent or obey the Gospel in the Sumery part there of ------- another Sort and they are such as have gone creeping up and down the Country to gain Disciples who have and do teach that the Light that is in a person if it be tended to is sufficient to Salvataion :these with Some others of Like import pass hard under Soaking awakenings to be Embrused ? as to bring rest to the Soul which through divine assistance upon tryall I found them to lead off from Christ and so from rest for as much As they all have a tendancy to Cast off Christs yoak and therefore far off from bearing his Cross the nescesity of which is So often urged by Christ himself otherwise we cannot be his disciples his being prest[ ] hard upon me and the Sweetness of Communion with christ that I found in private prayer brought me up to a Settled resolution to be for Christ to Stand for christ to take up his Cross and follow him in what capacity he Should bring me into which resolution I have found to abide and be helpfull to me Especially when I have Seen the cross coming to me and waies before me to Escape the Same o then ? do not deny Christ[?] hath Said that voice within me blessed by God that hath been my helper that in those criticall times and turns I have met withall that I have not imprisoned the truth when it hath come to my turn neither wickedly departed from my God : my children I insist the more? here for this is foundatition work it being laid upon Christ Christ as a crucified Christ: Christ As he is revealed in the Gospel Not coming with outwarn observation but with inward demonstration of the word and spirit of Christ thus lay your foundation and the building will Stand and in all matters you are called forth to attend Let your business be with God what Shall I do in this and that case, do not Confer with flesh and blood but Study the Good word of God be proving what is the good and acceptable will of the Lord and keep close there to although you See the cross make make fast toward you flinch not for in due time you Shall reap if you faint not but Especially See that your foundation be laid upon Christ the discovery of his Love and rich Grace for this will allways be of a constraining nature to follow Christ. We Love him because he loved us first Gracious discovery begets love and love resolution as Some times he Said Should Such aman a I flee according to the Discoveries of free Grace So will be Our love : according to our love So Our resolution for God ye Scripture is Plentifull in this 116 psam : I will love the Lord and the reason was because he had heard his Supplication and inclined his ear : but when was that when the Sorrows of Death compassed me about and the pains of hell gat hold upon him as if david Should Say oh here is matchles love indeed when death and hell come together even then for God to hear and then to deliver this hath begotten love in my Soul therefore hath thy Servant found in his heart to pray oh Says he I love the Lord and will call upon him so long as I live Children look to your your Selves : on this account Strong resolutions for God Speake out Gracious discoverys of God : weak resolutions argues weak work and no resolution Seems to render a person as having yet his choice to make Standing upon an Indifferent point with god it is that wich which Some times you know I have hinted at when persons have been presented as fit for church comunion and to be enroled amongst the Saints they have Spoken Some more and Some less according to what God hath done for them but very little if anything at all what they will do for god which Seems to fall Short of all the examples both Christ himself and of the most Eminant of Saints and is a mongst many others arguments an argument of declention and of pitifull low Spirits when Christ was asked whether he were a King Says Christ to this and was I born and for this Cause came I Into the world So Paul I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem : I have Sworn Says David and will perform that I will keep thy righteous Judgments : See therefore what resolution and purpose of heart you are come to for as a man thinketh thinketh in his heart So is he the times coming on do call for Settlement See your foundations be Safe: I have Insisted the more upon this because Scripture and experience Lays So much weight thereon the church of Ephesus [haveing] fallen is commanded for her recovery to repent recover her first love and do her first works : I Shall now Come to Give Some hints Concerning the Build ing upon this foundation that is a Spirituall building, as the foundation is So must the building be : First then Remember that in this build-ing there must be an agreement with the foundation in all the causes’ thereof the Eficient meritorious formall and finall causes : first the Eficient which is the Spirit of God without which you cannot Strike a Stroke to the building aright : we know not how to pray as we ought but the Spirit helpeth our in firmities it is not Grace received in the habit that will do but the operation is of the Spirit Secondly you must agree with the meritorious cause and that is the righteousness of Christ that there is any good look from heaven upon a Sinfull Soul is the purchase of Christ : away then with that Self conceited righteousness of our own and feel and Say when we have done all we can we are unprofitable Servants Thirdly we must agree as to the formal cause faith in God and observance to God a believing hart and a Godly life you are no more Strangers and forainers Says Paul but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief corner Stone fourthly.: you must agree with the foundation as to the finall cause which is to build a Spirituall and So an Eternall house and hence this building is called a building of God an house not made with hands Eternal in the heavens : now where-Ever there is this foundation laid upon Christ there is a growing Spirituall building there upon which Shall grow So high as to reach into heaven and there remain a holy temple through the Spirit unto the lord notwith Standing all the powers of darkness and the gates of hell that Shall not prevaile Fifthly that the guilding and the foundation may agree whatever you do Labour to keep up uprightness to God and to man a citizen of Sion is one that Speaks the truth in his heart : his heart and his tongue doth Sweetly agree then this Spirituall building Spiritual building and foundation will agree also there is nothing that the Devill and his Instruments do more Set themselves against then the uprightness of the Saints and it is rare if one day pass but that a discerning Spirituall builder may See Subtile and crafty and many times undiscerned working of Sin Satan and the world to drive aman off from his up-rightness which if they can attain that they know the man is conquered and Like to have his portion with hippocrites Now to leave with you my Children Some of my obser-vations and experiences in my time of Snares and dificulties that I have been brought into and helped thereon First I have often met with 2 ways the one a way of uprightness with the Cross, the other away of falshood wth worldly advantage I have Chosen the first Secondly : I have met with 2 Sorts of persons Saints and Sinners : by Saints I mean Such who are called faithfull and true and are like minded unto Christ : by Siners I mean garnished profesors and yet Like minded with the world rising high in forms and outward Shews of holiness but as deeply bespoted with the filth of this world as others. were were there visard taken off I have loved the first and been Shy of the Second try me o God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and See if there be any wicked way in me and Lead me in the way Everlasting Thirdly I have met with temptations both from Saints and Siners who have delt Injuriously with me and ungratfully to have revenged my Self which I have had oppertunity to do : but the lord hath Said vengance is mine and I will repay believing that it Shall So be: have quieted my Self and been Still : fourthly : I have met with temptations on worldly preferments to conform to the Customs of the changing times it being the way to get up and hold out in honourable Employments but the Snares and temptations that ly thick and Strong in such capacities have been fearfull to me I have not to my Knowledge used any indirect means for Such attainments lest the temptations Should be too hard for me and a trembling thing to me when God hath Called me forth upon the Stage of action Fifthly I have Seen the time when it was Joy to me to do that which was right and habve indeavoured to do So to mine enemies as well as friends: of Spiritual and Soul concerns in these particulars First I have Seen the time when Secret communion with Christ Christ hath been Esteemed by me as the most precious time in this world Secondly I have Seen the time that I have longed for the Sabbath before it came and when come Esteemed them honourable and holy unto the Lord Thirdly I have heard and recieved the word many a time with this prayer lord make this word Good to thy Servant: Fourthly : I have found a Difference in the Solemnity and awfullness of my heart betwixt the reading of the pure word of God and other mens works there from fifthly I have found great benifit in the comunion of Saints Specially in those days when Spiritual Experimentall things were brought forth: that which comes from the heart usually reaches the heart: Sixthly: I have thorow the Grace of god in dificult Cases which were beyond me been able to Commit my Self in the Sense of my own insifficientcy into the hands of him who is alsufficient and have had the accomplishment of that promise both in doing and suffering my Grace Shall be sufficient for thee Secondly The change of times in my time acording to my observation may not be unusefull to you if my time be divided into 3 parts I lived almost a 3rd part in England before I Came into these Parts : that was a declining time as to the life and power of religion few there were in most places and Great places too that kept up religion in their families and things grew worse and worse: profanation of the Sabaths allowed by the prelates bowing the bodys of the congregation when the name of Jesus was mentioned with Severall other Injunctons to the Subverting of Souls : te Godly of the land grieved and not being able to help them Selves the others discouraged So as they were Seen to walk on Every Side : then a time to make that prayer help Lord for the Godly man ceaseth and the faithfull fail from among the children of men this I Saw in my first part of time in England and it was an Evil time that the Shadows of the Evening were Streched over the people of God A Second change of time in my time was in the morning of new England I may Say the first 20 years and it was a rising time glorious things were then reported of our Sion newenglands morning clear and beau tifull though not altogether without clouds of herisie which acationed trouble but yet Soon crushed the persons being found no better then then wandring Stars and their doctrins Like Empty clouds without water them had the Churches rest in New England and were Edified walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy ghost were multiplyed then was the glory of our first temple such as its doubtfull whether Ever it will be recovered to : then were the churches organised with teaching Elders [Ruleing] Elders deacons all fixed in their places then were there to be found in the Churches men able pious men who could and did in the absence of their officers instruct the people out of the Scriptures to their edification and good sattisfaction then there were Signal testimonies of God hearing the prayers of his people with Speedy an- -swers there unto then God rebuking kings for the Sake of his people he broak their laws and cut their Spears assunder Saying be still and know that I am God I will be exalted among the heathen -------- The Last 3d part of my time or there abouts nigh 20 years accord- -ing to my observation hath been a declining time from those first ways as in general all or the most part do grant that after God hath done So well by us we have Iesuran like waxed fat & kicked the heel and therefore have all those Evils come upon and over taken us : and that Seem to Increase upon us one year after another as if the Lord were resolved not only to make us Sick with Smiting but to give us a deadly wound that Shall not be healed : I Shall leave with you my Children Some perticulars of my observation and who wee may be compared unto Surely in our first days to Capernaum lifted up to heaven and in our last days with those in malachies time inclineing downward towards hell : The first Sign of declention is loss of love and affection to God and his ways Saith Christ to the Church of Ephesus thou hast left thy first love their declention first begins in cooling the affections and then diverting the judgement and practice So Say they the table of the Lord is poluted and his meate is contemptable as if they should Say it is poor beggerly living upon the provision God hath provided in his house, oh how many have there been in Churches who have for a considerable time well approved the doctrine of of the Gospel and discipline of the Churches and yet afterward Shews themselves to be men and wo -men of other perswations : Great families that when their Children have been grown up they have Stu- dyed more their privilegges then their duties : and the first ways of the Churches are strict there need not be So much adoe all the Congregation is holy and hence implicite faith must Suffice when allas poor Souls the fault lies not there but in themselves : they have nothing to Say they have lost their love and affection to the word and ways of God and have not concern ed themselves as they ought and there fore willingly ignorant of those plain truths of the Gospel that with the heart man belives unto righteousness and with the mouth Confession is made unto Salvation So clear and full are those things laid down in the word that a Single eye may See them: A Second Signe of declention and That is Idleness : if a person loose His love and afecition to a thing he will Secretly grow careless of it : there was a time when heads of families kept up the worship of God in their families but after their Children were Grown up they grew more lax forgeting their places and loosing the ways of their Government taking little notice of their Extravagences if they please them on worldly accounts So that the Spirit of Religion hath Secretly and In- Sensably died away in those Families a lamentale thing to See Great families of chidren come to man and womans Estate and yet no more to be found in them then in those that are of the Profainer Sort as Either to the form and power of Godlyness yet these idle persons do think themselves wronged if they be not raised up to (part missing here) that height of priviledges as others these are they that will not Shut the door of the house of God for nought neither kindle a fire up on his alter without Some worldly advantage: I have no pleasure in you Saith the Lord of hoasts neither will I except an offering at your hand : A third Signe of declention is when persons grow teachy and froward a laysy person doth not care for work quckly weary and looks at that little he doth to be great either as to the mater manner or end the Sluggard is more wise in his own conceit then Seven men that can render a rea -Son, are not all places filled with these Sorts of persons who are So far from the knowledge of true godliness that if (part missing here) you tell them friend or brother here is a defect in you in this and the other thing, presently he is tuchy and will Snuff at it and it may be So weary of it that they will proceed to hatred So as to lay a Snare for those that advise or reprove them A fourth Signe is when persons Grow obstinate and bold it is not the usuall Jeniss of a true believer to grow obstinate and bold for that there is laid in the hearts of Such the fear of God and thus the blessed man that feareth all way he is so well acquainted with himself that when he comes to be delt withall he quickly hath misgivings that doth arise in him, it is your formall and obstinate persons that will Stout ? it out both against God and man so in malachi your words have been Stout against me Saith the Lord, yet ye Say what have wee Spoken So much against thee: ye have Said it is in vain to Serve god and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances I wish that this be not one of the great Sins of Newengland when professors- professors after Some time of Expe- rience attending to gods ordinances as also to the proffits and incomes of the world which as thorny things growing together with the Seed of the word untill it be choaked & the poor Soul come at last to Say I find no profit in ordinances by them its time Spent without profit and there fore I am weary of it as they Say here in malachi what a weariness is it The fifth Signe of apostacy or declention that wee may finde in Malachis time was that they lost their Spirituall discerning they could not discern between the precious and the vile: ye have wearied the Lord when you Say Everyone that doth evill is Good in the Sight of the Lord, and now Say they we call the proud happy and they that work wickedness are Set up : yea they that tempt god are Even delivered if the State and case of New England be like this : all you that fear the Lord Look about you First look out and See where you may find out those that truly fear God : thus the godly did in that time. Secondly Make much of their. Company then they that feared the Lord Spake often one to another : Let your visits with them be frequent and delightfull on to acount of the name of God Thirdly beware of all others on the account of the name of God for th think but little of it : and when they doe, its not to advance but to Emp or Slyly one way or other to cast reflection there upon as they where is the God of judgment And now my children for whom principally take these pains think on what I Say Especially So far as I Speak according to the Lord and Testament : I am now taking my leave of you : and you will See me no more I Shall Leave you in an evill declining world and periolous the Simtoms where of grows on a pace that an upright man Shall have hard work to find out So as he may commit himself to the faithfullness of any Saving the Lord alone : See that I Jeremy therefore Stir Stir up your Selves and one another Take heed you loose not the Things you have wrought It is a Great refreshment to me how writing that the lord in rich grace hath brought you all into visible covenant with himself and none of you fall amongst the number of those sticklers who in their times and turns have been So hurtfull to the purity power and peace of the churches : but according as you have been instructed So you have received and as [you] have received So you have practiced the good lord Strengthen Establish and confirm you all unto the end that you may hold fast what you have gai ned and keep on being abundant in the work of the lord for as much as ye know your Labour Shall not be in vaine in the Lord that when he shall ap- pear we may appear with him in glory not as parents and Children but as the Children of the living God to whom be all praise honour might majesty and Dominion world without End

from your truely Loving
father whilst I am :
Robert Chapman
Senior
September the 6th 1687