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 OF 
 
 Cii#t0 MinKfr ®iira?» 
 
 RELATING SOME OF 
 
 IN BRINGING HIBI INTO 
 
 AND SOME OF THE STRAITS AND AFFLICTIONS THE GOOD PEO- 
 PLE MET WITH HERE IN THEIR BEGINNINGS. 
 
 AND 
 
 Instructing, CouTftseWing, "DiYecting ja,iwl 
 CoiwmanAlng Ms CMldxen, 
 
 AND children's CHILDREN, AND HOUSEHOLD, 
 
 \ ^0 mvht t?je ILov^if in tijclv Gcmtvntimuio 
 ti)t latest ^mttvits^ 
 
 Heb. xi, 4. He being dead, yet speakcth. 
 
 PITTSFIELD : (^ 
 BE-PniNTED BY PHINEHAS ALLEN 18'24 
 
. -I 'i 
 
 .'* 
 
^a tfit miu^iansKantr ltta^ti% 
 
 UPON my pearching for materials for our Chronology, the 
 following piece, with others, coming to hand, I cannot but think 
 it worthy of the publick view. Not that 1 suppose it will please 
 the eye of the politer world ; but because it gives a strong and 
 livel}' image of the extraordinary pious spirit and design of those 
 English people, who first came over and dwelt in tliis Indian 
 Wilderness ; and in every serious mind cannot but raise a vene- 
 ration for them, and a pleasure to review their bright examples. 
 
 The Author was one among them ; an eye-witness of the things 
 lie writes of ; and by the publick and continued esteem his coun- 
 try paid him in his day, his testimony comes with power upon 
 us ; and tlie style so plain and natural, tiiat in the reading, it 
 seems as if we came over with him, and were living in those pi- 
 ous times. 
 
 He shows the mighty spirit of love to God and zeal for his in- 
 Hiiiuted worship, that moved and wrought in our predecessors : 
 How heavenly-minded, how humble, and how contented under all 
 the straits and difficulties of a new Plantation, at so great a dis- 
 tance from any hunjan succour ! 
 
 He was desirous that God should have the glory of his provi- 
 dence, in bringing him, with so many pious people, into this hid- 
 eous land, in prcsei'ving and supplying them, increasing, pros- 
 pering, and working wonderful salvations forliicin. Atul lie vas 
 greatly concerned that posterity, and especially his own, sh tuld 
 both /aiow these things, and tvalk iil the good Ways of their f >re- 
 fathers. To this he therefore most pathetically cliargcs and com- 
 mands them ; warning iliem of evil, and relating Iiis own expe- 
 rience for their direction and encouragement. 
 
The account subjoined is drawn by another hand, and thought 
 advisable to be published also, that his offspring may know the 
 religious ancestor from whom they come, and their awful obliga- 
 tions to fear knd serve the God of their Fathers. 
 
 And on this occasion, I cannot but recommend to our grave 
 and pious heads of households, the useful practice of leaving in 
 writing their solemn charges to their posterity ; that when the 
 parents speak and live no more on earth, their children after them 
 may frequently review both their examples and instructions, and 
 preserve them better in their minds. I cannot but think that this, 
 with the Divine Blessing, would be an happy method of preven- 
 ting the declension of many families, and of keeping alive the 
 things that remain ambng us, and are ready to die. And me- 
 thinks, as every pious father would, in a lawful way, desire to 
 speak to his children after his decease ; he can do no less for the 
 preservation of the life of religion, and for the souls of his sur- 
 viving offspring. His oral counsels are too like the wind, which 
 quickly passes : — But impressed in written monuments, remain to 
 excite them every day j and if neglected, to witness against them. 
 
 T. PRINCE. 
 
 Boston, Aug. IG, 1731. 
 
. M 
 
 a#f* ®l#3@*3a fUem^iin^s* 
 
 -••**©•♦<•• 
 
 Jl thought good, my dear children, to leave with you some 
 account of God's remarkable Providences to me, in briny;iiig me 
 into this land, and placing me here among his dear servants, and 
 in his house, who am most unworthy of the least of his mercies. 
 The scripture requireth us to tell God's wondrous v.orks to our 
 children, that they may tell them to their children, that God may 
 iiave glory throughout all ages. Amen. 
 
 I was born in England, in Salhom, in Devonshire, in the year 
 of our Lord 1G09. My father was a man fearing God, and in 
 good esteem among God's faithful servants. — His outward estate 
 was not great ; I think not above eighty pounds per annum. — 
 We were five brethren (of which I was the youngest) and two 
 sisters. God was graciously pleaded to breathe by his Holy Spir- 
 it (I liope) in all our hearts, if in mine ; which 1 am not alto- 
 gether without hopes of. Four of us brethren lived at home : I 
 did desire my dear father (my dear mother being dead) that I 
 might live abroad, which he consented to. So I first went for 
 trial to live with a wortliy gentleman, Mr. IViUiam Souihcol^ 
 who lived about three miles from the city of Exor. 
 
 He was careful to keep a godly family. There being but a 
 very mean preacher in that place, we went every Lord's Day in- 
 to the city, where were many famous preachers of the word of 
 God. 1 then took such a liking unto the Rev. Mr. John War- 
 ham, ihai I d'\d desire to live near him. So I removed (with 
 my father's consent) into the city, and lived with one Mr. Mos~ 
 sioiir, as famous a family for religion as ever I knew. Ho kept 
 seven or eight men, and divers maid-servants ; and he had a con- 
 ference upon a question propounded once a week in his own fam- 
 ily. With him I covenanted. I never so much as heard of .Xcir- 
 England, until I heard of many godly persons that were goinjj 
 
6 
 
 there, and that Mr. Warham was to go also. My master asked 
 rae, whether I would go ? I told him were I not engaged unto 
 him I would willingly go. He answered me, that should be no 
 hindrance, 1 might go for him, or for myself, which I would. I 
 then wrote to my father, who lived about twelve miles off, to in- 
 treat his leave to go to New-England 5 who was so much displea- 
 sed at first, that he wrote me no answer, but told my brethren 
 that I should not go. Having no answer, I went and made my 
 request to him, and God so inclined his heart, that he never said 
 to me nay. For now God sent the Rev. Mr. Maverick, who liv- 
 ed forty miles off, a man I never saw before : He having heard 
 of me, came to my father's house, and my father agreed that I 
 should be with him and come under his care, which I did accor- 
 dingly. 
 
 Mind by what I have already expressed, that it was God that 
 did draw me by his Providence out of my father's family, and 
 weaned me from it by degrees. It was God put it into my heart 
 to incline to live abroad ; and it was God that made my father 
 willing. God, by his Providence, brought me near Mr. War- 
 ham, and inclined my heart to his ministry : God, by his provi- 
 dence, moved the heart of my master, J\Iossiour, to ask me wheth- 
 er I would go to New-England : It was God, by his providence, 
 that made me willing to leave my dear father, and dear brethren 
 and sisters, my dear friends and country : It was God that made 
 my father willing, upon the first motion 1 made in person, to let 
 me go : It was God that sent Mr. Maverick, that pious minister, 
 to me, who was unknown to him, to seek me out that I might 
 come hither. So God brought me out of Plymouth the 20th of 
 March, 1629j 30, and landed me in health at Nantasket, on the 
 30th of May, 1G30, I being then about the age of twenty-one 
 years. Blessed be God that brought me Iiere ! 
 
 Now coming into this country, I found it a vacant wilderness, 
 in respect of English. There were indeed some English at 
 Plymouth and Salem, and some i'ew at Charlestoivn, who where 
 very destitute \^hen we came ashore j and planting-time being 
 past, shortly after provision was not to be i;ad for money, I 
 wrote to my friends, namel}', to my dear father, to send me some 
 
provision, which accordingly he did ; and also gave order to one 
 O)' his neighbours to supply me with what I needed (he being a 
 sea:nan) who coming hither supplied me with divers things. But 
 b' fore this supply came, yea and after too (that being spent) and 
 the Jien unsubdued wilderness yielding little food, many a time, 
 if I could have filled my belly, though with mean victuals, it 
 woald have been sweet unto me. Fish was a good help unto 
 me, and others. Bread was so very scarce, that sometimes 1 
 thought the very crusts of my father's table would have been 
 very sweet unto me. And when I could have meal and water 
 and salt boiled together, it was so good, who could wish better .'* 
 
 I took notice of it, as a great favour of God unto me, not on- 
 ly to preserve my life, but to give me contentedness in all these 
 straits ; insomuch that I do not remember that ever I did wish in 
 my heart that I had not come into this country, or wish myself 
 back again to my father's house. Yea, 1 was so far from that, 
 that 1 wished and advised some of my dear brethren to come hith- 
 er also ; which accordmgly one of my brothers, and those two 
 th .t married my two sisters, sold their means and came hither. 
 TI e Lord Jesus Christ was so plainly held out in the preaching 
 of the gospel unto poor lost sinners, and the absolute necessity 
 of the JV tu-Birth, and God's holy spirit in those days was plea- 
 sed to ..ccompany the word with such efficacy upon the hearts of 
 many, 'liit our hearts were taken off from Old-England and set 
 upoi H aven. The discourse, not only of the aged, but of the 
 youtli uiso, V as not, how shall we go to England ? ' (though some 
 fevv did not only so discourse, but also went back again) but, 
 hoiv shall we go to Heaven ? Have I true grace wrought in my 
 heart ? Hove I Christ or no ? O how did men and women, 
 young and old, pray for grace, beg for Christ in those days : 
 and it was not in vain ! Many were converted, and others estab- 
 lish J m believing : Many joined unto the several churches where 
 tl ey h->ed, confessing tiieir faith publickly, and shewing before 
 ali tnt. a. seaibly their experiences of the workings of God's Spir- 
 it in their hearts to bring them to Christ : which many hearers 
 found very much good by, to help t.'iem to try their own hearts, 
 and to consider how it was with them j whether any work of 
 
8 
 
 God's Spirit were wrought in their own hearts or no t Oh the 
 many tears that have been shed in Dorchester Meeting-House at 
 such times, both by those that have declared God's work on their 
 souls, and also by those that heard them. In those days, God, 
 even our own God, did bless New-England. I find by what I 
 .heard from those that have publickly declared what God had 
 done for their souls in bringing them unto Christ by faith, that 
 God doth work divers wa^'s upon the hearts of men, even as it 
 pleases him ; upon some more sensibly, and upon others more 
 insensibly; verifying that text in the 3d chapter of' John, 8th 
 verse : The wind bloweth where it Usteth, and thou hearest the 
 sound thereof, but canst not tcH whence it cometh, and ivhither it 
 gocih : So is every one that is horn of the spirit. Though we 
 may hear the sound of it, that is, be sensible that the spirit works, 
 or has been at work ; yet not know whence it comes, &,c. If 
 ever there were the work of grace wrought saving!}' in my heart ; 
 the time when, the place where, the manner how, was never so 
 apparent unto me, as some in their relations say it hath been un- 
 to them. 
 
 I shall hint a little unto you what I have found. I remember 
 God did long ago convince me of my sin, (I cannot tell you how) 
 and also of a corrupt nature, whereby I feel myself prone to sin. 
 1 had in my younger days a love to sin ; and had it not been for 
 the fear of hell, and of my parents and friends, I doubdess should 
 have been as vile as the worst of men. The care and counsel of 
 my dear friends, by the restraining grace of God, kept me from 
 committing of those horrid abominations that some fell into ; yet 
 am I not thereby justified. I had such a love to play with chil- 
 dren and youth, that I did too often play with them upon the 
 Lard's Day, if T could hide it from my dear relatives. But God 
 was pleased to make my conscience to be out of quiet, which 
 nuidc me pray to God many times in secret ; yet I had a love to 
 the })loasiire of sin, and did love to see others play, though it 
 Vi ere on the Lord's Day. But on a time on the Lord's Day, 
 v iien I >va3 standhig by, and seeing Some youths play, they gave 
 me those points v.hich they played for, to hold for them until 
 their uaiDC was out ; a\Kl my conscience not being quiet, God 
 
brought that saying of Saul, afterwards Paul, to my mind, who 
 did acJvnowledge that he was guilty of the death of Stephen ; 
 for he stood by, and kept the garments of them that sleiv him. I 
 then pwt down that which I had in keeping for them, and went 
 art ay ; and God did help me afterwards to delight more in them 
 that feared him. I did often go to hear the word of God preach- 
 ed, with my brethren and others abroad, when we had no preach- 
 ing at home ; and God inclined my heart to love those that fear- 
 ed him. That text in 1 John, iii. 14, I have often heard al- 
 ledged : JFe know that we have passed from death to Ife, because 
 we love the brethren ; though I heard, also, it must be because the 
 image of God was on them. Upon examination of myself, wheth- 
 er I did love the saints upon right grounds ? I did and do still 
 hope that my love to the saints was, and is rightly grounded ; 
 and that for these reasons : 
 
 1. In former times I do remember tiiere was a young man 
 came into the congregation where I was, a stranger to me, ^nd a 
 very hard favoured man ; I had no love to his person ; but not 
 long after I heard, that he feared God ; and upon the very re- 
 port thereof my heart was knit unto liim, althougli 1 never spake 
 with him that I know of. 
 
 2. Because I find my heart doth contemn vile persons. I do 
 not desire their society : But when I am, by God's providence, 
 called to be with such, so that I cannot avoid it, I say in my 
 heart, Wo is me that I am constrained to be with such persons. 
 
 3. To this very day, if I perceive, or do but hear of a main 
 or woman that feared God, let liim be rich or poor, EngHsh or 
 Indian, Portugal or Negro, my very heart closeth with him. 
 
 4. Because my heart doth most close with, and most highly 
 prize those that are most excellent, most holy, most worthy in- 
 struments of God's glory and Jiis people's good. My earnest 
 desire and prayer is, that God will help me to love his graces 
 more and more in all men wherever the grace of God apoears 
 to be. 
 
 After God had brought me into this country, he was pleased 
 to give me room in llie hearts of liis servants ; so that I was ad- 
 mitted into the church fellowship at our first b^giuining in D^r- 
 
10 
 
 Chester, in the year 1030. Jesus Christ l>eing clearly preached, 
 and the way of coming to him by believing was plainly shown 
 forth ; yet because many in their relations spake of their great 
 terrors and deep sense of their lost condition, and I could not so 
 find as others did, tiie time when God wrought the work of con- 
 version in my soul, nor in many respects the manner thereof ; it 
 caused in me much sadness of heart, and doublings how it was 
 with me ; whether the work of grace were ever savingly wrought 
 hi my heart or no ? How to cast off all hope, to say, and ver- 
 i!}' to believe that there was no work of grace wrought hy God 
 in my heart, this I could not do ; yet how to be in some m'^ isure 
 assured thereof was my great concern. But hearing Mr. C-nfmi 
 preach out of the revelations, that Christ's church did come out 
 of great tribulation, he had such a passage as this in his Sermon ; 
 " That a small running stream was much better than a great land 
 " ftoofJ of water, though the flood makdh the greatest noise : So, 
 " saith he, a little constant stream of godly sorrow, is better than 
 *' great hurrory God spake to me by it, it was no little sup- 
 port unto me. And God helped me to hang on that text (and 
 through his grace I will continue so to do) viz. This is a faith- 
 ful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ casiie 
 into the world to save sinners. God has made me sensible that I 
 am a sinner, and Jesus Christ came to save sinners, and why not 
 ine, though a very sinful man ^ Through the grace of God I 
 desire to rest alone upon Jesus Christ for salvation. 
 
 In my saddest troubles for want of a clear evidence of my good 
 estate, 1 did on a time exaiuine myself upon my bed in the night, 
 concerning m}^ spiritual estate ; putting myself upon this trial, 
 how my heart stood aiiecied to sin ? The question to my soul 
 was this (pitching upon that sin which I did confess my natural 
 corruption most inclined me to.) The question, I sa}', which by 
 God's help, I put to my very iieart and soul was, whether if God 
 would assure me that I siiould be saved, although I should com- 
 nnt such a sin, my heart were willing to commit it or no f And 
 my very heart and soul answered, no, I would not sin against God, 
 though 1 should not be damned lor sinning, because God has for- 
 bidden it. At that time my couscituce did witness to me that my 
 
11 
 
 state was good. And God's holy spirit did witness (I do helicve) 
 together with my spirit, that I was a child of God ; and did fdl 
 mv heart and soul with such a fidl assurance that Christ was m.iic, 
 that it did so transport me as to make me cry out upon my bed 
 with a loud voice, he is come, he is comn. And God did melt 
 my heart at that time so, that, I could and did mourn and shed 
 more tears for sin than at other times. Yea, the love of God, 
 that he should elect me, and save such a worthless one as I was, 
 did break my very heart. I say again, when I had most assur- 
 ance of God's love, I could mourn most for my sins. 
 
 Dear Children, slight not serious examination : It is good to 
 commune with 3'our own hearts upon your bed. That glimpse 
 of God's eternal love which I liad at that time, was better to me 
 than all the world ; yea, far better than life itself. But oh wretch- 
 ed man that I am ; I have a body of deatii that presseth me 
 down, and hinders me from living always in such a heavenly frame. 
 But I do desire to devote myself unto God to be his ; resting and 
 relying upon him alone for grace and glory. If God shall be 
 pleased to save me, such a poor worm, from my sins, and at last 
 bring me to himself in heaven at my death, let him have everlas- 
 ting honour, glory and praise, world without end. — Amen. 
 
 The scripture saith, He that believeth shall be saved. I hope 
 God has not only wrought historical faith in me, but also true 
 justifying faith ; faith to receive Jesus Christ to be my king, priest 
 and prophet. If my heart do not deceive me, I do prize him a- 
 bove Kingdoms : I desire him more than life, and to be made 
 more and more like him in holiness and rigiiteousiiess all the days 
 of my life. Oh the riches of his free grace to put any holy de- 
 sires in my heart ! I leave this with you, that you may p --ad 
 God's free promises, which are. That he icill circumcise, our earls 
 and the hearts of ovr seed. God's covenant is unto the faitlifid 
 and to their seed. Pray earnestly that God wid be pleased to 
 circumcise your hearts, and cause you to walk in his ways ; so 
 shall you be ser\'iceable to him here, and be everlastingly hapjiv 
 in the world to come. I also leave these my experiences with 
 you, not knowing but it may be some supjiort unto you, aUhough 
 you cannot find that methodicEj work in your conversion, as some 
 
12 
 
 say they find in theirs. Sure God works diversely on the hearts 
 of his children in their conversion. If God works any manner 
 of way for the bringing of you to Christ, to rest on him alone, 
 and fill your hearts with love to God and his people, and help 
 you to be low in your own esteem, and to hate all sin in yourselves 
 and all men ; bless God for such an unspeakable gift, though 
 you know not the time, nor the manner of God's working in you. 
 
 i I now return to declare unto you some of the wonderful works 
 of God in bringing so many of his faithful servants hither into 
 this wilderness, and preserving us and ours unto this day ; not- 
 withstanding our great unworthiness, and notwithstanding the ma- 
 ny assaults and stratagems of satan and his instruments against 
 God's people here. I say wonderous works ! For was it not a 
 wonderous work of God, to put it into the hearts of. so many 
 worthys to agree together, when times were so bad in England, 
 that they could not worship God after the due manner prescribed 
 in his most holy word, but they must be imprisoned, ex-commu- 
 nicated, he. I say that so many should agree to make humble 
 suit unto our sovereign lord the King, to grant them and such as 
 they should approve of, a Patent of a tract of Land in this re- 
 mote wilderness, a place not inhabited but by very barbarous na- 
 tions ! And was it not a wonderous good hand of God to incline 
 the heart of our King so freely to grant it, with all the privileges 
 which the Patent expresseth ! And what a wonderous Avork of 
 God was it, to stir up such wortliys to undertake such a difficult 
 work, as to remove themselves, and their wives and children, from 
 their native country, and to leave their gallant situations there, 
 to come into this wilderness, to set up the pure worship of God 
 here ! Men fit for government in the magistracy, and in fami- 
 lies ; and sound, godly, learned men for the ministry, and others 
 that were very precious men and women who came in the year 
 1630. Them that came then were Magistrates ; men of re- 
 nown were Mr. Winthrop, Governor ; Mr. Dudley, Deputy-Gov- 
 ernor ; Sir Richard Saltonstall, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Rossiter, Mr. 
 I^udlow, Mr. Nowel, and Mr. Bradstreet : Mr. Endicott came 
 before, and others came then, besides those named. And there 
 came famous Ministers in that year, and afterwards : as to name 
 
18 
 
 «OTie ; INJr. Wilson, Mr. Wurham, ]\Ir. Maverick, and Mr. Phil- 
 lips. In our low estate God did cheer our hearts in sending good 
 and holy men and women, and also famous preachers of the word 
 of God ; as Mr. Eliot, Mr. Weld, ]\Ir. Cotton, :\Ir. Hooker, 
 Mr. Bidkle}-, IMr. Stoughton, IMr. Nathaniel Rogers, and Mr. 
 Ezekiel Rogers, Mr. Shepard, Mr. Mather, Mr. Peters, Mr. 
 Davenport, Mr. Whiting, Mr. Gobbet, Mr. Hubbard, Mr. Brown, 
 Mr. Flint, Mr. Thoaison, Mr. Newman, Mr. Priuldcn, Mr. Nor- 
 ris, Mr. Huit, Mr. Street, and many others. Tims did God 
 work wonderfully for his poor people here. 
 
 Then in those days did God manifest his presence among us, 
 in converting many souls, in gathering his dear ones into church- 
 feliowsliip each with other, by solemn covenants ; wherein they 
 gave up themselves and their seed to tiie Lord, choosing him to 
 he their God, who hath freely promised so to be, and to our seed 
 lorever, if we and they do not forsake him. But if any of you 
 (dear children) forsake tlie Lord, though you were the sons of 
 David, he would cast you off forever. Cleave to God, and nev- 
 er, never depart from him ; and he will never fail you nor forsake 
 you. In those days great was the tranquility and peace of this 
 poor country : And there was great love one to another ; very 
 ready to help each other ; not seeking their own, but every one 
 another's wealth. Tlien sin did not so openly abound among us. 
 Drunkenness, adultery, fornication, oppression, and. abominable 
 pride, which now abounds among us, and threatens our ruin, was 
 then loathesome ahnost in every ones eyes. Then God did bless 
 ws in the fruits of the earth, but especially in spiritual things ; 
 many souls were converted to God, and very often many added 
 to the churches.- 
 
 But this glorious work of God towards his people lierc was 
 soon maUgned by satan ; and he cast into the minds of some cor- 
 rupt persons very erroneous opinions, which did breed great dis- 
 turbance in the churches. And he puffed up his instruments with 
 liorrible pride, insomuch that they would op})ose the truth of God 
 delivered publickly : and some limes, yea, most times they would 
 do it by way of query, as if they desired to be informed : but 
 they did indeed accuse our godly ministers of not preaching gos- 
 
14 
 
 pel, saying t!iey were legal preachers, but themselves were for 
 free grace, and ministers did preach a covenantor works ; which 
 was a false aspersion on them. Tiie truth was, they would wil- 
 lingl}'. have lived in sin, and encouraged others so to do, &;c. — < 
 And yet think to be saved by Christ, because his grace is free ; 
 forgetting (it seems) that those whom Christ doth save from hell, 
 he also freely of his grace doth save from sin ; for he came to 
 save his people from their sins, to give repentance and remission 
 of sins. 
 
 In our beginning many were in great straits, for want of pro-r 
 vision for themselves and their little ones. Oh the hunger that 
 many suffered, and saw no hope in an eye of reason to be sup- 
 plied, only by clams, and muscles, and fish. We did quickly 
 build boats, ahd some went a fishing. But bread was with ma^r 
 Tiy a very scarce thing ; and flesh of all kinds as scarce. And 
 in those days, in our straits, though I cannot say God sent a ra- 
 ven to feed us, as he did the prophet Elijah ; yet this I can say 
 to the praise o-f God's glory, that he sent not only poor ravenous 
 Indians, which came with their baskets of corn on their backs, 
 to trade with us, which was a good supply unto many ; but also 
 sent ships from Holland and from Ireland with provisions, and 
 Indian Corn from Virginia, to supply the wants of his dear ser- 
 vants in this wilderness, both for food and raiment. And when 
 peoples wants were great, not only in one town but in divers 
 towns ; such was the godly wisdom, care and prudence (not sel- 
 fishness, but self-denial) of our Governor Wintlirop and his as- 
 sistants, that when a ship came laden with provisions, they did 
 order that the whole cargo should be bought for a general stock : 
 And so accordingly it was, and distribution was made to every 
 town, and to every person in each town, as every man had need. 
 Tlius God was pleased to care for his people in times of straits, 
 and to fill his servants with food a;id gladness : Then did all the 
 servants of God bless his holy name, and love one another with 
 pure hearts fervently. 
 
 Before I proceed any further, I will inform you that God stir- 
 red up his poor servants to use means in their begiimiwgfor ihcir 
 preservation -, though a. low and weak people, yet a willing peo-. 
 
15 
 
 fie to lay out their estates for the defence of themselves and oth- 
 ers. They having friends in divers places, nho thought it besi 
 for o ir safety to build a fort upon tlie Island now called Casih 
 Island ; at first they built a Castle with mad-walls, which stood 
 duers years : First Capt. Simpkins was comai.uider thereof, 
 and afier h'.n, Lieut. Monish, for a little space. When the mid- 
 vvalls faile 1, it wa- built again with pine trees and earth ; a id 
 Capt. Davenport was commander. When that decayed, w lich 
 was ithin a little time, there was a small Castle built with b ick 
 wa >, and had three rooms in it ; a dwelling room below, a lodg- 
 ing room over it, the gun room over that, wherein stood six very 
 good saker guns, and over it upon the top three lesser guns. All 
 the time of our weakness, God was pleased to give us peace, un- 
 til the wars with the Dutch in Ciiarles the IPs time. At that 
 time our works were very weak, and inlelHgence came to us that 
 Durother,* a Dutch commander of a squadron of ships, v^as in 
 the West-Indies, and did intend to visit us ; whereupon our bat- 
 tery also was repaired, wherein are seven good guns. But in the 
 very time this report, in July, 1665, God was pleased to send a 
 grievous storm of thunder and lightning, which did some hurt at 
 Boston, and struck dead here at the Castle Island, that worthy, 
 renowned Capt. Richard Davenport ; upon which the General 
 Court, in August 10th, following, appointed anotherf Captain in 
 the room of him that was slain. But behold God wrought for 
 us J for although Durother intended to come here, }et God by 
 contrary winds kept him out ; so he went to Newfoundland, and 
 did great spoil there. And again when danger grew on us by 
 reason of the late wars with Holland, God permitted our Castle 
 at that very time to be burnt down, which was on the 21st day 
 of JNlarch, 1672, 3. But still God was pleased to keep this plac» 
 in safety. The Lord enlarge our hearts unto thankfulness. 
 
 I will now return imto wliat I began to hint unto you before y 
 namely, that satan and his histnnnents did malign us, and oppose 
 our godly preachers, saying they were legal preachers, butthem- 
 
 * Or, De Ruithkr, a famous Dutch Admiral. 
 
 f It was Capt. Clap himself. 
 
16 
 
 selves were lor free grace, and for the teachings of the Sjiirit. — - 
 And they prevailed so by their flatteries and fair speeches, that 
 they led away not only silly women laden with their lusts, but 
 many men also, and some of strong parts too ; who were not a- 
 shamed to give out that our ministers were but legal preachers," 
 and so endeavoured to bring up an evil report upon our faithful 
 preachers, that they themselves might be in higli esteem. And 
 many of them would presume to preach in private houses, both 
 inen and women, much like the Quakers. Tliey would talk of 
 the spirit, and of revelations by the spiiit, without the word, as the 
 Quakers do, talk of the light within them, rejecting the holy 
 scriptures. But God by his servants assembled in a Synod at 
 Cambridge, in 1637, did discover his truth most plainl}', to the 
 Establishment of his people, and the changing of some, and to 
 the recovery of not a few, which had been drawn away with their 
 dissimulations. Thus God delivered his people out of the snare 
 of the devil at that time. Let us, and do you in your genera- 
 tions, bless the holy name of the Lord : the snare is broken, and 
 we and ours are delivered. There were some that not only stood 
 out obstinate against the truth, but continually reviled both our 
 godly ministers and magistrates, and greatly troubled our Israel. 
 But by order of the General Court they were banished out of 
 this jurisdiction. And then had the churches rest, and were mul- 
 tiplied. 
 
 Many years after this, satan made another assaidt upon God's 
 poor people here, by stirring up the Quakers to come amongst 
 us, both men and women ; who pretended holiness and perfec- 
 tion, saying they spake and acted by the spirit and light within, 
 which (as they say) is their guide : And most blasphemously 
 said, that the light within is the Christ, the Saviour ; and decei- 
 ved many to their persuasion. But blessed be God, the govern- 
 ment and churches both did bear witness against them, and their 
 loathesome and pernitfious doctrine, for which they were banish- 
 ed out of this jurisdiction, not to return without licence, upon 
 pain of death. Tiie reason of that law was, because God's peo- 
 ple here, could not worship the true and living God, as he hath 
 appointed us in our publick assemblies, without being disturbeti 
 
17 
 
 by them. And other weighty reasons ; as the dangerousness of- 
 their opinions, &,c. Some of them presumed to return, to the 
 loss of their lives, for breaking that law, which was made for 
 our peace and safety. 
 
 Dear Children, beware of false teachers, though they comq 
 .unto you in sheep's cloathing, as some of the Anabaptists do, 
 yet they will prove many of them (I doubt) but as ravening 
 wolves ; their doctrine being so corrupt, as appears in their prin- 
 ted books. One of them says ; " That it is an article of his 
 " faith, that tlie miseries and death that came by Adam's fall, 
 " extendeth not unto all eternity." x\nother cryeth down all 
 learning of sciences and tongues to fit men for the work of the 
 ministry. Others of them deny that the magistrate hath any 
 power to punish the breach of the first table of the Law ; al- 
 though the scripture be plain, that the Magistrate ought to pull 
 down the groves, and overthrow the images set up for idolatry, 
 yea though it were the brazen serpent, and call it Nehushtan. 
 
 Now as satan has been a lying spirit to deceive and ensnare 
 the mind, to draw us from God by error, so hath he stirred up 
 evil men to seek the hurt of this country ; but God hadi dehv- 
 ered his poor people here from time to time. Sometimes by put- 
 ting courage into our magistrates to punish those that did rebel ; 
 and sometimes God hath wrought for us by his providence oth- 
 er-ways. Here was one Ratclijf spake boldly and wickedly a- 
 gainst the government and Governors here, using such words, as 
 some judged deserved death. He was for his wickedness whipt, 
 and had both his ears cut off in Boston, A. D. 1C31 ; I saw it 
 done. There was one J\£jrton that was a pestilent fellow, a troub- 
 ler of the country, who did not only seek our hurt here, but went 
 to England, and did his utmost there, by false reports against 
 our Governor : but God wrought for us, and saved us, and cau- 
 sed all his designs to be of none eflect. There arose up against 
 us one Bull, who went to the eastward a trading, and turned pi- 
 rate, and took a vessel or two, and plundered some planters there- 
 abouts, and intended to return into the Bay, and do mischief to 
 our magistrates here, in Dorchester nnd other places. But as 
 they were weighing anchor, one of JMr. Short's men i-lu>t Irom 
 
18 
 
 the shore, and struck the principal actor dead, and the rest were 
 fil ed with fear and honor. They having taken one Aatkony 
 D'^-Jcs, a master of a vessel, did endeavour to persuade him to 
 pilot them unto Virginia, but he would not. They told him that 
 they were filled with such fear and horror, that they were afraid 
 of the very rattling of the ropes I This Mr. Dicks told me with 
 his own mouth. These men fled eastward, and Bull himself got 
 into England ; but God destroyed this wretched man. Thus 
 the Lord saved us, at this time, from their wicked device against 
 us. There was also one Capt. Stone^ about the year 1633, or 
 1634, who carried himself very proudly, and spake contemptu- 
 ously of our magistrates, and carried it lewdly in his conversa- 
 tion. For his misdemeanour, his ship was stayed, but he fled 
 and would r.o: obey authority ; and there came warrants to Dor- 
 chester to take him, dead or alive ; so all oar soldiers were in 
 ara^s, and centinels were set in divers places ; and at length he 
 was found in a great corn-field, where we took him and carried 
 ban to Boston ; but for want of one witness, when he came to 
 hiS trial, he escaped with his life. He was said to be a man of 
 great relation, and had great favour in England ; and he gave 
 out threatening speeches. Though he escaped with his life, not 
 being hanged for adultery, there being but one witness ; yet for 
 other crimes he was fined, and payed it. And being dismissed, 
 he went toM ards Virginia ; but by the way putting into the Pe- 
 quot country to trade with them, the Pequots cut ofl" both him 
 and his men, took his goods and burnt his ship. Some of the 
 Indians reported, that they roasted him alive. Thus did God 
 destroy him that so proudly threatened to ruin us by complaining 
 against us M-hen he came to England. Thus God destroyed him, 
 and delivered us at that time also. 
 
 About that time, or not long after, God permitted satan to stir 
 up the Pequot Indians to kill divers English men, as Mr. Old- 
 ham, Mr. Tilly and others. Artd when the murderers were de- 
 manded, instead of delivering them, they proceeded to destroy 
 more of our English about Connecticut, which put us upon sen- 
 ding out soldiers, once and again ; whom God prospered in their 
 enterprizcs, until the Pequot people were destroyed. See Mr. 
 
19 
 
 ''Increase Mather^s relation of the troubles which have happened 
 in New-England by reason of the Indians, from 1034, to 1GT5. 
 I say nothing to you of the late war, but refer you to the histo- 
 ries in print. Thus was the Lord pleased to deUver us at that 
 time also, and to put a fear and dread of us into the hearts of 
 the Indians round about us : And many of them did voluntarily 
 put themselves under the government of the English. 
 
 It also pleased God to put it into the hearts of some of onr 
 worthies, to consider that one end of our coming hither was to 
 preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Indians, for 
 the saving of God's elect, and for the bringing into Christ's king- 
 dom those that were as in high-ways and hedges. Some did, 
 therefore, set themselves to learn the Indian language, and so 
 taught tliem to know God and the Lord Jesus Christ, whom they 
 never knew or heard of before, nor their fathers before them ; 
 and to know themselves, namely, their misery by nature and by 
 reason of sin. Among others, the principal was that Reverend 
 man of God, Mr. John Eliot, teacher of the church of Christ at 
 Roxbury, whose great labour and pains in catechising, preaching 
 tlie word, and translating the Bible into the Indian language God 
 has blessed, I doubt not, to the converting of many among them. 
 He that converteth souls shall shine as the sun in tiie firmament. 
 Oh how glorious will the shining of that star be in heaven ! I 
 rejoice to think of it. 
 
 Furthermore, know ye, that God wrought wonderfully for our 
 preservation, when men abroad (and doubtless some at h nne) 
 endeavoured to overthrow our government, and prevailed so far, 
 that Commissioners were sent from England h"thor, with such 
 power and authority, that doubtless put themselves, (and too ma- 
 ny among us) in hopes that they had attained their ends. They 
 proceeded so far that they set up a Court, appointed the time and 
 place, and gave out their summons ; yea, for our then honoured 
 Governor and Company, personally to ajipear before them. But 
 the Lord our God was for us, though troiildes were yciy no r. — 
 He stirred up a mighty sp:rit of prayer in the hearts of h s jioo- 
 ple ; this poor country cryed and the Lord heard and (h^iivered 
 them from all their fears. Ainl the Lord put wiidoni and cour- 
 
20 
 
 age into the hearts of his servants, then sitting in the General 
 ■ Court, to give such answers, and to make such a Declaration, 
 published by a man appointed on horse-back, with the trumpet 
 sounding before the Proclamation, to give the people notice that 
 something was to be published, which was done in three several 
 places in Boston ; that it put an end to their Court, and (through 
 God's goodness) to our troubles at that time, about that matter. 
 And as our Court did assert our privileges granted unto us by 
 Patent, and did adhere thereto, so our God hath hitherto contin- 
 ued the same unto us. Blessed be his glorious name ! I hum- 
 bly beg of God that he will in mercy continue those privileges 
 unto you and yours in your generations, for Jesus Christ's sake. 
 Amen. 
 
 I gave you a hint towards the beginning, that I came- out of 
 Plymouth, in Devon, the 20th of March, and arrived at Nantas- 
 ket (now Hull) the 30th of May, 1630. Now this is further to 
 inform you, that there came many Godly families in that ship. — 
 We were of passengers many in number (besides seamen) of good 
 rank. Two of our magistrates came with us, viz. Mr. Rossiter 
 and Mr. Ludlow. These godly people resolved to live togeth- 
 er ; and, therefore, as they had made choice of those two Rever- 
 end servants of God, Mr. John Warham and Mr. John Mave- 
 rick to be their ministers, so they kept a solemn Day of Fasting 
 in the New Hospital in Plymouth, in England, spending it in 
 preaching and praying : where that worthy man of God, Mr. 
 John White, of Dorchester, in Dorset, was present, and preached 
 unto us the word of God, in the fore-part of the day ; and in the 
 latter part of the day, as the people did solemnly make choice of, 
 and call those godly ministers to be their officers, so also the Rev- 
 erend Mr. Warham and Mr. Maverick did accept thereof, and 
 expressed the same. So we came, by the good hand of the Lord, 
 through the deeps comfortably ; liaving preaching or expound- 
 ing of the word of God every day for ten weeks together, by our 
 ministers. When we came to Nantasket, Capt. Squeb, who was 
 Captain of that great ship of four hundred tons, would not bring 
 us into Charles River, as he was bound to do ; but, put us ashore 
 and our goods on Nantasket Point, and left us to shift for our- 
 
21 
 
 selves ill a forlorn place in this wilderness. But as it pleased 
 God, we got a boat of some old planters, and laded her witli 
 goods ; and some able men, well armed, went in her unto Charles- 
 town, where we found some wigwarnis and one house, and in the 
 house there was a man which had a boiled bass, but no bread 
 that we see : but we did eat of his bass, and then went up Charles 
 River, until the river grew narrow and shallow, and there we lan- 
 ded our goods with nnich labour and toil, the bank being steep. 
 And night coming on, we were informed that there were hard by 
 lis three hundred Indians. One English man that could speak 
 the Indian language (an old Planter) went to them and advised 
 them not to come near us in the night ; and they hearkened to 
 his counsel, and came not. I myself was one of the centinels 
 that first night. Our Captain was a low country soldier, one 
 j\Ir. Southcot, a brave soldier. In the morning some of the In- 
 dians came and stood at a distance off, looking at us, but came 
 not near us ; but when they had been awhile in view, some of 
 them came and held out a great bass towards us ; so we sent a 
 man with a bisket, and changed the cake for the bass. After- 
 wards they supplied us with bass, exchanging a bass forabisket- 
 cake, and were very friendly unto us. 
 
 Oh Dear Children ! Forget not what care God had over his 
 dear servants, to watch over us, and protect us in our weak be- 
 ginnings. Capt. Squeb turned ashore us and our goods, like a 
 merciless man ; but God, even our merciful God, look p\ty on 
 us ; so that we were supplied, first with a boat, and then caused 
 many Indians, (some hundi'eds) to be ruled by the advice of one 
 man", not to come near us : Alas, had they come upon us, how 
 soon might they have destroyed us ! I think we were not above 
 ten in number. But God caused the Indians to help us with fish 
 at very cheap rates. We had not been there many days, (al- 
 though by our diligence we had got up a kind of shelter, to save 
 our goods in) but we had orders to come away from that place, 
 (which was about Watertown) unto a j)lacc called Mattapan^ 
 (now Dorchester) because there was a neck of land fit to keep 
 our cattle on. So we removed and came to Maltapan. The 
 Indians there, ajso, were kind unto us. 
 
22 
 
 Not long after, came our renowned and blessed Governor, and 
 divers of his assistants with him. Their ships came into Charles 
 River, and many passengers landed at Charhstown, many of 
 wliom died the winter following. Gov. Winthrop purposed to 
 set down his station about Cambridge, or somewhere on the riv- 
 er ; but viewing the place, liked that plain n^k that was called 
 then Blackstone^s-JVeck, now Boston. But in the mean time, be- 
 fore they could build at Boston, they lived many of them in tents 
 and wigwarms at Charlestown ; their meeting-place being abroad 
 under a tree ; where I have heard Mr. Wilson and Mr. Phillies 
 preach many a good sermon. 
 
 In those days God did cause his people to trust in him, and to 
 be contented with mean things. It was not accounted a strange 
 thing in those days to drink water, and to .eat samp or homine 
 without butter or milk. Indeed it would have been a strange 
 thing to see a pie€:e of roast beef, mutton or veal ; though it was- 
 not long before there was roast goat. After the first winter, we 
 were very healthy ; though some of us had no great store of 
 corn. The Indians did sometimes bring corn, and truck with us 
 for cloathing and knives ; and once I had a peck of corn, or 
 thereabouts, for a little puppy-dog. Frost-fish, muscles and 
 clams were a relief to many. If our provision be better now 
 than it was then, let us not, (and do you dear children take heed 
 tliat you do not) forget the Lord our God. You have better food 
 and raiment than was in former times ; but have you better hearts^ 
 than your forefathers had ? If so, rejoice in that mercy, and let 
 New-England then shout for joy. Sure all the people of god in 
 other parts of the world, that shall hear that the children and 
 grand-children of the first planters of New-England, have better 
 hearts, and are more heavenly than their predecessors ; they will, 
 doubtless, greatly rejoice, and will say, This is the generation 
 tvhom the Lord hath blessed. 
 
 And now, dear Children, I know not the time of my death ; 
 my time is in God's hands ; but my age shows me it cannot be 
 far ofi". Therefore, whde I am in health and strength, I thought 
 good to put into writing, and leave with you, \vhat I have desir- 
 ed in my heart, and oftentimes expressed to you with my tongue. 
 
28 
 
 t say, I do here charge you solemnly and every one of you, as 
 if I did charge you every one by ranie : sons, daughters and 
 grand-children, that now are capable of understanding, and as 
 you shall be capable from time to time ; and servants, or any 
 other whom God hath placed within my gates : I say, I charge 
 you that every one of you fear tlie Lord our God, and obey his 
 commandments ; which is the duty of every man, and much more 
 yours, whom he hath graciously taken into covenant with him- 
 self, and hath promised to be a God to you in your generations. 
 The promise made to Abraham and his seed in their generations, 
 doth extend itself to the believer and his seed in the gospel times : 
 for the Apostle saith, Acts ii. 39. For the promise is to you, and 
 to your children. He spake this in gospel times, after Chri&t 
 was gone to heaven : and he doth not say, the promise was, but 
 the promise is, and shall be so hereafter, to those that are afar 
 off also, yea, to as many as the Lord our God shall call, to the 
 end of the world ; the promise is to them and to their seed. — 
 Ob, then, if God be your God, you are his people. Then see 
 that you fear him, and stand in awe and sin not : See that you 
 do honour him 3 a son honoureth his father : See that you love 
 him with all your souls and strength. If you do truly love God, 
 you will keep all his commandments, and you will hate evil : Ye 
 that love the Lord hate evil. You cannot love the Lord and love 
 sin too : No man can serve two contrary masters. If you love 
 the Lord, you will very often think of Him : How do lovers 
 think of one another, though far absent .'* But God is not far 
 absent from a behever. I cliarge you, think often on God : 
 Those that forget God, are wicked men and women, and shall be 
 turned into hell. And if you truly love God, you will love the 
 word of God, ajid all his holy appointments, the habitation, of 
 his holiness. And if you love God dearly, as you ought to do, 
 It will grieve your hearts to see him dishonoured, and his laws 
 transgressed. David's eyes ran down with tears, because men 
 transgressed God's laws. And if you love God, you will delight 
 to have communion with him, and to pour out your hearts into 
 his bosom. Beg of God, that he would put his fear into youi* 
 hearts, and that he would cause you to love him. Intreat him to 
 love you freely. God must love us first, before we can love him : 
 
24 
 
 And I can tell you, the love of God unto your souls is better than 
 all the world. His loving kindness is abundantly better than life. 
 Oh prize it ; seek for it more than for earthly treasure. Seek 
 and you shall find ; God will give his holy spirit to those that 
 ask it. If you ask the spirit of God out of a deep sense of the 
 want of it ; if you ask it in Christ's name and for his sake ; if 
 you ask the holy spirit to sanctify you, and cleanse you from yonr 
 sins ; if you ask the spirit to lead you into all truth, and to guide 
 you in all the ways of God, and to enable you to do all that du- 
 ty God requires of 3'ou ; doubt not, but know assuredly, God 
 will give his holy spirit unto you. 
 
 Oil my dear Children and Grand- Children ! For the Lord's 
 sake labour for better hearts, and to live better lives than your 
 poor parents have done before you ! And that you may so do, 
 
 1. Study to know your own hearts, to know the plague that 
 there is in them. There is a plague in every man's heart, the 
 deadly plague of sin ; which the Apostle Paul, by study and dil- 
 igent search found in himself, which made him cry out, Oh 
 wretched man that I am^ who shall deliver me from this body 
 of death : And again. In me, that is, in -my flesh, dwelleth no 
 good thing. And blessed Job, also, by searching, found it out ; 
 which made him say, Behold I am vile : And again, I abhor 
 myself, and repent in dust and ashes. Surely when men see the 
 plague of sin in their hearts, and the danger of death thereby, 
 (for the plague is a deadly disease) it will make them cry out, 
 What shall we do to be saved ? 
 
 2. Come to the Lord Jesus Christ. Come as the woman of 
 Canaan did for her daughter, and say as she did. Lord, help me. 
 Oh come you to Jesus Christ, the great physician for help ! He 
 can help you, and he is willing to help : He said to the leper, / 
 will : He bids you come to him ; and again. Whoever tvill, let 
 him come, and take freely. And as he is able and willing, so if 
 you come to him for new hearts and holy lives, he will certainly 
 bestow the same upon every one of you. Those that come to 
 me (saith Christ) I ivill in no wise cast out. And again, If you 
 aik any thing according to his tvill, hs will give it. 
 
 3. Labour for true godly sorrow, and grief of heart for sin. 
 If sin be a plague,, yea a deadly plague, as in truth it is, (for the 
 
25 
 
 Wages of sin is death) and sin be in all your hearts, fts indeed it 
 is ; will you not mourn and lament your wretched state by rea- 
 son thereof. Yea, though you are through grace enabled to come 
 to Christ, by faith, for the pardon of your sins, for his sake, 
 through his blood ; (as I hope divers of you are) yet what cause 
 is there of sorrow and mourning, because of the remainder of 
 sin dwelling in you : which although it cannot rule and bear sway 
 in your gracious hearts, yet it will make war with your graces, 
 and sometimes catch 3'ou at disadvantage, and strike a dart that 
 may deeply wound you. Therefore mourn that you have such 
 an enemy within you. 
 
 4. Watch over your hearts, your hands, your eyes, your ears, 
 and your tongues. For sin will assault you in every part, by 
 every sense, and cast in some infection, if possible, to destroy, or 
 at least to wound 3'ou, and make your names to stink. Satan, 
 the great enemy of all mankind, labors by sin to ruinate both 
 body and soul. 
 
 1. Watch the heart. God's counsel is, that we should keep 
 the heart with all diligence. You will find (if you will observe) 
 
 > when you are praying, or meditating on heavenly and spiritual 
 things, your heart will be in danger of being drawn away to 
 think of carnal things ; or grow heavy and dull in the duty ; 
 like Moses, his hands, when they were lift up against Amalek. — 
 Watch, therefore ; and when 3 on perceive 3 our hearts falling- 
 downward and grow heav3', cr3' unto Jesus Christ to stay up your 
 hearts stead3' 10 the end of your lives ; that so Amalek (I mean 
 sin and satan) may not prevail, but be at last utterly dcsiro3cd. 
 
 2. Watch over 3'our ears. So Christ commands us, that we 
 must take heed how we hear. Watch, therefore. Dear Children, 
 and let not 3'our ears receive false doctrine. Hearken to God's 
 word, hear that ; that is, receive it, believe it, obey it, and your 
 souls shall live. But as for those that bring another gospel, and 
 serve not the true God, such as the Quakers, do not you hoar 
 them, no, not so much as with your outsvard ears. 
 
 3. Watrii over 3'our C3'e3. Tint ailulterous lust got in Da- 
 vid's heart througli his eyes. So did Achan's covetousneis, to 
 
26 
 
 his utter ruin. He saw the wedge of gold with his eye, then cov- 
 eted it with his heart, and then took it. 
 
 4. Watch over your tongues. The tongue is an unruly evil. 
 Do not backbite or slander your neighbors. Speak not evil of 
 dignities. Do not curse, swear profanely, nor lie. Let no fil- 
 thy, corrupt communication come out of your mouths. Do not 
 yoti, my Dear Children, (nor suffer your children to) speak the 
 sinfu! ianocuage of many wicked people, who commonly in their 
 discoMrse a-Jd, I vow, or I swear, when in truth they do not know 
 what a vow or an oath is. Oh let your words be gracious, al- 
 ways such words as may edify tlie hearers. Remember, and for- 
 get i;ot, that Christ, our holy and just Judge, hath himself told 
 us, that for every idle word that men do speak, they must give an 
 account thereof at the day of judgment. And again, by your 
 woids you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be con- 
 deujued. 
 
 5. Another thing which I charge you to observe, is, to wor- 
 ship God in your families. Do not neglect family prayer, mor- 
 ni.ig aiid evening. And be sure to read some part of the word 
 or" God every day in your families, in ordinary course. And be 
 sure to instruct your families in the grounds of religion. And 
 be yourselves patterns, by your holy lives and conversations, un- 
 to your children. And as you ought to follow and imitate good 
 examples in any godly men or women, so especially in your par- 
 ents : you ought to follow thejn as they followed Christ, and in 
 nothing else. Where you have seen them missing the rule, as 
 doubtless you have often done, let them be your warnings, not 
 your patterns. I say, where I missed the rule in word or deed, 
 (for 1 am a weak, imj)erfect creature, one of the worst of men) 
 be you sure to avoid that rock, and follow not me in any evil, 
 but avoid it. And if you observed any virtues in your parents, 
 (ihough they were but few) imitate tiiem in that which is good, 
 that God may be with yon, as he was with your fathers. 
 
 6. And I lay it as a solemn charge upon you, that you pray 
 to God in secret, and that often too. Our Lord and Saviour bids 
 us, enter into our closets, and shut the door, and pray to our fa- 
 ther in secret. There you may tell God your very hearts, and 
 
27 
 
 Jay open to him your worst plagu«-sore, your vilest sins, which 
 110 uiaii knoweth, neither is it meet they sliouhl know. Yet all 
 men shall know your vilest, lewdest, most notorious wickothiess, 
 ijoth of lieart and life, that ever was committed by you, tiiough 
 never so long ago, or never so secretly done ; except you confess 
 them to God, and make your peace with him, in and through Je- 
 sus Christ, by repentance and faith. Then the blood of Jesus 
 Christ the righteous cleanseth us, and will you from a!! your sins : 
 Otlierwise God will bring every secret thing into judgment. I 
 say again, pray in secret, though you have not a closet or door 
 to shut ; you need none : You may pray alone in tiie woods, as 
 Christ did in the mountain : You may pray as you walk in the 
 field, as Isaac did : When employed in business, you may lift 
 up your hearts in prayer, as Nehemiah did. And when you are 
 alone at any time, think with yourself, assuredly God is present, 
 though none else ; I will confess my sins, and I will beg God's 
 favour and grace ; I will wrestle with God by faith aud prayer. 
 And you may every one of you prevail, if you pray sincerely, 
 and persevere in it. If importunity prevailed with the unjust 
 judge, will it not much more prevail with God. 
 
 7. And I do also charge you to live in love and peace among 
 yourselves. Love is of God ; but bitter envy and strife is of the 
 devil. Love as brethren ; brethren must love one another. Oh ! 
 how amiable a thing is it, for brethren to dwell together in unity ! 
 It is like the precious ointment that was poured on Aaron's head ; 
 and that ointment was such, as none might be made hke it for 
 other uses. Doth not love exceed other graces .'* Then strive 
 after that which is most excellent. So strive to live in love and 
 peace with all men, as much as possible in you lies. '[Be at 
 peace iviih all men :] That is, if there be any breach of peace, 
 let not the fault be yours. You muot not partake of, delight in, 
 nor connive at, the sinful, pernicious, .wild practices of niei,, t<» 
 be at peace vvitjj these. Those that are (iod's children and nuist 
 dwell in God's tabernacle, a vile person must be conteumed in 
 their eyes. Sure, his vileness will make hitn loathsome ; yf^t 
 if it be possible, be at peace with him. Endeavour to reclaim 
 him from his wickedness, by reproving him plaiidy for sinful 
 
28 
 
 practices ; and if nothing else will do, complain to authority 5 
 and if that will not do, complain to God, and mourn for him. 
 
 Finally, be good examples unto others. Walk humbly with 
 God. Be holy in all manner of conversation. Be courteous ; 
 be sober ; be charitable ; ready to distribute, given to hospitali- 
 ty. Be humble minded. Set your aflections on things above, 
 not on things below ; not on riches, honors and pleasures. — 
 Prize highly the word of God, and the preachers of it. Labour 
 to draw others to love and fear God. Flee the lusts of unclean- 
 ness, and the occasions of it. Abhor drunkenness, and excessive 
 drinking. Come not into a tavern, but on just and weighty oc- 
 casions. Choose God to be your portion ; receive Christ by be- 
 lieving on him j so you shall be the children of God. — Amen. 
 
A SHORT ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 WRITTEN BY ONE THAT WAS ACQ,UAINTED THEREWITH. 
 
 CaPT. ROGER CLAP, the worthy author of the foregoing 
 discourse, was a man generally known, honoured and esteemed 
 by those that were contemporary with hi)n ; but most of those 
 are also removed by death, and the present generation, (among 
 whom he hath a numerous posterity of grand-children and great- 
 grand-children) know but little of him : And there being no 
 Memoirs preserved of this good man, and his posterity being 
 likely otherwise to have little or no knowledge of this their pro- 
 genitor, it is thought highly proper, and desired by some who 
 are no way related, that a short account might be given of him 
 and his famil}'. TJie Memory of the Just is blessed, Prov. x. 7. 
 
 He was born in Salcom, in the County of Devon, on the Gth 
 day of April, Anno Domini 1609, of -pious and creditable par- 
 ents, whose religious etlucatlon God was pleased to accompany 
 with the early strivings and convictions of his holy spirit, that 
 ended in his happy conversion. In his younger years, while ho 
 was under the immediate government of his father, he had such 
 a love to the word of God, and the most eminent preachers of 
 it, that he obtained leave of his lather to live in the City of Ex^ 
 on, under the ministry of the Rev. I\lr. John V/arhau), with whom 
 he afterwards came to New-England. 
 
 In djc year 1629, when many of the most godly miiiistcrs and 
 people were driven out- of tlic kingdom for their conscicntioufe' 
 
m 
 
 nonconformity to the established way of worship, and Mr. War- 
 ham and Mr. Maverick, (who were afterwards colleague pastors 
 of the church of Dorchester, in New-England) and with them a 
 considerable number of pious persons were preparing for a re- 
 move into this country, Mr. Clap found in himself a strong in- 
 clination to go with those good people, and cast in his lot with 
 them. He had taken a great liking unto the ministry of the 
 Rev. Mr. Warham, and was not willing to be left behind, when 
 he was to go : and, therefore, having with some difficulty obtain- 
 ed his father's consent, he set himself to assist in the great and 
 good work the people of God then had in hand. He, with those 
 good people that came over with him, (who were the first inhab- 
 itants of Dorchester) set sail from Plymouth, in England, the 
 20th day of March, 1C29,30 ; and after a comfortable (though 
 long) passage of ten weeks, they arrived at Hull, the 30th of 
 May, 1630. This was the first company that settled on this side 
 Salem ; and, therefore, besure they met with trials and difficul- 
 ties enough, which did not at all dishearten Mr. Clap ; for his 
 heart was so taken ofi" from temporal things, and set upon ser- 
 ving and glorifying God, and finding here such advantages and 
 opportunities therefor, beyond what he had in England, that he 
 could not forbear crying out in a sort of extasy of joy, Blessed 
 he God that brought me 'here ! 
 
 In the same year that he came over here, he joined himself a 
 member of the church in Dorchester, where he lived, and con- 
 tinued a member of this church for the space of sixty years ; 
 being a useful instrument both in church and town. When he 
 had been about two years and a half in the country, in the year 
 1633, November 6th, in the 25th year of his age, he married the 
 virtuous Miss Johanna Ford, daughter of Mr. Thomas Ford, of 
 Dorchester, in England, when she was but in the 17th year of 
 her age ; who, with her parents, came over in the same ship with 
 himself, and settled also here in Dorchester ; with whom he liv- 
 ed in the conjugal relation for the s|)ace of 57 years. She was 
 a godly and examplary woman, given to hospitality : She aboun ■ 
 fled in acts of charity ; so that when proper objects of pity and 
 charity came to her knowledge, she never failed to relieve tliem 
 
31 
 
 herself, or procure them relief from others : Thus the Blessing 
 of those that ivere ready to perish came %ipon her. 
 
 Among other blessings wherewith it pleased God to bless thisr 
 pious couple, the blessings of the breasts and of the womb were 
 not the least ; for they had fourteen children, ten sons and four 
 daughters. But God was pleased to prove these his servants 
 with a Mictions also, as well as mercies ; for five of their chil- 
 dren died in their infancy ; their son Thomas died at 1 5 years 
 of age, and their son Unite at 7 years. And in the year 1G8G, 
 their son Supply, a hopeful young man, in the flower and prime 
 of his age, was suddenly taken out of the world, by the acciden- 
 tal firing of a Gun at the Castle, where his father was then the 
 Captain, and himself an officer, in the 23d year of his age. — 
 The rest of their children, being four sons and two daughters, 
 lived to fulfil the ordinary course of nature, and were great bles- 
 sings in their generations. 
 
 Mr. Clap being thus settled, as he himself expresseth it, in 
 God's house and among his people, he set himself to serve God 
 and his generation according to the will of God. His quahfica- 
 tions were quickly observed by the people of Dorchester ; and 
 they early improved him in the affairs of their new plantation. 
 He sustained both civil and military offices in the town, being 
 Captain of the Mditia, Representative for the town, aiid author- 
 ized to join persons in marriage. And on the 10th of August, 
 1665, the General Court appointed him Captain of the Castle 
 (the principal Fortress in the Province) upon the death of Capt. 
 Davenport, who was killed with lightning the month belbre. 
 
 Capt. Clap having now tiie command of the Castle, dischar- 
 ged that trust with great fidelity ; and was therein serviceable to 
 the whole Province, and universally respected and honoured. — 
 He continued in that command for the space of 21 years, even 
 until the year 1686 ; when, by the loss of our Ciiarter, there was 
 a change of government, and some things were required of him 
 that were grievous to his pious soul ; and foreseeing a storm of 
 troubles coming on the country, and he now in iiis old age, vol- 
 untarily resigned his command. 
 
 There is another instance that shows what an interest Capt. 
 Clap had in the hearts of God's people, and what an extensive 
 
32 
 
 blessing they accounted him : it is tliis : — 'In the year 1C72, he 
 being then Captain of the Castle, it pleased God to visit him 
 Avith a fit of sickness ; and the goodvpeople of Dorchester, unto 
 which church he belonged, kept a day of Fasting and Prayer, to 
 beg his life of God : And God was pleased to hear and answer 
 their prayers ; and wiien he was restored to health, they kept a 
 Day of Thanksgiving. 
 
 When he commanded the Castle, he resided there with his fam- 
 ily ; and a well-ordered family it was. Capt. Clap and his wife 
 were examples of piety : Their light shone before others, to the 
 Glory of their heavenly father. He was a very prayerful man, 
 and was observed to retire often for serret duties : And in his 
 family (unto which all the soldiers under his command also be- 
 longed) he daily oflered up the sacrifices of prayer and thanks- 
 giving ; in which, if he understood his prolixity were disagreea- 
 ble to any, he would be troubled thereat. He, with his family, 
 Avere constant hearers of the word preached ; going (I think) 
 commonly to Dorcliester meeting, wlien the weathpr permitted, 
 and sometimes to Boston. He bore a universal love and respect 
 to Godly Ministers, honouring them for their works sake : and, 
 also, he bore an endeared love to all the people of God ; so that 
 the very Indians, whom he thought to be fearers of God, were 
 M'clcome to him, and he would instruct them in the principles of 
 religion. He constantly attended the lectures in the towns of 
 Dorchestfer and Boston j particularly the lecture at Boston ; con- 
 cerning which, if any of the soldiers or young people asked, 
 wliose lecture' it ^\yas ? intimating thereby (as Capt. Clap very 
 'well knew) that they thought some were not so excellent preach- 
 ers as others, and so had less inclinatioiT to hear them ; he would 
 answer, let the preacher be who he will, if he preach the word of 
 God, I will -go and hear him. H'ia'eye? were -upon the faithful 
 of the land, that they might d\VeUvvitii,,hiin :. He chose those to 
 serve him that walked in a perfect wayi^. and he would entertain 
 none in his service, but those that he could Veduce to good or- 
 ders. He would often reconnnend to, bis young people the ex- 
 ample of his pious gunner, Mr. Baxter, when he was absent, say- 
 ing, the walls of the Castle would testify how manv prayers that 
 
88 
 
 good man made to God in secret. In liis time it might be seen, 
 that religious^ and well-disposed men might take upon iheni the 
 calling of a soldier, without danger of hurting their morals, or 
 their good name, or lessening their advantages and opportunities 
 for the services of religion. He had a great aversion to idle- 
 ness, would warn his family against it, and made conscience of 
 employing himself and all about him in sonie lawful business. — 
 He was a hearty lover of his country, a A^ell-vvisher to it, one 
 that prayed often for it, being chiefly concerned that pure and un- 
 dciiled religion might flourish here : and was a good instrument 
 in his place and station to j)roinote and encourage that w hich was 
 good, and to discountenance evil, and keep out error and heresy. 
 He was a meek and humble man, of a very quiet and peacea- 
 ble spirit, not apt to resent injuries ; but n here he' thought the 
 honor of God was concerned, or just and lawful authority oppo- 
 sed, he was forward enough to exert himself. His parts, as well 
 as his piety, and his knowledge of the word of God and the true 
 christian religion, may be seen in the foregoing discourse ; w Inch 
 is only the substance of those verbal councils, warnings and ex- 
 hortations, which he frequently inculcated on his children, com- 
 mitted to writing ; which discourse is doubtless wortliy any seri- 
 ous man's perusal, and especially those of his posterity. 
 
 As to his natural temper, it is said, he was of a cheerful and 
 pleasant disposition, courteous and kind in his behaviour, free 
 and familiar in his conversation, yet attended with a proper re- 
 servedtiess ; and he had a gravity and presence that commanded 
 respect from others. 
 
 When he left the Casde, which was in the year IGSG, he remo- 
 ved to the south end of Boston, and associated with the South 
 Church tiiere, where he lived about four years, and after about a. 
 fortnight's sickness, in which he often repeated words to this pur- 
 pose,* The Lord 7'cigns ; blessed he the name of the Lord : 
 The Lord sitteth upon the flood ; yea the Lord sitteth King for- 
 ever : Blessed be his holy name. He there departed this life, 
 February 2, 1000,91, in the 82d year of his age. He was bu- 
 ried in the old Burying Place in Boston : the military uflicers 
 
 * I suppose in ihc joyful contt'mplation of *.he late wonderful Uevolution. 
 
34 
 
 going before the corps ; and next to tl)e relations, the Governoi* 
 and the whole General Court following after ; and the guns fir- 
 ing at the Castle at the same time. 
 
 Mrs. Clap, who was born June 8th, 1617, lived his widow be- 
 tween 4 and 5 years, and died at Boston, in June, 1695, being 
 about 78 years old, and was interred by her husband. 
 
 Capt. Clap (as was said before) had six children that lived to 
 old age, and were blessings in their generation. Their names 
 and the order of their birth is as follows : — Samuel, Elizabeth, 
 Preserved, Hopestill, Wait, and Desire. 
 
 1. Mr. Samuel Clap was born the 11th day of October, 1634, 
 when his mother was but in the 18th year of her age. He was 
 a wise and prudent man, partaking of the choice spirit of his fa- 
 ther, treading in his steps, and making good his ground : He 
 was eminent for religion, and of a blameless and unspotted con- 
 versation. He was early and constantly employed in public af- 
 fairs : He was Captain of the military company, Representative 
 for the town ; and the seven last years of his life a Ruling El- 
 der of the Church of Dorchester, where he lived. He married 
 Miss Hannah Leeds, daughter of Mr. Richard Leeds, of Dor- 
 chester. They had two sons and two daughters that lived to be 
 ^rown up. He died about eight days after his wife, on October 
 16th, 1708, being about 74 years old. His eldest son, Samuel, 
 deceased in his middle age, a very pious, useful man also. He 
 was chosen one of the Deacons of the Church in Dorchester, 
 where he lived, and was Lieutenant of a military company in tlie 
 town. His other son died a hopeful young man. 
 
 2. Elizabeth Clap was born June 22d, 1638. She married 
 Mr. Joseph Holmes. She was a virtuous and prudent woman. 
 Tlii'v had five cliildren that lived to be grown up. She died at 
 Boston, Deceml)er 25th, 1711, in the 74th year of her age, and 
 was buried by her parents. 
 
 3. Mr. Preserved Clap was born November 23d, 1643. He 
 was a good instrument and a great blessing to the town of North- 
 ampton, where he lived. He was Captain of the town, and their 
 lieprcsentativo in the General Court, and Ruling Elder in the 
 Church. He married Miss Sarah Ncwberv, of Windsor, They 
 
35 
 
 had seven children that lived to be grown up. He died at North- 
 ampton, September 20th, 1720, aged about 77 years. 
 
 4. Mr. Hopestlll Clap was born November 6, 1647. He 
 was a very gracious man, endowed with a great measure of meek- 
 ness and patience ; studied and practiced those things that made 
 tor peace. He was first a Deacon of the Church of Dorchester, 
 where he lived ; and afterwards in the year 1709, he was chosen 
 and ordained a Ruling Elder in the same Church. He Repre- 
 sented tlie town in the General Court for the space of fifteen years. 
 He was much honored and respected by those that had a value 
 for vital piety. He married Miss Susannah Swift. They had 
 two sons and four daughters Uiat lived to be grown up. One of 
 his sons died a young man, the other is now living in Dorchester. 
 Elder Hopestill Clap died at Dorchester, September 2d, 1719, in 
 the 72d year of his age. Upon his grave stone is written by his 
 Pastor as follows : — 
 
 His dust waits 'till the Jubilee, 
 Shall then shine brighter than the Sky j 
 Shall meet and join to part no more, 
 His soul that's glorified before. 
 Pastors and Churches happy be 
 With Ruling Elders such as he ; 
 Present useful, absent wanted ; 
 Liv'd desired, died lamented. 
 
 5. Miss Wait Clap was born March 17th, 1649. She was a 
 godly woman, following the good example of her parents. She 
 often spake of that charge which iier father left his children, \h. 
 Never to spend any time in idleness, and practised accordingly ii\ 
 a very ol)servable manner. She married Mr. Jonathan Simpson, 
 of Charlestown. Tiiey had but two chihiren, one son and one 
 daughter, that lived to be grown up. She lived a widow about 
 twelve years, and died at Boston, in tlie liouse d)at her father and 
 mother lived and died in, May 3, 1717, in die 69tli year of her 
 age, and was buried near her parents. 
 
 6. Mr. Desire Clap was born Ocl()I)cr 17th, 1652. He liv- 
 ed in Dorchester, was a sol)er, religions man. He married IMiss 
 Sarah P«nd. They had four <:!iil(Ircn that lived to b.c grown up. 
 
:i6 
 
 one son and three daughters. In his old age he buried liis hrsJ -• 
 wife, and married again to Mrs. Deborah Smith, of Boston, with ^ 
 whom he went to live ; and there he di«?d in December, 1717, in 
 the 66th year of his age, and was Interred near his relations* % ,* 
 
 Thus God was pleased to bless this pious family, and make . 
 ihem blessings in their day and generation. They have-all of 
 them finished their pilgrimage in this world, and are gathered to 
 their fathers, and. entered into the rest that remains for the people 
 of God. Leaving behind them their good names, and their bright 
 examples of piety and virtue. Divers also of the grand-children 
 are removed by death. 
 
 * May the blessings of these godly ancestors lest upon their 
 ])o^terity, even unto the latest generations : An^inay their pos- 
 terity put themselves in the way to inherit those blessings, by con- 
 tinuing stedfast in the covenant of their God, under which itbeir 
 ancestors have brought them ; and by walking in, and eleaving- 
 to, the good ways of their forefathers, treading in their steps and 
 making good their ground. 
 
 Capt. Clap had one brother, and two sisters, with their bus- ' 
 bands, that upon his advice and encouragement, afterwards came 
 over and settled themselves here in Dorchester. His brother, 
 Edward Clap, was a godly man, a Deacon of the Church' of 
 Dorchester, as two of his grand-sons have been since. His sis- 
 ters were the wives of INIr. George Weeks and Mr. Nicholas 
 Clap, religious families. 
 
 Deut. vii. 9. Know, therefore, that the Lord thy God, He is 
 God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy tvltk 
 them that love him, and keep his commandments, to a thousand 
 generations^ 
 
 JAMES BLAKE, Jun. .- 
 

 
 
 
 
 
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