These Three Books of the same Author Mr. James Janeway are Printed for and Sold by Dorman Newman HEaven upon Earth or the best friend in the worst of times The third Edition enlarged Price 2 s. 6 d. Death unstung a Sermon Preacht at the Funeral of Thomas Mousley an Apothecary With a brief Narrative of his Life and Death also the manner of Gods dealings with Him before and after his Conversion Drawn up by his own hand Price 1 s. A Sermon Preached at the Funeral of Thomas Savage Price 4 d. A TOKEN FOR CHILDREN BEING An Exact Account of the Conversion Holy and Exemplary Lives and Joyful Deaths of several young Children By James Janeway Minister of the Gospel Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God Mark 10.14 LONDON Printed for Dorman Newman at the Kings Arms at the Corner of Grocers Alley in the Poultrey 1676. To all Parents School-masters and School-Mistresses or any that have any hand in the Education of Children Dear Friends I Have oft thought that Christ speaks to you as Pharaoh's Daughter did to Moses's Mother Take this Child and Nurse it for me O Sirs consider what a precious Jewel is committed to your charge what an advantage you have to shew your love to Christ to stock the next Generation with Noble Plants and what a joyful account you may make if you be faithful Remember Souls Christ and Grace cannot be over-valued I confess you have some disadvantages but let that only excite your diligence the Salvation of Souls the commendation of your Master the greatness of your reward and everlasting glory will pay for all Remember the Devil is at work hard wicked ones are industrious and a corrupt nature is a rugged knotty piece to hew but be not discouraged I am almost as much afraid of your laziness and unfaithfulness as any thing Do but fall to work lustily and who knows but that rough stone may prove a Pillar in the Temple of God In the Name of the living God as you will answer in shortly at his Bar I command you to be faithful in Instructing and Catechizing your young ones If you think I am too peremptory I pray read the command from my Master himself Deut. 6.7 Is not the duty clear and dare you neglect so direct a Command Are the Souls of your Children of no value Are you willing that they should be Brands of Hell Are you indifferent whether they be Damned or Saved shall the Devil run away with them without controul Will not you use your utmost endeavour to deliver them from the wrath to come you see that they are not Subjects uncapable of the Grace of God whatever you think of them Christ doth not slight them they are not too little to dye they are not too little to go to Hell they are not too little to serve their great Master too little to go to Heaven For of such is the Kingdom of God And will not a possibility of their Conversion and Salvation put you upon the greatest diligence to teach them Or are Christ and Heaven and Salvation small things with you If they be then indeed I have done with you but if they be not I beseech you lay about you with all your might the Devil knows your time is going apace it will shortly be too late O therefore what you do do quickly and do it I say with all your might O pray pray pray and live holily before them and take some time daily to speak a little to your Children one by one about their miserable condition by Nature I knew a Child that was converted by this sentence from a godly School-mistress in the Country Every Mothers Child of you are by Nature Children of wrath Put your Children upon Learning their Catechism and the Scriptures and getting to pray and weep by themselves after Christ take heed of their company take heed of pardoning a lye take heed of letting them mispend the Sabbath put them I beseech you upon imitating these sweet Children let them Read this Book over an hundred times and observe how they are affected and ask them what they think of those Children and whether they would not be such and follow what you do with earnest cries to God and be in travel to see Christ formed in their Souls I have prayed for you I have oft prayed for your Children and I love them dearly and I have prayed over these papers that God would strike in with them and make them effectual to the good of their Souls Incourage your Children to read this Book and lead them to improve it What is presented is faithfully taken from experienced solid Christians some of them no way related to the Children who themselves were Eye and Ear-witnesses of God's works of Wonder or from my own knowledg or from Reverend godly Ministers and from Persons that are of unspotted reputation for Holiness Integrity and Wisdom and several passages are taken verbatim in writing from their dying Lips I may add many other excellent Examples if I have any encouragement in this Piece That the young generation may be far more excellent than this is the Prayer of one that dearly loves little Children James Janeway A PREFACE Containing DIRECTIONS TO CHILDREN YOV may now hear my dear Lambs what other good Children have done and remember how they wept and prayed by themselves how earnestly they cryed out for an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ May you not read how dutiful they were to their Parents How diligent at their Books how ready to learn the Scripture and their Catechisms Can you forget what Questions they were wont to ask How much they feared a lye how much they abhorred naughty company how holy they lived how dearly they were loved how joyfully they died But tell me my dear Children and tell me truly Do you do as these Children did Did you ever see your miserable state by Nature Did you ever get by your self and weep for sin and pray for grace and pardon Did you ever go to your Father and Mother or Master or Mistress and beg of them to pity you and pray for you and to teach you what you shall do to be saved what you shall do to get Christ Heaven and Glory Dost thou love to be taught good things Come tell me truly my dear Child for I would fain do what I can possibly to keep thee from falling into everlasting Fire I would fain have you one of those little ones which Christ will take into his Arms and bless How dost thou spend thy time is it in play and Idleness and with wicked Children Dare you take Gods Name in vain or swear or tell a lie Dare you do any thing which your Parents forbid you and neglect to do what they command you Do you dare to run up and down upon the Lords day or do you keep in to read your book and to learn what your
hast got the love of God 7. Get by thy self into the Chamber or Garret and fall upon thy knees and weep and mourn and tell Christ thou art afraid that he doth not love thee but thou would fain have his love beg of him to give thee his Grace and pardon for thy sins and that he would make thee his Child Tell God thou dost not care who don't love thee if God will but love thee say to him Father hast thou not a blessing for me thy poor little Child Father hast thou not a blessing for me even for me O give a Christ O give me a Christ O let me not be undone for ever thus beg as for your lives and be not contented till you have an answer and do thus every day with as much earnestness as you can twice a day at least 8. Give your self up to Christ say dear Jesus thou didst bid that little Children should be suffered to come unto thee and Lord I am come as well as I can would fain be thy Child take my heart and make it humble and meek and sensible and obedient I give my self to thee dear Jesus do what thou wilt with me so that thou wilt but love me and give me thy grace and glory 9. Get acquainted with godly people and ask them good questions and endeavour to love their talk 10. Labour to get a dear love for Christ read the History of Christ 's sufferings and ask the reason of his sufferings and never be contented till you see your need of Christ and the excellency and use of Christ 11. Hear the most powerful Ministers and read the most searching Books and get your Father to buy you Mr. White 's Book for little Children and A Guide to Heaven 12. Resolve to continue in well-doing all your dayes then you shall be one of those sweet little ones that Christ will take into his Arms and bless and give a Kingdom Crown and Glory to And now dear Children I have done I have written to you I have prayed for you but what you will do I can't tell O Children if you love me if you love your Parents if you love your Souls if you would scape Hell Fire and if you would live in Heaven when you dye do you go and do as these good Children and that you may be your Parente joy your Countreys honour and live in Gods fear and dye in his love is the prayer of your deal Friend J. Janeway A TOKEN FOR CHILDREN EXAMPLE I. Of one eminently converted between Eight and Nine years old with an account of her Life and Death MRS. Sarah Howley when she was between eight and nine years old was carried by her Friends to hear a Sermon where the Minister Preached upon Matthew 11.30 My yoak is easie and my burden is light In the applying of which Scripture this Child was mightily awakened and made deeply sensible of the condition of her Soul and her need of a Christ she wept bitterly to think what a case she was in and went home and got by her self into a Chamber and upon her knees she wept and cryed to the Lord as well as she could which might easily be perceived by her eyes and countenance 2. She was not contented at this but she got her little Brother and Sister into a Chamber with her and told them of their condition by nature and wept over them and prayed with them and for them 3. After this she heard another Sermon upon Prov. 29.1 He that being often reproved hardeneth his heart shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy At which she was more affected than before and was so exceedingly solicitous about her Soul that she spent a great part of the night in weeping and praying and could scarce take any rest day or night for some time together desiring with all her Soul to escape from everlasting flames and to get an interest in the Lord Jesus O what should she do for a Christ what should she do to be saved 4. She gave her self much to attending upon the Word Preached and still continued very tender under it greatly favouring what she heard 5. She was very much in secret prayer as might easily be perceived by those who listened at the Chamber Door and was usually very importunate and full of tears 6. She could scarce speak of sin or be spoke to but her heart was ready to melt 7. She spent much time in reading the Scripture and a Book called The best Friend in the worst times by which the work of God was much promoted upon her Soul and was much directed by it how to get acquaintance with God especially toward the end of that Book Another Book that she was much delighted with was Mr. Swinnocks Christian Mans Calling and by this she was taught in some measure to make Religion her business The Spiritual Bee was a great companion of hers 8. She was exceeding dutiful to her Parents very loath to grieve them in the least and if she had at any time which was very rare offended them she would weep bitterly 9. She abhorred lying and allowed her self in no known sin 10. She was very Conscientious in spending of time and hated idleness and spent her whole time either in praying reading instructing her little Brothers and working at her Needle at which she was very ingenious 11. When she was at School she was eminent for her diligence teachableness meekness and modesty speaking very little but when she did it was usually very spiritual 12. She continued in this course of Religious Duties for some years together 13. When she was about fourteen years old she brake a Vein in her Lungs as is supposed and oft did spit blood yet did a little recover again but had several dangerous relapses 14. At the beginning of January last she was taken very bad again in which sickness She was in great distress of Soul When she was first taken she said O Mother pray pray pray for me for Satan is so busie that I cannot pray for my self I see I am undone without a Christ and a pardon O I am undone undone to all Eternity 15. Her Mother knowing how serious she had been formerly did a little wonder that she should be in such agonies upon which her Mother asked her what sin it was that was so burdensome to her spirit O Mother said she it is not any particular Sin of Omission or Commission that sticks so close to my Conscience as the Sin of my nature without the blood of Christ that will damn me 16. Her Mother asked her what she should pray for for her she answered that I may have a saving knowledg of Sn and Christ and that I may have an assurance of Gods love to my Soul Her Mother asked her why she did speak so little to the Minister that came to her She answered that it was her duty with patience and silence to learn of them and it was exceeding painful
cursed into the Lake that burns for ever What a grief is it to me to think that I shall see any of my friends that I knew upon Earth turned into that Lake that burns for ever O that word for ever Remember that for ever I speak these words to you but they are nothing except God speak to you too O pray pray pray that God would give you grace and then she prayed O Lord finish thy work upon their Souls It will be my comfort to see you in glory but it will be your everlasting happiness 30. Her Grandmother told her she spent her self too much she said I care not for that if I could do any Soul good O with what vehemency did she speak as if her heart were in every word she spoke 31. She was full of Divine Sentences and almost all her discourse from the first to the last in the time of her sickness was about her Soul Christs sweetness and the Souls of others in a word like a continued Sermon 32. Upon Friday after she had had such lively discoveries of Gods love she was exceeding desirous to die and cryed out Come Lord Jesus come quickly conduct me to thy Tabernacle I am a poor creature without thee but Lord Jesus my soul longs to be with thee O when shall it be Why not now dear Jesus Come Lord Jesus come quickly but why do I speak thus Thy time dear Lord is the best O give me patience 33. Upon Saturday she spoke very little being very drowsie yet now and then she dropt these words How long sweet Jesus finish thy work sweet Jesus come away sweet dear Lord Jesus come quickly sweet Lord help come away now now dear Jesus come quickly Good Lord give patience to me to wait thy appointed time Lord Jesus help me help me help me Thus at several times when out of her sleep for she was asleep the greatest part of the day 34. Upon the Lords Day she scarce spoke any thing but much desired that Bills of Thanksgiving might be sent to those who had formerly been praying for her that they might help her to praise God for that full assurance that he had given her of his love and seemed to be much swallowed up with the thoughts of Gods free love to her Soul She oft commended her spirit into the Lords hands and the last words which she was heard to speak were these Lord help Lord Jesus help Dear Jesus Blessed Jesus And thus upon the Lords Day between Nine and Ten of the Clock in the Forenoon she slept sweetly in Jesus and began an everlasting Sabbath February 19. 1670. EXAMPLE II. Of a Child that was admirably affected with the things of God when he was between two and three years Old with a brief account of his Life and Death 1. A Certain little Child whose Mother had dedicated him to the Lord in the womb when he could not speak plain would be crying after God and was greatly desirous to be taught good things 2. He could not endure to be put to Bed without family duty but would put his Parents upon duty and would with much devotion kneel down and with great patience and delight continue till duty was at an end without the least expression of being weary and he seemed never so well pleased as when he was engaged in duty 3. He could not be satisfied with Family-duty but he would be oft upon his knees by himself in one corner or other 4. He was much delighted in hearing the word of God either read or preached 5. He loved to go to School that he might learn something of God and would observe and take great notice of what he had read and come home and speak of it with much affection and he would rejoyce in his book and say to his Mother O Mother I have had a sweet lesson to day will you please to give me leave to fetch my book that you may hear it 6. As he grew up he was more and more affected with the things of another world so that if we had not received our information from one that is of undoubted fidelity it would seem incredible 7. He quickly learned to read the Scriptures and would with great Reverence Tenderness and groans read till tears and sobs were ready to hinder him 8. When he was at secret prayer he would weep bitterly 9. He was wont often times to complain of the naughtiness of his heart and seemed to be more grieved for the Corruption of his Nature than for any actual sin 10. He had a vast Understanding in the things of God even next to a wonder for one of his age 11. He was much troubled for the wandrings of his thoughts in duty and that he could not keep his heart alway fixed upon God and the work he was about and his affections constantly raised 12. He kept a watch over his heart and observed the workings of his Soul and would complain that the were so vain and foolish and so little busied about spirituas things 13. As he grew up he grew daily in knowledg and experience and his carriage was so heavenly and his discourse so excellent and experimental that it made those which heard it even astonished 14. He was exceeding importunate with God in duty and would plead with God at a strange rate and use such arguments in prayer that one would think it were impossible should ever enter into the heart of a Child he would beg and expostulate and weep so that sometimes it could not be kept from the ears of Neighbours so that one of the next house was forced to cry out the prayers and tears of that Child in the next house will sink me to Hell because by it he did condemn his neglect of prayer and his slight performance of it 15. He was very fearful of wicked company and would oft beg of God to keep him from it and that he might never be pleased in them that took delight in displeasing of God And when he was at any time in the hearing of their wicked words taking the Lords Name in vain or swearing or any filthy word it would even make him tremble and ready to go home and weep 16. He abhorred lying with his Soul 17. When he had committed any fault he was easily convinced of it and would get in some corner and secret place and with tears beg pardon of God and strength against such a sin He had a friend that oft watched him and listned at his Chamber-door from whom I received this Narrative 18. When he had been asked whether he would commit such a sin again he would never promise absolutely because he said his heart was naught but he would weep and say he hoped by the grace of God he should not 19. When he was left at home alone upon the Sabbath days he would be sure not to spend any part of the day in Idleness and Play but be busied in praying Reading in
many excellent Christians to stand amazed as judging it scarce to be paralell'd 14. She took great delight in reading of the Scripture and some part of it was more sweet to her than her appointed food she would get several choice Scriptures by heart and discourse of them savourly and apply them sutably 15. She was not altogether a stranger to other good Books but would be reading of them with much affection and where she might she noted the Books particularly observing what in the reading did most warm her heart and she was ready upon occasion to improve it 16. One time a woman coming into the house in a great passion spoke of her condition as if none were like hers and it would never be otherwise the Child said it were a strange thing to say when its night it will never be day again 17. At another time a near Relation of hers being in some streights made some complaint to whom she said I have heard Mr. Carter say A man may go to Heaven without a Penny in his Purse but not without Grace in his heart 18. She had an extraordinary love to the people of God and when she saw any that she thought feared the Lord her heart would e'n leap for joy 19. She loved to be much by her self and would be greatly grieved if she were at any time deprived of a coveniency for secret duty she could not live without constant address to God in secret and was not a little pleased when she could go into a corner to pray and weep 20. She was much in praising God and seldom or never complained of any thing but sin 21. She continued in this course of praying and praising of God and great dutifulness and sweetness to her Parents and those that taught her any thing yea she did greatly encourage her Mother while she was a Widow and desired that the absence of a Husband might in some measure be made up by the dutifulness and holiness of a Child She studied all the ways that could be to make her Mothers life sweer 22. When she was between Eleven and Twelve years old she sickned in which she carried it with admirable patience and sweetness and did what she could with Scripture arguments to support and encourage her Relations to part with her that was going to Glory and to prepare themselves to meet her in a blessed Eternity 23. She was not many days sick before she was marked which she first saw her self and was greatly rejoyced to think that she was marked out for the Lord and was now going apace to Christ She called to her Friends and said I am marked but be not troubled for I know I am marked for one of the Lords own One asked her how she knew that She answered the Lord hath told me that I am one of his dear Children And thus she spake with a holy confidence in the Lords love to her soul and was not in the least daunted when she spake of her death but seemed greatly delighted in the apprehension of her nearness to her Fathers house And it was not long before she was filled with joy unspeakable in believing 24. When she just lay a dying her Mother came to her and told her she was sorry that she had reproved and corrected so good a child so oft O Mother said she speak not thus I bless God now I am dying for your reproofs and corrections too for it may be I might have gone to Hell if it had not been for your reproofs and corrections 25. Some of her Neighbours coming to visit her asked her if she would leave them She answered them if you serve the Lord you shall come after me to glory 26. A little before she died she had a great conflict with Satan and cried out I am none of his her Mother seeing her in trouble asked her what was the matter She answered Satan did trouble me but now I think God all is well I know I am none of his but Christs 27. After this she had a great sense of Gods love and a glorious sight as if she had seen the very Heavens open and the Angels come to receive her by which her heart was filled with joy and her tongue with praise 28. Being desired by the standers by to give them a particular account of what she saw she answered you shall know hereafter and so in an extafie of joy and holy triumph she went to Heaven when she was about Twelve years old Hallelujah A Fourth Example of a Child that began to look towards Heaven when she was about four years old with some observable passages in her Life and at her Death 1. A Certain little Child when she was about four years old had a conscientious sense of her duty towards her Parents because the Commandment saith Honour thy Father and thy Mother And though she had little advantage of education she carried it with the greatest reverence to her Parents imaginable so that she was no small credit as well as comfort to them 2. It was no unusual thing for her to weep if she saw her Parents troubled though her self had not been the occasion of it 3. When she came from School she would with grief and abhorrency say that other Children had sinned against God by speaking grievous words which were so bad that she durst not speak them again 4. She would be often times admiring of Gods mercy for so much goodness to her rather than to others that she saw some begging others blind some crooked and that she wanted nothing that was good for her 5. She was many a time and often in one hole or other in tears upon her knees 6. This poor little thing would be ready to counsel other little children how they ought to serve God and putting them upon getting by themselves to pray and hath been known when her friends have been abroad to have been teaching Children to pray especially upon the Lords Day 7. She very seriously begged the Prayers of others that they would remember her that the Lord would give her Grace 8. When this Child saw some that were laughing who she judged to be very wicked She told them that she feared that they had little reason to be so merry They asked whether one might not laugh She answered no indeed till you have grace they who are wicked have more need to cry than to laugh 9. She would say that it was the duty of Parents Masters and Mistresses to reprove those under their charge for sin else God will meet with them 10. She would be very attentive when she read the Scriptures and be much affected with them 11. She would by no means be perswaded to prophane the Lords Day but would spend it in some good Duties 12. When she went to School it was willingly and joyfully and she was very teachable and exemplary to other children 13. When she was taken sick one asked her whether she were willing to
die She answered Yes if God would pardon her sins Being asked how her sins should be pardoned She answered through the blood of Christ 14. She said she did believe in Christ and desired and longed to be with him and did with a great deal of chearfulness give up her soul There were very many observable passages in the Life and Death of this Child but the hurry and grief that her friends were in buryed them The Fifth Example of the pious Life and joyful Death of a Child which dyed when he was about twelve years old 1632. 1. CHarles Bridgman had no sooner learned to speak but he betook himself to prayer 2. He was very prone to learn the things of God 3. He would be sometimes teaching them their duty that waited upon him 4. He learned by heart many good things before he was well fit to go to School and when he was set to School he carried it so that all that observed him either did or might admire him O the sweet nature the good disposition the sincere Religion which was in this Child 5. When he was at School what was it that he desired to learn but Christ and him crucified 6. So religious and savoury were his words his actions so upright his devotion so hearty his fear of God so great that many were ready to say as they did of John What manner of Child shall this be 7. He would be much in reading the holy Scriptures 8. He was desirous of more spiritual knowledg and would be oft asking very serious and admirable questions 9. He would not stir out of doors before he had poured out his Soul to the Lord. 11. When he eat any thing he would be sure to lift up his heart unto the Lord for a blessing upon it and when he had moderately refreshed himself by eating he would not forget to acknowledg Gods goodness in feeding of him 12. He would not lye down in his bed till he had been upon his knees and when sometimes he had forgotten his duty he would quickly get out of his bed and kneeling down upon his bare knees covered with no Garment but his Linings ask God forgiveness for that sin 13. He would rebuke his Brethren if they were at any time too hasty at their meals and did eat without asking a blessing his check was usually this dare you do thus God be merciful unto us this bit of bread might choak us 14. His sentences were wise and weighty and well might become some ancient Christian 15. His sickness was a lingring disease against which to comfort him one tells him of possessions that must fall to his portion and what are they said he I had rather have the Kingdom of Heaven than a thousand such inheritances 16. When he was sick he seemed much taken up with Heaven and asked very serious questions about the nature of his soul 17. After he was pretty well satisfied about that he enquired how his soul might be saved the answer being made by the applying of Christs merits by faith he was pleased with the answer and was ready to give any one that should desire it an account of his hope 18. Being asked whether he had rather live or dye he answered I desire to dye that I may go to my Saviour 19. His pains encreasing upon him one asked him whether he would rather still endure those pains or forsake Christ Alas said he I know not what to say being but a Child for these pains may stagger a strong man But I will strive to endure the best that I can Upon this he called to mind that Martyr Thomas Bilney who being in prison the night before his burning put his finger into the candle to know how he could endure the fire O said the Child had I lived then I would have run through the fire to have gone to Christ 20. His sickness lasted long and at least three dayes before his death he prophesied his departure and not only that he must dye but the very day On the Lords day said he look to me neither was this a word of course which you may guess by his often repetition every day asking till the day came indeed what is Sunday come At last the lookt-for day came on and no sooner had the Sun beautified that morning with its light but he falls into a trance his eyes were fixed his face cheerful his lips smiling his hands and face clasped in a Bow as if he would have received some blessed Angel that were at hand to receive his soul but he comes to himself and tells them how he saw the sweetest body that ever eyes beheld who bid him be of good cheer for he must presently go with him 21. One that stood near him as now suspecting the time of his dissolution nigh bid him say Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit which is thy due for why thou hast redeemed it O Lord my God most true 22. The last words which he spake were exactly these Pray pray pray nay yet pray and the more Prayers the better all prospers God is the best Physitians into his hands I commend my spirit O Lord Jesus receive my soul Now close mine eyes Forgive me Father Mother Brother Sister all the World Now I am well my pain is almost gone my joy is at hand Lord have mercy on me O Lord receive my Soul unto thee And thus he yielded his Spirit up unto the Lord when he was about twelve years old This Narrative was taken out of Mr. Ambrose his Life's Lease The sixth Example of a poor Child that was awakened when she was about five years old 1. A Certain very poor Child that had a very bad Father but it was to be hoped a very good Mother was by the Providence of God brought to the sight of a godly friend of mine who upon the first sight of the Child had a great pity for him and took an affection to him and had a mind to bring him up for Christ 2. At the first he did with great sweetness and kindness allure the Child by which means it was not long before he got a deep interest in the heart of the Child and he began to obey him with more readiness than Children usually do their Parents 3. By this a Door was opened for a farther work and he had agreater advantage to instill spiritual Principles into the soul of the Child which he was not wanting in as the Lord gave opportunity and the Child was capable of 4. It was not long before the Lord was pleased to strike in with the spiritual Exhortations of this good man so that the Child was brought to a liking of the things of God 5. He quickly learnt a great part of the Assemblies Catechism by heart and that before he could read his Primmer within Book and he took a great delight in learning his Catechism 6. He was not only able to give a very good account of his Catechism
but he would answer such questions as are not in the Catechism with greater understanding than could be expected of one of his age 7. He took great delight in discoursing about the things of God and when my Friend had been either praying or reading expounding or repeating of Sermons he seemed very attentive and ready to receive the truths of God and would with incredible gravity diligence and affection wait till duties were ended to the no small joy and admiration of them which observed him 8. He would ask very excellent questions and discourse about the condition of his soul and heavenly things and seemed mightily concerned what should become of his soul when he should dye so that his discourse made some Christians even to stand astonished 9. He was greatly taken with the great kindness of Christ in dying for sinners and would be in tears at the mention of them and seemed at a strange rate to be affected with the unspeakable love of Christ 10. When no body hath been speaking to him he would burst out into tears and being asked the reason he would say that the very thoughts of Christs love to sinners in suffering for them made him that he could not but cry 11. Before he was six years old he made conscience of a secret duty and when he prayed it was with such extraordinary meltings that his eyes have looked red and sore with weeping by himself for his sin 12. He would be putting of Christians upon spiritual discourse vvhen he savv them and seemed little satisfied unless they vvere talking of good things 13. It s evident That this poor Childs thoughts vvere very much busied about the things of another vvorld for he vvould oftentimes be speaking to his Bed-fellovv as mid-night about the matter of his soul and when he could not sleep he would take heavenly conference to be sweeter than his appointed rest This was his usual custome and thus he would provoke and put forward an experienced Christian to spend waking hours in talk of God and the everlasting rest 14. Not long after this his good Mother died which went very near his heart for he greatly honoured his Mother 15. After the dead of his Mother he would often repeat some of the promises that are made unto Fatherless Children especially that in Exod. 22.22 Ye shall not afflict any Widow or the Fatherless Child if thou afflict them in any wise and they cry at all unto me I will surely hear their cry These words he would often repeat with tears and say I am Fatherless and Motherless upon Earth yet if any wrong me I have a Father in Heaven who will take my part to him I commit my self and in him is all my trust 16. Thus he continued in a course of holy duties living in the fear of God and shewed wonderful grace for a Child and died sweetly in the Faith of Jesus My friend is a judicious Christian of many years experience who was no ways related to him but a constant eye and ear-witness of his godly life and honourable and chearful death from whom I received this information EXAMPLE VII Of a notorious wicked child who was taken up from begging and admirably converted with an account of his holy Life and joyful Death when he was nine years old 1. A Very poor Child of the Parish of Newington-Butts came begging to the door of a dear Christian friend of mine in a very lamentable case so filthy and nasty that he would even have turned ones stomack to have looked on him But it pleased God to raise in the heart of my friend a great pity and tenderness towards this poor child so that in Charity he took him out of the streets whose Parents were unknown who had nothing at all in him to commend him to any ones Charity but his misery My friend eying the glory of God and the good of the immortal soul of this wretched Creature discharged the Parish of the Child and took him as his own designing to bring him up for the Lord Christ A noble piece of Charity And that which did make the kindness far the greater was that there seemed to be very little hopes of doing any good upon this Child for he was a very Monsier of wickedness and a thousand times more miserable and vile by his sin than by his poverty He was running to Hell as soon as he could go and was old in naughtiness when he was young in years and one shall scarce hear of one so like the Devil in his infancy as this poor Child was What sin was there that his age was capable of that he did not commit What by the corruption of his Nature and the abominable example of little beggar boyes he was arrived to a strange pitch of impiety He would call filthy Names take Gods Name in vain curse and swear and do almost all kind of mischief and as to any thing of God worse than an Heathen 2. But his sin and misery was but a stronger motive to that gracious man to pity him and to do all that possibly he could to pluck this fire-brand out of the fire and it was not long before the Lord was pleased to let him understand that he had a design of everlasting kindness upon the Soul of this poor child for no sooner had this good man taken this creature into his house but he prays for him and labours with all his might to convince him of his miserable condition by Nature and to teach him something of God the worth of his own Soul and that Eternity of Glory or Misery that he was born to and blessed be Free-grace it was not long before the Lord was pleased to let him understand that it was himself which put it into his heart to take in this Child that he might bring him up for Christ The Lord soon struck in with his godly instructions so that an amazing change was seen in the Child in a few weeks space he was soon convinced of the evil of his ways no more news now of his calling of Names Swearing or Cursing no more taking of the Lords Name in vain now he is civil and respectful and such a strange alteration was wrought in the child that all the Parish that rung of his villany before was now ready to talk of his reformation his company his talk his imployment is now changed and he is like another creature so that the glory of Gods Free-grace began already to shine in him 3. And this change was not only an eternal one and to be discerned abroad but he would get by himself and weep and mourn bitterly for his horrible wicked life as might easily be perceived by them that lived in the house with him 4. It was the great care of his godly Master to strike in with those convictions which the Lord had made and to improve them all he could and he was not a little glad to see that his labour was not
Vision of Angels When he was out of his Trance he was in a little pett and asked his Nurse why she did not let him go go whither child said she why along with those brave Gentlemen said he but they told me they would come and fetch me away for all you upon Friday next And he doubled his words many times upon Friday next those brave Gentlemen will come for me and upon that day the Child dyed joyfully 21. He was very thankful to his Master and very sensible of his great kindness in taking him up out of the streets when he was a begging and he admired at the goodness of God which put it into the mind of a stranger to look upon and to take such fatherly care of such a pitiful sorry creature as he was O my dear Mother said he and child of God I hope to see you in Heaven for I am sure you will go thither O blessed blessed be God that made you to take pity upon me for I might have dyed and have gone to the Devil and have been damned for ever if it had not been for you 22. The Thursday before he dyed he asked a very godly friend of mine what he thought of his condition and whither his soul was now going for he said he could not still but fear least he should deceive himself with false hopes at which my friend spoke to him thus Child for all that I have endeavoured to hold forth the grace of God in Christ to thy Soul and given you a warrant from the Word of God that Christ is as freely offered to you as to any sinner in the world if thou art but willing to accept of him thou mayest have Christ and all that thou dost want with him and yet thou givest way to these thy doubtings and fears as though I told thee nothing but lyes Thou sayest thou fearest that Christ will not accept of thee I fear thou art not heartily willing to accept of him The Child answered indeed I am Why then Child if thou art unfeignedly willing to have Christ I tell thee he is a thousand times more willing to have thee and wash thee and save thee than thou art to desire it And now at this time Christ offers himself freely to thee again therefore receive him humbly by Faith into thy heart and bid him welcome for he deserveth it Upon which words the Lord discovered his love to the Child and he gave a kind of a leap in his bed and snapt his fingers and thumb together with abundance of joy as much as to say Well yea all is well the match is made Christ is willing and I am willing too and now Christ is mine and I am his for ever And from that time forward in full joy and assurance of Gods love he continued earnestly praising God with desiring to die and be with Christ And on Friday morning he sweetly went to rest using that very expression Into thy hands Lord I commit my spirit He died punctually at that time which he had spoke of and in which he expected those Angels to come to him he was not much above nine years old when he dyed This Narrative I had from a judicious holy man un-related to him who was an eye and ear-witness to all these things FINIS A TOKEN FOR CHILDREN The Second Part. BEING A farther Account of the Conversion Holy and exemplary Lives and Joyful Deaths of several other young Children not published in The First Part. By James Janeway Minister of the Gospel Psal 8.2 Out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings host thou ordained strength LONDON Printed for D. Newman at the Kings Arms at the Corner of Grocers Alley in the Poultrey 1673. A PREFACE TO THE READER Christian Reader IN the former part of my Tokens for Children I did in part promise that if that piece met with kind entertainment it might be followed with a second of the same nature If it did not seem a little to savour of vanity I might tell the World what encouragement I have met with in this Work but this I will only say that I have met with so much as hath perswaded me to give this little Book leave to go abroad into the World I am not also ignorant what Discouragement I may meet with from some but as long as I am sure I shall not meet with this that it 's improbable if not impossible that it should save a Soul I think the rest may easily be answered or warrantably slighted But because I am perswaded by some that one Example in the former viz. that of a Child that began to be serious between two and three years old was scarce credible and they did fear might somewhat prejudice the authority of the rest I shall say something to answer that They which make this Objection are either good or bad if bad I expect never to satisfie them except I should tell them of a Romance or a Play or somewhat that might suit a carnal mind it is like holiness in older persons is a matter of contempt and scorn to them much more in such as these I mention The truth of it is it is no wonder at all to me that the Subjects of Satan should not be very well pleased with that whose design is to undermine the interest of their great Master nothing will satisfie some except Christ and holiness may be degraded and vilified But hold sinner hold never hope it Heaven shall never be turned into Hell for thy sake and as for all thy Atheistical Objections Scoffs and Jeers they shall ere long be fully answered and the Hosannah's and Hallelujah's of these Babes shall condemn thy Oaths Blasphemies and Jeers and then thou wilt be silenced and accept converting Grace turn thy heart quickly thou wilt for ever rue thy madness and Folly when it is too late to remedy it But if the Persons that make this Objection be godly I question not but that I may give them reasonable satisfaction First consider who it is that I had that example from It was one Mrs. Jeofries in Long-Lane in Mary Magdalen Bermondsey Parish in the County of Surry a woman of that same in the Church of Christ for her exemplary Piety Wisdom Experience and singular watchfulness over every punctilio that she speaks that I question not but that her name is precious to most of the Ministers of London at least in the Burrough and as a reverend Divine said Such a Mother in Israel her single Testimony about London is of as much authority almost as any one single Ministers And having since discoursed this matter with her she calls God to witness that she hath spoken nothing but the Truth only in this she failed in that she spake not by far so much as she might have done concerning that sweet Babe I might add that I have since that seen a godly gentleman out of the Countrey that did profess to me that he had seen as
much above the vanities of the world and took no pleasure at all in those things which usually take up the heart and time of young ones She would say that she was grieved and ashamed both for young and old to see how glad and mad they were upon vanity and how foolishly they spent their time 30. She was not forgetful of the care and love of her Master and Mistress which taught her to read and work but she desired that thanks might also be particularly given to them Indeed she thought she could never be thankful enough both to God and man for that kindness that she had experience of But again and again she desired to be sure to thank the Ministers that instructed her either by catechising or preaching 31. After some rest her Father askt her again how she did and began to express somewhat of that satisfaction and joy that he had taken in her former diligence in her reading the Scriptures and writing and her dutifulness and that great progress that she had made in the things of God upon which she humbly and sweetly desired to own God and his kindess in her godly education and said that she esteemed her holy education under such Parents and Ministers as a greater portion than ten thousand Gilders for thereby I have learned to comfort my self out of the Word of God which the World besides could never have afforded 32. Her Father perceiving her to grow very weak said I perceive Child thou art very weak It is true Sir said she I feel my weakness increaseth and I see your sorrow increasing too which is a piece of my affliction be content I pray you it is the Lord which doth it and let you and I say with David Let us fall into the Lords hands for his mercies are great 33. She laid a great charge upon her Parents not to be over-grieved for her after her death urging that of David upon them while the Child was sick he fasted and wept but when it died he washed his face and sat up and eat and said Can I bring him back again from death I shall go to him but he shall not return to me So ought you to say after my death our Child is well for we know it shall be well with them that trust in the Lord. She did lay a more particular and streight charge upon her mother saying to her dear mother who have done so much for me you must promise me one thing before I die and that is that you will not sorrow over-much for me I speak thus to you because I am afraid of your great affection consider others Losses what they have been Remember Job forget not what Christ foretold In the world you shall have tribulation but be of good cheer in me you shall have peace and must the Apostles suffer so great tribulation and must we suffer none Did not Jesus Christ my only Life and Saviour sweat drops of blood Was he not in a bitter agony mocked spit at nailed to the Cross and a Spear thrust thorow his blessed side and all this for my sake for my stinking sins sake did not he cry out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Did not Christ hang naked upon the Cross to purchase for me the garments of salvation and to cloth me with his righteousness for there is Salvation in no other name 34. Being very feeble and weak she said O if I might quietly sleep in the bosome of Jesus and that till then he would strengthen me O that he would take me into his arms as he did those little ones where he said Suffer little children to come unto me for of such is the kingdom of heaven and he took them into his arms and laid his hands on them and blessed them I lie here as a child O Lord I am thy Child receive me into thy gracious arms O Lord grace grace and not justice for if thou shouldest enter into judgment with me I cannot stand yea none living should be just in thy sight 35. After this she cryed out O how faint am I but fearing least she should dishearten her mother she said while there is life there is hope If it should please the Lord to recover me how careful would I be to please you in my work and learning and whatsoever you should require of me 36. After this the Lord did again send her strength and she laboured to spend it all for Christ in the awakening edifying and comforting of those that were about her but her chiefest endeavour was to support her dear Parents from extraordinary sorrow and to comfort them out of the Scriptures telling them that she knew that all things did work together for the good of them that did love God even to those which are called according to his purpose O God establish me with thy free Spirit Who shall separate us from the love of Christ I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall separate us from the love of God which is towards us in Christ Jesus our Lord. My sheep saith Christ hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish and no man shall pluck them out of my hands My Father who gave them me is greater than all and none shall pull them out of my Fathers hands Thus she seemed to attain a holy confidence in God and an assurance of her state as to another world 37. When she had a little refreshed her self with rest she burst forth with abundance of joy and gladness of heart with a holy triumph of faith saying out Death is swallowed up of victory O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 38. That she might the better support her friends she still insisted upon that which might take off some of their burden by urging the necessity of death We are from the earth and to the earth we must return is the mother of us all the dust shall Dust turn to dust from whence it is and the Spirit to God which gave it 39. The She discoursed of the shortness of mans life O what is the life of man the days of man upon the earth are as the grass and the flowers of the field so he flourisheth the wind passeth over it and it is no more and his place knows him no more 40. She further urged the sin and sorrow that did attend us in this life and the longer we live the more we sin now the Lord will free me from that sin and sorrow We know not the thoughts of God yet we do know so much that they are mercy
the evening in the fourteenth year of her age having obtained that which she so oft intreated of the Lord a quiet and easie departure and the end of her faith the salvation of her soul Example XII Of the excellent carriage of a Child upon his death bed when but seven years old IAcoh Bicks the Brother of Susannah Bicks was born in Leiden in the year 1657. and had religious education under his godly Parents the which the Lord was pleased to sanctifie to his Conversion and by it lay in excellent provisions to live upon in an hour of distress 2. This sweet little Child was visited of the Lord of a very fore Sickness upon the sixth of August 1664. three or four weeks before his Sister of whose life and death we have given you some account already in his distemper he was for the most part very sleepy and drousie till near his death but when he did wake he was wont still to fall a praying 3. Once when his Parents had prayed with him they asked him if they should once more send for the Physician No said he I will have the Doctor no more the Lord will help me I know he will take me to himself and then he shall help all 4. Ah my dear child said his Father that grieveth my heart Well said the Child Father let us pray and the Lord shall be near for my helper 5. When his Parents had prayed with him again he said come now dear Father and Mother and kiss me I know that I shall die 6. Farewell dear Father and Mother Farewell dear sister farewell all Now shall I go to heaven unto God and Jesus Christ and the holy angels Father know you not what is said by Jeremiah Blessed is he who trusteth in the Lord now I trust in him and he will bless me And in 1 John 2. it is said Little Children love not the world for the world passeth away 7. Away then all that is in the world away with all my pleasant things in the world away with my Dagger for where I go there is nothing to do with Daggers and Swords men shall not fight there but praised God Away with all my books there shall I know sufficiently and be learned in all things of true wisdom without books 8. His Father being touched to hear his child speak at this rate could not well tell what to say but my dear child the Lord will be near thee and uphold thee 9. Yea Father said he the Apostle Peter saith God resisteth the proud but he giveth grace to the humble I shall humble my self under the mighty hand of God and the shall help and lift me up 10. O my dear child said his Father hast thou so strong a faith 11. Yea said the Child God hath given me so strong a faith upon himself through Jesus Christ that the Devil himself shall flee from me for it is said He who believeth in the Son hath everlasting life and he hath overcome the wicked one Now I believe in Jesus Christ my Redeemer and he will not leave or forsake me but shall give unto me eternall life and then I shall sing holy holy holy is the Lord of Sabbath 12. Then with a short word of Prayer Lord be merciful to me a poor sinner he quietly breathed out his Soul and sweetly slept in Jesus when he was about seven years old He died August 8. 1664. Hallelujah Example XIII Of one that began to look towards Heaven when he was very young with many eminent passages of his life and his joyful death when he was eleven years and three quarters old 1. Iohn Harvy was born in London in the year 1654. His Father was a Dutch Merchant he was piously educated under his virtuous mother and soon began to suck in divine things with no small delight 2. The first thing very observable in him was that when he was two years and eight months old he could speak as well as other children do usually at five years old 3. His Parents judging that he was then a little to young to send out to school let him have his liberty to play a little about their yard but instead of playing he found out a school of his own accord hard by home and went to the school-Mistriss and intreated her to teach him to read and so he went for some time to school without the knowledge of his Parents and made a very strange progress in his learning was able to read distinctly before most Children are able to know their letters 4. He was wont to ask many serious and weighty questions about matters which concerned his soul and Eternity 5. His Mother being greatly troubled upon the death of one of his Uncles this Child came to his Mother and said Mother though my Uncle be dead doth not the Scripture say he must rise again yea and I must die and so must every body and it will not be long before Christ will come to judge the world and then we shall see one another again I pray Mother do not weep so much This grave Counsel he gave his Mother when he was not quite five years old by which her sorrow for her Brother was turned into admiration at her Child and she was made to sit silent and quiet under that smarting stroke 9. After this his Parents removed to Aberdeen in Scotland and setled their Child under an able and a painful School Master there whose custome was upon the Lords day in the morning to examine his schollers concerning the Sermons that they had heard the former Lords day and to add some other questions which might try the understanding and knowledge of his Schollers the question that was once proposed to his form was whether God had a mother none of all the Schollars could answer it till it came to John Harvy who being asked whether God had a Mother answered no as he was God he could not have a Mother but as he was man he had this was before he was quite six years old His Master was somewhat amazed at the Childs answer and took the first opportunity to go to his Mother to thank her for instructing her Son so well but she replyed that he was never taught that from her but that he understood it by reading and his own observation 7. He was a Child that was extraordinary inquisitive and full of good questions and very careful to observe and remember what he heard 8. He had a great hatred of whatsoever he knew to be displeasing to God and was so greatly concerned for the honour of God that he would take on bitterly if that any gross sins were committed before him And he had a deep sense of the worth of Souls and was not a little grieved when he saw any one do that which he knew was dangerous to their Souls 9. One day seeing one of his near Relations come into his Fathers House distemper'd with drink as he thought he quickly
much as that in a little one of the same age who since that time I hear went sweetly to Heaven Doth not the Reverend Mr. Clark in his Works quote a Child of two years old that looked towards Heaven Doth not credible History acquaint us with a Martyr at seven years old that was whipped almost to death and never shed one tear nor complained and at last had his Head struck off I do not speak of these as common matters but record them amongst those stupendious Acts of him that can as easily work Wonders as not What is too hard for the Almighty Hath God said he will work no more wonders I think most of Gods works in the business of Conversion call for Admiration And I believe that Silence or rather Praise would better become Saints than questioning the truth of such things especially where an apparent Injury is thereby done to the Interest of Christ the Honour of Gods Grace and the Reputation of so eminent a Saint I judge this sufficient to satisfie most as for others I trouble not my self if I may but promote the interest of Christ and the Good of Souls and give up my Account with joy it 's enough That the Lord would bless my endeavours to these ends I beg the prayers of all Saints and yours also sweet Children that fear the Lord and that Parents and Masters would assist me with their warm application of these things and that Children may be their Crown and their Joy is the Prayer of one that desires to love Christ and little children dearly James Janeway A TOKEN FOR CHILDREN The Second Part. Example VIII Of a Child that was very serious at four years old with an Account of his comfortable Death when he was twelve years and three weeks old 1. IOhn Sudlow was born of religious Parents in the County of Middlesex whose great care was to instill spiritual Principles into him as soon as he was capable of understanding of them whose Endeavours the Lord was pleased to crown with the desired success so that to use the expression of a holy man concerning him scarce more could be expected or desired from so little a one 2. When he was scarce able to speak plain he seemed to have a very great awe and reverence of God upon his spirit and a strange sense of the things of another world as might easily be perceived by those serious and admirable questions which he would be oft asking of those Christians that he thought he might be bold with 3. The first thing that did most affect him and made him endeavour to escape from the wrath to come and to enquire what he should do to be saved was the death of a little Brother when he saw him without breath and not able to speak or stir and then carried out of doors and put into a pit-hole he was greatly concerned and asked notable questions about him but that which was most affecting of himself and others was whether he must die too which being answered it made such a deep impression upon him that from that time forward he was exceeding serious and this was when he was about four years old 4. Now he is desirous to know what he might do that he might live in another world and what he must avoid that he might not die for ever and being instructed by his godly Parents he soon labours to avoid whatsoever might displease God now tell him that any thing was sinful and that God would not have him do it and he is easily kept from it and even at this time of day the apprehensions of God and Death and Eternity laid such a restraint upon him that he would not for a world have told a Lie 5. He quickly learned to read exactly and took such Pleasure in reading of the Scriptures and his Catechism and other good Books that it is scarce to be parallel'd he would naturally run to his Book without bidding when he came home from School and while other children of his age and acquaintance were playing he reckon'd it his Recreation to be doing that which was good 6. When he was in coats he would be still asking his maid serious questions and praying her to teach him his Catechism or Scriptures or some good thing common Discourse he took no delight in but did most eagerly desire to be sucking in of the knowledge of the things of God Christ his Soul and another world 7. He was hugely taken with the reading of the Book of Martyrs and would be ready to leave his Dinner to go to his Book 8. He was exceeding careful of redeeming and improving of time scarce a moment of it but he would give an excellent account of the expence of it so that this Child might have taught elder persons and will questionless condemn their idle and unaccountable wasting of those precious hours in which they should as this sweet Child have been laying in provision for Eternity 9. He could not endure to read any thing over slightly but whatsoever he read he dwelt upon it laboured to understand it throughly and remember it and what he could not understand he would oft ask his Father or Mother the meaning of 10. When any Christian friends have been discoursing with his Father if they began to talk any thing about Religion to be sure they should have his company and of his own accord he would leave all to hear any thing of Christ and creep as close to them as he could and listen as affectionately though it were for an hour or two He was scarce ever known to express the least token of weariness while he was hearing any thing that was good and sometimes when neighbours children would come and call him out and entice him and beg of him to go with them he could by no means be perswaded though he might have had the leave of his Parents if he had any hopes that any good body would come in to his fathers house 11. He was very modest whilest any stranger was present and was loth to ask them any questions but as soon as they were gone he would let his father know that there was little said or done but he observed it and would reflect upon what was past in their discourse and desire satisfaction in what he could not understand at present 12. He was a Boy of almost prodigious parts for his age as will appear by his solid and rational questions I shall mention but two of many 13. The first was this when he was reading by himself in Draiton's Poems about Noah's Flood and the Ark he askt who built the Ark it being answered that it was likely that Noah hired men to help him to build it And would they said he build an Ark to save another and not go into it themselves 14. Another question he put was this Whether had the greater glory Saints or Angels It being answered that Angels were the most excellent of Creatures and it s to
be thought their nature is made capable of greater glory than mans He said he was of another mind and his reason was because Angles were Servants and Saints are Children and that Christ never took upon him the nature of Angels but he took upon him the nature of Saints and by his being man he hath advanced human nature above the nature of Angels 15. By this you may perceive the greatness of his parts and the bent of his thoughts and thus he continued for several years together labouring to get more and more spiritual knowledge and to prepare for an endless life 16. He was a Child of an excellent sweet temper wonderful dutiful to his Parents ready and joyful to do what he was bid and by no means would do any thing to displease them and if they were at any time seemingly angry he would not stir from them till they were thorowly reconciled to him 17. He was not only good himself but would do what he could to make others so too especially those that were nearest to him he was very watchful over his brethren and Sisters and would not suffer them to use any unhandsome words or to do any unhandsome action but he would be putting them upon that which was Good and when he did at any time rebuke them it was not Childishly and slightly but with great gravity and seriousness as one that was not a little concerned for Gods honour and the eternal welfare of their Souls 18. He would go to his Father and Mother with great tenderness and compassion being far from telling of tales and beg of them to take more care of the Souls of his brethren and Sisters and to take heed least they should go on in a sinful Christless state and prove their sorrow and shame and go to Hell when they die and be ruined for ever 19. He was exceedingly affected with hearing of the Word of God preached and could not be satisfied except he could carry home much of the substance of what he heard to this end he quickly got to learn Short-hand and would give a very pretty account of any sermon that he heard 20. He was much engaged in secret Duty and in reading the Scriptures to be sure morning and evening he would be by himself and was no question wrestling with God 21. He would get choice Scriptures by heart and was very perfect at his Catechism 22. The Providences of God were not passed by without considerable observation by him 23. In the time of the Plague he was exceedingly concerned about his Soul and Everlasting State very much by himself upon his knees This Prayer was found written in Short-hand after his Death O Lord God and merciful Father take pitie upon me a miserable Sinner and strengthen me O Lord in thy faith and make me one of thy glorious Saints in Heaven O Lord keep me from this poisonous Infection however not my will but thy will be done O Lord on earth as it is in heaven but O Lord if thou hast appointed printed me to die by it O Lord fit me for death and give me a good heart to bear up under my afflictions O Lord God and merciful Father take pity on me thy child teach me O Lord thy Word make me strong in faith O Lord I have sinned against thee Lord pardon my sins I had been in hell long ago if it had not been for thy mercy O Lord I pray thee to keep my Parents in thy truth and save them from this Infection if it be thy will that they may live to bring me up in the truth O Lord I pray thee stay this Infection that rageth in this City and pardon their sins and try them once more and see if they will turn unto thee Save me O Lord from this Infection that I may live to praise and glorifie thy name but O Lord if thou hast appointed me to die of it fit me for death that I may die with comfort and O Lord I pray thee to help me to bear up under all afflictions for Christ his sake Amen 24. He was not a little concerned for the whole nation and begged that God would pardon the sins of the Land and bring it nearer to himself 25. About the beginning of November 1665. this sweet Child was smote with the Distemper but he carried it with admirable patience under the hand of God 26. These are some of his dying Expressions The Lord shall be my Physician for he will cure both Soul and body Heaven is the best Hospital It is the Lord let him do what seemeth good in his eyes Again it is the Lord that taketh away my health but I will say as Job did Blessed be the name of the Lord. If I should live longer I should but sin against God Looking upon his Father he said If the Lord would but lend me the least finger of his hand to lead me through the dark entry of Death I will rejoice in him 27. When a Minister came to him amongst other things he spake somewhat of life He said This is a wicked world yet it is good to live with my Parents but it is better to live in heaven 28. And hour and an half before his Death the same Minister came again to visit him and asked him John art thou not afraid to die He answered No if the Lord will but comfort me in that hour But said the Minister How canst thou expect Comfort seeing we deserve none He answered No if I had my deserts I had been in hell long ago But replied the Minister which way dost thou expect Comfort and Salvation seeing thou art a Sinner He answered In Christ alone In whom about an hour and an half after he fell asleep saying he would take a long sleep charging them that were about him not to wake him He dyed when he was twelve years three weeks and a day old Example IX Of a Child that was very eminent when she was between 5 and 6 years old with some memorable passages of her life who died about 1640. 1. ANne Lane was born of honest Parents in Colebrook in the County of Bucks who was no sooner able to speak plain and express any thing considerable of reason but she began to act as if she was sanctified from the very womb 2. She was very solicitous about her Soul what would become of it when she should die and where she should live for ever and what she should do to be saved when she was about five years old 3. She was wont to be oft ingaged in secret Prayer and pouring out of her Soul in such a manner as is rarely to be heard of from one of her years 4. I having occasion to lie at Colebrook sent for her Father an old Disciple an Israelite indeed and desired him to give me some account of his Experiences and how the Lord first wrought upon him 5. He gave me this answer that he was of a child somewhat civil
honest and as to man harmless but was little acquainted with the power of Religion till this sweet Child put him upon a thorow inquiry into the state of his Soul and would still be begging of him and pleading with him to redeem his time and to act with life and vigor in the things of God which was no small demonstration to him of the reality of invisibles that a very Babe and suckling should speak so feelingly about the things of God and be so greatly concerned not only about her own soul but about her Fathers too which was the occasion of his conversion and the very thought of it was a quickning to him for thirty years and he hopes never to wear off the Impressions of it from his spirit 6. After this she as I remember put her Father upon Family duties and if at any time he were for any time out of his shop she would find him out and with much sweetness and humility beg of him to come home and to remember the pretiousness of time for which we must all give an account 7. She was grieved if she saw any that conversed with her father if they were unprofitable unsavoury or long in their discourse of common things 8. Her own Language was the Language of Canaan how solidly profitably and spiritually would she talk so that she made good people take great delight in her company and justly drew the admiration of all that knew her 9. She could not endure the company of common children nor play but was quite above all those things which most Children are taken with her business was to be reading praying discoursing about the things of God and any kind of business that her age and strength was capable of idle she would not be by any means 10. It was the greatest Recreation to her to hear any good people talking about God Christ their Souls the Scriptures or any thing that concerned another life 11. She had a strange contempt of the World and scorned those things which most are too much pleased with She could not be brought to wear any Laces or any thing that she thought superfluous 12. She would be complaining to her parents if she saw any thing in them that she judged would not be for the honour of Religion or suitable to that condition which the providence of God had set them in in the world 13. This Child was the joy and delight of all the Christians thereabouts in those times who was still quickning and raising of the spirits of those that talked with her This poor Babe was a great help to both Father and mother and her memory is sweet to this day 14. She continued thus to walk as a stranger in the world and one that was making hast to a better place And after she had done a great deal of work for God and her own soul and others too she was called home to rest and received into the arms of Jesus before she was ten years old she departed about 1640. Example X. Of a Child that was awakened when she was between seven and eight years old with some account of her last hours and triumphant Death 1. TAbitha Alder was the Daughter of a holy and Reverend Minister in Kent who lived near Gravesend She was much instructed in the holy Scriptures and her Catechism by her Father and Mother but there appeared nothing extraordinary in her till she was between seven and eight years old 2. About which time when she was sick one asked her what she thought would become of her if she should die She answered that she was greatly afraid that she should go to hell 3. Being askt why she was afraid she should go to hell She answered because she feared that she did not love God 4. Again being askt how she did know she did not love God she replyed what have I done for God ever since I was born and besides this I have been taught that he that loves God keeps his commandments but I have kept none of them all 5. Being further demanded if she would not fain love God She answered yes with all her heart if she could but she found it a hard thing to love one she did not see 6. She was advised to beg of God a heart to love him She answered she was afraid it was too late 7. Being asked again whether she was not sorry that she could not love God She answered yes but was still afraid it was too late 8. Upon this seeing her in such a desponding condition a dear friend of hers spent the next day in Fasting and prayer for her 9. After this that Christian friend askt her how she did now She answered with a great deal of joy that now she blessed the Lord she loved the Lord Jesus dearly she felt she did love him O said she I love him dearly 10. Why saith her friend did you not say yesterday that you did not love the Lord and that you could not What did you mean to speak so strangely Sure said she it was Satan that did put it into my mind But now I love him O blessed be God for the Lord Jesus Christ 11. After this she had a discovery of her approaching Dissolution which was no small comfort to her Anon said she with a holy Triumph I shall be with Jesus I am married to him he is my husband I am his Bride I have given my self to him and he hath given himself to me and I shall live with him for ever 12. This strange language made the hearers even stand astonished but thus she continued for some little time in a kind of extafie of joy admiring the excellency of Christ rejoycing in her interest in him and longing to be with him 13. After a while some of her friends standing by her observed a more than ordinary earnestness and fixedness in her countenance they said one to another look how earnestly she looks sure she seeth something 14. One asked what it was she fixed her eyes upon so eagerly I warrant saith one that was by she seeth death a coming 15. No said she it is glory that I see 't is that I fix mine eye upon 16. One askt her what was glory like She answered I can't speak what but I am going to it will you go with me I am going to glory O that all of you were to go with me to that glory with which words her Soul took wing and went to the possession of that glory which she had some believing fight of before She died when she was between 8 and 9 years old about 1644. Example XI Of a Child that was greatly affected with the things of God when she was very young with an exact Account of her admirable Carriage upon her Death bed 1. Susanna Bicks was born at Leiden in Holland Jan. 24. 1650. of very religious Parents whose great care was to instruct and catechise this their Child and to present her to the
Ministers of the place to be publickly instructed and catechised 2. It pleased the Lord to bless holy education the good example of her Parents and catechising to the good of her Soul so that she soon had a true savour and relish of what she was taught and made an admirable use of it in a time of need as you shall hear afterwards 3. She was a Child of great dutifulness to her Parents and of a very sweet humble spiritual nature and not only the truth but the power and eminency of Religion did shine in her so clearly that she did not only comfort the hearts of her Parents but drew the admiration of all that were witnesses of Gods works of love upon her and may well be proposed as a pattern not only to Children but to persons of riper years 4. She continued in a course of Religious Duties for some considerable time so that her life was more excellent than most Christians but in her last sickness she excelled her self and her deportment was so admirable that partly through wonder and astonishment and partly through sorrow many observable things were past by without committing to paper which deserved to have been written in letters of gold But take these which follow as some of many which were taken from her dying lips and first published by religious and judicious Christians in Dutch afterward translated into Scotch and with a little alteration of the stile for the benefit of English Children brought into this form by me 5. In the month of August 1664. When the Pestilence raged so much in Holland this sweet Child was smitten and as soon as she felt herself very ill she was said to break forth with abundance of sense and feeling in these following words If thy Law were not my delight I should perish in my affliction 6. Her Father coming to her to encourage her in her sickness said to her be of good comfort my Child for the Lord will be near to thee and us under this heavy and sore Trial he will not forsake us though he chasten us Yea father said she our heavenly Father doth Chasten us for our profit that we may be partakers of his holiness no chastisement seemeth for the present to be joyous but grievous but afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them which are exercised thereby The Lord is now chastening of me upon this sick bed but I hope he will bless it so to me as to cause it to yield to me that blessed fruit according to the riches of his mercies which fail not 7. After this she spake to God with her eyes lift up to Heaven saying Be merciful to me O Father be merciful to me a sinner according to thy word 8. Then looking upon her sorrowful Parents she said It is said Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee and he will never suffer the righteous to be moved Therefore my dear father and mother cast all your care upon him who causes all things to go well that do concern you 9. Her mother said unto her O my dear child I have no small comfort from the Lord in thee and the fruit of his grace whereby thou hast been so much exercised unto godliness in reading the Word in Prayer and gracious Discourse to the edification of thy self and us The Lord himself who gave thee to us make up this loss if it be his pleasure to take thee away from us 10. Dear mother said she though I leave you and you me yet God will never leave us for it is 〈◊〉 Can a woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the fruit of her womb yet will not I forget thee behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands O comfortable words both for mother and children Mark dear Mother how fast the Lord keepes and holdeth his people that he doth even grave them upon the palms of his hands Though I must part with you and you with me yet blessed be God he will never part either from you or me 11. Being weary with much speaking she desired to rest a while but after a little time awaking again her father asked her how it was with her She made no direct answer but asked what day it was her father said it was the Lords day Well then said she have you given up my name to be remembred in the publick Prayers of the Church Her father told her he had I have learnt said she that the effectual fervent Prayer of the righteous availeth much 12. She had a very high esteem for the faithful Ministers of Christ and much desired their company where she was but knowing the hazards that such a visit might expose them and the Church to she would by no means suffer that the Ministers should come near her person but chose rather to throw her self upon the armes of the Lord and to improve that knowledge she had in the Word and her former experience and the visits of private Christians and those which the Church had appointed in such cases to visit and comfort the sick 13. One of those which came to visit her was of very great use to her to comfort her and lift her up in some measure above the fears of death 14. Though young she was very much concerned for the interest of God and Religion for Gospel Ministers and for the Sins and the Decay of the power of Godliness in her own Countrey which will further appear by what may follow 15. Her father coming in to her found her in an extraordinary passion of weeping and askt her what was the cause of her great sorrow She answered have I not cause to weep when I hear that Domine de Wit was taken sick this day in his Pulpit and went home very ill Is not this a sad sign of Gods displeasure to our Countrey when God smiteth such a faithful Pastor 16. She had a high valuation of God and could speak in David's language whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on earth that I can desire in comparison of thee She was much lifted up above the fears of Death what else was the meaning of such expressions as these O how do I long even as the Heart panteth after the water brooks so my soul panteth after thee O God for God the living God when shall I come and appear before God 17. She was a great hater of sin and did with much grief and self-abhorrency reflect upon it but that which lay most upon her heart was the Corruption of her Nature and Original Sin How oft would she cry out in the words of the Psalmist Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me and I was altogether born in sin She could never lay her self low enough under a sense of that Original Sin which she brought with her into the world 18. She spake many things very judiciously of the
and not with the least visibility of a childish levity of spirit This was when he was between seven and eight years old and if he perceived any Children unconcerned about their Souls he would be greatly troubled at it 23. After this his Parents removed not far from London where he continued till that dreadful year sixty five he was then sent to the latine School where he soon made a very considerable Progress and was greatly beloved of his Master the School was his beloved place and learning his recreation He was never taught to write but took it of his own ingenuity 24. He was exceeding dutiful to his Parents and never did in the least dispute their command except when he thought they might cross the command of God as in the forementioned business of reading the Scriptures when his eyes were so bad 25. He was exceeding contented with any mean diet and to be sure he would not touch a bit of any thing till he had begged Gods blessing upon it 26. He would put his Brother and Sister upon their duties and observe them whether they performed it or no and when he saw any neglect he would soon warn them if he saw any of them take a spoon into their hands before they had craved a blessing he said that is just like a hog indeed 27. His Sister was afraid of the darkness and would sometimes cry upon this account he told her she must fear God more and she need then be afraid of nothing 28. He would humbly put his near Relations upon their duty and minding the concerns of their Souls and Eternity with more seriousness and life and to have a care of doing that which was for the dishonour of God and the hazard of the Soul 29. He was of a compassionate and charitable disposition and very pitiful to the poor or any that were in distress but his greatest pity was to poor Souls and as well as he could he would be putting Children Play-fellows servants neighbours upon minding their poor souls 30. One notable instance of his true charity I cannot omit A certain Turk was by the providence of God cast in the place where he lived which this sweet Child hearing of had a great pity to his Soul and studied how he might be any way instrumental to do it good at last finding a man that understood the language of the Turk he used means to get them together which he at last procured the first thing that he did was to put his friend upon discoursing with the Turk about his principles whether he acknowledged a Deity which the Turk owning the next thing he inquired after was what he thought of the Lord Jesus Christ At which the Turk was troubled and put off the discourse and said he was athirst and an hungry which the Child being informed of by the interpreter immediately went to a Brew-house near at hand his own house being far off and did intreat the Master of the Brewhouse to give him some Beer for the Turk and the argument he used was this Sir here is a poor stranger that is athirst we know not where we may be cast before we dye he went to another place and begged food for him using the same argument as before but his friends hearing of it were angry with him but he told them he did it for a poor stranger that was far from home and he did it that he might think the better of the Christians and the Christian Religion 31. He would have a savoury word to say to every one that he conversed with to put them in mind of the worth of Christ and their Souls and their nearness to Eternity Insomuch that good people took no small pleasure in his company The Taylor that made his cloths would keep them the longer before he brought them home that he might have the benefit of his spiritual and Christian society and more frequent visits 32. He bewailed the miserable condition of the generality of man-kind when he was about ten years old that were utterly estranged from God though they called him Father yet they were his Children only by Creation and not by any likeness they had to God or interest in him 33. Thus he continued walking in the ways of God ingaged in reading praying hearing the Word of God and spiritual discourse discovering thereby his serious thoughts of Eternity 34. He had an earnest desire if it might be the Lords good pleasure to give himself up to the Lord in the work of the Ministry if he should live and this out of a dear love to Christ and Souls 35. He was next to the Bible most taken with reading of Reverend Mr. Baxters works especially his Saints Everlasting Rest and truly the thoughts of that Rest and Eternity seemed to swallow up all other thoughts and he lived in a constant preparation for it and looked more like one that was ripe for glory then an inhabitant of this lower world 36. When he was about eleven years and three quarters old his Mothers house was visited with the Plague his eldest sister was the first that was visited with this distemper and when they were praying for her he would sob and weep bitterly 37. As soon as he perceived that his Sister was dead he said the will of the Lord be done Blessed be the Lord dear Mother said he you must do as David did after the Child was dead he went and refreshed himself and quietly submitted to the will of God 38. The rest of the family held well for about fourteen dayes which time he spent in religious duties and preparing for his death but still his great Book was the Saints Rest which he read with exceeding curiosity gathering many observations out of it in writing for his own use He wrote several divine meditations of his own upon several Subjects but that which seemed most admirable was a meditation upon the excellency of Christ he was never well now but when he was more immediately ingaged in the service of God 39. At fourteen days end he was taken sick at which he seemed very patient and cheerful yet sometimes he would say that his pain was great 40. His Mother looking upon his Brother shaked her head at which he asked if his Brother were marked she answered yes Child he asked again whether he were marked she answered nothing well says he I know I shall be marked I pray let me have Mr. Baxters Book that I may read a little more of Eternity before I go into it His Mother told him that he was not able to read he said that he was however then pray by me and for me His Mother answered that she was so full of grief that she could not pray now but she desired to hear him pray his last prayer 41. His Mother asked him whether he were willing to die and leave her he answered yes I am willing to leave you and go to my heavenly Father His Mother answered Child If thou hadst but an assurance of Gods love I should not be so much troubled 42. He answered and said to his Mother I am assured dear Mother that my sins are forgiven and that I shall go to Heaven for said he here stood an Angel by me that told me I should quickly be in glory 43. At this his Mother burst forth into tears O Mother said he did you but know what joy I feel you would not weep but rejoyce I tell you I am so full of comfort that I cant tell you how I am O Mother I shall presently have my head in my Fathers bosome and shall be there where the Four and Twenty Elders cast down their Crowns and sing Hallelujah Glory and Praise to him that sits upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever 44. Upon this his speech began to fail him but his Soul seemed still to be taken up with glory and nothing now grieved him but the sorrow that he saw his Mother to be in for his death a little to divert his Mother he asked her what she had to Supper but presently in a kind of divine Rapture he cried out O what a sweet Supper have I making ready for me in glory 45. But seeing all this did rather increase then allay his Mothers grief he was more troubled and asked her what she meant thus to offend God know you not that it is the hand of the Almighty Humble your self under the mighty hand of God lay your self in the dust and kiss the rod of God and let me see you do it in token of your submission to the will of God and bow before him Upon which raising up himself a little he gave a lowly bow and spake no more but went chearfully and triumphingly to Rest in the bosome of Jesus Hallelujah FINIS These BOOKS of the same Author Mr. James Janeway are Printed and Sold by Dorman Newman HEaven upon Earth or the best Friend in the worst of times The third Edition Enlarged Price 2 s. 6 d. Death Vnstung a Sermon preacht at the Funeral of Thomas Mowsley an Apothecary With a brief Narrative of his Life and Death also the manner of Gods dealings with Him before and after his Conversion Drawn up by his own hand price 1 s. A Sermon preached at the Funeral of Thomas Savage Price 4 d. A Token for Children first and second part the price of each 6 d.