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 DEVOTED TO THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH 
 IN THE CIVIL WAR 
 
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TOKEN FOR CHILDREN : 
 
 (THE ONLY COMPLETE EDITION EVER PUBLISHED.) 
 
 IN TWO PARTS. 
 
 BY JAMES JANEWAY, 
 
 MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL, 
 To which is added, 
 
 A THIRD PART*, 
 
 containing some account of the life, and 
 god's gracious dealings with 
 
 hephzibah Mathews. 
 
 ALSO, 
 
 THE CHILD'S MONITOR, 
 
 BY THE KEY. JOHN COOKE. 
 
 "' Suffer little Children to come unto me, and forbid them 
 not^ for of such is the kingdom of God."— Mark x. 14. 
 
 NEW-YORK: 
 
 Published by Whiting & Watson, at their Theological 
 
 and Classical Book-store, 
 
 No. 96, BroadwaV, 
 
 \m 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2012 with funding from 
 
 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/storyoflittlejohOOjean 
 
TO ALL 
 
 BARENTS, SCHOOL-MASTERS, AND 
 SCHOOL-MISTRESSES, 
 
 OR ANY WHO ARE CONCERNED IN 
 THE 
 
 EDUCATION OF CHILDREN. 
 
 DEAR FRIENDS, 
 
 I have often thought that Christ speaks 
 to you as Pharaoh's daughter did to Moses 9 
 mother : Take this child and nurse it for 
 me. Consider what a precious jewel is com- 
 mitted to your charge ; what an advantage 
 you have to show your love to Christy 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 overvalued. 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 
 
IV TO PARENTS AND 
 
 is at work hard; wicked ones are indus- 
 trious; and a corrupt nature is a rugged,, 
 knotty piece to hew ; but be not discourag- 
 ed. I am almost as much afraid of your 
 laziness and unfaithfulness as any thing. 
 Do but go to work in good earnest,, and who 
 knows but that rough stone may prove a pil- 
 lar in the temple of God. In the name of 
 the living God, as you will answer it shortly 
 at his bar, I command you to be faithful in 
 instructing and catechising your young ones. 
 If you think I am too peremptory, I pray 
 read the command from my Master him- 
 self, Deut. vi. 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 control ? Will you not 
 use your utmost endeavour to deliver them 
 from the wrath to come ? You see that they 
 are not subjects incapable of the grace of 
 God; whatever you think of them, Christ 
 doth not slight them ; they are not too 
 little to die ; they are not too little to go 
 
TEACHERS OF CHILDREN. V 
 
 to bell; 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. Oh ! 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 mother's 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 
 
VI TO PARENTS AND 
 
 lie; take heed of letting them mis-spend 
 the Sabbath ; put them, I beseech you, up- 
 on imitating these sweet children ; let them 
 read this book over a hundred times, and 
 observe how they are affected ; and ask 
 them what they think of these children, and 
 whether they would not be such ? and fol- 
 low what you do with earnest cries to God, 
 and be in travail 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 thern effectual to the good of 
 their souls. Encourage 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, them- 
 selves, were eye and ear witnesses of God's 
 works of wonder; or from my own know- 
 ledge, or from reverend godly ministers, 
 and from persons that are of unspotted re- 
 putation, for holiness, integrity, and wis- 
 dom : and several passages are taken yer- 
 
TEACHERS OF CHILDREN. Vll 
 
 bating in writing, from their dying lips. I 
 may add many other excellent examples, if 
 I have any encouragement in this piece. 
 [Which the author has done in the Second 
 Part.] — That the young generation may be 
 far more excellent than this, is the prayer 
 of one that dearly loves little children. 
 
 JAMES J ANEW AY, 
 
PREFACE, 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 DIRECTIONS FOR CHILDREN, 
 
 YOU may now hear, my dear lambs^ 
 what other good children have done, and 
 remember how they wept and prayed by 
 themselves ; how earnestly they cried out 
 for an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ : 
 you may read how dutiful they were to their 
 parents : how diligent at their books : how 
 ready to learn the Scripture and their cate- 
 chisms. Can you forget what questions 
 they were wont to ask ? how much they 
 feared a lie? how much they abhorred 
 naughty company ? how holily they lived I 
 how dearly they were loved ? how joyfully 
 they died ? 
 
 But tell me, my dear children, and tell 
 me truly, do you as these children did ? Did 
 you ever see your miserable state by nature ? 
 Did you ever get by yourself, and weep 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 for sin, and pray for grace and pardon ! Did 
 you ever go to your father and mother, 
 master and 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 
 fain would do what I can possibly to keep 
 thee from falling into everlasting fire. I 
 would fain have thee 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 wickect 
 children ? Dare you take God's name in 
 vain, or swear, or tell a lie ? Dare y©u do any 
 thing which your parents forbid you, and 
 neglect to do what they command you? 
 Do you dare run up and down upon the 
 Lord's-day ? or do you keep in, to read your 
 book, and to learn what your good parents 
 command you ? What do you say, child r 
 which of these two sorts are you of r Let 
 me talk a little with you, and ask you a few 
 fuaestioas. 
 
PREFACE. XI 
 
 3 . Were not these children sweet chil- 
 dren, who feared God, and were dutiful to 
 their parents ? Did not their fathers and 
 mothers, and every body that fears God, 
 love and praise them ? What do you think 
 is become of them, now they are dead and 
 gone I Why they are gone to heaven, and 
 are singing hallelujahs with the angels; 
 they see glorious things ; and, having no- 
 thing but joy and pleasure, they shall never 
 sin any more ; they shall never be sick or in 
 pain anymore. 
 
 2. And would you not have your father's 
 love, your mother's commendation, your 
 master's good word I Would you not have 
 God and Christ love you ? and would you 
 not fain go to heaven when you die, and 
 live with your godly parents in glory, and 
 be happy for ever. 
 
 3. Whither do you think those children 
 go when they die, that will not do what they 
 are bid; but play the truant, and lie, and 
 speak naughty words, and break the sab- 
 bath ? w r hither do such children go, do you 
 think? Why, I will tell you: they which 
 
Xll PREFACE. 
 
 lie must go to their father, the devil, into 
 everlasting burnings; they which never 
 pray, God will pour out his wrath upon 
 them ; and when they beg and pray in hell- 
 fire, God will not forgive them, but there 
 they must lie for ever ! 
 
 4. Are you willing to go to hell, to be 
 burned with the devil and his angels ? 
 Would you be in the same condition as 
 naughty children ? O ! hell is a terrible 
 place ; that is worse a thousand times than 
 whipping. God's anger is worse than your 
 father's anger ; and are you willing to an- 
 ger God ? O, child, this is most certainly 
 true, that all that are wicked, and die so, 
 must be turned into hell ! and if any be 
 once there, there is no coming out again. 
 
 5. Would you not do any thing in the 
 world rather than be thrown into hell-fire? 
 Would you not do any thing in the world 
 to get Christ, grace, and glory ? 
 
 6. Well now, what will you do ? Will 
 you read this book a little, because your 
 mother will make you do it, and because it 
 is a little new book ; but, as soon as ever 
 
PREFACE. Xlll 
 
 you have done, run away to play and never 
 think of it ? 
 
 7. How art thou now affected, poor child, 
 in the reading of this book ? Have you shed 
 ever a tear since you began reading ? Have 
 you been by yourself upon your knees, beg- 
 ging that God would make you like these 
 blessed children ; or are you as you used to 
 be ; as careless, and foolish, and disobedient, 
 and wicked as ever ? 
 
 8. Did you never hear of a little child 
 that died t and if other children die, why 
 may not you be sick and die? and what 
 will you do then, child, if you should have 
 no grace in your heart, and be found like 
 other naughty children ? 
 
 9- How do you know but that you may 
 be the next child that may die ? and where 
 are you then if you be not God's child ? 
 
 10. Wilt thou tarry any longer, my dear 
 child, before thou run into thy chamber, 
 and beg of God to give thee Christ for thy 
 soul, that thou mayest not be undone for 
 ever ? Wilt thou get presently into a cor- 
 ner to weep and pray ? Methinks I see that 
 
XIV PREFACE. 
 
 pretty lamb begin to weep, and tbink of 
 getting by himself, and will, as well as he 
 can, cry unto the Lord, to make him one of 
 those little ones that go into the kingdom 
 of heaven : methinks there stands a sweet 
 child, and there another, that are resolved 
 for Christ and for heaven ; methinks that 
 little boy looks as if he had a mind to learn 
 good things ; methinks I hear one say, well, 
 I will never tell a lie more ; I will never 
 keep any naughty boys' company more ; 
 they will teach me to swear, and they will 
 speak naughty words ; they do not love God : 
 I will learn my catechism, and get my 
 mother to teach me to pray, and will go 
 weep and cry to Christ, and will not be qui- 
 et till the Lord has given me grace. O ! 
 that is my brave child indeed ! 
 
 1 1 . But will you not quickly forget your 
 promise ? Have you resolved, by the strength 
 of Christ, to be a good child ? have you in- 
 deed ! nay, but have you indeed ? Consider, 
 dear child, God calls you to consider your 
 Creator in the days of your youth ; and he 
 takes it kindly when little ones come to him,, 
 
PREFACE. XV 
 
 and loves them dearly ; and godly people, 
 especially parents, and masters, and mistress*- 
 es, have no greater joy than to see their 
 children walk in the way of truth. 
 
 Now tell me, my pretty dear child, what 
 will you do ? Shall I make you a hook ? 
 Shall I pray for you and entreat you ? 
 Shall your good mother weep over you ; 
 and will you not make us all glad by 
 your turning quickly to the Lord? Shall 
 Christ tell you that he will love you, and 
 will not you love him ? Will you strive 
 to be like these children ? I am persuaded 
 that God intends to do good to the souls of 
 some little children by these papers, because 
 he hath laid it so much upon my heart to 
 pray for them, and over these papers ; and, 
 through mercy, I have already experienced 
 that something of this nature hath not been 
 in vain. I shall give you a word of direc- 
 tion, and so I leave you. 
 
 1 . Take heed of what you know is naught ; 
 as lying, (O that is a grievous fault indeed !) 
 and naughty words, and taking the Lord's 
 name in vain, and playing upon the Lord's 
 day, and keeping bad company, and playing 
 
XVI PREFACE. 
 
 with ungodly children ; but, if you go to 
 school with such, tell them that God will 
 not love them, but that the devil will have 
 them, if they continue to be so naughty. 
 
 2. Do what your father and mother bid 
 you cheerfully ; and take heed of doing any 
 thing that they forbid you. 
 
 3- Be diligent in reading the scripture, 
 and learning your catechism ; and, what you 
 do not understand, be sure ask the meaning 
 of. 
 
 4. Think a little sometimes by yourself 
 about God and Heaven, and your soul, and 
 what Christ came into the world for. 
 
 5. And if you have no great mind to do 
 thus, but had rather be at play, then think 
 what it is that makes me that I do not care 
 for good things ; is this like one of God's 
 dear children ? I am afraid I am none of 
 God's child : I feel I do not love to come 
 unto him. O! what shall I do? Either I 
 shall be God's child or the devil's ; O ! what 
 shall I do ? I would not be the devil's child 
 for any thing in the world. 
 
 C). Then go to your father or mother, or 
 
PREFACE, XVii 
 
 some good person., and ask them what thou 
 shalt do to be God's child ; and tell them 
 that thou art afraid, and that thou canst not 
 be contented till thou hast got the love of 
 God. 
 
 7. Get by thyself into the chamber or 
 garret, and fall upon thy knees, and weep 
 and mourn, and tell Christ thou art afraid 
 he does not love thee, but that thou wouldst 
 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 do not 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 bles- 
 sing for me, even for me ; O give me an 
 interest in Christ! O let me not be un- 
 done 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 up yourself to Christ '; say, dear 
 Jesus, thou didst bid that little children 
 
XV1U PREFACE. 
 
 should be suffered to come unto thee ; and, 
 Lord, 1 am come as well as I can ; I would 
 fain be thy child ; take my heart and make 
 it humble, and meek, and sensible, and obe- 
 dient. I give myself unto 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 ; never be 
 content till you see your need of Christ, and 
 ilie excellency and the use of Christ. 
 
 11. Hear the most powerful ministers, and 
 read the most searching books, and get your 
 father to buy you such as are serious and 
 instructive. 
 
 12. Resolve to continue in well-doing all 
 your days ; then you shall be one of those 
 sweet little ones that Christ will take in his 
 arms, and bless, and give kingdom, crown, 
 v:U(\ elorv to. And now. dear children. 
 
PREFACE. XIX 
 
 I have done : I have written to you ; I have 
 prayed for you ; but what you will do I can- 
 not tell. O children, if you love me, if you 
 love your parents, if you love your souls, if 
 you would escape hell-fire, and if you would 
 live in heaven when you die, do you go and 
 do as these good children. And that you 
 may be your parent's joy, your country's 
 honour, and live in God's fear, and die in 
 his love, is the prayer of 
 
 Your dear friend, 
 
 J. JAISEWAY. 
 
A 
 
 TOKEN FOR CHILDREN. 
 
 THE FIRST PART. 
 
 EXAMPLE 
 
 Of one eminently converted between eight 
 and nine years old, with an account oj her 
 life and death. 
 
 Miss Sarah Howley, when she was 
 between eight and nine years old, was car- 
 ried by her friends to hear a sermon, where 
 the minister preached upon Matth, xi. 19. 
 My yoke is easy, and by burdtn is light : in 
 the applying of which scripture this child 
 was mightily awakened, and made deeply sen- 
 sible of the condition of her sou), and her 
 need of Christ ; she wept bitterly to think 
 what a case she was in : and went home, 
 and got by herself into a chamber, and upon 
 her knees she wept and cried to the Lord as 
 well as she could ; which might easily be 
 perceived by her eyes and countenance. 
 
 2. She was not contented with this, but 
 got her little brother and sister into a chain- 
 
£2 
 
 ber with her, and told them of their condi- 
 tion by nature, and wept over them, and 
 prayed with them and for them. 
 
 3. After this, she heard another sermon 
 upon Prov. xxix. I. He that being often 
 reproved, harden eth his neck, shall suddenly 
 be destroyed, and that n it ho ut remedy : at 
 which she was more affected than before, 
 and so exceeding solicitous about her soul, 
 that she spent a great part of the night ia 
 weeping and praying, and could scarce take 
 any rest day or night for some time togeth- 
 er, 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 
 Christ ? what should she do to be saved ? 
 
 4. She gave herself very much to atten- 
 ding upon the word preached, and still com 
 tinued very tender under it, greatly savour- 
 ing what she heard. 
 
 5. She was very much in secret prayer, at 
 might easily be perceived by those who lis- 
 tened at the chamber door ; and was usually 
 very importunate, full of tears. 
 
 6. She could scarce speak of sin, or be 
 spoken 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 of Times, by which the work of 
 God was much promoted upon her soul ; 
 
23 
 
 and was much directed by it how to get ac- 
 quaintance with God, especially toward the 
 end of that book. Another book that she 
 was much delighted with was, Mr. Swin- 
 nock's Christian Man's Calling; and by 
 this she was taught in this measure to make 
 religion her business. The Spiritual Bet 
 was a great companion of hers. 
 
 8. She was exceedingly dutiful to her pa- 
 rents, very loath to grieve them in the least; 
 and if she had at any time, (which was very 
 rare,) offended them, she would weep bit- 
 terly. 
 
 9. She abhorred lying, and allowed her- 
 self in no known sin. 
 
 10. She was very conscientious in spend- 
 ing of time, and hated idleness, and spent 
 her whole time either in praying, reading, or 
 working at her needle, at which she was 
 very ingenious. 
 
 11. When she was at school, she was em- 
 inent for her diligence, teachableness, meek- 
 ness, and modesty, speaking little ; but, when 
 she did speak, it was usually spiritual. 
 
 12. She continued in this course of reli- 
 gious duties for some years together. 
 
 13. When she was about fourteen years 
 old she broke a vein in her lungs, (as is sup- 
 posed,) and oft did spit blood ; yet did a lit- 
 
24 
 
 tie 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 mo- 
 ther, pray, pray, pray for me ; for Satan is 
 so busy that L cannot pray for myself; I see 
 I am undone without Christ and a pardon ! 
 Oh ! I am 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 burthensome to her spirits: 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 na- 
 ture : without the blood of Christ that will 
 damn me. 
 
 1 6. Her mother asked her what she should 
 pray for, for her ? She answered, That I may 
 have a saving knowledge of sin and Christ; 
 and that I may have an assurance of God's 
 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 silence and patience to learn of 
 them ; and it was exceeding painful to her 
 to speak to any* 
 
17- One time,, when she fell into a fit, 
 she cried out, Oh ! I am going, I am go- 
 ing ! but what -shall I do to be saved ! Sweet 
 Lord Jesus, I will lie at thy feet ; and, if I 
 perish, it shall be at the fountain of thy 
 mercy. 
 
 18. She was much afraid of presumption, 
 and dreaded a mistake in the matters of her 
 soul, and would be often putting up ejacula- 
 tions to God, to deliver her from deceiving 
 herself. To instance in one : Great and 
 mighty God, give me faith, and true faith, 
 Lord, that I may not be a foolish virgin, 
 having a lamp and no oil. 
 
 19. She would many times be laying hold 
 upon the promises, and plead them in pra}?- 
 er That in Matt. xi. 28, 29. was much 
 on her tongue, and no small relief to her 
 spirits. How many times would she cry 
 out, Lord hast thou not said, Come unto me, 
 all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and 
 I will give you rest ! 
 
 20. Another time her father bid her be of 
 good cheer, because she was going to a bet- 
 ter father ; at which she was much affected, 
 and said, But how do I know that ? I am a 
 poor sinner that wants assurance: O for as- 
 surance ! It was still her note, O for assu- 
 rance ! This was her great, earnest, and 
 constant request, to all that came to her, to 
 
 c 
 
<i6 
 
 beg assurance for her : and, poor heart ! she 
 would look with so much eagerness upon 
 them, as if she desired nothing in the world 
 so much as that they would pity her, and 
 help her with their prayers ; never was a 
 poor creature more earnest for any thing 
 than she was for an assurance, and the light 
 of God's countenance : O the piteous moan 
 that she vrould make ! O the agonies that 
 her soul was in ! 
 
 2 J . Her mother asked her, if God should 
 spare her life how she would live ? Truly 
 mother, said she, we have such base hearts, 
 that I cannot tell ; we are apt to promise 
 great things when we are sick ; but when 
 we are recovered, we are as ready to forget 
 ourselves, and turn again unto folly : but I 
 hope I shall be more careful of my time, and 
 my soul, than I have been. 
 
 <22. She was full of natural affection to 
 her parents, and very careful lest her mother 
 should be tired out with much watching. 
 Her mother said, how shall I bear parting 
 with thee, when I have scarce dried my eyes 
 for thy brother ? She answered, the God of 
 love support and comfort you : it is but a 
 little while, and I hope we shall meet in glo- 
 ry. She, being very weak, could speak but 
 little ; therefore her mother said, Child, if 
 
thou hast any comfort lift up thy hand ; 
 which she did. 
 
 23. The Lord's day before that in which 
 she died, a kinsman of tier's came to see her, 
 and, asking of her whether she knew him, 
 she answered, Yea, I know you, and I de- 
 sire you would learn to know Christ : you 
 are young ; but you know not how soon 
 you may die ; and, O ! to die without Christ 
 is a fearful thing : O redeem time ! O time, 
 time, time, precious time ! Being requested 
 by him not to spend herself, she said, she 
 would fain do all the good she could while 
 she lived, and when she was dead too, if 
 possible : upon which account she desired 
 that a sermon might be preached at her fu- 
 neral concerning the preciousness of time. 
 O that young ones would now remember 
 their Creator. 
 
 24. Some ministers that came to her did 
 with earnestness beg that the Lord would 
 please to give her some token for good, that 
 she might go off triumphing; and bills of the 
 same nature were sent to several churches. 
 
 25. After she had long waited for an an- 
 swer of their prayers, she said, Well, I will 
 venture my soul upon Christ, 
 
 26. She carried it with wonderful pa- 
 tience, and yet would often pray that the 
 Lord would give her more patience ; which 
 
'28 
 
 the Lord answered to astonishment; for, 
 considering the pains and agonies that she 
 was in, her patience was next to a wonder. 
 Lord, Lord, give me patience, said she, that 
 I may not dishonour thee. 
 
 27. Upon Thursday, after long waiting, 
 great fears, and many prayers, when all her 
 friends thought she had been past speaking, 
 to the astonishment of her friends, she broke 
 forth thus, with a very audibie voice and 
 cheerful countenance: Lord, thou hast pro- 
 mised, that whosoever comes unto thee thou 
 wilt in no wise cast out. Lord, I come un- 
 to thee, and surely thou wilt in no wise cast 
 me out. O so sweet, O so glorious, is Je- 
 sus ! O I have a sweet and glorious Jesus ! 
 he is sweet, he is sweet ! O the admirable 
 love of God in sending Christ ! O free grace 
 to a poor lost creature ! And thus she ran 
 on in repeating many of these things a hun- 
 dred times over; but her friends were so 
 astonished to see her in this divine rapture, 
 and to hear such gracious words, and her 
 prayers and desires satisfied, that they could 
 not write a quarter of what she spoke. 
 
 28. While her soul was thus ravished 
 with love of Christ, and her tongue so high- 
 ly engaged in the magnifying God, her fa- 
 ther, brethren, and sisters, with others of 
 the family, were called ; to whom she spoke 
 
%9 
 
 particularly, as her strength would give 
 leave. She gave her Bible as a legacy to 
 one of her brothers, and desired him to use 
 that well for her sake ; and added, to him 
 and the rest, O make use of time, to get 
 Christ for your souls ! O spend no time in 
 running up and down, and playing ! O get 
 Christ for your souls while you are young ; 
 remember now your Creator before you 
 come to a sick bed ; put not oif this great 
 work till then ; for then you will find it a 
 hard work indeed ! I know, by experience, 
 the devil will tell you it is time enough, and 
 you are young, what need you be in such 
 haste ? you will have time enough when ye 
 are old. But there stands one, (meaning 
 her grandmother,) that stays behind, and I, 
 that am but young, am going before her : 
 
 therefore make your calling and election 
 sure, while you are in health ! But I am 
 afraid this will be but one night's trouble to 
 your thoughts ; but remember these are the 
 words of a dying sister. O if you knew how 
 good Christ was! O, if you had but one taste 
 of his sweetness, you would rather go to 
 him a thousand times than stay in this 
 wicked world ! I would not, for ten thou- 
 sand and ten thousand worlds, part with my 
 interest in Christ : O how happy am I that 
 
 1 am going to everlasting joys ! I would not 
 
30 
 
 go back again for twenty thousand worlds ; 
 and will you not strive to get an interest iu 
 Christ ? 
 
 29. After this, looking upon one of her 
 father's servants, she said, What shall I do, 
 What shall I do at the Great Day, when 
 Christ shall say unto me, Come, thou blessed 
 of mi/ Father, inherit the kingdom prepared 
 for thee ; and shall say to the wicked, Go, 
 thou 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 up- 
 on earth, turned into that lake that burns 
 for ever ! O those words, for ever ! remem- 
 ber 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 happi- 
 ness. 
 
 30. Her grandmother told her that she 
 spent herself too much : she said, I care 
 not for that, if I could do any soul good. 
 O with what vehemence 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 
 
31 
 
 about her soul, Christ's sweetness, and the 
 souls of others ; in a word, like a continued 
 sermon. 
 
 32. Upon Friday, after she had had such 
 lively discoveries of God's love, she was 
 exceedingly desirous to die, and cried out, 
 Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly; con- 
 duct 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 drowsy ;) yet now and then she 
 dropt these words : How long, sweet Jesus? 
 Finish thy work ; 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 seve- 
 ral times, (when out of her sleep ;) for, she 
 was asleep the greatest part of the day. 
 
 34. Upon the Lord's 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 or' God's free love to her soul. 
 She oft commended her spirit into the Lord's 
 hands: and the last woids which she was 
 heard to speak were these : — Lord, help ; 
 Lord Jesus, help ; dear Jesus, blessed Jesus ! 
 —And thus upon the Lord's day between 
 nine and ten o'clock in the forenoon, she 
 slept sweetly, in Jesus, and began an ever- 
 lasting sabbath, Feb. 19, 1670. 
 
 EXAMPLE II. 
 
 Of a child that zcas admirably affected with 
 the things of God when he was between 
 two and three years old ; zvith a brief ac- 
 count of his life and death. 
 
 1. A certain little child, 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 pa- 
 rents upon duty, and would with much de- 
 votion kneel down, and with great patience 
 and delight continue till duty was at an end, 
 without the least expression of being weary : 
 
33 
 
 i 
 
 and he seemed never so well pleased as when 
 he was engaged in duty. 
 
 3. He could not be satisfied with family 
 dutv ; but would be often upon his kness, by 
 himself, in one corner or other. 
 
 4. He was much delighted to hear the 
 word of God either read or preached. 
 
 5. He loved to go to school, that he might 
 learn something of God, and would ob- 
 serve and take great notice of what he had 
 read, and come home and speak of it with 
 much affection; and he would rejoice in 
 his book, and say to his 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 informa- 
 tion from one that is of undoubted fidelity, 
 it would seem incredible. 
 
 7. He quickly learned to read the scrip- 
 tures, and would, with great reverence, ten- 
 derness, and groans, read till tears and sobs 
 were ready to hinder him. 
 
 8. When he was at secret prayer he wept 
 bitterly. 
 
 9- He was wont oftentimes to complain of 
 the naughtiness of his heart, and seemed to 
 
J4 
 
 be much grieved at the corruption of his na- 
 ture, and for actual sin. 
 
 10. He had a vast understanding in the 
 things of God, even to a wonder, for one of 
 his age. 
 
 1 1. He was much troubled for the wan- 
 dering of his thoughts in duty, and that he 
 could not keep his heart always fixed upon 
 God and the work he was about, and his af- 
 fections constantly raised. 
 
 12. He kept a watch over his heart, and 
 observed the workings of his soul, and would 
 complain that they were so vain and foolish, 
 and so little busied about spiritual things. 
 
 13. As he grew up he grew daily in 
 knowledge and experience, and his carriage 
 was so heavenlv, and his discourse so excel- 
 lent and experimental, that it made those 
 which heard it even astonished. 
 
 14. He was exceedingly importunate with 
 God in duty, and would so plead with him, 
 and use such arguments in prayer, that one 
 would think it were impossible it should en- 
 ter 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 the 
 neighbours : one of the next house was for- 
 ced to cry out, The prayers and tears of that 
 child will sink me to hell, because by them 
 
33 
 
 he condemns my neglect of prayer, and my 
 slight performance of it. 
 
 1.5. He was very fearful of wicked compa- 
 ny, and would often beg of God to keep him 
 from it, and that he might never be pleased 
 In them that take delight in displeasing God ; 
 and when he was at any time in hearing of 
 their wicked words, taking the Lord's name 
 in vain, or swearing, or any filthy words, 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 listened at his cham- 
 ber-door; from whom I received this narra- 
 tive. 
 
 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 up- 
 on 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 
 the Bible, and getting his catechism. 
 
 20. When other children were playing, 
 he would many a time and oft be praying. 
 
 21. One day a certain person was dis- 
 coursing with him about the nature, offices, 
 and excellency of Christ, and he alone can 
 satisfy for our sins, and merit everlasting life 
 for us, and about other of the great myste- 
 ries of redemption : he seemed savingly to 
 understand them, and was greatly delighted 
 with the discourse. 
 
 22. One speaking concerning the resur- 
 rection of the body, he did acknowledge it; 
 but that the same weak body, that was buri- 
 ed in the church-yard, should be raised 
 again, he thought very strange ; but with 
 admiration yielded that nothing was impos- 
 sible to God : and that very day he was ta- 
 ken sick unto death. 
 
 22. A friend of his asked him whether he 
 were willing to die, when he was first taken 
 sick ; he answered, no ; because he was 
 afraid of his state as to another world : Why, 
 child, said the other, thou didst pray for a 
 new heart, for a humble and sincere heart, 
 and I have heard thee; didst thou not pray 
 with thy heart ? I hope I did, said he. 
 
 24. Not long, after, the same person ask- 
 ed him again, whether he were willing to 
 
die ? he answered, Now I am willing ; for 
 I shall go to Christ. 
 
 25. One asked hinr what would become 
 of his sister, if he should die and leave her . ? 
 He answered, the will of the Lord must be 
 done. 
 
 26. He still grew weaker and weaker, but 
 carried it with a great deal of sweetness and 
 patience, waiting for his change ; and at last 
 did cheerfully commit his spirit unto the 
 Lord, calling upon his name, and saying, 
 Lord Jesus ! Lord Jesus ! In whose bosom 
 he sweetly slept, dying, as I remember^ when 
 he was but six years old. 
 
 EXAMPLE III. 
 
 Of a little Girl that was zorought upon when 
 she was between four and five years old, 
 with some account of her holy life and tri- 
 umphant death. 
 
 1. Mary A. when, she was between four, 
 and five years old, was greatly affected in. 
 hearing the word of God, and became very 
 solicitous about her soul and everlasting con* 
 dition, weeping bitterly to think what would 
 become of her in another world, asking ma- 
 ny questions concerning God and Christy 
 
3S 
 
 and her own soul. So that this little Mary, 
 before she was full five years old, seemed to 
 mind the one thing that was needful, and 
 to choose the better part, and sat at the feet 
 of Christ many a time and oft with tears. 
 
 2. She was wont to be much in secret 
 duty, and many times came off from her 
 knees with tears. 
 
 3. She would choose such times and pla- 
 ces for secret duty as might render her less 
 observed by others, and did endeavour what 
 she possibly could to conceal what she was 
 doing, when she was engaged in secret duty. 
 
 4. She was greatly afraid of hypocrisj^ 
 and of doing any thing to be seen of men, 
 and to get commendation and praise ; and, 
 when she had heard one of her brothers say- 
 ing, that he had been by himself at prayer, 
 she rebuked him sharply, and told him how 
 little such prayers were like to profit him, 
 and that it was little to his praise to pray 
 like a hypocrite, and to be glad that any 
 should know what he had been doing. 
 
 m 5. Her mother being full of sorrow after 
 the death of her husband, this child came to 
 her mother, and asked her why she wept so 
 exceedingly ? Her mother answered, she 
 had cause enough to weep, because her fa- 
 ther was dead. No, dear mother, said the 
 
39 
 
 child, you have no occasion to weep so 
 much, for God is a good God still to you. 
 
 6. She was a dear lover of faithful mi- 
 nisters. One time, after she had been hear- 
 ing Mr. Whitaker, she said, I love that 
 man dearly for the sweet words that he 
 speaks concerning Christ. 
 
 7. Her book was her delight, and what 
 she did read she loved to make her own, and 
 cared not for passing over what she learned 
 without extraordinary observations and un- 
 derstanding ; and many times was so strange- 
 ly affected in reading of the Scripture, that 
 she would burst into tears, and would hardly 
 be pacified; so greatly was she taken with 
 Christ's sufferings, the zeal of God's ser- 
 vants, and the danger of a natural state, 
 
 8. She would complain oftentimes of the 
 corruption of her nature, of the hardness 
 of her heart, that she could repent no more 
 thoroughly, and be no more humbled and 
 grieved for her sins against a good God ; and 
 when she did thus complain, it was with 
 abundance of tears. 
 
 9. She w as greatly concerned for the 
 souls of others, and grieved to think of the 
 miserable condition that they were in upon 
 this account. When she could handsomely, 
 she would be putting in something concern- 
 ing Christ, but, above all, she would do what 
 
40 
 
 she could to draw the hearts of her brethren 
 and sisters after Christ ; and there were no 
 small hopes that her example and good 
 counsel did prevail with some of them, 
 when they were very young, to get into 
 corners to pray, and to ask very gracious 
 questions about the things of God. 
 
 10. She was very conscientious in keep- 
 ing the sabbath, spending the whole time 
 either in reading or praying, or learning her 
 eatecfeisin, or teaching hei brethren and 
 sisters. One time, when she was left at 
 home upon the Lord's day, she got some 
 other little children together, with her bro- 
 thers and sisters, and, instead of playing, 
 as other naughty children used to do, she 
 told them that that was the Lord's day, and 
 that they ought to remember that day to 
 keep it holy; and she told them how it 
 was to be spent in religious exercises all the 
 day long, except so much as was to be taken 
 up in the works of necessity and mercy; 
 then she prayed with them herself, and, 
 among other things, begged that the Lord 
 would give grace and wisdom to those little 
 children, that they might know how to serve 
 him ; as one of those little ones in the com- 
 pany with her told afterwards. 
 
 1 1 . She was a child of great tenderness 
 and compassion to all, full of bowels of 
 
 
41 
 
 pity. Whom she could not help, she would 
 be ready to weep over; especially if she 
 saw her mother at any time troubled, she 
 would quickly make her sorrows her own, 
 and weep for her. 
 
 12. When her mother had been some- 
 what solicitous about any worldly thing, she 
 would, if she could possibly put her off 
 from her care one way or other. One time 
 she told her mother, O mother, the grace of 
 God is better than that, (meaning some- 
 thing her mother wanted.) 1 had rather 
 have the grace and love of Christ than any 
 thing in the world. 
 
 13. This child was often musing and bu- 
 sied in the thoughts of her everlasting work ; 
 witness that strange question O what are 
 they doing which are already in heaven ? 
 and she seemed to be greatly desirous to be 
 among them that were praising, loving, and 
 delighting in God, and serving him without 
 sin. Her language about spiritual matters 
 made many excellent Christians to stand 
 amazed, as judging it scarce to be paralleled. 
 
 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 favourably,, and ap- 
 ply them suitably. 
 
 B 2 
 
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 ob- 
 serving 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, spake of her con- 
 dition as if none were like her's, and it 
 would never be otherwise ; the child said, it 
 were a strange thing to say, when it is night 
 it will never be day again. 
 
 17. At another time, a near relation of 
 her's being in some straights, made some 
 complaints ; to whom she said, I have heard 
 Mr. Carter say, a man may go to heaven 
 without a penny in his purse, but not with- 
 out 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 
 even leap for joy. 
 
 19. She loved to be much by herself, and 
 would be greatly grieved if she were at any 
 time deprived of a conveniency for secret du- 
 ty ; she could not live without constant ad- 
 dress to God in secret, and was not a little 
 pleased when she could go into a corner to 
 pray and w r eep. 
 
43 
 
 20. She was much in praising God, and 
 seldom or never complained of* any thing 
 but sin. 
 
 21. She continued in this course of pray- 
 ing to, and praising God, and great dutiful- 
 ness and sweetness to her parents, and those 
 that taught her any thing. — She did greatly 
 encourage her mother, while she was a wi- 
 dow, and desired that the absence of a hus- 
 band might, in some measure, be made up 
 by the dutifulness and holiness of a child. 
 She studied all the ways that could be to 
 mal^e her mother's life comfortable. 
 
 22. When she was between eleven and 
 twelve years old, she sickened ; in which 
 time she carried it with admirable patience^ 
 and did what she could, with Scripture argu- 
 ments, to support and encourage her rela- 
 tions to part with her, as she was going to 
 glory, and to prepare themselves to meet 
 her in a blessed eternity. 
 
 23. She was not many days sick before 
 she became dangerous, of which she was 
 sensible, and rejoiced that she was now 
 going apace to Christ. She called to her 
 friends, and said, be not troubled, for I know 
 I am one of the Lord's own. One asked 
 her how she knew that ? She answered, the 
 Lord hath told me I am one of his dear 
 children. And thus she spoke with a holy 
 
44 
 
 confidence in the Lord's love to her soul, 
 and was not in the least daunted when she 
 spoke of her death ; but seemed greatly de- 
 lighted in the apprehension of her nearness 
 to her Father's house. — And it was not long 
 before she was rilled with joy unspeakable 
 in believing. 
 
 24. When she lay just dying, her mother 
 came to her, and told her she was sorry that 
 she had reproved and corrected a good child 
 so oft. O mother, said she, speak not thus ; 
 I bless God, now I am dying, for your re- 
 proofs 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 thank God, all is well : I know I am 
 none of his, but Christ's. 
 
 27- After this, she had a sense of God's 
 love, and a glorious sight, as if she had seen 
 the very heavens open, and the angels come 
 
w 
 
 to receive her ; by which her heart was fil- 
 led 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 hereaf- 
 ter : And so, in an ecstasy of joy and holy 
 triumph, she went to heaven, when she was 
 nbout twelve years old. Hallelujah I 
 
 EXAMPLE IV, 
 
 Of a child that began to look tozvards hea- 
 ven when she was only four years old > 
 z&ith 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, be- 
 cause the commandment saith, Honour thy 
 
 father and 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 an usual thing for her to weep 
 if she saw her parents troubled, though her- 
 self had not been the occasion of it. 
 
46 
 
 3. When she came from school, she 
 would with grief and abhorrence say, that 
 other children had sinned against God, by 
 speaking grievous words, which were so bad 
 that she dared not speak them again. 
 
 4. She would be oftentimes admiring 
 God's mercy for such goodness to her, ra- 
 ther than to others ; that she saw some beg- 
 ging, others blind, some crooked, and that 
 she wanted nothing that was good for her. 
 
 5. She was many a time and often, in one 
 place 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 Lord's 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, whom she judged to be very 
 wicked, she told them that she feared that 
 they had little reason to be 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. 
 
 m 
 
47 
 
 9. She would say, that it was the duty of 
 parents, masters, and mistresses, to reprove 
 those under their charge for sin, or else God 
 will meet with them. 
 
 10. She would be very attentive when she 
 read the Scriptures, and be much affected 
 with them. 
 
 1 1. She would by no means be persuaded 
 to profane the Lord's day, but would spend 
 it in some good duties. 
 
 12. When she went to school, it was wil- 
 lingly and joyfully, and she was very teach- 
 able, and exemplary to other children. 
 
 1 3. When she was taken sick, one asked 
 her, whether she was 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 cheerfulness, give 
 up her soul to him. 
 
 There were many very observable passages 
 in the life and death of this child, but the 
 hurry and grief that her friends were in, 
 buried them. 
 
43 
 
 EXAMPLE V, 
 
 Of the pious life, and joyful death of a 
 child , who died when he was twelve years 
 old. 
 
 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 bv heart many good things 
 before he was well fit to go to school ; and, 
 when he was sent 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 savouiy 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 man- 
 ner of child shall this be % 
 
49 
 
 7. He would be much in reading the Holy 
 Scriptures. 
 
 8. He was desirous of more spiritual 
 knowledge, 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. 
 
 10. When he ate any thing, he would be 
 sure to lift up his heart unto the Lord for a 
 blessing upon it ; and when he had mode- 
 rately refreshed himself by eating, he would 
 not forget to acknowledge God's goodness 
 in feeding him. 
 
 1 1 . He would not lie down in his bed till 
 he had been on his knees ; and, when some- 
 times he had forgotten his duty, he would 
 quickly get out of his bed, and, kneeling 
 down upon his bare knees, ask God forgive- 
 ness of that sin. 
 
 12. 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 to us, this bit of bread might 
 choke us. 
 
 1 3. His sentences were wise and weighty, 
 and might well become some ancient Chris- 
 tian. 
 
 14. His sickness was a lingering disease, 
 against which, to comfort him ; one tells him 
 
 E 
 
50 
 
 of possessions that must fall to his portion. 
 And what art they% said he, / had rather 
 have the kingdom of heaven than a thousand 
 such inheritances. 
 
 15. When he was sick he seemed much 
 taken up with heaven, and asked very seri- 
 ous questions about the nature of his soul. 
 
 16- After he was pretty well satisfied 
 about that, lie inquired how his soul might 
 be saved ? the answer being made, by the 
 applying of Christ's merits by faith, he was 
 pleased with the answer, and was ready to 
 give anyone that should desire it an account 
 of his hope. 
 
 17. Being asked whether he had rather 
 live or die ? he answered, / desire to die, that 
 I may go to my Saviour. 
 
 18. His pains increasing upon him, one 
 asked him, whether he would rather still en- 
 dure those pains or forsake Christ ? Alas, 
 said he, / know not what to say, being a 
 child ; for those 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 Binley, who, beio,g in pri- 
 son, 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 
 thejire to have gone to Christ. 
 
51 
 
 19- His sickness lasted long, and, at least 
 three days before his death, he prophesied 
 his departure, and not only that he must die, 
 but the veiy day. On the Lord's 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 Swiday come ? At 
 last the looked 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 was 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. 
 
 20. One that stood near him, as now 
 suspecting the time of his dissolution nigh 5 
 bade him say, Lord, into thv hands I com- 
 mend my spirit, which is thy due : for why f 
 thou hast redeemed it, O Lord, my God, 
 most true. 
 
 c 2 1 . The last words which he spake were 
 exactly these : Prat/, pray, pray, nay yet 
 pray ; and the more prayers the better, all 
 prospers ; God >'s the best physician; into 
 thy hands I commend my spirit. O Lord 
 
m 
 
 Jesus receive my soul f Now close mine eyes : 
 forgive me, father, mother, brother, sister, 
 all the zvorld ! Now 1 am well, my pain is 
 almost gone) my joy is at hand ; Lord have 
 mercy upon me, Lord, receive my soul un- 
 to thee ! And thus he yielded up -his spirit 
 unto the Lord, when he was about twelve 
 years old. 
 
 This narrative was taken out of Mr. Am- 
 brose's Life's Lease. 
 
 EXAMPLE VI. 
 
 Of a poor child that was awakened when he 
 was about fve 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 first, he did with great sweetness and 
 kindness allure the child ; by which means 
 it was not long before he got a deep inter- 
 est in the heart of the child, and he began 
 
53 
 
 to obey him with more readiness than chil- 
 dren usually do their parents. 
 
 3. By this a door was opened for a further 
 work, and he had a greater advantage to in- 
 stil 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 exhor- 
 tations of this good man, so that the child 
 was brought to a liking of the things of God . 
 
 5. He quickly learned great part of the 
 Assembly's Catechism by heart, and that be- 
 fore he could read his primer 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 cat- 
 echism, with greater understanding than 
 could be expected from 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, 
 or expounding, or repeating of sermons, he 
 seemed very attentive, and ready to receive 
 the truths of God ; and would, with incred- 
 ible gravity, diligence, and affection, wait 
 till the duties were ended, to the no small 
 
 e 2 
 
o4 
 
 joy and admiration of them which observed 
 him. 
 
 8. He would ask very excellent questions,, 
 and discourse about the condition of hi?* 
 soul, and heavenly tilings, and seemed 
 mightily concerned what would become of 
 his soul when he should die : so that his 
 discourse made some christians even to 
 stand astonished. 
 
 9. He was greatly taken with the grea; 
 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 nobody had been speaking to 
 him, he would burst out into tears ; and, be- 
 ing asked the reason, he wou Id say, that the 
 very thought of Christ's love to sinners, in 
 suffering for them, made him that he could 
 not but cry. 
 
 1 1. Before he was six years old he made 
 conscience of secret duty; and, when he 
 prayed, it was with such extraordinary mel- 
 tings, that his eyes have looked red and 
 sore, with weeping by himself for his sins. 
 
 12. He would be putting of christians up- 
 on spiritual discourse, when he saw them, 
 and seemed little satisfied unless they were 
 talking of good things. 
 
 J 3. It is evident that this poor child's 
 
thoughts were very much busied about the 
 things of another world, tor he would often- 
 times be talking to his bedrellow, at mid- 
 night, about the matters 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 custom, 
 and thar tie would provoke and put forward 
 an experienced christian to spend waking- 
 hours m 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 death of his mother, he 
 would often repeat some of the promises that 
 are made unto fatherless children, especial- 
 ly that in Exod.xxii. 22. Thou shalt not af- 
 flict 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 mother- 
 less upon earth, yet, if any wrong me, I have 
 a father in heaven who will take my part ; 
 and to him I commit myself, and in him is 
 all my trust. 
 
 J 6. Thus he continued in a course of holy 
 duties, living in the fear of God, and show- 
 ed wonderful grace for a child, and died 
 sweetlv in the faith of Jesus. 
 
56 
 
 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 cheer- 
 ful deatrr, from whom 1 received this intor- 
 mation. 
 
 EXAMPLE VII. 
 
 Of a notorious wicked child, that was taken 
 up from begging, and admirably convert- 
 ed ; with an account of his holy life and 
 joyful death when he was only 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 
 most lamentable condition ; 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 auy one's charity, but his misery. My 
 friend, eyeing 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 
 
57 
 
 him up in the fear of the Lord. 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 mon- 
 ster 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 naugh- 
 tiness when he was young in years ; and one 
 will 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 cor- 
 ruption of his nature, and the abominable 
 example of little beggar-boys, he was ar- 
 rived at a strange pitch of impiety. He 
 could call tilthy names, take God's name in 
 vain, curse and swear, and do almost all 
 kind of mischief; and, as to any thing of 
 God, worse than a heathen. 
 
 £. But this 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 pleas- 
 ed to let him understand that he had a de- 
 sign of everlasting kindness upon the soul 
 of this poor child : for, no sooner had this 
 good man taken this creature into his house, 
 
58 
 
 but lie prays for him, and labours with all 
 his might to convince him of his miserable 
 condition by nature, and to teach him some- 
 thing of God, the worth of his 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 
 show him, that it was himself which did 
 
 Eut it into his heart to take in this child, that 
 e might bring him up for Christ. The 
 Lord soon struck in with his godly instruc- 
 tions, so that an amazing change was seen 
 in the child in a few weeks space : he was 
 soon convinced of the evil of his way ; no 
 more news now of his calling of names, 
 swearing, or cursing ; no more taking of the 
 Lord's name in vain ; now he is civil and 
 respectful; and such a strange alteration 
 was wrought in the child, that all the parish, 
 that rang of his villainy before, was now 
 ready to talk of his reformation. His com- 
 pany, his taik, his employment, is now 
 changed, and he is like another creature ; 
 so that the glory of God's free grace began 
 already to shine in him. 
 
 3. And this change was not only an ex- 
 ternal one, and to be discerned abroad ; but 
 he w r ould get by himself, and weep and 
 mourn bitterly for his horriblv wicked life, 
 
m 
 
 as might easily be perceived by them thai 
 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 his labour was not in vain in the 
 Lord; he still experiences that the Lord 
 doth carry on his own work mightily upon 
 the heart of the child ; he is still more and 
 more broken under a sense of his undone 
 state by nature ; he is often in tears, and 
 bemoaning his lost and miserable condition, 
 When his master did speak of the things 
 of God, he listened earnestly, and took in, 
 with much delight and affection, what he 
 was taught. Seldom was there any dis- 
 course about soul matters, in his hearing, 
 but he heard as if it were for his life, and 
 would weep greatly. 
 
 5. He would, after his master had been 
 speaking to him, or others, of the things of 
 God, go to him and question with him 
 about them, and beg of him to instruct and 
 teach him further, and to tell him those 
 things again, that he might remember and 
 understand them better. 
 
 6. Thus he continued seeking after the 
 knowledge of God and Christ, and prac- 
 tising holy duties, till the sickness came in- 
 
 r.. 
 
60 
 
 tp the house with which the poor child was 
 smitten. At his first sickening, the poor 
 child was greatly amazed and afraid, and 
 though his pains were great, and his dis- 
 temper very tedious, yet the sense of his 
 sin, and the thought of the miserable con- 
 dition that he feared his soul was still in,made 
 his trouble ten times greater. He was in 
 grievous agonies of spirit, and his former 
 sins stared him in the face, and made him 
 tremble. The poison of God's arrows did 
 even drink up his spirit. The sense of sin 
 and wrath was so great, that he could not 
 tell what in the world to do. The weight 
 of God's displeasure, and the thoughts of 
 lying under it to all eternity, did even break 
 him to pieces, and he did cry out very 
 bitterly what should he do ! He was a 
 miserable sinner, and he feared he should 
 go to hell ; his sins had been so great and 
 so many, that there were no hopes for him. 
 He was not by far so much concerned for 
 his life as for his soul ; what would become 
 of that for ever ! Now the plague upon his 
 body seemed nothing to that which was in 
 his soul. 
 
 7. But, in his great distress, the Lord was 
 pleased to send one to take care of his soul, 
 who urged to him the great and precious 
 promises which were made to one in his 
 
61 
 
 condition ; telling him that there was 
 enough in Christ for the chief est of sinners, 
 and that he came to seek and save such a 
 lost creature as he was. But this poor child 
 found it a very difficult thing for him to be- 
 lieve that there was any mercy for such a 
 dreadful sinner as he had been. 
 
 8. He was heard to cry out of himself, 
 not only for his swearing and lying, and 
 and other outwardly notorious sins ; but he 
 was in so great horror for the sin of his na- 
 ture, for the vileness of his heart, and ori- 
 ginal corruption under it : he was in so 
 great anguish, that the trouble of his spirit 
 made him, in a great measure, to forget the 
 pains of his body. 
 
 9. He did very particularly confess and 
 bewail his sins with tears ; and some sins 
 so secret, that none in the world could 
 charge him with. 
 
 10. He would condemn himself for sin, 
 as deserving to have no mercy, thought that 
 there was not a greater sinner in all Lon- 
 don than himself, and he abhorred himself 
 as the vilest creature he knew. 
 
 11. He did not only pray much with 
 strong cries and tears himself, but he beg- 
 ged the prayers of Christians for him. 
 
 12. He would ask Christians whether 
 they thought there were any hopes for him, 
 
 F 
 
62 
 
 and would beg of them to deal plainly with 
 him, for he was greatly afraid of being de- 
 ceived. 
 
 13. Being informed how willing and 
 ready the Lord Jesus was to accept of poor 
 sinners, upon their repentance and turning, 
 and being counselled to venture himself up- 
 on Christ for mercy and salvation, he said 
 he would fain cast himself upon Christ, but 
 he could not but wonder how Christ should 
 be willing to die for such a vile wretch as 
 he was : and he found it one of the hard" 
 est things in the world to believe. 
 
 14. But, at last, it pleased the Lord to 
 give him some small hopes that there might 
 be mercy for him, for he had been the chief- 
 est of sinners ; and he was made to lay a 
 little hold upon such promises as this, Come 
 unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy la- 
 den, and I will give you rest. But Oh ! how 
 did this poor boy admire and bless God for 
 the least hopes ! how highly did he advance 
 the free and rich grace that should pity and 
 pardon him ! and, at last, he was full of 
 praise and admiring of God ; so that, (to 
 speak in the words of a good man that was 
 an eye and ear witness,) to the praise and 
 glory of God be it spoken, the house at that 
 day,for all the sickness in it, was a little low- 
 er heaven, so full of joy and praise. 
 
63 
 
 15. The child grew exceedingly in know- 
 ledge, experience, patience, humility, and 
 seif-abhorrence, and he thought he could 
 never speak bad enough of himself ; the 
 name that he would call himself by was a 
 toad. 
 
 16. And though he prayed before, yet 
 now the Lord poured out upon him the spi- 
 rit of prayer in an extraordinary manner for 
 dne of his age, so that now he prayed more 
 frequently, more earnestly, more spiritually 
 than ever. O how eagerly would he beg to 
 be washed in the blood of Jesus ! and that 
 the King of kings and Lord of lords, that 
 was over heaven, earth, and sea, would par- 
 don and forgive him all his sins, and re- 
 ceive his soul into his kingdom And what 
 lie spoke, it was with so much love and fer- 
 vor of spirit, as that it filled the hearers with 
 astonishment and joy. 
 
 17. He had no small sense of the use 
 and excellency of Christ, and such long- 
 ings and breathings of soul after him, that, 
 when mention had been made of Christ, he 
 hath been ready almost to leap out of his 
 bed for joy. 
 
 18. When he was told, that if he reco= 
 vered, he must not live as he list, but he 
 must give up himself to Christ, and be his 
 child and servant, bear his yoke, and be 
 
64 
 
 obedient unto his holy laws, and live a holy 
 life, and take his cross, and suffer mocking 
 and reproach, it may be persecution, for his 
 name's sake : How, child, (said one to him,) 
 are you willing to have Christ upon such 
 terms ! he signified his willingness by the 
 earnestness of his look and words, and the 
 casting up of his eyes to heaven ; saying, 
 yes, with all my soul, the Lord helping me, 
 I will do this. 
 
 19- Vet he had many doubts and fears, 
 and was ever and anon harping upon that, 
 that, though he were willing, yet Christ, he 
 feared, was not willing to accept him, be- 
 cause of the greatness of his sin : yet his 
 hopes were greater than his fears. 
 
 20. The Wednesday before he died, the 
 child lay as it were in a trance for about 
 half an hour, in which time he thought he 
 saw a vision of angels. When he was out 
 of his trance he was a little uneasy, and 
 asked his nurse, why she did not let him 
 go I 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, on Friday next. 
 And he doubled his words many times, up- 
 on Friday next those brave gentlemen will 
 come for me ; and upon that day the child 
 died joyfully. 
 
65 
 
 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 begging, and he admired at the good- 
 ness of God, which put it into the mind of 
 a stranger to iook upon, and to take such 
 fatherly care of, such a pitiful, sorry crea- 
 ture as he was. O my dear master, said 
 he, I hope to see you in heaven ; for I am 
 sure you will go thither. O, blessed, bless- 
 ed be God, that made you to take pity up- 
 on me ; for 1 might have died, and have 
 gone to the devil, and have been damned 
 for ever, if it had not been for you ! 
 
 22. The Thursday before he died,, 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 lest he should deceive him- 
 self 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 give 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 doublings 
 and fears, as though I told the* nothing; 
 
 f 2 
 
66 
 
 but lies. 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 him- 
 self 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 leap in his 
 bed, and snapped his finger and thumb to- 
 gether 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 assurance of God's love, he continued 
 earnestly piaising God, with desiring to die, 
 and be with Christ. And on Friday morn- 
 ing, he sweetly went to rest, using that ex- 
 pression, " Into thy hands, Lord, I com- 
 mit my spirit." He died punctually at that 
 time w r hich he had spoken of, and in which 
 he expected those angels to come to him. 
 He was not much above nine year? old 
 when he died. 
 
m 
 
 This narrative I had from a judicious 
 holy man, unrelated to him, who was an 
 eye and ear witness to all these things. 
 
 END OF THE FIRST PART, 
 
 , 
 
TOKEN 
 
 CHILDREN. 
 
 IN TWO PARTS. 
 
 BY JAMES JANEWAY. 
 
 PART tfHE SECOND. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 TO THE 
 
 READER, 
 
 CHRISTIAN READERj 
 
 IN the former part of my Token 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 na- 
 ture. If it did not seem a little to savour 
 of vanity, I might tell the world what en- 
 couragement I have met with in this work ; 
 but this I will only say, that I have met 
 with so much as hath made me give this 
 little book leave to go abroad into the world. 
 I am not also ignorant what discourage- 
 ment I may meet with from some ; but, as 
 long as I am sure I shall not meet with this, 
 that it is improbable, if not impossible, that 
 it should save a soul, I think the rest may 
 easily be answered, or warrantabiy slighted 
 
72 PREFACE. 
 
 But because I am persuaded, by some, tfiatj 
 one example in the former, viz. that of a I 
 child who began to be serious between two 
 and three years old, was scarcely credible, 
 and they did fear might somewhat preju- 
 dice th<i authority of the rest. I shall say 
 something to answer that. They who make 
 this objection are either good or bad. lfi 
 bad, I never expect to satisfy them, except 
 I was to tell them of a romance or play, or 
 somewhat that might suit a carnal mind ; 
 it is like holiness in older persons, it 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, i 
 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 satisfy 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 hosannas 
 
iand hallelujahs of these babes shall con.- 
 jdemn thine oaths, blasphemies, and jeers 3 
 nd then thou wilt be silenced ; and ex* 
 eept converting grace turn thy heart quick« 
 ly, thou wilt for ever rue thy madness and 
 folly, when it is too late to remedy it. 
 
 But if the persons that make this objec- 
 tion be godly, I question not but I may 
 give them reasonable satisfaction. 
 
 First, Consider who it is that I had this 
 example from. It was one Mrs. Jeqfries, 
 in Long-lane, in Mary Magdalen, Ber~ 
 mondsey parish, in the county of Surry ; 
 a woman of that fame in the Church of 
 Christ, for her exemplary piety, wisdom, 
 experience, and singular watchfulness over 
 every punctilio that she speaks, that I ques- 
 tion not but that her name is precious to 
 miost of the ministers of London, at least 
 in the Borough: and as a reverend divine 
 said, such a mother in Israel, that her sin- 
 gle testimony, about London, is of such au- 
 thority almost as any single minister's : and 
 having since discoursed this matter with 
 her. she calls God to witness, that she has 
 o 
 
74 PREFACE. 
 
 spoken nothing but truth ; only in this she 
 failed, in that she spoke 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 ot 
 the country, that did protest to me, that he 
 had seen as much as that in a little one ot 
 the same age, who since that time I hea r , 
 went sweetly to heaven. Doth not the, 
 reverend Mr. Clark, in his works, quote a 
 child of two yeais old that looked towards 
 heaven ? doth not credible history acquaint 
 us with a martyr at seven years old, who- 
 was whipped almost to death, and never; 
 shed one tear, nor complained ; and at last, 
 his head was struck off? I do not speak of 
 these as common matters, but record them 
 among those stupendous 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 God's works, in the business 
 of conversion, call for admiration ; and I 
 believe that silence, or rather praise, would 
 better become saints, than questioning the 
 
PREFACE. 75 
 
 truth of such things, especially where an 
 apparent injury is thereby done to the inter- 
 est of Christ, the honour of God's grace, 
 and the reputation of so eminent a saint. 
 I judge this sufficient to satisfy most ; as 
 for others, I trouble not myself; if I may 
 but promote the interest of Christ, and the 
 good of souls, and give up my account with 
 joy, it is 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 their children may be their crown 
 and their joy, is the prayer of one that de- 
 sires to love Christ and little children dearly, 
 
 JAMES JANEWAY, 
 
A 
 
 TOKEN FOR CHILDREN. 
 
 THE SECOND PART. 
 
 EXAMPLE VIII. 
 
 Of a Child that teas very serious at four 
 years old, with an Account of his com- 
 fortable Death, when he was twelve Years 
 and three Weeks old, 
 
 1. John Sudlow was bom of religious 
 parents, in the county of Middlesex, whose 
 great care was to instil spiritual principles 
 into him, as soon as he was capable of un- 
 derstanding them ; whose endeavours the 
 Lord was pleased to crown with the de- 
 sired 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 great awe and 
 reverence of God upon his spirit, and a. 
 strange sense of the things of another 
 
 G 2 
 
78 
 
 Vorld, as might easily be perceived by those 
 serious and admirable questions which he 
 •would be often asking of those Chris- 
 tians that he thqught he might be bold 
 with. 
 
 3. The first thing that did most affect 
 him, and make him endeavour to escape 
 from the wrath to come, and to inquire 
 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, when carried out of doors, and 
 put into a pit-hole, he was greatly concern- 
 ed, and asked surprising questions about 
 him. But that which was most affecting 
 to 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- 
 ly serious : and this was when he was *bout 
 four years old. 
 
 4. Now he was desirous to know what 
 he must do that he might live in another 
 world : what he must avoid, that he might 
 not die for ever. Being instructed by his 
 godly parents, he soon labours to avoid 
 whatsoever might displease God. Now tell 
 him any thing that was sinful, and that 
 God would not have him to do it, and he is 
 easily kept from it ; even at this time of day, 
 
79 
 
 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 m reading the Scrip- 
 tures, and his catechism, and other good 
 books, that it is scarce to be paralleled. He 
 would naturally run to his book without 
 bidding, when he came home from school, 
 and when other children of his age and 
 acquaintance were playing, he reckoned it 
 his recreation to be doing that which is 
 good. 
 
 6. When he was in coats he would be 
 asking his maid serious questions, and pray- 
 ing her to teach him his catechism, or Scrip- 
 tures, or some good thing. Common dis- 
 course he took no delight in, but did most 
 eagerly desire to receive the knowledge of 
 the things of God, Christ, his soul, and an- 
 other world 
 
 7. He was greatly taken with the read- 
 ing of the book of Martyrs, and would be 
 ready to leave his dinner to go to his book. 
 
 8. He was exceeding careful of redeem- 
 ing and improving time ; scarce a moment 
 of it but he would give an excellent account 
 of it ; so that this child might have taught ol- 
 der persons, and will ; questionless, condemn 
 
so 
 
 their idle and unaccountable wasting of 
 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 under- 
 stand it thoroughly, and remember it ; what 
 he could not understand, he would oft ask 
 his father or mother the meaning of. 
 
 10. When any Christian friends had 
 been discoursing with his father, if they be- 
 gan to talk 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 crept as close to them as he 
 could, and listened 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 neigh- 
 bours' children would come and call him 
 out, and entice him, and beg of him to go 
 with them, he could by no means be per- 
 suaded, though he might have had the 
 leave of his parents, if he had any hopes 
 that any good body would come to his 
 father's house. 
 
 1 1 . He was very modest while any stran- 
 
81 
 
 ger was present, and was loath to ask theni 
 any questions; bur as soon as they were 
 gone, he would Jet his father know that 
 there was little said or done but he observed 
 it, and would reflect upon what passed in 
 their discourse, and desire satisfaction in 
 what he could not understand at present. 
 
 12. He was a boy of most prodigious 
 parts for his age. as will appear from his 
 solid and rational questions. I shall men- 
 tion but two out 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 asked 
 who built the ark ? it being answered, it 
 was likely that Noah hired men to help 
 him build it. And would they, (said he,) 
 build an ark to save another, and not go in- 
 to it themselves ? 
 
 14. Another question he put was this : 
 Whether had a greater glory, saints or an- 
 gels ? It being answered, thatangels were the 
 most exellent of creatures, and it is to be 
 thought their nature is made capable of great- 
 er glory than man's, he said, he was of an- 
 Other mind, and his reason was, because an* 
 gels were servants, and saints were children ; 
 and that Christ never took upon him the 
 nature of angels, but he took upon him the 
 nature of saints ; and by being man^ he 
 
 • 
 
82 
 
 bath advanced human nature above the na- 
 ture of angels. 
 
 15. By this you may perceive the great- 
 ness of his parts and the bent of his thoughts; 
 and thus he continued for several years to- 
 gether, 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 seem- 
 ingly angry, he would not stir from them 
 till they were thoroughly 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 breth- 
 ren and sisters, and would not suffer them 
 to use any unhandsome words, or to do any 
 unhandsome actiuus ; 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 God's honour, and the 
 eternal welfare of their souls. 
 
 18 He would go to his father and mo- 
 ther with great tenderness and compassion, 
 4 
 
83 
 
 (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 lest 
 they should go on in a sinful Christless 
 state, and prove their sorrow and shame, 
 and go to hell when they died, and be ruin- 
 ed 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 him- 
 self, and was, no question, wrestling with 
 God. 
 
 2 1 . 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 ex- 
 ceedingly concerned about his soul and ev- 
 erlasting store; very much by himself upon 
 his knees. This prayer was found written 
 in short-hand after his death :— - 
 
84 
 
 <e O Lord God and merciful Father, take 
 pity upon me, a miserable sinner, and 
 strengthen me, O Lord, in thy faith, and 
 make me one of thy glorious saints in hea- 
 ven. 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 appoint- 
 ed 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 upon 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 ftiiiell 
 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 thy 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 glorify 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's sake. — Amen." 
 
8a 
 
 24. He was not a little concerned for the 
 whole nation, and begged that God would 
 pardon the sins of this land, and bring it 
 nearer to himself. 
 
 25. About the beginning of November, 
 1655, this sweet child was smitten with the 
 distemper, but he carried it with admirable 
 patience under the hand of God. 
 
 26. These are some of his dying expres- 
 sions : __« The Lord shall be my physician, 
 for he will cure both soul and body. Hea- 
 ven is the best hospital. It is the Lord, kfc 
 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, Bles- 
 sed be the name of the Lord ! If I should 
 
 I live longer, I shall but sin against God." 
 
 Looking upon his father, he said, " If the 
 
 t Lord would but lend me the least finger of 
 
 > his hand, to lead me through the dark vale 
 \ of death, I will rejoice in him !" 
 
 27. When a minister came to him, among 
 other things, he spake something 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. An hour and a half before his death 
 i the same minister came again to visit him, 
 
 and asked him, " Art thou not afraid to 
 die?" He answered, "No, if the Lord will 
 H 
 
86 
 
 but comfort me in that hour " " But," said 
 the minister, " how canst thou expect com- 
 fort, seeing we deserve none ?" He answer- 
 ed, " No ; if I had my deserts, I had been 
 in hell long ago." " But," replied the min- 
 ister, " which way dost thou expect com- 
 fort and salvation, seeing thou art a sinner ?" 
 He answered," In Christ alone." — In whom, 
 about an hour and a half after, he fell asleep, 
 saying, he would take a long sleep, charg- 
 ing them that were about him not to awake 
 him. 
 
 He died when he was twelve years, three 
 weeks, and a day old. 
 
 EXAMPLE IX. 
 
 Of a child that was very eminent when she 
 was between Jive and six years old, with 
 some memorable passages of her life. 
 
 1. Ann Lane was born at 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 were sanctified from the womb. 
 
 c 2. She was very solicitous about her soul, 
 what would become of it when she would 
 die,, and where siie should Jive tor ever, and 
 
m 
 
 what she should do to be saved, when she 
 
 was about five years old. 
 
 3. She was wont to be often engaged in 
 
 secret prayer, and pouring out of her soul in 
 
 such a manner as is rarely to be heard of in 
 
 one of her years. 
 
 4. 1, having occasion to lie atColebrook, 
 sent for her father, an old disciple, an Israel- 
 ite 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, 
 from a child, somewhat civil, honest, and, 
 as to man, harmless, but was little acquaint- 
 ed with the power of religion till this sweet 
 child put him upon a thorough inquiry into 
 the state of his soul, and would still be begging 
 or him, and pleading with him, to redeem 
 his time, and to act with life and vigour in 
 the things of God ; which was no small de- 
 monstration to him of the reality of invisibles, 
 that a very babe and suckling should speak 
 so feelingly abuut the things of God, and be 
 so greatly concerned not only about her own 
 soul, but about her father's too, which was 
 the occasion of his conversion ; and the very 
 thought of it was a quickening 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 was long absent from his shop, hhe 
 would find him out, and with much sweetness 
 and humility beg of him to come home, and 
 to remember the preciousness 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 un- 
 profitable, unsavoury, or long in their dis- 
 course 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 read- 
 ing, praying, discoursing about the things of 
 God, and any kind of business that her age 
 and strength were 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 Scripture, or any 
 thing that concerned another life. 
 
 11. She had a strange contempt of the 
 world, and scorned those things which most 
 
89 
 
 aretoo much pleased with. She couid not 
 be brought to wear any laces, or any thing 
 that she thought superfluous. 
 
 12. She would be complaining to her pa- 
 rents if she saw any thing in them that she 
 judged would not be for the honour of reli- 
 gion, or suitable to that condition in which 
 the providence of God had set them in the 
 world. 
 
 13. The child was the joy and delight of 
 all the Christians thereabout in those times, 
 who was still quickening 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 stran- 
 ger in the world, and one that was making 
 haste 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 oi 
 Jesus before she was ten years old, 
 
90 
 
 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 trium- 
 phant 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 Scripture and her ca- 
 techism 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 be- 
 come of her if she should die ? She answer- 
 ed that she was greatly afraid that she should 
 go to hell. 
 
 3. Being asked why she was afraid of go- 
 ing to hell, she answered, because she feared 
 she did not love God. 
 
 4. Again, being asked how she did know 
 she did not love God, she replied, 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 at all. 
 
 5. Bein^ further demanded if she would 
 
not fain love God, she answered, yes, whir 
 all heart, if she could* but she found it a 
 bard thing to iove 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 des- 
 ponding condition, a dear friend of tier's 
 spent the next day in fasting and prayer for 
 her. 
 
 Q. After this, that Christian friend asked 
 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 
 liiin dearly ! 
 
 10. Why, said 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 ! hut 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 
 '.'omibrt to her ; Anon, said she, with a holy 
 
9- 
 
 triumph, I shall be with Jesus, I am marri- 
 ed to him : he is my husband, 1 am his 
 bride ; I have given myself to him, and he 
 hath given himself to me, and I shall live 
 with him for ever ! 
 
 12. This strange language made the hear- 
 ers stand astonished ; but thus she continu- 
 ed for some little time, in a kind of ecstasy 
 of joy, admiring the excellency of Christ, 
 rejoicing in her interest in him, and longing 
 to be with him. 
 
 13. After a while some of her fiiends 
 standing by her, observed more than an or- 
 dinary earnestness and fixedness in her coun- 
 tenance ; they said one to another, look how 
 earnestly she looks, sure she seeth some- 
 thing. 
 
 14. One asked, what it was she fixed her 
 eyes upon so eagerly ? I warrant, saith one 
 that was by, she seeth death coming. 
 
 15. No, said she, it is glory that 1 see, it 
 is that i fix my eye upon. 
 
 l(j. One asked her what glory was like? 
 She answered, 1 cannot speak what, but I 
 am going to it ; will you go with me ? I am 
 going to glory T . O that all of you were to 
 so with me to that glory! With which 
 words her soul took wins:, and went to the 
 possession of that glory which she had some 
 
believing sight of before. She died when 
 she was between eight and nine years old. 
 
 EXAMPLE XL 
 
 Of a child that was greatly affected with the 
 things of God when she zvas very young, 
 with an exact account of her admirable 
 carriage on her death-bed. 
 
 1. Susannah Bicks was born at Ley- 
 den, in Holland, Jan- 24, 1(550, of very re- 
 ligious parents, whose great care was to in- 
 struct and catechise this their child, and to 
 present her to the ministers of the place, to 
 be publicly instructed and catechised. 
 
 2. It pleased the Lord to bless the holy 
 education and 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 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 clearl- , that she did not only 
 <*omfort the hearts of her parents, but drew 
 
94 
 
 the admiration of all that were witnesses of 
 God's works of love upon her, and may well 
 be proposed as a pattern, not only to chil- 
 dren, 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 herself, 
 and her deportment was so admirable, that, 
 partly through wonder and astonishment, 
 and partly through sorrow, many observable 
 things were passed by, without committing 
 to paper, which deserve to have been written 
 in letters of gold ; but take these which fol- 
 low, as some of many, which were taken 
 from her dying lips, and first published by 
 religious and judicious Christians in Dutch, 
 afterwards translated, and, with a littie al- 
 teration of the style, for the benefit of Eng- 
 lish 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 encou- 
 rage her in her sickness, said to her, Be of 
 
95 
 
 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. Yes, father, said she, our hea- 
 venly Father does 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 yield- 
 eth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to 
 them who are exercised thereby. The Lord 
 is now chastening 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, ac- 
 cording to the riches of his mercies, which 
 fail not. 
 
 7. After this she spake to God, with her 
 eyes lifted up to heaven, saying. Be merciful 
 to me, O Father ; be merciful to me, a sin= 
 ner, according to thy word ! 
 
 8. Then looking upon her sorrowful pa- 
 rents, 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 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 
 
96 
 
 unto godliness in reading the word, in pray- 
 er and gracious discourse, to the edification 
 of thyself 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 said, Can a woman forget her 
 sucking child, that she should not have com- 
 passion on the fruit of her womb ? yet I will 
 not forget thee ; behold I have graven thee 
 upon the palms of my hands ! Oh ! com- 
 fortable words, both for mother and chil- 
 dren ! Mark, dear mother, how fast the 
 Lord keepeth and holdeth his people, that 
 he doth even grave them upon the palms of 
 his hands. Though 1 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 how 
 it was with her ? She made no direct an- 
 swer, but asked what day it was ? her fa- 
 ther said it was the Lord's day. Well then, 
 said she, have you given up my name to be 
 remembered in the public prayers of the 
 church ? Her father told her he had. I 
 have learned, said she, that the effectual fer- 
 vent prayer of the righteous availeth much. 
 
m 
 
 12. She had a very high esteem for the 
 faithful ministers of Christ, and much de- 
 sired their company where she was ; but^ 
 knowing the hazard that such a visit would 
 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 herself upon the arms 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 ca- 
 ses to visit and comfort the sick. 
 
 13. One of those who 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 reli- 
 gion ; for gospel ministers, and for the sins 
 and the decay of the power of godliness in 
 her own country, which will further appear 
 by what may follow. 
 
 15. Her father coming in to her, found 
 her in an extraordinary passion of weeping, 
 and asked her what was the cause of her 
 great sorrow ; she answered, have I not 
 cause to weep, when I hear that Mr. De Witt 
 was taken sick this day in his pulpit, and 
 went home very ill ? Is not this a sad sign 
 
 T 
 
98 
 
 of God's displeasure to our country, when 
 he siniteth 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 upon earth I can desire in comparison 
 of thee ! She was much lifted up above the 
 fears of death. What else was the mean- 
 ing of such expressions as these? Oh how 
 do I long ! even as the hart panteth after 
 the water-brook, 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-abhorrence, reflect 
 upon it ; but that which lay most upon her 
 heart was, the corruption of her nature, and 
 original sin. How often 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 herself low enough 
 under a sense of that original sin which 
 she brought with her into the world. 
 
 IS. She spake many things very judi- 
 ciously of the old man, and putting it off; 
 and of the new man., and putting it on; 
 which showed that she, in some measure, 
 understood what mortification, self-denial, 
 and taking up her cross and following Christ. 
 
99 
 
 meant. That Scripture was much in her 
 mouth, The sacrifices of God are a contrite 
 heart ; a broken and a contrite spirit, O 
 God, thou wilt not despise ! That broken- 
 ness of heart, said she, which is built upon, 
 and flows from faith, and that faith which 
 is built upon Christ, who is the proper and 
 alone sacrifice for sin. These are her own 
 words. 
 
 19. Afterwards she desired to rest ; and, 
 when she had slumbered a while, she said, 
 O dear father and mother, how weak do I 
 feel myself ! My dear child, said her father, 
 God will, in his tender mercy, strengthen 
 thee in thy weakness. Yea, father, said she, 
 that is my confidence ; for it is said, The 
 bruised reed he will not break, and the 
 smoaking flax he will not quench. 
 
 20. Then she discoursed excellently on 
 the nature of faith, and desired that the 
 eleventh of the Hebrews should be read 
 imto her ; at the reading of which she 
 cried out, O what a steadfast faith was that; 
 of Abraham, which made him willing to 
 offer up his own and only son ! F? ; th is the 
 substance of things hoped for, the evidence 
 of things not seen. 
 
 2 1 . Her father and mother, hearing her 
 excellent discourse, and seeing her admira- 
 ble carriage, burst out into abundance of 
 
100 
 
 tears ; upon which she pleaded with them 
 to be patient, and content with the hand of 
 God. O, said she, why do you weep at 
 this rate over me, seeing I hope you have 
 no reason to question but, if the Lord take 
 me out of this miserable world, it shall be 
 well with me to all eternity ! You ought to 
 be well satisfied, seeing it is said, God is in 
 heaven, and doeth whatsoever pleaseth him : 
 and do you not pray every day, that the will 
 of God may be done on earth as it is in hea- 
 ven ? Now, father, this is God's will, that I 
 should lie upon this sick bed, and of this 
 disease ; shall we not be content when our 
 prayers are answered ? Would not your ex- 
 treme sorrow be murmuring against God, 
 without whose good pleasure nothing comes 
 to pass. Although I am struck with this 
 sad disease, yet, because it is the will of 
 God, that doth silence; and, I will, as long 
 as I live, pray that God's will may be done, 
 and not mine. 
 
 22. Seeing her parents very much moved, 
 she further argued with them from the pro- 
 vidence of God, which had a special hand 
 in every common thing, much more in the 
 disposal of the lives of men and women : 
 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing, 
 and not one of them falls to the ground 
 without our heavenly father ? Yea, the hairs 
 
101 
 
 of our head are all numbered; therefore, 
 fear not, ye are of more value than many 
 sparrows. Adversity and prosperity are both 
 good. Some things seem evil in our eyes, 
 but the Lord turns all to the good of them 
 that are his. 
 
 23. She came then to speak particularly 
 concerning the plague : Doth not, said she, 
 the pestilence come from God ? Why else 
 doth the Scripture say, Shall there be evil 
 in the city which I have not sent ? What 
 do these men mean, who say the pestilence 
 comes from the air ? Is not the Lord the 
 creator and ruler of the air, and are not the 
 elements under his government ? Or, if they 
 say, it comes from the earth, hath he not 
 the same power and influence upon that 
 too ? Why talk they of a ship that came 
 from Africa ? Have ye not read long ago, 
 out of Lev. xxxvi. 25. I shall bring a 
 sword upon you, and avenge the quarrel of 
 my covenant; and, when you are assem- 
 bled in the -cities, then will I bring the pes- 
 tilence in the midst of you. 
 
 24. After this, having taken some little 
 rest, she said, O now is the day for opening 
 the first question of the Catechism ; and, 
 if we were there, we should hear that, whe 
 ther in life or death, a believer is Christ's, 
 who hath redeemed us by his own precious 
 
 i 2 
 
102 
 
 blood from the power of the devil ; and 
 then she quoted Rom. xiv. 7, 8. For none 
 of us liveth to himself; for, whether we 
 live, we live unto the Lord ; and whether 
 we die, we die unto the Lord ; whether then 
 we live or die, we are the Lord's. Then be 
 comforted ; for, whether I live or die, I am 
 the Lord's. Oh ! Why do you afflict your- 
 selves thus? but what shall I say? With 
 weeping I came into the world, and with 
 weeping I must go out again. Oh ! my 
 dear parents, better is the day of my death, 
 than the day of my birth. 
 
 25. When she had thus encouraged her 
 father and mother, she desired her father to 
 pray with her, and to request of the Lord 
 that she might have a quiet and peaceable 
 passage into another world. 
 
 26. After her father had prayed for her, 
 he asked her whether he should send for 
 the physician ; she answered, by no means, 
 for I am now beyond the help of doctors. 
 But, said he, my child, we are to use the 
 ordinary means appointed by the Lord for 
 our help, as long as we live, and let the 
 Lord do as seemeth good in his eyes. But, 
 said she, give me the heavenly physician ; 
 he is the only helper. Doth not he say, 
 Come unto me, all ye that are weary and 
 heavy laden, and I will give you rest ? And 
 doth not he bid us call upon him in the day 
 
103 
 
 of distress, and he will deliver us, and we 
 shall glorify him ? Therefore, dear father, 
 call upon him yet again for me. 
 
 27. About this time a Christian friend 
 came in to visit her, who was not a little com- 
 forted when he heard and saw so much of 
 the grace of God in so young a child, which 
 could not but so far affect him, as to draw 
 tears of joy and admiration from him ; and 
 her deportment was so teaching, that he 
 Could not but acknowledge himself greatly 
 edified and improved by her carriage and 
 language. 
 
 28- That which was not the least observ- 
 able in her, was the affection she had for 
 the Holy Scriptures, and her catechism ; 
 which she was thoroughly instructed in by 
 the divines of the place where she lived, 
 which she could not but own as one of the 
 greatest mercies next the Lord Christ. O 
 how did she bless God for her catechism^ 
 and beg of her father to go particulaiiy to 
 those ministers who had taken so much 
 pains with her, to instruct her in her cate- 
 chism ; and thank them for her, a dying 
 child, for their good instructions ; and to 
 let them understand, for their encourage- 
 ment to go on in that work of catechising, 
 how refreshing those truths were now to hei 
 In the hour of distress. O that sweet cate- 
 chising, said she, unto which I did always 
 
104 
 
 resort with gladness, and attended without 
 weariness ! 
 
 29. She was much above the vanities of i 
 the world, and took no pleasure at all in i 
 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 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, who 
 taught her to read and work, but she desired 
 that thanks might also be particularly given 
 to them. Indeed, she thought she never 
 could be thankful enough, both to God and 
 man, for the kindness that she had expe- 
 rience of; but, again and again, she desired 
 to be sure to thank the minister that in- 
 structed her, either by catechising or preach- 
 ing. 
 
 31. After some rest, her father asked her 
 again how she did, and began to express 
 somewhat of the 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 kindness in her godly education, 
 
105 
 
 and said, that she esteemed her holy educa- 
 tion, under such parents and ministers, as a 
 greater portion than ten thousand guilders ; 
 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 increasing, and I see your sorrow 
 increasing too, which is a piece of my afflic- 
 tion : be content, I pray you, it is the Lord 
 which doeth it, and let you and me say, 
 With David, Let us fall into the Lord's hands,, 
 for his mercies are great. 
 
 33* She had 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 ate ; 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 parti- 
 cular and strict charge upon her mother, 
 saying to her, Dear mother, who hast done 
 so much for me, you must promise me one 
 thing before I die, and that is, that you will. 
 
 
106 
 
 not sorrow overmuch for me. I speak thus 
 to you, because 1 am afraid of your great 
 affliction. Consider other 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 
 trie ye 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 
 through his blessed side, and all this for my 
 sake, and on account of my sins ? Did not 
 he cry out, M\ God, my God, why hast 
 thou forsaken me ? Did not Christ hang na- 
 ked on the cross, to purchase for me the gar- 
 ments of salvation, and to clothe me with 
 his righteousness ? for there is salvation in 
 no other name ! 
 
 34. Being very feeble and weak, she said, 
 Oh ! if 1 might sleep quietlj in the bosom 
 of Jesus ! and that till then he would 
 strengthen me ! Oh ! that he would take 
 me into his arms, as he did those little ones, 
 when he said, Suffer little children to come 
 unto me, for of such is the kingdom of hea- 
 ven : 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 
 
107 
 
 child., receive me into thy gracious arms ! 
 O Lord ! grace, grace, and not justice I 
 for if thou shouldst enter into judgment 
 with me, I cannot stand ; yea, none living 
 would be just in thy sight. 
 
 35. After this, she cried out, O how faint 
 am I ! but, fearing lest she should dishearten 
 her mother, she said, while there is life, there 
 is hope ; if it should please the Lord to re- 
 cover me, how careful would I be to please 
 you in my work, and learning, and whatso- 
 ever you shall require of me. 
 
 36. After this, the Lord did again send 
 her strength, and she laboured to spend it 
 all for Christ, in awakening, edifying, and 
 comforting 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 that are called 
 according to his purpose. O God, estab- 
 lish me with thy tree spirit ; Who shall 
 separate us from the love of Christ ? I am 
 persuaded, that neither life nor death, nor 
 angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor 
 things present, nor things to come, nor 
 height, nor depth, nor any other creature, 
 shall separate us from the love of God,, 
 
108 
 
 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 pluck them out of my Father's 
 hands. Thus she seemed to attain a ho- 
 ly 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 tri- 
 umph of faith, saying : Death is swallowed 
 up in 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 Sa- 
 viour, 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; dust is the mother of us all; the 
 dust shall turn to dust, whence it is, and the 
 spirit to God who gave it. 
 
 39- Then she discoursed of the shortness 
 
109 
 
 of man's life. O what is the life of man t 
 the days of man upon the earth are as the 
 grass ; as the flower of the field so he flou- 
 risheth ; the wind passeth over it, and it is 
 gone, 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 us from that sin and sorrow. We 
 know not the thoughts of God, yet do we 
 know so much, that they are mercy and 
 peace, and do give an expected end. But 
 what shall I say ? my life shall not continue 
 long, I feel much weakness. O Lord, look 
 upon me graciously ; have pity upon my 
 weak, distressed heart. I am oppressed; 
 undertake for me, that I may stand fast and 
 overcome. 
 
 41. She was very frequent in spiritual 
 ejaculations ; and it was no small comfort 
 to her, that the Lord Christ did pray for her, 
 and promise to send his Spirit to comfort 
 her. It is said, said she, I will pray the 
 Father, and he shall give you another com- 
 forter. O let him not leave me, O Lord, 
 continue with me till thy work be finished. 
 
 42. She had very low and undervaluing 
 thoughts of herself and her own righteous- 
 ness ; or else what meant her crying out in 
 
 I such language as this, None hut Christ ! 
 
no 
 
 without thee I can do nothing I Christ a 
 the true Vine, O let me be a branch or that i 
 Vine ! What poor worms are we ! O dear 
 Father, how lame and halting do we go on 
 in the ways of God and salvation ! We 
 know but in part; but when that which is 
 perfect is Gome, then that which is imper- 
 fect shall be done away. O that I had at- 
 tained to that now ! But what are we our- 
 selves? not only weakness and nothingness, 
 but wickedness ; for all the thoughts and 
 imaginations of man's heart are only evil, 
 and that continually ; we are by nature 
 children of wrath, and are conceived and 
 born in sin and unrighteousness. Oh! this 
 wretched and vile thing, sin ! but thanks to 
 God, who has redeemed me from it. 
 
 43. She comforted herself and her father 
 in that excellent Scripture, Rom. viii. 15. 
 17, Ye have not received the spirit of 
 bondage again to fear, but you have receiv- 
 ed the spirit of adoption, by which we cry, 
 Abba, Father. It is the spirit that witness- 
 ed! with our spirits, that we are the children 
 of God ; and if children, then we are heirs, 
 heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. 
 You see thence, father, that I shall be a 
 fellow-heir with Christ, who hath said, In 
 my Father's honse are many mansions ; if 
 it were not so, I would have told you ; I go 
 
m 
 
 o prepare a place for you, I will come agaiii 
 md take you to myself, that where I am, 
 here ye may be also. O Lord, take me to 
 ihyself. Behold, dear mother, he hath pre- 
 pared a place and dwelling for me. 
 
 44. Yea, my dear child, said her mother, 
 je shall strengthen you with his Holy Spi- 
 iit, until he hath fitted and prepared you 
 hlly for that place which he hath provided 
 or you. 
 
 45. Yea, mother, it is said in Psalm 
 xxxiv. How lovelv are thy tabernacles, O 
 jord of hosts ! My soul doth thirst for the 
 courts of the Lord ; one day in thy courts 
 > better than a thousand ; yea, I had rather 
 >e a door-keeper in the house of God, than 
 Iwell in the tents of the wicked. Read that 
 ^salm, dear mother, wherewith we maj^ 
 omfort one another. As for me, I am 
 aore and more spent, and draw near my 
 ast hour. 
 
 46. Then she desired to be prayed with, 
 nd begged that the Lord would give her an 
 asy passage. 
 
 47. After this she turned to her mother, 
 nd with much affection she said, Ah ! my 
 ear mother, that which cometh from the 
 ieart doth ordinarily go to the heart ;— 
 nee more pome and kiss me before I kaye 
 ou. 
 
]12 
 
 48. She was not a little concerned about 
 the souls of the rest of her relations, and 
 did particularly charge it upon her father, 
 to do what he could possibly, to bring them 
 up in the ways of God. O let rny sister be 
 trained up in the Scriptures, and catechis- 
 ing, as I have been. 
 
 49 I formerly wept for my sister, think- 
 ing that she would die before me, and now 
 she weepeth for me ; and then she kissed 
 her weeping sister; also she took her young 
 little sister in her arms, a child of six months 
 old, and she kissed it with much affection, 
 as if her very bowels had moved within 
 her ; and spake with many heart-break- 
 ing words, both to her parents and the chil- 
 dren. 
 
 50. Her father spake to one that was by, 
 to take the poor little child away from her, 
 from the hazard of that fiery distemper, and 
 bade his daughter to give her to them, for 
 he had already too much to bear. Well; 
 father, said she, did not God preserve the 
 three children in the fiery furnace, and 
 did you not teach me that Scripture ? When 
 thou passe th through the fire, thou shalt nol 
 be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle up- 
 on thee. 
 
 51. She had a very strong faith in the 
 doctrine of the resurrection ; and did greatlj 
 
IIS 
 
 solace her soul with excellent Scriptures, 
 which do speak the happy state of believers 
 as soon as their souls are separated from 
 j their bodies; and what she quoted out of 
 the Scripture, she did excellently and suit- 
 ably to her own use, incomparably above 
 the common reach of her sex and age, 
 J That in 1 Cor. xv. 42. was a good support 
 i| to her : The body is sown in corruption, but 
 ' it shall be raised incorruptible ; it is sown in 
 ! dishonour, it shall be raised in glory ; it is 
 I sown in weakness, but it shall be raised in 
 j power ; and then she sweetly applies it, and 
 I takes in this cordial : Behold, thus it is, and 
 | thus it shall be, with my mortal flesh. Bles- 
 ! sed are the dead which die in the Lord, be- 
 cause they rest from their labours, and their 
 j works do follow them. The righteous perish^ 
 j and no man layeth it to heart ; and the up- 
 right are taken away, and no man regardeth 
 it, that they are taken away from the evil to 
 \ come ; they shall enter into peace, they 
 shall rest in their beds, every one who walk- 
 j eth in their uprightness. Behold, now, fa» 
 ' ther, I shall rest and sleep in that bed-cham- 
 ber. 
 
 52. Then she quoted Job xix. 25, 2(5, 27- 
 
 I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that 
 
 he shall stand in the latter day upon the 
 
 earth ; and though, after my skin, worms 
 
 K 2 
 
114 
 
 destrov this body, yet in my flesh shall I 
 see God; whom I shall see for myself, and 
 my eyes shall behold, and not another's, 
 though my reins be consumed within me. 
 Behold, now, father, this very skin, which 
 you see, and this very flesh which you see, 
 shall be raised up again ; and these very 
 eyes which are now so dim, shall on that day, 
 see and behold my dear and precious Re- 
 deemer ; albeit the worms eat up my flesh, 
 yet with these eyes shall I behold God, even 
 I myself, and not another for me. 
 
 53. Then she quoted John v. 28. Marvel 
 not at this ; for the hour is coming, in which 
 all that are in their graves shall hear his 
 voice, and come forth ; those that have done 
 good to the resurrection of life See, fa- 
 ther, I shall rise in that day, and then I 
 shall behold my Redeemer ; then he shall 
 say, Come ye blessed of my father, inherit 
 the kingdom prepared for you before the 
 foundation of the world. 
 
 54. Behold, now, 1 live : yet not I, but 
 Christ liveth in me ; and the life that 1 now 
 live in the flesh, is by the faith of the Son 
 of God, who loved me, and gave himself 
 for me. I am saved, and that not of my- 
 self; it is the gift of God ; not of works, 
 lest any man should boast. 
 
 55. My dear Parents, now we must short- 
 
115 
 
 ! 1 j part ; my speech faileth me, pray to the 
 Lord for a quiet close to my combat. 
 
 06. Her parents replied, Ah ! our dear 
 child Lhow sad is that to us that we must part; 
 she answered, I go to heaven, and there we 
 shall find one another again ; I go to Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 57. Then she comforted herself to think 
 of seeing her precious brother and sister 
 again in glo^. I go to my brother Jacob* 
 who did so much cry and call upon God to 
 the last moment of his breath ; and of my 
 little sister, who was but three years old 
 when she died ; who, when we asked her 
 whether she would die, answered, yes, if it 
 be the Lord's will ; or, I will stay with my 
 mother, if it be the Lord's will ; but I know 
 that I shall die, and go to heaven, and to 
 God. O see how so small a babe had so 
 much given it to behave itself every way,, 
 and in all things so submissively to the will 
 of Giod, as if it had no will of its own ; 
 but, if it be the will of God, if it please 
 God ; nothing for her but what was the 
 will and pleasure of God. And, therefore^ 
 dear father and mother, give the Lord 
 thanks for this his free and rich grace, and 
 then S shall the more gladly be gone. Be 
 gracious, then, O Lord, unto me also, be 
 gracious to me, wash me thoroughly iron? 
 
116 
 
 mine unrighteousness, and cleanse me from 
 my sin ! 
 
 58. After this her spirit was refreshed 
 with the sense of the pardon of her sins, 
 which made her to cry out, Behold, God 
 hath washed away my sins, O how do I long 
 to die ! The apostle said, In this body we 
 earnestly sigh and groan, longing for our 
 house which is in heaven, that we may be 
 clothed therewith. — Now I also lie here 
 sighing and longing for that dwelling which 
 is above. In the last sermon which 1 heard, 
 or ever shall hear, I heard this, which is a 
 matter of great comfort unto me. 
 
 59. Then she repeated several notable 
 Scriptures, which were quoted in that Ser- 
 mon ; afterwards she desired to be prayed 
 with, and put petitions into their mouths ; 
 viz. That all her sins might be forgiven: 
 that she might have more abundant faith, 
 and the assurance of it ; and the comfort of 
 that assurance, and the continuation and 
 strength of that comfort, according as her 
 necessity should require. Afterward she 
 prayed herself, and continued some time. 
 
 60. When prayers were ended, she call- 
 ed to her father and mother, and demanded 
 of them, whether she had at any time an- 
 gered or grieved them, or done any thing 
 
117 
 
 tli at did not become her; and begged of 
 them to forgive her. 
 
 61. They answered her, that, if all chil- 
 dren had carried themselves so to their pa- 
 rents, as she had done, there would be less 
 grief and sorrow on all hands than there 
 is; and, if any such thing had escaped 
 thee, we would forgive it with all our heart; 
 you have done as became a good child. 
 
 62. Her heart being comforted with her 
 peace with God and her parents, she be- 
 gan to dispose of her books ; particularly she 
 entreated her mother to keep Mr. De Wit's 
 Catechism Lectures, as long as she lived, 
 for her sake ; and let my little sister have 
 my other books, in remembrance of me. 
 
 63. Then she said she felt her breast ex- 
 ceedingly pained, by which she knew that 
 her end was very nigh. Her father spake to 
 her, as he was able, telling her the Lord would 
 be her strength in the hour of her neces- 
 sity. 
 
 64. Yea, said she, the Lord is my shep- 
 herd ; although I pass through the valley of 
 the shadow of death, I will not fear, for 
 thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they 
 comfort me ; and it is said, the sufferings 
 of this present life are not worthy to be 
 compared with the glory that shall be re- 
 vealed in us. Shall I not suffer and endure,' 
 
118 
 
 seeing my glorious Redeemer was pleased 
 to suffer so much for me I Oil ! how was he 
 mocked and crowned with thorns, that he 
 might purchase a crown of righteousness 
 for us ! and this is the crown of which Paul 
 spoke, when he said, I have fought the 
 good fight ; I have finished m} r course ; I 
 have kept the faith ; henceforth there is 
 laid up for me a crown of righteousness, 
 which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall 
 give unto me in that day ; and not only to 
 me, but to all who love his appearing. 
 
 6\5. Ye are bought with a price, therefore 
 glorify God with your souls and your bo- 
 dies, which are his. Must I not then ex- 
 alt and bless him, while I have a being, 
 who hath bought me with his blood ? Sure- 
 ly he hath borne our griefs, and took our 
 infirmities, and we esteemed him smitten 
 and stricken of God ; but he was wounded 
 for our transgression, and bruised for our 
 sins. The chastisement of our peace was 
 upon him, and by his stripes are we healed ; 
 and the Lord laid upon him the iniquity of 
 us all. Behold the Lamb of God, that 
 taketh away the sins of the world : that 
 Lamb is Jesus Christ, who satisfied for my 
 sins. So saith Paul ; Ye are washed, ye 
 are sanctified, in the name of our Lord Je- 
 sas, and through the Spirit of our God. 
 
113 
 
 66. My end is now very near ; now I 
 shall put on white raiment, and be clothed 
 before the Lamb, that spotless Lamb, and 
 with his spotless righteousness. Now are 
 the angels making ready to carry my soul 
 before the throne of God. These are they 
 who have come out of great tribulation, 
 who have washed their robes, and made 
 them white in the blood of the Lamb, 
 
 67. She spoke this with a dying voice, 
 but full of spirit, and of the power of faith. 
 
 68. Her lively assurance she further ut- 
 tered in the words of the Apostle ; We know 
 that if this earthly house of our tabernacle 
 be dissolved, we have one which is built of 
 God, which is eternal in the heavens ; for, 
 in this we sigh for our house which is in 
 heaven, that we may be clothed therewith. 
 
 69. There, father, you see that my body 
 is this tabernacle, which now shall be 
 broken down ; my soul shall now part 
 from it, and shall be taken up into the 
 heavenly paradise ; into the heavenly Je- 
 rusalem. There shall I dwell, and go no 
 more out, but sit and sing, Holy, holy, ho- 
 ly, is the Lord God of Hosts, the Lord of 
 Sabaoth ! Her last words were these : O 
 Lord God, into thy hands I commit my 
 Spirit ; O Lord, be gracious, be merciful to 
 me a poor sinner.— And here she fell 
 asleep. 
 
 ! 
 
120 
 
 70. She died the first of September, 16G4, 
 between seven and eight in the evening, in 
 the fourteenth ye^r of her age ; having ob- 
 tained that which she so often entreated of 
 the Lord, a quiet and easy 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. 
 
 1. Jacob Bicks, the brother of Susan- 
 nah Bicks, was born at Leyden, and had a 
 religious education under his godly parents : 
 the which the Lord was pleased to sanctify 
 to his conversion, and by it lay in excellent 
 provisions to live upon in an hour of dis- 
 tress. 
 
 2. This sweet little child was visited of 
 the Lord of a very sore sickness, three or 
 four weeks before his sister, of whose death 
 we have given you some account already; 
 in his distemper he was, for the most part, 
 very sleepy and drowsy, till near his death ; 
 but when he did awake, he was wont to be 
 much engaged in prayer. 
 
 3. Once when his parents had been pray- 
 
 I 
 
121 
 
 ing with hliit, they asked him again if they 
 should 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 he shall help all. 
 
 4. Ah ! my dear child, said his father, that 
 grieveth my heart. Well, said the child, fa- 
 ther, 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, fare- 
 well 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 J John 
 ii. 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 the 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 praise 
 God. Away with all my books ; there shall 
 1 know sufficiently, and be learned, in all 
 things of true wisdom, without book*. 
 
 L 
 
122 
 
 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 
 said, Gud resisteth the proud, but he giveth 
 grace to the humble. 1 shall humble my- 
 self under the mighty hand of God, and he 
 shall help me, and lift me up. 
 
 10. O my dear child, said his father, hast 
 thou so strong a faith. 
 
 1 1. Yes, said the child, God hath given 
 me so strong a faith upon myself, through 
 Jesus Christ, that the devil himself shall flee 
 from me ; for it is said, He who beiieveth 
 on the Son hath everlasting life, and he 
 hath overcome the wicked one. Now I be- 
 lieve in Jesus Christ, my Redeemer, and he 
 will not leave or forsake me, but shall give 
 unto me eternal life ; and then I shall sing, 
 Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Sabaoth. 
 
 12. Then with a word of short prayer, 
 Lord be merciful to me a poor sinner, he 
 quietly breathed out his soul, and slept 
 sweetly in Jesus, when he wa"s~ about seven 
 vears old-. 
 
}%$ 
 
 EXAMPLE XIII. 
 
 Of One that begun to look towards Heaven 
 when he was very young, with many emi- 
 nent Passages of his Life, and joyful 
 Death, zvhen he was eleven years and 
 three quarters old. 
 
 1. John Harvey was born in London, 
 in the year lob"4. His father was a Dutch 
 merchant. He was piously educated under 
 his virtuous mother, and soon began to re- 
 ceive 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 }ears old. 
 
 3. His parents judging that he was then 
 a little too yoBDg to send out to school, let 
 him have his liberty to play a little about 
 home. But, instead of playing, he found 
 out a school of his own accord, hard by, and 
 went to the school-mistress, and intreated 
 her to teach him to read ; and so he went 
 on for some time to school, without the 
 knowledge of his parents, and made a very 
 great progress in his learning, and was able 
 to read distinctly before most children are 
 able to know their letters. 
 
124 
 
 4. He was wont to ask many serious and 
 weighty questions, about matters which con- 
 cerned 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, do not the Scrip- 
 tures 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 the smarting stroke. 
 
 t). After this his parents removed to Aber- 
 deen, in Scotland, and settled their child 
 under an able school-master there ; whose 
 custom was, upon the Lord's day in the 
 morning, to examine his scholars concern- 
 ing the sermons they had heard the former 
 Lord's-day, and to add some other questions, 
 which might try the understanding and 
 knowledge of his scholars. His master was 
 oft amazed at this child's answers, and took 
 an opportunity to go to his mother, to thank 
 her for instructing her son so well ; but she 
 
125 
 
 replied, that he improved in his understand- 
 ing, not only by her instructions, but by his 
 own reading and observation. 
 
 7. He was a child that was extraordinary 
 inquisitive, and fuli of good questions ; and 
 very careful to observe and remember what 
 
 j he heard. 
 
 8. He had a very great hatred of whatso- 
 ; €ver he knew to be displeasing to God ; and 
 I he was so greatly concerned for the honour 
 
 of God, that he would be much displeased if 
 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 do that which he knew was dange- 
 rous to their souls. 
 
 9. One day, seeing one of his near rela- 
 tions come into his father's house distem- 
 pered with drink, as he thought, he quickly 
 went very seriously to him, and wept over 
 him, that he should so offend God, and ha- 
 zard his soul; and begged of him to spend 
 his time better than in drinking and gaming ; 
 and this he did without any instruction from 
 his parents ; but from an inward principle of 
 grace, and love to God and souls, as it is ve- 
 rily believed. 
 
 10. When he was at play with other 
 children, he w r ould be oftentimes putting in 
 some word to keep them from naughty talk. 
 
 L 2 
 
126 
 
 or wicked actions ; and, if any did take the 
 Lord's name in vain, or do any thing unbe- 
 coming a good child, they would hear of it 
 from him ; nay, once hearing a boy speak 
 very profanely, and that after two or three 
 admonitions, he would not forbear, nor go 
 out of his company neither, he was so trans- 
 ported with zeal, that he could not forbear 
 falling upon him to beat him ! but his mo- 
 ther chiding him for it; he said, that he 
 could not endure to hear the name of God 
 so abused by a wretched boy. This was 
 observed not to vindicate the act, but to 
 take notice of his zeal. 
 
 11. He was a child that took great de- 
 light in the company of good men, and es- 
 pecially ministers and scholars; and, if he 
 had any leisure time, he would improve it, 
 by visiting such, whose discourse might make 
 him wiser and better ; and, when he was in 
 their society, to be sure his talk was more 
 like a Christian and a scholar than a child. 
 
 l c 2. One day, after school-time was over, 
 he paid Mr. Andrew Kent, (one of the 
 school-masters of Aberdeen,) a visit, and ask- 
 ed him several solid questions; but the good 
 man asked him some questions out of his 
 catechism ; and, finding him not so ready 
 in the answers, as he should have been, did 
 a little reprove him : and told him that hr 
 
127 
 
 must be sure to get his catechism perfectly by 
 heart. The child took the reproof very well., 
 aud went home, and sat very close to his 
 catechism, and never left it till he go it by 
 heart ; and not only so, but he would be 
 inquiring into the sense and meaning of it. 
 
 13. He was so greatly taken with his cat- 
 echism, that he was not content with learn- 
 ing it himself, but he would be putting oth- 
 ers upon learning it also, especially those 
 that were nearest to him ; he could not be 
 satisfied till he had persuaded the servants to 
 learn it ; and when they w r ere at work, he 
 would still be following them with some 
 good question or other, so that the child 
 seemed to be taken up w r ith the thoughts of 
 his soul, God's honour, and the good of 
 others. 
 
 14 He was a conscientious lover of the 
 Lord's day, spending all the time, either in 
 secret prayer or reading the Scriptures and 
 good books ; learning his catechism and 
 hearing the word of God and public duties ; 
 and was not only careful in the performance 
 of those duties himself, but was ready to put 
 all that he knew upon the strict observance 
 of the Lord's day, and was exceedingly 
 grieved at the profanation of it. One Lord's 
 day, a servant of his father's going out of 
 the house upon an extraordinary occasion. 
 
12* 
 
 to fetch something that was wanted, he took 
 on so bitterly, that he could scarce be pa- 
 cified, because that holy day was so abused, 
 (as he thought,) in his father's house. 
 
 15. When he was between six and seven 
 years old, it pleased God to afflict him with 
 sore eyes, which was no small grief to him, 
 because it kept him from school, which he 
 loved as much as many boys do their play ; 
 and, that which was worse, he was com- 
 manded by the doctor not to read any book 
 whatsoever at home. But O how was this 
 poor child grieved, that he might not have 
 liberty to read the Holy Scriptures ! and, 
 for all their charge, he would get by him- 
 self, and stand by the window and read the 
 Bible, and other good books ; yea, he was 
 so greedy of reading the Scriptures, and 
 took so much delight in them, that he would 
 scarce allow himself time to dress himself; 
 for reading the word of God was his great 
 delight. Yea, though he had been beat for 
 studying so much, yet, judging it God's com- 
 mand that he should give himself up to 
 reading, he could not be beat off from it, 
 till he was so bad, that he had like never to 
 have recovered his sight more. 
 
 16. It was his practice to be much by 
 himself in secret prayer ; and he was care- 
 ful to manage that work, so that it might be 
 
as secret as possible it could be ; but his fre- 
 quency and constancy made it easily to be 
 observed ; upon which, one time, having a 
 great mind to know what this sweet babe 
 prayed for, got into a place near him, and 
 heard him very earnestly praying for the 
 church of God, desiring that the kingdom 
 of the gospel might be spread over the whole 
 world, and that the kingdom of grace might 
 more and more come into the hearts of 
 God's people, and that the kingdom of glo- 
 ry might be hastened. He was wont to 
 continue half an hour, and sometimes an 
 hour, upon his knees together. 
 
 17- He was much above the vanities that 
 most children are taken with, and was in- 
 deed too much above this world to live long 
 in it. 
 
 18. He was very humble and modest, 
 and did by no means affect fineness in ap- 
 parel, but hated any thing more than neces- 
 saries, either clothes or diet. 
 
 19 When he perceived either his brother 
 or sister pleased with their new clothes, he 
 w r ould, with a deal of gravity, reprove their 
 folly; and, when his reproof signified little, 
 he would bewail their vanity. 
 
 20. Once he had a new suit brought him, 
 which, when he looked on, he found some 
 ribbon at his knees, at which he was grieved, 
 
asking his mother whether those thing* 
 would keep him warm t JNo child, said his 
 mother. Why then, said he, do you suffer 
 them to be put here ? you are deceived, if 
 you think such tilings please me ; and I 
 doubt, some that are better than we, may 
 want the money this cost you, to buy them 
 bread. 
 
 21. He would intreat his mother to have 
 a care of gratifying a proud humour in his 
 brother and sisters ; he did tell them of the 
 danger of pride, and how little reason they 
 had to be proud of that which was their 
 shame ; for, said he, if it had not been fo? 
 sin, we should have had no need of clothes. 
 
 22. At leisure hours, he would be talking 
 to his school-fellows about the things of 
 God, and urge the necessity of a holy life. 
 This text he much spoke about to them , 
 The axe is laid to the root of the tree, and 
 every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, 
 is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Every 
 mother's child of us, that doth not bring 
 forth the fruit of good works, shall shortly 
 be cut down with the axe of God's wrath, 
 and cast down into the fire of hell ; and 
 this he spake like one that believed and felt 
 the power of what he spake ; and not with 
 the least visibility of a childish levity of spirit. 
 This was when he was between seven and 
 
131 
 
 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 Latin 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 re- 
 creation. He was never taught to write, but 
 took it of his own ingenuity. 
 
 24. He was exceedingly dutiful to his pa- 
 rents, and never did in the least dispute their 
 commands, except when he thought they 
 might cross the command of God, as in the 
 before-mentioned business of reading the 
 Scriptures when his eyes were so bad. 
 
 25. He was exceedingly contented with 
 any mean diet, and to be sure would not 
 touch a bit of any thing till he had begged 
 God's blessing upon it. 
 
 26. He would put his brother and sister 
 upon their duties, and observed them whe- 
 ther they performed them or not; and when 
 he saw any neglect, he would soon warn 
 them ; if he saw any of them take a spoon 
 into their hands before he had craved a bles- 
 sing, he said, that is just like a hog indeed. 
 
 27. His sister was afraid. of the darkness, 
 
132 
 
 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 ,|^U near rela- 
 tions upon their duty,, and minding the con- 
 cerns 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 cha- 
 ritable 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 chil- 
 dren, play-fellows, servants, and neighbours, 
 upon minding their precious souls. 
 
 30. One notable instance of his true cha- 
 rity I cannot omit. A certain Turk was, 
 by the providence of God, cast into 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 in- 
 strumental 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 dis- 
 coursing with the Turk about his principles, 
 whether he acknowledged a Deity ; which 
 the Turk owning 1 , the next thing he inquir- 
 
ion 
 I o<J 
 
 ed was, what he thought of the Lord Je- 
 sus Christ ? at which the Turk was troubled, 
 and put off the discourse, and said he was 
 thirsty and hungry ; which the child being 
 informed of by the interpreter, immediate- 
 ly went to a brew-house near at hand, his 
 own house being far oif, and did entreat the 
 master of it 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 
 die. He then went to another place, and 
 begged food for him, using the same A'gu- 
 ment as before. But his friends, hearirrg 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. 
 
 3 1 . 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 clothes would keep them the lon- 
 ger, 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 
 
 M 
 
134 
 
 of the generality of mankind, (when lie wa6 
 about ten years old,) that were utterly e 
 tranged 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 1 , 
 ways of God, engaged in reading, praying, 
 hearing the word of God, and spiritual dis- 
 course, discovering thereby his serious 
 thoughts of eternity. 
 
 34. He had an earnest desire, if it might 
 be the Lord's good pleasure, to give him- 
 self up to the Lord in the work of the min- 
 istry, 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 the reverend Mr. Baxter's 
 works, especially his Saint's Everlasting Rest, 
 and truly the thoughts of that rest and eter- 
 nity 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 than an inhabitant of this lower world. 
 
 36. When he was about eleven years 
 and three quarters old, his mother's house 
 was visited with the plague : his eldest sis- 
 ter was the first that was taken with this 
 distemper; and, when they were praying for 
 her, he would sob and weep bitterly. 
 
135 
 
 37. -As soon as he perceived that his sis- 
 tfer was dead, he said, the will of the Lord 
 be done ; blessed he the Lord : dear mothery 
 said he, you must do as David did ; after the 
 child was dead, he went and refreshed him- 
 self, and quietly submitted to the will of 
 God. 
 
 38. The rest of the family held well for 
 about fourteen days ; which time he spent, 
 in religious duties, and preparing for his 
 death ; but still his favourite book was The 
 Saint's Rest, which he read with great at- 
 tention, gathering many observations out of 
 it in writing for his own use. He wrote 
 leveral divine meditations of his own upon 
 several subjects ; but that which seemed 
 most admirable was, a meditation on the 
 excellency of Christ. Be was never well 
 but when he was more immediately engaged 
 in the service of God, 
 
 3Q» 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, 
 shook her head ; at which he asked, if his 
 brother was dangerous ? she answered, yea, 
 child. He asked again, whether she thought 
 bim so ? she answered him nothing. Weil, 
 said he, I pray thee let me have Mr, Bax- 
 
136 
 
 ters 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 him to pray his 
 last prayer. 
 
 41. His mother asked him whether he 
 were willing to die and leave her ? he an- 
 swered yes, I am willing to leave you, and 
 go to my heavenly Father. His mother 
 answered : Child, if thou hadst but an assu- 
 rance of God's 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, and told 
 me I should quick ly 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 re- 
 joice; I tell you I am so full of comfort, 
 that I cannot tell you how I am. O mother, 
 I shall presently have my head in my Fa- 
 ther's bosom, and I shall be there, where the 
 four and twenty elders cast down their 
 crowns, and sing hallelujah, glory and praise 
 
137 
 
 to him that sits upon the throne, and to the 
 Xamb, 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 mo- 
 ther, he asked her what she had for 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 
 than allay his mother's grief, he was more 
 troubled, and asked her what she meant 
 thus to offend God ! Know you not this is 
 the hand of the Almighty ! Humble your- 
 self under the mighty hand of God ; lay 
 yourself 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 be- 
 Fore him. Upon which, raising himself up 
 a little, he gave a lowly bow, and spoke no 
 more, but went cheerfully and triumphant- 
 ly to rest, in the bosom of Jesus. 
 
 END OF THE SECOND PAR' 
 
 M 
 
A 
 
 TOKEN 
 
 FOR 
 
 CHILDREN. 
 
 By J. MATHEWS; 
 
 BEING INTENDED AS A 
 
 THIRD PART OP THE TOKEN FOR CHILDREN 
 PXJBLISHED 
 
 By the Rev. JAMES JANEWAY. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 ■ 
 
 To all Christian Parents, and those who are 
 intrusted with the Education of Children, 
 
 DEAR FRIENDS, 
 
 I need not apologize for bringing forth 
 to the Christian World, further testimonies 
 of the omnipotency of divine grace exem- 
 plified in the conviction, divine regenera- 
 tion,, and conversion, of eighteen young 
 persons and children, who were the early 
 subjects of redeeming mercy, and partakers 
 of redemption through the blood of the 
 Lamb. When I consider that Mr. Jane- 
 way's Token for Children has been 
 so eminently owned of God, and in no 
 small degree to my own dear daughter, 
 who stands first in the list of these Me- 
 moirs ; ever since I have written her life, 
 I have felt an ardent desire to select a few 
 more examples of God's grace to children, 
 the sovereignty of which cannot be disput- 
 
142 PREFACE. 
 
 ed, by any who are well acquainted with 
 their bibles, and feel the plague of their own 
 hearts. God has graciously concurred with 
 my desire, for I am enabled to present my 
 dear friends in the Lord, with eighteen ex- 
 amples of young persons and children, most 
 of whom naturally, but all of whom spirit- 
 ually, were born of God, within these ten 
 years past ! \ ! 
 
 What is a greater evidence of the power 
 of grace, than its special operations pro- 
 ducing the same effects both on infants and 
 adults? Are adults taught to deny ungodli- 
 ness and worldly lusts, and to live righteous- 
 ly, soberly, and godly in this present world I 
 So are children, as these examples evident- 
 ly prove. Are adults taught by the Spirit 
 of God, to deny sinful self, and righteous 
 self, in point of dependence before God, 
 and to apply to the blood of sprinkling for 
 pardon, and to the righteousness of Christ, 
 imputed for their justification, and imparted 
 for their sanctification ? So are children 
 taught by the same lesson, and no wonder; 
 for they are bum of the same Spirit, taught 
 
PREFACE. 143 
 
 by the same Spirit, and led by the same 
 Spirit into all truth ; and are brought to 
 see, that Christ is all and in all to them, and 
 all and in all in them, as this little cloud of 
 witnesses fully evidence. 
 
 These young Disciples could hare no 
 sinister views to excite them to express their 
 love to God, their deadness to the world, a 
 regard for their souls, and their expecta- 
 tion of joys to come. These views were 
 the effects of a superior agent, supernatu- 
 rally working on their tender minds. 
 
 That God may graciously accept of this 
 mite, cast into his treasury, and attend this 
 Third Part with the same blessing he has 
 done the former two, is the sincere prayer 
 of, 
 
 Dear Friends, 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 In the bonds of the Gospel, 
 JAMES MATHEWS 
 
 Strand, Not. 4, 1793, 
 
A 
 
 TOKEN FOR CHILDREN 
 
 THE THIRD PART. 
 
 EXAMPLE XIV. 
 
 Some Account of the Life, and God's gra- 
 cious Dealings (cith Hephzibah Mdthetcs, 
 who departed this life, Jane 5th, 1790, 
 aged 10 Years. 
 
 I shall begin this short Narrative by in- 
 forming my friends of the reason for which 
 I gave her the name of Hephzibah. It 
 pleased God, in the course of his Provi- 
 dence, in the year 1778, to afflict my only 
 daughter, at that time, Elizabeth Mathews, 
 with an inflammation in her lungs, when at 
 school at Greenwich. Providence had been 
 lavish in giving her a beautiful form, as 
 well as a lovely countenance; and her 
 mind was no less endowed with every or- 
 nament that could engage the affections of 
 her parents and friends ; to the former she 
 was strictly dutiful, and of the latter she 
 
 N 
 
14G 
 
 studied to claim their just esteem. I had 
 not a friend but admired her; for, both in 
 person and manners, though so young, she 
 was engaging to all, being of a courteous 
 and open disposition. 
 
 She engaged our affections likewise by 
 her accomplishment in music; she could 
 play with facility many celebrated pieces of 
 mus : c, and delighted to sing her Redeem- 1 
 er's praise while she touched the harmonious \ 
 strings. 
 
 On Christmas, 1778, she returned from.' 
 school, and from that time her inflamma-, 
 tion increased. During her illness, she be- 
 haved with resignation, and studied con-i 
 stantly to hide her sufferings from her mo- . 
 ther, lest they should grieve her. She would 
 watch every where she went in the room, to 
 see if she grieved, and if she found her in 
 tears, she endeavoured to soothe her, by re- 
 minding her that they should soon meet i 
 again in heaven. 
 
 She continued in this situation, until Feb. 
 Cnh, 1779, when, calling on her mother to 
 bring her a handkerchief to expectorate in, i 
 she vomited near a pint of blood, and was 
 suffocated in it. Thus this fair plant was, j 
 by the hand of her kind and heavenly Fa- , 
 ther, in blooming youth, transplanted from 
 nature's garden, into the paradise above, j 
 
1,4 7 
 
 there to thrive in Immanuers fields for 
 ever,, at the age of eight years and seven 
 .months. 
 
 This awful event and severe stroke seized 
 upon my wife's nerves to such a degree, that 
 it nearly cost her her life, and she was re- 
 duced to a state of extreme debility. 
 
 In the year 1780, she had an anxious de- 
 sire, if it were the Lord's will, that she might 
 have a girl, having so lately lost her only 
 one; and on June 5th, 1780, the Lord in- 
 dulged her desire, by sending her one, who 
 is the subject of the present Narrative. 
 
 As she delighted in a daughter, I studied 
 to give her a name suitable to the feelings 
 !of her mind. I found the name that God 
 gave the Church, Isa. lxii. 4. where it is 
 said, " Thou shalt be called Hephzibah," 
 which signifies, " my delight is in her," so 
 I had her baptized Hephzibah. And I 
 humbly hope that she has experienced what 
 her name imports, that the Lord delighted 
 in her. 
 
 I have no other motive of making her 
 experience known to the public, than that 
 of hoping, by its being read, by the blessing 
 of God, it may be useful to other children, 
 by encouraging their young and tender 
 minds in seeking the Lord in the time of 
 their youth ; and I am the more encouraged 
 
J48 
 
 so to do as my putting Janeway's Token 
 Jor Children into her hands proved in par- 
 ticular, with other religious tracts, joined 
 with counsel and advice, of singular use to 
 her ; and which, by the Grace and Spirit of 
 God, were the means of making her wise 
 unto salvation. It would be well, and much 
 to be wished for, to see professing parents 
 endeavouring to impress on the minds of 
 their children the importance of religion, 
 instead of leading them into the fashion- 
 able follies and dissipations of a world that 
 lieth m wickedness. Precept is good; but 
 example joined with it, makes the preceptor 
 a more powerful preacher. It will be a 
 happy reflection to Christian parents, if 
 their children should turn out bad, that it 
 has not been occasioned by want of care, 
 example, and religious advice. But, Oh! 
 how keen a sensation must fill the minds of 
 those, who have betrayed an anxious con- 
 cern for the body, its ornaments, its welfare, 
 and yet have never shown the least care for 
 the soul, and whose children thereby have 
 literally perished for lack of knowledge. I 
 was very lately informed of the death of a 
 young woman, about twenty years old, who 
 was the child of professing paients; when 
 a person who visited her was encouraging 
 her in the views of death, by saying, that 
 
149 
 
 no doubt she was the child of many pray- 
 ers, that her parents had put up for her, and 
 advice given to her, declared, with some 
 -degree of earnestness, that her parents ne- 
 ver gave her any religious advice in all 
 their days, and that she was never the 
 witness of a prayer being made in the. 
 family. How awful the consideration ! 
 ithat in this day of great profession, re- 
 ligion seems to be of no importance to 
 i, numbers but on a Sunday, and that chiefly 
 ; consists in hearing of sermons ; while them- 
 i selves, or perhaps their children, or both, 
 are abusing the intervening parts of the 
 ! Lord's day to the purposes of pleasure, and 
 walking about among the gay circle, and join- 
 ing the multitude in breaking the sabbath. 
 Is not this an abuse of the many privileges 
 we enjoy in this day of Gospel light, and 
 liberty ? and how ought we to consider and 
 improve our Lord's caution and advice, 
 John xii. 35. " Yet a little while is the 
 light with you : walk while ye have the 
 light, lest darkness come upon you/' l^et 
 us then take heed, lest, by the neglect of 
 our privileges, we should experience that 
 awful threatening after all} recorded Luke 
 x. 15. " And thou, Capernaum, which art ex- 
 alted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell." 
 I shall how return to the swbject of the 
 
150 
 
 present Narrative, and speak of those things 
 that occurred in the last stage of her ill- 
 ness. 
 
 During her disorder, she frequently con^ 
 versed with her sister : but one day in par- 
 ticular she called her, and said, " Mary- 
 Anne, come here, my dear, and hear the 
 ■words of your dying sister; be sure you 
 never forget 3'our prayers in the morning 
 and evening, and be very dutiful to your 
 mamma and papa, and do every thing they 
 desire you ; and remember there is a pas- 
 sage in Scripture which says, that he who 
 spare ih the rod, spoileth the child. My 
 mamma never whipped me but when I de- 
 served it; and if I were to live, I would 
 never deserve it any more, if I couid possi- 
 bly help it. You will remember when your 
 mamma is correcting yon, that your rebel- 
 lious passions prove that you would strike 
 her if you dared ; and do you think you 
 could appear before God in such tempers'? 
 J beg when you go to school at Whetstone, 
 that you wouid read two books I left there 
 in my box: viz. Jane way's Token for Chil- 
 dren, and Christ is All : I beg you will read 
 the Jane way as 1 have done, and pray ovei 
 it, and read it again and again ; for I have 
 read it until I have almost got it by heart, 
 and prayed over it until I understood it; I 
 
 
151 
 
 and if it bad not been for tbat book, I 
 should not have known so much of Jesus." 
 
 A friend, the late Rev. Mr. Swaine, of 
 Walworth, conversing with her one day, 
 asked her if she was afraid to die ? She 
 answered, " No ; for Jesus is mine, and 
 I am his." He said, my dear, you ^are 
 brought very low ; she answered witli 
 earnestness, 1 bless God that he has brought 
 . me low. 
 
 She again said, I could wish you would 
 sing a short hymn very low, because of my 
 head, but never mind, and holding out her 
 finger, said, " I shall soon sing louder with 
 my little finger, than you can with your 
 whole body/' He again said, my dear, we 
 shall soon follow you, though we are in 
 health now ; she replied quickly, '- Then, 
 Sir, see you prepare for it." 
 
 One evening in particular, I had some 
 close conversation with her, in which she 
 expressed some doubts that had passed in 
 her mind concerning the being of God, 
 and the reality of heaven and its happi- 
 ness ; and said, that she had frequent whis- 
 pers in her ear of blasphemous words, and 
 temptations to swear, and the oaths seemed 
 as if uttered in her ears, and some expres- 
 sions too bad to tell. 
 
 She acknowledged, that in reading the 
 
15£ 
 
 Scriptures, she found herself at a loss to 
 understand them, and then asked me the 
 meaning of some parts, which I endeavour- 
 ed to explain to her. She said, she had 
 great doubts about the heavenly state, al- 
 though she heard me and others speak so 
 much about it. She then asked me to go 
 to prayer with her, and I desired her to tell 
 me what she most wished for, and what I 
 should ask of* the Lord for her ; she answer- 
 ed, u that God would pardon her sins, and 
 then take her to heaven ; but above all, that 
 he would give her a sense of that pardon 
 before she died ;" for, added she, " I think 
 I have not so deep a sense of my sins, nor 
 the pardon of them, as those children had, 
 that I have read of in Jane way's Token for 
 Children, and I want to feel more like 
 them." Alter prayer, she expressed great 
 satisfaction and happiness, and told me her 
 doubts were removed. 
 
 Her mother at that time w r as absent on 
 a visit to a niece who was ill, which was 
 the only hour she was absent from her du- 
 ring her illness ; but upon her return home, 
 with joy she exclaimed, " O mother ! mo- 
 ther ! my father has been talking and pray- 
 ing with me since you have been gone, and 
 I never was so happy in all my life ; I am 
 sure now of going to heaven. J> 
 
153 
 
 Another time she said, ff Father, do you 
 
 know I once wished that Miss 's 
 
 mamma was mine;" (a young lady with 
 whom she went to school.) I asked why ; 
 she answered, " Because I used to hear 
 
 Miss talk so much about Vauxhall 
 
 and the plays, which her mamma took her 
 to see, and you know that you would never 
 let me go to any such places, but now I 
 think otherwise, and bless God that I have 
 such a father and mother as I have." 
 
 I asked her one day, why she was so si- 
 lent when now and then a minister came to 
 see her ? She answered, " that they did not 
 come to hear her talk, but to talk to and in- 
 struct her." 
 
 A person being asked to walk up, and 
 talk with, and pray by her, refused, saying 
 she was but a child ; she, hearing of it, 
 said, " If I am but a child, I have a soul 
 to be saved as well as a grown person." 
 
 She was remarkably conscientious re- 
 specting the duty of prayer, and for two 
 years or more before her death, if she was 
 disturbed in the morning, w r ould always 
 seek to retire alone to embrace that privi- 
 lege. 
 
 Her disorder being consumptive, she gra- 
 dually wore away, insomuch, that her bones 
 were so sharp, that it hurt her to lie in any 
 
154 
 
 position, and she found great relief to her 
 relaxed body from being frequently carried 
 about the room. As I was one day carry- 
 ing her up and down the room, her conver- 
 sation so affected me, that I could not res- 
 train from tears ; which, when she perceiv- 
 ed, she said, very affectionately, " Father, 
 to be sure I do not wonder that you are so 
 affected, but do not grieve ; you believe I 
 shall go to heaven when I die, don't you ? 
 To which I answered, Yes, my dear, I hope 
 you will : Well, then, said she, you know 
 that if I were to live, I should only meet 
 with trouble and disappointment in the 
 world at best ; and what is worse, I should 
 only live to sin against God, and you know 
 I had better die now, than live to do that.'' 
 
 Another time, asking her what I should 
 request of God in prayer for her, at which 
 time she felt herself a little better, she an- 
 swered, '* Oh, that if I live, I may be as 
 good as I am now, and be kept from sinning 
 against God ;" but she had not spoken the 
 words, ere she said, with a quickness pecu- 
 liar to herself, " I do not mean so, I am 
 not good ; but I mean, to be in the same 
 mind and disposition I am now in." 
 
 Addressing herself one day to her cousin, 
 who is about thirteen years of age, she said, 
 t{ Mary, prepare to die ; what will you do 
 
1.5j 
 
 when you come to the situation I am in 1" 
 She ignorantly answered, that she had ne- 
 ver done any one harm, and therefore hop- 
 ed God would forgive her. She replied, 
 " Mary, that will not do ;" and said to her 
 mother, in her absence, " Poor Mary is as 
 dark as a stone." 
 
 She had a great sense on her mind, of 
 the pride, folly, and vanity of the world ; 
 and would often say to her mother, if she 
 saw any one dressed much, % Mother, I am 
 
 afraid Miss , or Mrs. , has too 
 
 much pride, by dressing so." 
 
 She was a child, when well, of an un- 
 common share of spirits and vivacity, that 
 could scarcely be kept within the bounds of 
 decorum ; but a good evidence of a real 
 change appeared in the whole of her de- 
 meanor afterwards. She became placid and 
 composed, and remarkably patient, consi- 
 dering her natural disposition on the one 
 hand, and her extreme sufferings on the 
 other. When she complained, it was with 
 submission, and wishing, if it were the 
 Lord's will, that she might die. 
 
 She said one day to me, in a very tender 
 manner, when she was in extreme anguish, 
 " Oh father ! I love you too well to put you 
 to pain, but I could wish you to feel, onlj 
 for one minute, and that you know would 
 
156 
 
 not hurt you, what I feel, that you might 
 judge what I suffer. 
 
 Slie said to a person who sat up with her 
 two or three days before her death, " Mrs. 
 , you should prepare for death be- 
 fore you come to a sick-bed ; it is not a 
 great while since I knew Jesus Christ." 
 
 The same night she said, " It is a sad 
 thing, I cannot sleep, but I can lie and think 
 of Jesus." 
 
 Expecting her brother from Cambridge, 
 she said in the morning, " I hope to see my 
 dear brother William, and then I shall fall 
 asleep in the arms of my dear Jesus." She 
 remained sensible until late in the evening 
 preceding her death ; nature being worn 
 out, and her body quite emaciated, a stupor 
 took place, and on the next morning, being 
 her birth-day, June oth, ] 790, at ten o'clock, 
 she was removed from a vale of tears, to 
 enjoy the embraces of that Saviour whom 
 she loved, and whose salvation she often 
 longed fully to enjoy ; leaving nothing be- 
 hind her, but the tokens of mortality, to 
 draw forth the tears of her weeping and dis- 
 consolate parents. 
 
 J. M. 
 
 Strand* Jug. 20, 1790. 
 
157 
 
 EXAMPLE XVI. 
 
 Memoirs of Katherine Mason, zeho departed 
 this life, April 18, 1792, aged thirteen 
 Years : containing an account of her 
 comfortable Experience and happy Death, 
 
 IT was the privilege of the subject of 
 these Memoirs, to hear the Gospel from her 
 childhood. This, together, with the books 
 she read, and the religious instruction which 
 she received from her pious mother, had a 
 happy effect upon her mind. 
 
 The first intimation of her close atten- 
 tion in hearing, originated in a reproof 
 which her mother gave her, for being sleepy 
 under a sermon ; to which she made this 
 short but pertinent reply : — i( Indeed, mo- 
 ther, I was not sleepy, for I was meditat- 
 ing in my own mind upon what the minis- 
 ter said, and wishing my father had been 
 there to hear it." 
 
 After this her mother remembers her talk- 
 ing frequently of religious things, and ma- 
 king remarks on the sermons which she 
 heard ; manifesting at the same time great 
 indifference to temporal things, and much 
 submission under the trials with which her 
 
family was exercised ; in which she like^* 
 wise had her share. She often mentioned 
 the delight and comfort she had experien- 
 ced in the ordinances of God's house ; and 
 indeed her attachment to them was evident, 
 by her giving attendance when she was so 
 extremely weak and in so much pain, that 
 it was hardly advisable to gratify her de- 
 sires in permitting her to be present. She 
 also took great pleasure, long before her ill- 
 ness, in reading religious books. Those in 
 which she most delighted, next to the sa- 
 cred Scriptures, were Bogatsky's Divine 
 Treasury, and the Pilgrim's Progress ; the 
 last of which has been the pleasing and in- 
 structive companion of many in their juve- 
 nile years. Passages of Scripture, or ver- 
 ses of hymns, which made a more than or- 
 dinary impression on her mind, she would 
 write in her spelling book : of which the fol- 
 lowing is a specimen : John xiii. 1. a Ha- 
 ving loved his own, he loved them to the 
 end :" under which these lines were inserted: 
 
 " Saviour, am I not thine own ? 
 
 Throughout my evil days ; 
 Surely thou on me hast shown 
 
 The riches of thy grace. 
 
 Thou, the sinner's constant friend, 
 In life and death, I trust on thee ; 
 
 Love me, Lord, when time shall en'd, 
 Throinrh all eternitr.^ 
 
159 
 
 She manifested a great concern on ac- 
 count of a near relative, who at times was 
 
 I very irregular in his manner of living, dis- 
 regarding all the ordinances and duties of 
 religion. Many times would she expostu- 
 late with him, and entreat him to give over 
 
 ? his sinful ways, and attend on the worship 
 of God. A considerable time before her 
 
 ; last illness, when he was, according to cus- 
 tom, going out to spend his evening among 
 his profligate companions, and finding that 
 no entreaties would detain him with his fa- 
 mily, she requested the favour of him to 
 permit her to read a single verse of a hymn, 
 with which he readily complied. She im- 
 mediately turned to the passage, and read 
 ihe following lines : 
 
 *' Stop, poor shiner, stop and thinly 
 
 Before you further go ; 
 "Will you sport upon the brink 
 
 Of everlasting wo ? 
 
 All your sins will round you crowd,. 
 
 Sins of a blood-crimson dye ; 
 Each for vengeance crying loud ; 
 
 And what can you reply ?" 
 
 This was not only a proof of seriousness 
 and good sense, in a young person under 
 the age of thirteen, addressing him in w r ords 
 so suitable ; but it was done with such a 
 
160 
 
 spirit, and in such a manner, as appeared to 
 make a visible impression upon his feelings. 
 Though her mother had good reason to 
 hope that the Lord had already begun a 
 work of grace in her heart, and that there 
 was some good thing in her towards the 
 Lord God of Israel ; it became still more 
 evident on the death of her father, when 
 she became a constant preacher to her dis- 
 consolate parent, in all her affliction and 
 sorrow. One day seeing her weep, she said, 
 Af O mother! why do you distress yourself 
 so ? Surely you have forgotten that precious 
 promise of God which you read the other 
 night;" and added, "you may as well not 
 read the promises if you do not believe 
 them." At another time, when they were 
 much straitened for temporal support, she 
 came to her mother, and said, t( I have 
 been reading this morning a most precious 
 truth, which will support us in our troubles; 
 a father of the fatherless and a judge of the 
 w r idows, is God in his holy habitation, 
 Psalm, lxviii. 5." At other times she has 
 brought hymns to her to read, saying, she 
 had found them very comfortable to her 
 own mind. Thus in the time of her health 
 she was the adviser and comforter of her 
 mother ; and it is easy to conclude, from 
 what has been already said, how much the 
 
161 
 
 parent's happiness was, to outward appear- 
 ance,, bound up in the life of this only and 
 truly promising child. In short, this earth- 
 ly comfort was to her what Jonah's gourd 
 was to him ; equally pleasant while it con- 
 tinued, and equally regretted when taken 
 away. But such is the uncertain nature of 
 all our earthly comforts, that they wither 
 by the slightest touch ; and this frequently 
 happens not only at a time when our affec- 
 tions are intensely cleaving to them, but 
 when in our opinion we stand most in need 
 of them. 
 
 Her illness began in September 179^ and 
 lasted till April 1702, through the whole of 
 which she manifested an amazing degree of 
 confidence in God, and submission to his 
 righteous will. The writer of this article, 
 who frequently visited her, does not recollect 
 that he ever met with any person so young, 
 who possessed such a clear knowledge of the 
 truth, such a steady faith in the divine pro- 
 mises, or such a happ}' sense of an interest 
 in Jesus, and the blessings of his salvation. 
 Often have I stood amazed to see the joy 
 and happiness which she experienced, while 
 her mother, who was a Christian of long 
 standing, was overwhelmed with darkness 
 and distress. In different conversations 
 which I had with her, during her illness, I" 
 o 2 
 
 r 
 
 \ A 
 
163 
 
 was both pleased and edified, and I have 
 often regretted that, on my return home, I 
 made no memorandums of her expressions; 
 what I have here detailed are only a few 
 gleanings ; but they are sufficient to show 
 the efficacy of divine grace to support in af- 
 fliction, and the blessedness of those who 
 die in the Lord. As she was dozing in the 
 chair, soon after she had been confined to 
 her room, her mother perceived the tears 
 to flow down her cheeks in great abundance ; 
 and fearing that she was worse, said to her 
 when she awoke, " What makes you un- 
 easy, my dear ?" Her excessive grief pre- 
 vented her speaking for some time; at last, 
 with some difficulty she replied, " Oh ! mo- 
 ther ! I have been dreaming that I had spo- 
 ken something against my blessed Saviour ;" 
 As she became a little more composed, she 
 added, " I recollect now that dreams are 
 but fables*.* 
 
 Notwithstanding she was very weak and 
 low, she continued to read as long as her eyes 
 could bear the exercise ; and otten did she 
 read, with much delight, Bunyan's descrip- 
 tion of a Pilgrim walking through the valley 
 of the shadow of death. Her mother, who 
 
 * Alluding to a passage in a sermon, ^vhich she bad 
 heard previous to her illness, from 2 Pet. i. 16. 
 
163 
 
 was always distressed by her reading this 
 passage, once said to her, " I wish, my dear, 
 you would read in some other place ;" to 
 which she instantly replied, " Oh ! that is 
 to me the sweetest part of all the book." 
 There were many select portions of Scrip- 
 ture, and some particular verses of hymns, 
 that she would read again and again ; and 
 as her mother was fearful that so much 
 reading might hurt her, she would some- 
 times persuade her to lay the book down a 
 little; to which she answered, "Dear mo- 
 ther, if you did but know the comfort I re- 
 ceive by reading, you would not desire me 
 to give it over : For often in the night when 
 I am weak, and sometimes when I am 
 tempted by Satan, and full of fears, if I 
 can recollect some of my sweet hymns, and 
 think on my blessed Jesus, I am comforted 
 and made happy." The following verses 
 were exceedingly precious to her, and she 
 was constantly repeating the one or the oth- 
 er: 
 
 By me, O ray Saviour ! stand, 
 
 In ev'ry trying hour ; 
 Guard me with thy outsjretch'd hand, 
 
 And hold me with thy power. 
 
 Mindful of thy faithful word, 
 
 Thine all-sufficient grace bestow ; 
 Keep me, keep me, dearest Lord, 
 
 And never let me go. 
 
164 
 
 When pining sickness wastes the frame, 
 
 Acute disease oi" tiring pain ; 
 When life fast spends her feeble flame, 
 
 And all the help of man proves rain. 
 
 Joyless and flat all things appear ; 
 
 The spirits languid, thin the flesh : 
 Med'cines can't ease, nor cordials cheer, 
 
 Nor food support, nor sleep refresh. 
 
 Then, to have recourse to God, 
 To pour a prayer in time of need ; 
 
 And feel the balm of Jesus' blood, 
 This is to find a friend indeed. 
 
 Hart's Hymns, 
 
 As her disorder increased, she was subject 
 to much pain, but her mind was astonish- 
 ingly supported by it. At one time, when 
 she was greatly oppressed by her complaint, 
 she said, u O my dear mother, I am very ill 
 indeed, but I know this is all for my good.'* 
 She was continually meditating on the good- 
 ness of God to her, an unworthy sinner • and 
 a sense of his many undeserved favours, 
 seemed to influence her mind to that resign 
 nation and patience which she so largely 
 possessed. 
 
 When some friends came to see her, one 
 of them said, she had seen persons as bad as 
 she was, and yet recover: To which, she 
 answered, with some degree of earnestness, 
 a I do not want to be flattered. It docs not 
 
165 
 
 appear likely that I shall recover ; and, if I 
 know my own heart, I have no desire to 
 live, unless it please the Lord, and with him 
 all things are possible." Indeed I was of- 
 ten surprised to find so young a person en- 
 tirely divested of all anxiety about the pre- 
 sent life, and that so uniformly throughout 
 her long affliction. 
 
 When she perceived that the time of her 
 dissolution was approaching, she would dis- 
 course familiarly about her departure from 
 this vain world ; for the fear of death was 
 entirely taken away, and she waited with 
 great joy for her dismission. But perceiving 
 that her conversation on death was too much 
 for her mother, and that it overwhelmed 
 her with tears, she refrained from it more 
 than she would otherwise have done. Ob- 
 serving her to weep much after she had 
 been discoursing on this subject, she ad- 
 dressed her thus : " My dear mother, do not 
 weep ; I cannot bear to see you do so ; I 
 am too w r eak to say much to you, but I 
 know the Lord will raise you up some friend 
 when I am taken from you." 
 
 The weaker she grew in body, the more 
 calm and comfortable was her mind. Her 
 soul was incessantly rejoicing ; and she re- 
 peated many things which were expressive of 
 her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, frequently 
 
 \ 
 
166 
 
 tailing him her precious and beloved Sa- 
 viour. 
 
 "W hen she grew too weak either to read 
 or speak much, she rejoiced to hear her mo- 
 ther read, and seemed much impressed by 
 what she heard, as well as by the prayers I 
 offered up with her. She was always glad 
 to see me, and anticipated my visits with 
 great pleasure. She possessed much grati- 
 tude, and a great sense of my kindness in 
 visiting her, and used to pray that the Lord 
 would repay all my services with his bles- 
 sings. 
 
 The last time I visited her, which was 
 just before her departure, she desired me to 
 pray to the Lord, that if it was his blessed 
 will, she might not have a hard and difficult 
 passage through death ; and it appears that 
 her desire was granted : for taking hold of 
 her mother's hand about five minutes before 
 she expired, and fixing her eyes upon her, 
 while her countenance bespoke the calm- 
 ness of her mind, she fell asleep in Jesus, 
 without so much as one agonizing groan. 
 
 Thus lived and thus died this hopeful 
 young person, when only just entering upon 
 the stage of life. May other young people 
 profit by her example, and be encouraged 
 to pray to the father of mercies, for that 
 grace which he so freely bestowed upon her; 
 
107 
 
 tliat they likewise, in their tender years, 
 may be enabled to devote themselves to his 
 service. Then may they also expect sup- 
 port and comfort in every trial ; peace and 
 tranquillity in the hour of death ; and an 
 abundant entrance into the kingdom of our 
 dear Redeemer ; who, in his great affection 
 towards young people, hath said, I love 
 them that love me, and they that seek me 
 early shall find me. 
 
 EXAMPLE XVII. 
 
 Gracious dealing of God, with Master G. 
 A. F. Barss. 
 
 On the 18th of October, 1793, G. A. F. 
 Barss, aged only four years and four months, 
 departed this life, leaving a pleasing testi- 
 mony of the gracious dealings of God with 
 his soul, from the first dawn of reason to the 
 moment of his departure. As the account 
 was transmitted to us by a near relation of 
 the child, we give it to our readers nearly in 
 his own words, which will be a sufficient 
 apology for some defects in the style, which 
 could not be remedied without injuring at 
 the same time, the simplicity of the narra- 
 
168 
 
 tive, which we conceive to be a far greater 
 beauty than elegant expression. 
 
 As the parents of this child offered, upon 
 his behalf, many prayers to God before his 
 birth, that helikeJeremiah,be sanctified from 
 the womb ; so they embraced the earliest op- 
 portunities of endeavouring to instil into his 
 tender mind a knowledge both of himself 
 and his Creator. The blessing of God ac- 
 companying the instructions they gave him, 
 they had the unspeakable satisfaction to find 
 their labour was not in vain. At so early a 
 period as thirteen months, he used to listen 
 with an attention, not common to children 
 of that age, to any thing his father said to 
 him, respecting spiritual things. Indeed, at 
 all times this subject would engage his atten- 
 tion ; and frequently he appeared so pleas- 
 ed with it, that it was with some difficulty 
 his father could keep him in his arms. Soon 
 after this his father used, (instead of poison- 
 ing his mind with ridiculous tales, according 
 to the fashion of the present day,) to enter- 
 tain him with an account of the creation of 
 the world, and the formation of man ; his 
 being made at first holy and upright, and 
 capable of obeying the laws of his maker — 
 how he became a transgressor, and what he, 
 together with all his posterity, were expos- 
 ed to, in consequence thereof — and likewise 
 
169 
 
 the glorious remedy God himself had been 
 graciously pleased to provide for the salva- 
 tion of him, and many of his fallen race ; all 
 of which he was exceeding fond of hear- 
 ing. The history of Cain and Abel affect- 
 ed him very much, and frequently would 
 he run to his father, (taking his stool with 
 him to stand upon,) and entreat him to tell 
 him more about it. 
 
 Whenever he had been guilty of any 
 fault, and was threatened with correction, 
 he always said, u my bad heart has done 
 this," repeating it again, " but I hope God 
 will give me a good heart soon, and then I 
 shall not do so any more." 
 
 When he was about two years of age he 
 was sent to school, and it is surprising the 
 particular notice he took of his school-fel- 
 lows' actions, and the knowledge he had of 
 what was right, and what was wrong. 
 
 That he was early inclined to seek the 
 Lord in his ways, the following circum- 
 stance will sufficiently prove : His father 
 generally retired after dinner to spend a 
 few minutes in prayer, and once or twice 
 he took his dear little boy with him. After 
 this he used always unsolicited to follow 
 him, and would even go without a part of 
 his dinner, if he had not finished, rather 
 than be disappointed. 
 
170 
 
 One day, about six months before his de- 
 cease, he left his play-things, and went to 
 his mother, saying, " He was quite tired of 
 this good-for-nothing world, and should 
 soon have a good heart, and go to heaven." 
 At this time he was in perfect health, con- 
 sequently no one besides himself could have 
 any expectation that the time of his depar- 
 ture was so nigh at hand. But from what- 
 ever circumstance this persuasion of his ap- 
 proaching death arose, it is evident, from 
 his expressing so frequently a desire to have 
 a good heart, that he was convinced of the 
 necessity of a change passing upon him, 
 before he could be admitted into that king- 
 dom, which it is our heavenly Father's good 
 pleasure to give to every individual of his 
 little flock. 
 
 Previous to his illness, he would some- 
 times go to his father, and ask him to pray 
 with him ; and, at last, he even desired that 
 he might be permitted to pray himself : And 
 from that time he used, in general, to en- 
 gage in prayer, either before his father be- 
 gan, or after he had ended. In these ex- 
 ercises the Holy Spirit w T as pleased so to 
 help his infirmities, and enable him to make 
 intercession, that his father has been asto- 
 nished at the fervour and propriety of his 
 petitions. 
 
171 
 
 After he was confined he was very in- 
 quisitive about heaven, asking questions con- 
 tinually concerning the inhabitants of that 
 celestial city ; and one time, when some 
 medicine was given him, he observed, " he 
 should soon be in heaven, and the doctor 
 could not tease him there." At another 
 time he asked his aunt, if " she would go 
 up with him to heaven ?" To which she re- 
 plied, "If it was the will of God, she should 
 rejoice to*go. 3 ' Recollecting himself, he 
 immediately said, " But you must wait, for 
 we cannot die when we please." A few 
 hours before he expired, he lay for some 
 moments apparently insensible, so that his 
 parents expected his dissolution every mo- 
 ment ; but after this, he raised himself up, 
 and told his mother, " he had seen the 
 -Lord Jesus Christ, and was going to heaven/* 
 These words he also repeated to his father, 
 and were the last he uttered. Stretching 
 his arm at the same time out of bed, to 
 shake hands with each of his parents, which 
 he did with great composure and seeming 
 satisfaction ; he lifted his eyes and hands 
 to heaven, and bidding an everlasting fare- 
 well to all the things that are seen and 
 temporal, he ascended to join the elevated 
 worship of heaven, the society of angels^ 
 and spirits of just men made perfect. 
 
172 
 
 EXAMPLE XVIII. 
 
 Triumphant Death of Mr, James Saunders. 
 
 On Saturday, Feb. 22, 1794, died, of a 
 decline, James Saunders, aged seventeen 
 years, after an illness of six months; du- 
 ring the greater part of which time he ap- 
 peared desirous to continue longer in this 
 world. When very young he was fond of 
 reading the Scriptures, and has often ask- 
 ed his mother such questions as have aston- 
 ished her. Monday, Feb. 17, was the last 
 time he was down stairs ; Tuesday morning 
 he was taken very bad — complained of his 
 throat — could not swallow any drink — ap- 
 peared to be a little alarmed, and not tho- 
 roughly reconciled to the thoughts of death. 
 The doctor, being with him in the morning, 
 intimated that he did not think he could 
 survive above three hours. His mother now 
 became very desirous to hear from him of 
 the hope that was in him. He then burst 
 into a flood of tears, said he was all sin ; 
 " O mother," said he, " my sins are laid 
 open before me — sins innumerable. O I 
 am vile ! what shall I say to my God ? But 
 Jesus calls the weary and heavy laden to 
 
173 
 
 come to him. Well, I am laden with sin 
 and iniquities — sins against my God ; Dear 
 Jesus ! save, or 1 perish. O my God, 
 though I deserve nothing but a fearful look- 
 ing-for of judgment, for I am the vilest of 
 the vile ; thou art love, and thine ear is not 
 heavy that thou canst not hear, nor thine 
 arm shortened that thou canst not save. — 
 jj* Mother," he added, " 1 have often thought 
 of those words, O house of Israel, why will 
 you die ? And of those when my dear Sa- 
 viour wept £>ver Jerusalem, and said, O Je- 
 rusalem, how would 1 have gathered you to- 
 gether, even as a hen gathereth her chick- 
 ens under her wings, and ye would not V 
 His mother cannot repeat the whole, but 
 what he uttered was to this effect. He went 
 on in the course of the day pleading his Sa- 
 viour's merits. " Oh," said he, " If I should 
 go, not having on the wedding garment, how 
 shall I bear to hear these words, How ea- 
 rnest thou in hither ? O my God, send thy 
 Holy Spirit to cleanse my heart — keep the 
 tempter from me/' About six o'clock in 
 the evening, he said, " Mother, I must shed 
 tears of joy : My Saviour is on his Father's 
 throne, pleading for guilty me. O ! he 
 will have mercy on the vilest of the vile a 
 O ! how I love him, I long to be gone !" 
 Tims he went on praying, and praising re- 
 IP "% ^ 
 
174 
 
 deeming love. He said, " if his throat was 
 well, he would sing, but I shall sing there ;"■ 
 (holding up his hand,) then he repeated 
 part of a hymn : 
 
 " The fountain of Christ assist me to ring, 
 The blood of our Priest, our crucify'd King ; 
 Which perfectly cleanses from sin and from filth, 
 And richly dispenses salvation and health. 
 This fountain so dear he will freely impart, 
 Unlock'd by the spear it gush'd from his heart, 
 With blood and with Avater ; the first to atone, 
 To eieanse us the latter, the fountain but one." 
 
 Proceeding thus with a loud voice, and 
 his father and others of the family coming 
 up stairs, he said to his father, " See } 7 our 
 dying son. Mourn not, for I am going to 
 my Saviour. I pray God to prepare you all 
 to meet me there, in that place of everlast- 
 ing bliss." Thus he went on, taking leave 
 of every one singly, blessing them, and pray- 
 ing for them. Then he said, " The birds 
 have nests, the foxes have holes, but our 
 dear Redeemer had not where to lay his 
 head. How did he suffer for us guilty crea- 
 tures when he left his Father's blest abode ! 
 How was he treated when he went to his 
 own, and they would not receive him ! He 
 bore his cross to Calvary's Mount, and one 
 drop of his precious blood is worth a thou- 
 
175 
 
 sand worlds. O could you but see his 
 wounded body ! O what agonizing pains he 
 felt when he cried, My God, my God, why 
 hast thou forsaken me !" In this manner he 
 discoursed a great part of the night. <c O 
 Death," said he, at one time, " where is thy 
 sting ? O Grave, where is thy victory ?" On 
 the Wednesday he seemed in great pain^ 
 but did not complain. < The convulsions 
 were very strong, but he still continued 
 praying, and praising redeeming love, and 
 crying, "Come Lord Jesus, come quickly." 
 He appeared in a hurry to be gone. At 
 another time he seemed to be angry with 
 himself, and said, " Thy time, Lord, not 
 mine. 1 want more faith, Lord, more pa- 
 tience, O ! what is time to eternity, O ! 
 never ending— — ." He then spoke of the 
 creation — of the fall of man;— -and of re- 
 demption. He said again, " Mother, I 
 wonder how any one can live and not know 
 God ; did we but consider how fearfully and 
 wonderfully we are made : Our bodies are 
 put together as with small threads, and we 
 should drop to pieces if there was not a 
 God." On the Thursday, when he was of- 
 fering up his prayers, the nurse said, " she 
 was sure he was a saint, for she never heard 
 such prayers and such heavenly discourse 
 before." He heard her, and seemed fright- 
 
176 
 
 ened ' r and said, ft O my God, put all those 
 far from me that would fill my heart with 
 pride. It was pride that thrust the angels 
 out of heaven." He spoke much more on 
 this .head, and said, " Ail our righteous- 
 ness is as filthy rags." He slept about a 
 quarter of an hour on Thursday afternoon, 
 which was more than he had done all the 
 lime before. When he awoke, he said, 
 " O, mother, I sleep more than I pray ; O 
 my God, I want to iove thee more — 1 want 
 more faith. O my God, keep the tempter 
 far from vr.c. Mother, I feel myself very 
 weak. Health is the time to serve the 
 Lord." He sat up in his bed, for he could 
 not lie down all the time. The convulsions 
 appeared much stronger, and he seemed 
 unable to speak for more than an hour. 
 He then spoke again, (< Mother, how are 
 "my thoughts wandering after things of this 
 world ! I want to think and speak of nothing 
 but my God. The tempter is chained : If 
 he were to follow me to heaven's gate, he 
 cannot enter it." Another time he held 
 up his right arm, and smiled, saving, "Am 
 I one of those, Lord ?" Then holding up his 
 left, lie said," 1 might yeryjustly have been 
 one of those ; 'tis by grace we are saved. 
 mother, we cannot conceive the bliss ! 
 O, to dwell with my Saviour, and see him 
 
177 
 
 face to face ! What sweet words, Come ye 
 blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom 
 prepared for you ; and, blessed are the 
 dead which die in the Lord,, for so saith the 
 Spirit, for they shall rest from their labours. 
 God is a Spirit, and must be worshipped in 
 Spirit and in Truth." Friday morning, he 
 expressed himself, " Mother, let us pray — 
 A God hearing prayer. He is a God nigh 
 at hand, and hears all that call upon him — 
 praying in faith, nothing wavering. O, he 
 sought me when I was afar off! What 
 love !" — After he had prayed, he said, " I 
 am about to pay the debt of nature, and am 
 going to the heaven of heavens, — to ever- 
 lasting bliss !" — About this time he often 
 felt his pulse, and when he found them low, 
 he would smile on his mother, and say, 
 " I shall soon go, it is finished." Saturday 
 noon his brother went to his bedside. He 
 took hold of , his hand, and said, " Brother, 
 don't mourn for me, I am going to glory. 
 Look on this case of bones," pointing to 
 himself, " and wonder there is breath. 
 I would talk to you, but I cannot. I 
 am very weak in body. Come, Lord Je- 
 sus, come quickly." About an hour before 
 he died, he said to the nurse, and smiled, 
 " I shall keep my sabbath there," (pointing 
 upwards.) He departed at half after four 
 
17S 
 
 in the afternoon, with a smile, and without 
 a sigh or groan. 
 
 EXAMPLE XIX. 
 
 The happy Death of Miss Martha Hall, 
 Whetstone, zvho died on Monday, the Mth 
 of March, 1794, aged ten Years and nine 
 Months. 
 
 This sweet and amiable child discover- 
 ed a disposition to receive religious instruc- 
 tion at a very early period. At a suitable 
 age she was placed under the tuition of Miss 
 Jones and Miss Wood, on Mile-end Green ; 
 whose pious example and unwearied atten- 
 tion, together with the ministerial and cate- 
 chetical instructions of the Rev. Mr. Brewer, 
 whom she loved as a parent, were instru- 
 mental in increasing, under God, her know- 
 ledge of divine things. 
 
 In a former illness she was throughout 
 very resigned, much attached to the things 
 of God, and attentive to the Scriptures ; 
 and, in her last illness, which terminat- 
 ed in her dissolution, she often expressed 
 a desire to be with her dear sister in glory, 
 who died but little more than twelve months 
 before, at the aire of eighteen. She would 
 
179 
 
 not suffer any book to be. read to her but the 
 Bible, which she said she loved. Once 
 when she heard her brother ask for a geo- 
 graphical description of the continent to be 
 read, she answered, " I'll not hear any sto- 
 ry books, I'll hear only the bible." She 
 would indeed sometimes read some of the 
 late Mr. Mason's publications, and expres- 
 sed a great desire to be as good a little girl, 
 as he gives an account of. She desired all 
 her friends, especially her father and mother, 
 to pray for her. Though her illness was 
 long and painful, yet she never wished any 
 to pray for her recovery, nor was ever heard 
 to murmur ; but bore her affliction with the 
 greatest patience and fortitude ; she desired 
 all to pray that she might be happy, and 
 love Jesus better. 
 
 Once, when a spasm had seized her sto- 
 mach, and she was in great pain, she begged 
 she might be prayed for ; for she was a 
 wicked sinner. Her father told her the 
 blood of Christ cleansed from all sin ; she 
 answered, " Yes, papa, and Jesus hath said, 
 Suffer little children to come unto me, for of 
 such is the kingdom of heaven ; and that 
 is a great comfort to me." In a little time 
 she grew easier, was put to bed, and request- 
 ed her papa to read to her. He asked where 
 he should read ; she replied, i( Where 
 
ISO 
 
 Christ was crucified, and shed his blood for 
 me." 
 
 Having got a little better, she came down 
 stairs. The next day, when the Rev. Mr. 
 Brewer called to see her, he told her he 
 was a sinner as well as she ; that he hoped 
 Christ died for him and for her likewise, and 
 spoke of the application of the blood of 
 Christ to the believing soul ; which afford- 
 ed her much comfort. When he was going 
 to withdraw, she desired him to pray that 
 she might be happy, and after he was gone 
 would often say, " Mamma, Mr. Brewer 
 says he is a sinner." 
 
 When able, she constantly bad the Bible, 
 or Dr. W'atts' Psalms and Hymns, before 
 her ; and sometimes Lady Huntingdon's. 
 One day, seeing her mother weep, she said, 
 ee My dear mamma, don't grieve for me ; 
 I shouid be glad to be with Polly, (meaning 
 her sister,) 1 have been afflicted a long time. 
 You know the Lord gave me to you, and 
 the Lord has a right to take me away when- 
 ever he pleases." 
 
 About a week before she died, her mother, 
 as she was dressing her, asked her if she 
 would have on a white frock ; she answer- 
 ed " I'll not have any thing white on, 
 mamma, till I have a white robe." The last 
 time she looked into the Bible, having read 
 
181 
 
 four chapters, she told her mother she could 
 read no more. After this she continually 
 got lower, and spoke but little. One day 
 she asked for a hymn which had been a 
 favourite one with her dear sister. Her 
 mother brought it to her, and she read part 
 of it. This was the last thing she ever read. 
 She could not sit up much afterwards, 
 but was, when able, talking of Christ and 
 his merits. On the Lord's day before she 
 died, when her father came from public 
 worship, she asked him, if Mr. Brewer pray- 
 ed for her ; and being answered in the af- 
 firmative, she said, " Beg Mr. Ford to pray 
 for me likewise ; to pray that I may have 
 an interest in the blood of Christ, and that 
 I may love him." Her father told her he 
 hoped she did love Christ ; she briskly an- 
 swered, " I want to love him better." When 
 her father returned from worship in the af- 
 ternoon, she was worse, but in the evening 
 w r as again somewhat better. He asked her 
 if he should read to her ; she answered^ 
 " Yes ;" and being asked where, she an- 
 swered, " Where Mr. Ford preached from/' 
 which was the 25th Psalm. She was very 
 attentive, and said that Psalm was suitable 
 to her. She seemed then quite fatigued, 
 and desired to be turned in the bed. 
 
 About twelve o'clock, she earnestly re*- 
 o 
 
J 82 
 
 quested that licr parents would go fo bed. 
 To satisfy her mind, they reluctantly com- 
 plied with her request. She conversed very 
 comfortably with the nurse, said she should 
 soon die, and that she wished to die. The 
 nurse answered, " Then, my dear, you will 
 be in glory." She said, " Yes, I am con- 
 fident or" that." She desired the nurse to 
 pray for her, and to pray that her dear pa- 
 rents might be supported. 
 
 Soon after she requested the nurse to 
 call her papa, for she had something to 
 say to him. He came immediately, and 
 asked how she did ? She answered, " My 
 inside is all gone. I shall soon die, and go 
 to my sister." Her father said, " She loved 
 you, and you loved her."—-" Yes," said she, 
 
 "and now I shall sing with her sal ;" 
 
 when the shortness of her breath prevented 
 her proceeding: He said, "Salvation to 
 God and the Lamb ;" she replied, "Yes." 
 Then she asked him to pray for her. He 
 answered, that he did, and that all her 
 friends loved her, and prayed for her, and 
 lie hoped Christ loved her ; to which she 
 replied, in an eestacy, " That's best." She. 
 said; she should be glad to see Mr. Brewer 
 again, to pray with her before she went. 
 Being told Mr. Brewer would see hei if it 
 was a fine day ; she shook her head, think- 
 
185 
 
 mg, (as was supposed,) she would not see 
 the return of day. Her father then asked 
 her, if she had any thing particular to say 
 to him. She answered, " Only to tell you I 
 am not afraid to die." Then said he, " You 
 will be with Jesus, whom you love." She 
 replied, " Yes ; for he hath said, Suffer lit- 
 tle children to come unto me, and forbid 
 them not ; for of such is the kingdom of 
 JGod." 
 
 She then complained that her breath 
 was very bad, and lay for some time s*lent; 
 after which she suddenly cried out) " Je- 
 sus, look down with mercy on me, Christ 
 
 have ■ ;" but could say no more. A 
 
 little while after, she held out her hand to 
 her father, and said, " Papa, I am dead, I 
 cannot see any of you," and breathed her 
 [soul into the bosom of Jesus. 
 
 With a view to the improvement of so 
 j striking an instance of the grace of God, 
 [which can out of the mouths, even of babes 
 and sucklings, perfect praise, a very serious 
 knd affectionate discourse was delivered the 
 Lord's-day morning following, by (he Rev, 
 Mr. Brewer, from the words which she had 
 I repeated; u Suffer little children to come 
 funto me, and forbid the not; for of such is 
 pie kingdom of Qod," 
 
184 
 
 EXAMPLE XX. 
 
 Ike Conversion, Experience, and Death of 
 Master Joseph Thornton, of Market Har- 
 borough, who departed this life, Aprit 25, 
 J 794, aged eight years and Jive months 
 
 It is asserted in the word of truth, that 
 ** out of the mouths of babes and sucklings 
 the Lord has ordained strength, because of 
 his enemies, that he might still the enemy, 
 and the avenger." There are adversaries 
 to the power of vital godliness in the pre- 
 sent, no less than in past ages ; those who 
 ridicule inward religion, and treat all Chris- 
 tian experience as nothing but enthusiasm. 
 In some instances God is pleased to give 
 such striking evidences of the power of di- 
 vine grace in the conversion of young chil- 
 dren, as are admirably calculated to quiet 
 the reproaches of such scorners, if not to 
 convince them of their errors. Among the 
 various pleasing instances of this kind, in 
 the present day, the change made in the 
 temper and practice of this little child, may 
 be very properly ranked. His mind had 
 been under very serious impressions during 
 
the last seven months, prior to his decease, 
 A sermon, occasioned by the death or' an 
 eminent Christian in September last, ap- 
 pears to have been the first means of bring- 
 ing him to an acquaintance with divine 
 things. Perhaps it may not be amiss to 
 observe, that the person on whose account 
 the sermon was preached, was, in her last 
 .moments, very earnest in prayer, that some 
 souls might receive good from it ; and it 
 should be mentioned to the honour of God, 
 as the hearer of prayer, that one young lad 
 besides this child appears to have been awa- 
 kened under it. The text was John v. S9* 
 " Search the scriptures." .When the rea- 
 sons were assigned why we should search 
 she scriptures, i\] aster T.'s mind was im- 
 pressed with a determination to read the 
 word of God ; and he was afterwards fre- 
 quently observed, by the writer of this ac- 
 count, to be very diligent in finishing his 
 task at school, that he might get to his Bi- 
 ble. He was one day asked, why he took 
 such pains in reading the Scriptures, when 
 the generality of his age paid so little atten- 
 tion to them ? " Because/' says he," the Bi- 
 ble tells me so much of the greatness ami 
 goodness of God. I have been reading 
 Avhere it says God made the world in six 
 davs ; now the world is many times bigger 
 
 a 2 
 
18t> 
 
 than this town, and there is no man that 
 could build one house in that time. What 
 a great Being must he then be, to make a 
 whole world in six days! And this God 
 was so good, another scripture says, as to 
 give his only Son to die for poor sinners. 
 Now I know I have done many things that 
 are wrong. I have told several lies, and 
 been angry with my little brothers and sis- 
 ters. I am therefore a great sinner. What 
 a good God must he be, to give his Son to 
 die for such a poor sinner as I am I" It was 
 about this time that the Rev. Mr. Wood, 
 of Rowell, preached at Harborough, from 
 Psalm cxix. 72.. "The law of thy mouth 
 is better to me than thousands of gold and 
 silver. 5 ' In his discourse he considered what 
 was meant by the law of God's mouth, and 
 pointed out the superior excellency of this 
 law, (that is, the holy Scriptures,) to thou- 
 sands of gold and silver. This discourse 
 Master T. heard, and often afterwards re- 
 peated many parts of it in a very striking 
 manner. The impressions he received from 
 it apparently abode with him to the last. 
 His disposition and behaviour were evident- 
 ly changed. He read the bible at stated 
 times every day, and was observed constant- 
 ly to retire morning and evening for secret 
 prayer, He was also strictly careful re- 
 
187 
 
 specting both what he said and what he did, 
 He dreaded lying, and was afraid of going; 
 among wicked children, lest, as he said, he 
 should turn back from the ways of God, 
 He was very diligent and serious in atten- 
 ding all the means of grace ; improving ev- 
 ery opportunity, as well on other days, as on 
 the Sabbath. It was his constant custom 
 on the Saturday evenings always to lay 
 clothes in proper order, that he might be in 
 readiness to attend the prayer-meeting of the 
 young people, early on the Lord's-day 
 morning. One day he was asked, why he 
 attended so diligently on all the means of 
 grace, and was so unwilling to neglect one 
 opportunity : " Because," says he, " I find 
 them so sweet and comfortable to me." 
 Some time before he was afflicted, he was 
 overheard in prayer, using with great appa- 
 rent fervency, the following expressions : 
 " O Lord, save me, I pray thee. Now, O 
 Lord, save me, a poor sinful child, a great 
 sinner, a vile sinner. O Lord, save me, I 
 pray thee. I know I have sinned against 
 thee many times ; O Lord, I would not have 
 sinned against thee, if I could help it. O 
 Lord, I wish I did not. Do hear, Lord, 
 save me, a poor sinful child. Christ was 
 crucified, dear Lord. Dear Lord, save me 
 for his sake," He cried untg God in this 
 
3 88 
 
 planner for near an hour, and appeared to 
 mourn greatly on account of his sinfulness, 
 and sighed and groaned to be saved from 
 the wrath to come. He likewise prayed 
 that he might love his parents, and then 
 went on again in this manner: "I hope 
 thou wilt save me, a poor sinner, a vile sin- 
 ner : Lord, thou wilt save me, O this soul 
 of mine that must be in heaven or hell for 
 ever ! O dear Lord, have mercy on me, a 
 poor sinful child. If I live, may I live to 
 the Lord, and if I die, may I die to the Lord." 
 This he said many times over, and was so 
 fervent with God, that he appeared to be 
 much exhausted ; and then added, iC Keep 
 me this day, and month, and year ; and, if 
 I should live twenty or forty years, help me 
 to live to thy glory, O God." Three days 
 before he died he was seized with a com- 
 plaint in his bowels, so violent as to render 
 him incapable of speaking much. A little 
 before his death, being asked, Whether he 
 wished to go to heaven ?" he answered, 
 " Yes." Then he was asked what he would 
 do when he got there. He immediately 
 said, " I will sing Hallelujah to God and 
 the Lamb." Soon after this he departed. 
 A sermon was preached on the occasion, in 
 the evening after his interment, from his fa- 
 vourite text, "The words of thy mouth are 
 
better to me than thousands of gold and 
 silver." 
 
 EXAMPLE XXI. 
 
 A pleasing Account of the Piety and hap- 
 py Death of Master John Storch, zvho 
 died, April 29, 1794, aged twelve Years 
 and eight Months. 
 
 It was the privilege of this dear youth to 
 he born of religious parents, and educated 
 " in the nurture and admonition of the 
 Lord." Being of a very thoughtful and se- 
 rious turn, he frequently devoted those 
 hours to reading the Bible and religious 
 books, which others of his age employ in 
 childish play. Janeway's Token for Chil- 
 dren was his favourite companion, and is 
 supposed to have made good impressions 
 upon his mind. 
 
 On a Lord's-day morning, about two 
 months before his death, he seemed greatly 
 affected after hearing Mr. Wilks. To his 
 father, inquiring the cause of his weeping, 
 he replied, that it was occasioned by what 
 he had just heard. On a Sabbath-day^ 
 about seven weeks previous to his decease^ 
 
be seemed to be so full of comfort, and ex- 
 pressed himself in such sweet and heavenly 
 language., as to oblige his father frequently 
 to retire with tears of joy, and give vent to 
 the grateful passions of his heart before God, 
 for so manifest a display of divine grace to- 
 wards his child. The same evening, speak- 
 ing of the blessed and happy death of those 
 children, mentioned in Janeway's Token, he 
 said, " I hope when I die, it will be tri- 
 umphing in the Lord Jesus Christ." On the 
 Tuesday following, the visit of Mr. Knight 
 was rendered greatly encouraging and com- 
 forting to his mind. His disorder, from this 
 time, began to make a rapid progress, and 
 indicated to his parents that they must soon 
 be called to make a sacrifice of a darling 
 child. The first time 1 called to see him 
 was about six weeks before his departure. 
 On my entering the room, he exciaimed, 
 " O Sir, what a precious Christ, to live and 
 die for such sinners !" I was greatly affect- 
 ed with this address, and beginning to in- 
 quire into the state of his mind, found that 
 he had those views of himself as a fallen 
 guilty hell-deserving sinner, and of Jesus 
 Christ as an all-sufficient Saviour, and ex- 
 pressed that desire after a personal interest 
 in him, a£ fully satisfied me that " flesh and 
 blood had notrevealed these thingsunto him.'* 
 
191 
 
 And 1 declare that I could not withhold 
 these encouragements and comforts which 
 the Scriptures direct us to dispense to the 
 lambs of Christ's flock. — I now repeated my 
 visits as frequently as opportunity offered^ 
 and had the pleasure of finding him in- 
 crease in the knowledge of his own unwor- 
 thiness, and the infinite preciousness of 
 Jesus Christ. That promise of our blessed 
 Lord was certainly exemplified in his expe- 
 rience, " When he, the Spirit of Truth, is 
 come, he shall bring all things to your re- 
 membrance." Scriptures so suitable to his 
 case were impressed upon his mind, and so 
 sweetly flowed from his lips, as to fill me 
 with wonder and gratitude. I do not re- 
 collect one instance, in the frequent con- 
 versations I held with him, of my having 
 quoted any portion of God's word, but on 
 my introducing the first clause, he has imme- 
 diately anticipated me by repeating the 
 subsequent part of it as correctly as if he 
 had the Bible before him. A fortnight be- 
 fore he died, I asked him, whether he 
 thought his sickness would be unto death : 
 He. said, " I believe it will;" and added, 
 i[ I do not wish to live, unless it be the will 
 of God that the grace which, t trust, he has 
 given me, may be manifested more and 
 
192 
 
 more in me ;" adding, " this is a miserable 
 world." 
 
 One day appearing to revive, a friend said 
 to him, " you are getting better, and bid 
 fair to be an old man." He answered, " It 
 is no matter whether I live to be old, or 
 die young, if I am but found in Jesus 
 Christ." A person calling on his father in 
 the way of business, asked him how he did ; 
 he replied, " poorly; but it is a good thing 
 to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ, and 
 it is well to meet death, not as the king oft 
 terrors, but as a messenger of peace." About 
 this time, on a Lord's-day morning, as his 
 father was preparing to go to chapel, he 
 said, " O father, I wish I could go with 
 you ;" and then addressing himself to his 
 brother, said, u Dear brother, do not be 
 so backward to go to hear the precious word 
 of God." His brother asked him, on Good 
 Friday, if he knew what day it was ; he an- 
 swered, " This is the day the Lord of Life 
 and Glory died, and I hope for me." On 
 the same day a friend asked him how he 
 did, he replied, ' ' Poorly ; but if we were not 
 such poor sinners we should not be so af- 
 flicted." When his father used to ask him, 
 whether he did not wish to be better, his 
 answer was, " I wish to be with Christ, 
 which is far better." The next time I \ 
 
193 
 
 sited him, I found him very low in body, 
 and said, to him, " My dear, you are very 
 low." — " Yes," said he, " but the Lord is 
 my support." On observing to him that I 
 trusted he was taught that nothing he had 
 done, or could suffer, would, either in 
 whole or in part, make an atonement for 
 his sin ; he broke out, and with an energy I 
 hope I shall not soon forget, 
 
 Not all the blood of beasts, 
 
 On Jewish altars slain, 
 Can give the guilty conscience peace, 
 
 Or wash away the stain." 
 
 Two young persons, calling on him the 
 Friday before he died, asked him how he 
 was : he answered, " I have now done with 
 this world, I want nothing but Jesus Christ !'* 
 My last visit but one was the Saturday even- 
 ing before his death. He had been the 
 greater part of the preceding night, as well 
 as this day, in a state of delirium. But, by 
 the favour of God, he had now a happy 
 interval of reason. Inquiring how he did, 
 he answered, " poorly, bir," — I said, iC Do 
 you know who speaks to you ?" He then 
 mentioned my name. Asking how it was 
 with him, he answered, ie Goodness and 
 mercy," but his speech faltering, he could 
 not proceed. He again said, " Goodness 
 and mercy/' but failed in his attempt to utter 
 
 R 
 
194 
 
 what follows. He began the third time; 
 and again said, " Goodness and mercy 
 have followed me all the days of my life.'' 
 1 then said, " I trust, my dear, if you had 
 strength, that for yourself you could repeat 
 the rest of that sweet passage.*' He lay a 
 little as if musing, and then with renewed 
 vigour broke out, and said, " I shall dwell 
 in the house of the Lord for ever.'' I ask- 
 ed if we should once more supplicate the 
 throne of grace together : he answered, 
 " Yes, and I hope and trust that we shall 
 sing the praises of redeeming love in a bet- 
 ter world for ever." On taking leave, I de- 
 livered that solemn benediction, " The 
 Lord bless you and keep you, and make his 
 face to shine upon you," &c. He then said, 
 " The Lord bless and keep vou.'' These 
 were the last words I heard him speak. 
 
 But it is no wonder that this dear youtlf, 
 who had been so highly favoured, should 
 also be tempted by the enemy of souls. 
 Hence he said to his father on the morning 
 following, " O father, 1 fear I shall not go 
 to heaven !" This, however, appears to be 
 one of Satan's last efforts. Shortly after a 
 friend called. He was then so low, he 
 could only answer to the usual inquiries, 
 " that he was poorly," but after a little time 
 repeated, and then sung part of that hymn, 
 
19o 
 
 K Blest be the dear uniting love/' &c. He 
 said to his mother on Monday morning, 
 " O mother, what a precious and good 
 Christ have we !" She asked, " Do you find 
 him so to your soul ?" He said, " I do, I do ;" 
 and added, " when we arrive at that blessed 
 world, we shall sing, Blest be the dear uni- 
 ting love, that will not let us part." About 
 this time, he addressed himself to God 
 and prayed, " God bless my dear father 
 and mother, brother and sisters, and my 
 school-fellows." On Monday morning I 
 found him speechless ; but he gave evident 
 tokens of his being rational, and of having 
 the Lord's presence. He endeavourd re- 
 peatedly to speak, but was unable to articu- 
 late. We then kneeled down, and com- 
 mended his spirit to God. This was a night 
 of severe conflict respecting his body. 
 About an hour before his death his father 
 kneeled down by his bed-side, and while he 
 was pleading with the Lord Jesus, that, u as 
 he himself had passed through the dark val- 
 ley of the shadow of death for sinners, he 
 would support and refresh his dying child ;" 
 it appeared as though the Lord gave the 
 blessing desired, for he then stretched out 
 his hand, and put it to his father's hand, 
 and at the same time there was also a most 
 pleasing smile upon his countenance. Abaac 
 
J 90 
 
 nine o'clock on Tuesday morning, he was 
 called to unite with the spirits of the just 
 made perfect before the throne, and to sing 
 the praises of redeeming grace to all eterni- 
 ty. May a goodly number of the rising 
 generation be made acquainted with the 
 same grace ; love the Lord Jesus ; and 
 know, that to live is Christ, and to die is 
 gain. 
 
 J. M. 
 
 EXAMPLE XXII. 
 
 Last Sickness and Death of Thomas Banner, 
 a child aged eleven years. 
 
 The following account was written by 
 the child's mother immediately after his 
 decease, at the request of her minister, who 
 had seen and heard several things of the 
 child which he considered as worthy of pre- 
 servation ; and it is now offered to the par- 
 ticular attention of young readers in its na- 
 tive simplicity, with prayers to God that he 
 will be pleased to make it useful to them. 
 "Rev. Sir, 
 
 u The following is what at present oc- 
 curs to my recollection that was spoken at 
 
197 
 
 different times by iny dear departed child, 
 during his illness ; and who,, 1 trust is now 
 admiring the wonderful mercy and love of 
 that Jesus, in whose precious blood he desi- 
 red to be washed , — I found, in the begin- 
 ning of his illness, that it would, in all pro- 
 bability, end in his death ; and endeavour- 
 ed all in my power, as the Lord enabled me, 
 to show him his sinful state by nature and 
 practice*, and the necessity of true repen- 
 tance. It seemed to have some weight 
 with him. He said, if it pleased God that 
 he should recover, and the Lord strengthen- 
 ing him, he should be a different child from 
 what he had been : but without the divine 
 assistance he could do nothing ; and he 
 began to desire to be conversing with God's 
 people, and to read, and hear reading. And 
 when he has heard any one swearing, he 
 would say, " Oh, Mammy, you don't know 
 howl feel, and tremble every limb." He 
 then expressed a w r ish to see you, saying you 
 was a good man, and that when he heard 
 you preach, you talked a great deal about 
 Jesus Christ. After you had visited him 
 the first time, he said he loved you, and 
 should never forget what you told him, that 
 
 * It is to be observed, that until his illness, which was 
 of about nine months continuance, he was less promising 
 than common. 
 
 R 2 
 
198 
 
 he should be washed in the blood of Jesus 
 Christ. This, he said, he should never for- 
 get as long as he lived : and I believe he 
 
 did not. When Mr. visited him, he 
 
 said he loved him, and that he was very 
 comfortable in prayer, but he did not tell 
 him that he must be washed in the blood 
 of Jesus. He frequently spoke of it with 
 delight, that Jesus would pardon him ; and 
 wash him from his sins in his own blood. 
 Then he asked me if, in the great day, he 
 should appear at God's right hand, and re- 
 ceive that blessed invitation, Come, ye bless- 
 ed, &c. Towards the last he wished me 
 to spend the greatest part of my time in 
 reading, and telling him what Jesus had 
 done for sinners. In the former part of his 
 illness, when he was talked to respecting 
 his state, he would cry, and seemed terrifi- 
 ed ; but the fear was taken away. He ob- 
 served, a few days before his death, that 
 he used to fear to go to bed when I talked 
 to him, but now he did not fear to die. I 
 asked him why he did not fear, now as be- 
 fore ? He said he did not know; 'it was 
 something that God had done for him ; he 
 had done some good thing in him that had 
 taken away his fear. After a short pause 
 he broke out in a kind of rapture, " Oh, 
 Mammy — I love God — I do love him — I 
 
399 
 
 love hiin from my heart !'* He said like- 
 wise, that he could not go to sleep till he 
 had begged the divine protection ; and in 
 the night season, when sleep forsook him, 
 he spent the greatest part of his time in 
 prayer. At times, when he was in pain, he 
 would cry, " Oh dear !" but, as if recollect- 
 ing himself, would say, c< I will not com- 
 plain, it is what the Lord is pleased to send, 
 and I will not complain." The morning he 
 died he asked me to move his head, which 
 I did, and he said he should do now; I saw 
 no alteration in him, and fell asleep. Soon 
 after he asked his sister to move his head 
 again, which she did. " Now Sarah," says 
 he, " I am going to die ; I shall soon be 
 happjr; I shall have something to-night 
 that 1 want." He then began to talk very 
 fast, but inarticulately ; only she distinctly 
 heard the word God, and the last words she 
 understood were, good Christ. His speech 
 failed him, and he seemed to fall into a 
 comfortable sleep, as she thought. In about 
 a quarter of an honr I went to him, and 
 found hrs speech was gone. He never 
 moved hand nor foot after, but went like a 
 candle when just burnt out, and expired 
 without a sigh, with a sweet smile upon his 
 countenance. 
 
 " Your goodness, I trust, will excuse in* 
 
200 
 
 accuracy; but I have given it to you in his 
 own simple language, as near as I remem- 
 ber ; and have reason to bless God for ma- 
 king 3'ou an instrument in his hand of 
 bringing him to a knowledge of himself and 
 of Jesus Christ, at whose right hand may 
 you, Sir, and unworthy 1, appear ! God grant 
 it for Jesus Christ's sake !" 
 Birmingham, Dec. 3, 1794. 
 
 EXAMPLE XXIII. 
 
 Account of the Death of William Gray. 
 
 The writer of this account informs us 
 that this child died at Buckingham, July 
 14, 1795 ; of a truth " Out of the mouth of 
 babes and sucklings the Lord has perfected 
 praise." This I have lately seen fulfilled in 
 William Gray, and I commit it to paper as 
 one of ihe gracious tokens of divine favour 
 in early life, which should be an encour- 
 agement to those who have children, to pay 
 the tenderest attention to their morals, and 
 endeavour to impress such serious truths up- 
 on their minds as are able to make them, 
 as they did Timothy, from a child, wise unto 
 salvation, Then might parents have joy in 
 
201 
 
 their life, and consolation in their death. 
 Little Gray was a very sensible child, and 
 only eleven years old when he died. He 
 never enjoyed a good state of health ; was 
 a lover of his book, especially the Bible, and, 
 had he lived, was to have had a new one 
 for learning the 5th chapter of St. John, but 
 he said he had rather die, and go to keaven ; 
 for then he should want no Bible. My first 
 interview was on the Lord's day. Hearing 
 that he could not live the day, I went, and 
 found him in a most happy state of mind, 
 perfectly sensible. I asked him if our dear 
 Saviour was good to him in his affliction ? 
 He said, " Yes, he prayed to his dear Jesus 
 to give him patience, and then he would 
 wait his time." I was agreeably surprised to 
 hear such language from a child ; I asked 
 him whether any friend had told him of Je- 
 sus Christ ? He replied, " No, it came into 
 my mind." I asked him, if he knew how a 
 poor sinner was accepted of God ? He said, 
 " Yes." " How, my dear?" He replied, 
 " That Jesus died on the cross for sinners." 
 I asked him if he knew he was a poor sinner? 
 He replied, " Yes, but not so bad as some;" 
 but added, " all have sinned." A mother 
 in Israel asked him, if he loved sin ? With 
 tears be replied, " No." I asked him, if he 
 did not love that dear Jesus who had re- 
 
202 
 
 deemed him from misery : lie replied, 
 " Yes ; and I long to be with him." "What, 
 should you not choose to get well again r" 
 He replied, " No, I do not want to live in 
 this Jpoor, perishing, undone world." I 
 asked him if ever he found the enemy of souls 
 tempting him ? He said, " Yes, but I pray 
 to my dear Jesus to overcome for me.'* 
 u Then I hope you find him precious to 
 you." He said, ff Yes." When I men- 
 tioned some promises to him, his eye bright- 
 ened, and there came a fresh hue upon his 
 dying cheek, while he expressed his hope 
 that his dear Jesus would forgive him, and 
 receive him. Mentioning to him the invi- 
 tation recorded in Matthew, " Come unto 
 me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, 
 and I will give you rest," he repeated that 
 promise after me, " I will give you rest ;" 
 adding, (< O how sweet and precious these 
 words are to me !" His mother informed 
 me that the evening before I came to see 
 him, he desired his brothers and sisters to 
 come to see him, and exhorted them to be 
 good, and said, " Remember me when I am 
 dead, and gone to my dear Jesus." I was 
 going to leave him, but he called me, and 
 hoped I would pray with him before I went. 
 I went to see him several times after ; but 
 he was so weak that it hurt him to speak. I 
 
203 
 
 encouraged him to bear the moment of suf- 
 fering, and wait the Lord's time ; he could 
 only say, "Yes? 1 Thus he fell asleep in 
 the bosom of his dear Jesus, who said, " Suf- 
 fer little children, and forbid them not, to 
 come unto me ; for of such is the kingdom 
 of heaven." 
 
 EXAMPLE XXIV. 
 Account of Sarah King, 
 
 Sarah King, of Bethnal Green, was 
 remarkably serious from her infancy, even 
 before she was capable of learning any 
 thing either by precept or example. She 
 always loved the ways of God, and was 
 much delighted in all the means of grace. 
 She was blessed with an astonishing memo- 
 ry, listened with great attention, and would 
 rehearse a good part of the sermon when 
 she went home. The effects of the grand 
 truths she heard appeared also in her hatred 
 to sin, trembling at the thoughts of griev- 
 ing God, and her great love of prayer ; that 
 if any oi' the family omitted going to prayer 
 before they went to bed, she would not let 
 the ai rest till they rose and called upon 
 God. She would weep for the sins of oth- 
 ers, and tell them she would he a witness 
 
C04 
 
 against them at the day of judgment, if 
 they did not repent. She was a shining 
 light in the neighbourhood, as well as in the 
 house ; for she would visit her unconverted 
 neighbours, take her book with her, and 
 read to them, and converse with them on 
 the things of eternity, and invite them to 
 go with her to hear the gospel. Her de- 
 light was in collecting children about her, 
 to teach them to read, and say their cate- 
 chism. When any among them told lies, 
 or said any bad words, she would reprove 
 them in a very serious manner, and tell 
 them the consequences of such behaviour, so 
 as often to make them weep. She was also 
 a great comfort to her mother, who was left 
 a widow, when this child, (who was the 
 eldest of two,) was only three years and a 
 half old. She caught a cold in January 
 1795, and was taken ill at St. Peter's, Corn- 
 hill, where she attended in the Sabbath 
 afternoon. From that time she lingered 
 nine months in a deep decline. 
 
 The writer of this account frequently 
 visited her during her illness, and always 
 found her resigned, and with a hope full of 
 immortality. Her bible was her delight; 
 she would always have it by her side, and 
 when she was capable of holding up her 
 head she would be reading it. She has of- 
 
205 
 
 ten been observed with her eyes lifted up ia 
 prayers to that God whom she knew would 
 release her in his due time : she suffered 
 much, but with great patience. 
 
 One expressing surprise at her holding 
 out so long, she immediately cried out, 
 " Lord, I am a wonder to many ; but thou 
 art my strong refuge." She called for her 
 Bibie, and said, " I have that text marked 
 down ; for I heard Mr. Cecil preach from 
 it ;■' and she repeated part of the sermon, 
 to the great astonishment of those about her, 
 as it was some weeks after she had heard it. 
 She was carried to the church within a few 
 weeks of her death, and when she was very 
 ill. The last sermon she heard was from 
 1 Sam. xx. 3. It seemed much impressed 
 on her mind that there was but a step be- 
 tween her and death. One time, when she 
 was wishing to lie down, and as she was 
 carrying to her bed, she broke out, and said, 
 
 " Let others boast how strong they be, 
 
 Nor death nor danger tear ; 
 But we confess, O Lord, to thee. 
 
 What feeble things we are." 
 
 She delighted to learn Dr. Watts' hymns,, 
 and often awaked her mother in the night 
 season by repeating hymns, or praying ; 
 for at times, though so young, she had 
 
 s 
 
20(3 
 
 great conflicts with the enemy ; and many 
 times has been heard to thank the Lord 
 that she was still upon praying ground. 
 When her mother saw death approaching, 
 she said to her, " My dear, you are now 
 going to Christ." She joined her hands, 
 and said, " He is mine;" and her happy 
 soul took its flight to everlasting glory, in 
 the month of October, 179-5, aged only eight 
 years and a half. 
 
 May God, out of the mouths of babes 
 and sucklings, still continue to perfect his 
 praise. 
 
 EXAMPLE XXV. 
 
 An account of the Experience and Death of 
 George Maxey Gill. 
 
 George Maxey Gill was born May 
 14, 17S6. As soon as he could speak, 
 which was at fifteen months, he manifested 
 a great degree of reverence for God. When 
 he was three years of age, he made it a 
 rule every Saturday night to put away all 
 his play-things. In this instance his exam- 
 ple ought to be imitated by all children 
 who desire to love and serve Goch He 
 
£07 
 
 spent much of the Lord's day in reading Dr, 
 Watts' Divine Songs, and other good books. 
 As he knew all his letters before he was 
 twenty months old, he soon learnt to read, 
 and was particularly attached to the books 
 of the Revelations. With the first money 
 he. saved, he purchased a Bible ; and ma- 
 king it his daily companion, he soon ob- 
 tained a general knowledge of the Scrip- 
 tures. When he was about five years of 
 age, he was run over by a horse, but was 
 not hurt ; upon this he remarked, God has 
 protected me, by saying to the horse, il So 
 far shalt thou go, but no further." 
 
 Soon after this event he was taken very 
 ill, and desired his mother to pray for him, 
 that it would please God to spare him till 
 he was eight years of age. From this visitation 
 he recovered ; but the next year was afflicted 
 with the scarlet fever and the measles, 
 He was much affected to see his brothers 
 and sister, and servants, very ill ; and said, 
 " Mamma, we have a very sick house, and I 
 do not know what you will do now the 
 maid is ill; I believe in my book there 
 is a prayer for a sick servant, I will read it, 
 may be God will hear me and heal her." 
 Instead of discovering pride and superiority 
 over servants, all good children will endea- 
 vour to behave with propriety towards 
 
208 
 
 them. About this time he went to play 
 with a neighbour's children ; the servant 
 said, {t God bless you, my dear." He di- 
 rectly reproved her, by replying, " I fear 
 you have broken the third commandment, 
 for you did not mean what you said." Af- 
 ter his recovery from the measles he was 
 very weak, and was obliged to go to High- 
 gate for his health. At the house where he 
 boarded there was a clergyman and his 
 lady resided as lodgers. They often divert- 
 ed themselves by talking to little George. 
 One day at dinner, the lady was speaking 
 of the goodness of her heart. George di- 
 rectly said, " But 1 am sure you have not 
 a good heart." She insisted however that she 
 had ; and said, " If you think that I have 
 not, I will make it better." " That you 
 cannot do," said he. The lady then inqui- 
 red, " What must I do ?" To which he 
 replied, " Go to Christ, and ask him to 
 give you a new one." The clergyman im- 
 mediately remarked, " you would make a 
 good Presbyterian Parson, if you had a new 
 pair of lungs." When he returned from 
 Highgate, he was very much affected with 
 
 the preaching of the Rev. Mr. M ; 
 
 and as that minister was going through his 
 favourite book, the Revelations, his attention 
 was such, that with the aid of a retentive 
 
209 
 
 memory, he would repeat great part of the 
 sermon when he came home. If he could 
 not atend the means of grace, he made it 
 a rule to instruct his younger brother and 
 sister in their catechism and hymns. He 
 knew much of the depravity of the heart, 
 and was well acquainted with the doctrine 
 of the fall of man. He could repeat all 
 the Mother's Catechism; Dr. Watts' first 
 and second, and a great portion of the As- 
 sembly's. He was particularly fond 
 of the 18th book of Dr. Watts. "A little 
 before his death, he came into the room 
 where he had a sick brother, and said, 
 " Mamma, I am much puzzled at this pas- 
 sage of Scripture, which I have been read- 
 ing, Except a man be born of water, and 
 of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the king- 
 dom of God." John hi. 5. His brother 
 directly replied, " Do not puzzle yourself 
 about that, the new birth moves no more 
 than a new heart.'' While a neighbour was 
 talking to his brother about prayer, George 
 said, > Ah, brother, you may say your pray- 
 .ers, and yet not pray." He was always 
 hurt if he saw his brother or sister en^aa;e 
 in prayer in an irreverent manner ; and con- 
 stantly reproved them, for it. About a 
 month before his death, while he was at 
 play with a bov, who formerly went to 
 S3 
 
210 
 
 school with him, the boy swore an oath ; 
 after this George would never play with him. 
 In his last illness, which his parents did not 
 expect would terminate in his death, they 
 asked him if he was afraid to die, he said, 
 " No." They further asked him where he 
 thought he should go, should it please God 
 to take him. He replied, " He hoped to 
 heaven." When he was taken up to have 
 his bed made, he would kneel down to pray- 
 er ; prayer was the last act he performed 
 before he lost his reason. Afterwards he 
 would say, he saw God and angels, but that 
 was doubtless the effect of his dilirium. 
 Several ministers who talked with him dur- 
 ing his life, were much delighted with his 
 conversation. As he grew up and made 
 progress in learning, he was more reserved 
 than formerly, and said less about reli- 
 gion ; but never lost his tenderness of con- 
 science. Like other school-boys he some- 
 times made excuses to avoid his tasks, and 
 enjoy play ; but he feared a wilful lie. 
 In his last year he was very fond of Dr. 
 Watts' Scripture History, and was always 
 looking into the Holy of Holies. Little 
 did his parents think that he would so soon 
 see it without a veil. Much did they lament 
 that bis last illness was of so stupifying a 
 nature, that they could not enjoy much of 
 
his conversation before he died. But God 
 is sovereign and wise in all his ways. No 
 doubt could, however, exist that his dissolu- 
 tion was his everlasting gain. May all chil- 
 dren imitate his example, and finally par- 
 take of his felicity. — He died May 2 i, 1790, 
 aged ten years and one week. 
 
 Though George did not talk so much 
 about religion when he grew up, as he had 
 done in his earlier years, yet he did not let 
 awful providences escape his notice unim- 
 proved. About half a year before his death, 
 a middle aged neighbour dropped down, 
 dead in perfect health. George was much 
 affected by the event, and read so many 
 lectures on the uncertainty of life, in the 
 ears of the deceased's daughter, (a thought- 
 less young woman,) that evident signs of con- 
 viction followed the labours of the little 
 preacher ; which have not yet lost their 
 effect ; but promise to end in real conver- 
 sion, through the blessing of God. 
 
 EXAMPLE XXVL 
 
 An Account of the Death of Charles Gill. 
 
 Charges Gill was born Feb. 24, 1788. 
 
219 
 
 Me, as well as his brother George, had been 
 
 trained up in the fear of God. There was 
 
 however, a great difference between them. 
 
 George appears to have been sanctified from 
 
 the womb ; but as he has been already 
 
 mentioned, as he grew up, his religion was 
 
 more a secret matter between God and him-; 
 
 self; and he consequently talked less about 
 
 it than he had dane. On the contrary, 
 
 Charles discovered no evidences of regene^ 
 
 ration till he had entered upon his last year, 
 
 though his conduct had been strictly moral,* 
 
 as might be expected from the nature of 
 
 his education. He died of a decline, which 
 
 made its appearance soon after Christmas, 
 
 179-5. For some time before this period, he 
 
 was much affected with a sermon of Mr. 
 
 Samuel Davies, on the General Judgment, 
 
 and desired the minister, on whom he aU 
 
 & When he was nbout five years old, as he was going to 
 meeting, lie passed by the stall of an old -woman, (who 
 soon after died as miserably as she had lived wickedly,) 
 
 and sa d to her, " Mother J~ if you continue to 
 
 sell apples on the Lord's-day you'll certainly go to hell." 
 This threatening seemed to fasten itself on the poor old 
 soman's conscience, and «he often spake of it as Charles 
 passed by her stall on Sabbath-days. But convictions do 
 not always end in conversion ; for she pursued this mode 
 of profaning the Sabbath till she was laid on her death- 
 bed. Shaine Be to the magistrates who neglect lo, 
 en'orce our \s;;ulcsome laws against such practices. 
 
$13 
 
 tended, to preach on that subject. With 
 this request he complied, and the discourse 
 was Charles' theme for several weeks after- 
 wards. As his debility advanced, it great- 
 ly affected his nerves, and he became pee- 
 vish towards his sister, for which he expres- 
 sed great concern, as soon as he recovered 
 his spirits. After penitence for sin, and 
 the sinful infirmities of nature, it pleased 
 God to give him the victory over it, some 
 time before his death. When his brother 
 George died, he bore it with great fortitude, 
 being persuaded he was not lost, but gone 
 before. He would sometimes say, I am 
 sorry George and I used to quarrel now and 
 then, but God has forgiven us both. 
 
 As his end approached he became dead 
 to every vanity which fluctuates in the mind 
 of youth, was perfectly resigned ; and, 
 when in great pain, never uttered a murmur- 
 ing word, but said, " It is God's will to af- 
 flict me." When the doctor said he was in the 
 last stage of a consumption, and he could be 
 of no further use to him, without the least 
 emotion he answered " Mamma, I always 
 told you nothing could do me good.'' He 
 often said, " It is a great comfort I can 
 pray, and have not forgot my hymns." 
 He was particularly fond of repeating, " Of- 
 ten I seek my Lord by night, " and, " Jesu, 
 
214 
 
 Lover of my soul." He frequently said, 
 " I am not afraid to die ; I long to begone; 
 1 know I have an interest in Christ." About 
 a fortnight before his death, a school-fell oW 
 came to see him, to whom he said,"- John, 
 J fear you are unacquainted with a saving 
 change ;" and began to teach him the na- 
 ture and necessity of it in a very serious 
 manner. After he became so ill as to be 
 confined to his bed, he always requested 
 his father to perform family prayer by his 
 bedside, to the last day of his life, which he 
 quitted ripe for heaven, after being worn 
 almost to a skeleton. He died Oct. 28, 
 1796, aged about eight years and a half. 
 The lives and deaths of these brothers na- 
 turally remind us of a passage of Scripture 
 which may with propriety be applied to 
 them. "They were lovely, and pleasant 
 in their lives, and in their death they were 
 not divided." 2 Sam. i. 23. 
 
 EXAMPLE XXVII. 
 
 IN A COPY OF 
 
 A Letter to Mr. Mathews. 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 As you mentioned, when I was with 
 you at the day of the gathering of the BrU 
 
t-isb Tribes in our British Jerusalem, at the 
 meeting of the Missionary Society, that you 
 had some thoughts of publishing a new edi- 
 tion of Janeway, with additions, that if [ 
 sent you the dying observations of my dear 
 boy, you would insert it, as an additional 
 testimony of' the truths of our Divine Mas- 
 ter's doctrine, that, " Out of the mouths of 
 babes and sucklings God ordaineth strength, 
 and perfecteth praise." My dear Benja- 
 min was seven years all but two months old, 
 often used to inquire about the soul, as dis- 
 tinct from the body in death, and where 
 it went ; and to his little sisters making those 
 observations in my hearing, that delighted 
 my heart, as seeing, I fondly hoped, the 
 dawning of a useful life, as 1 have devoted 
 him to God, many times for his cause and 
 service ; but I trust Wisdom has done all 
 things well. I wished to devote him to God, 
 but he has taken him to be with him, 
 which is far better. But his dying expres- 
 sions will preach to me living and dying j 
 which were these : — When asked by the 
 nurse, " Ben. would you rather die and go 
 to heaven, to be with Christ, or live with 
 your mamma?" he answered, " which God 
 pleases." In a few moments after by him- 
 self, he said, " The Lord knoweth best.' 
 He said to me when I asked him if he was 
 
216 
 
 willing to go to heaven, " Yes." When 1 
 said, pray to Christ, raj dear, in your heart, 
 though you cannot speak with words, 
 Christ knows you ; he said, " Yes." He 
 would often, in the night, take his hand 
 from the nurse, and fold his hands and 
 pray. The words of the nurse were these, 
 " The little dear fellow, i verily believe, 
 saw the joys of heaven on the Sabbath night, 
 as in praying he seemed so happy." The 
 nurse, is a witness I credit, as she is a spi- 
 ritual woman. 1 have lost another child 
 since, in three days, of a fever, four years 
 and six months old ; but nothing particular 
 to engage attention was said by her ; though, 
 1 trust, she finds what she often repeated in 
 health alter her brother's death, 
 
 M There is beyond the sky, 
 
 A heaven of joy and love 
 And holy children when they die, 
 
 Go lo that world above." 
 
 1 am, your's 
 
 in the gospel, 
 
 Gi.o. Townsend. 
 
 It was but a short time before his death, 
 his mamma was reading, upon a Sabbath 
 evening, Jane way's Token, that he burst 
 into tears, because he was afraid he should 
 not be like those good children. Upon 
 
217 
 
 which his mamma said, iC Pray the Lord to 
 make you like them." He said, " He did; 
 but he was afraid he should not be like 
 them." But, I trust, grace has made him 
 of the number happy in glory, 
 Ramsgate, 
 May 27, 1797. 
 
 TRIUMPH AMIDST SORROW ; 
 
 OR, 
 
 VICTORY IJY DEATH. 
 In a Second Letter to Mr> Mathews. 
 
 EXAMPLE XXVIII. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 My dear boy Benjamin, when dying, 
 as I mentioned in a former letter, when 
 asked whether he would rather stay with 
 his mamma, on earth, or go to heaven, and 
 be with Jesus Christ, answered, " which 
 God pleaseth ;" then said of himself, f f the 
 Lord knoweth best." 
 
 As I hinted , to you, he then turned 
 preacher to me ; but I little thought it was 
 to lead mc so soon to adopt his words, in 
 T 
 
81.6 
 
 the death of his three dear sisters, who fol- 
 lowed him to heaven in six weeks after. His 
 Kister Ann was four years and a half old — 
 she often after his death said that hymn, in 
 which are these words, " And holy chil- 
 dren, when they die, go to that world above.'* 
 And those words she admired, and said to 
 her grand-mamma, how pretty, mamma, 
 
 " Hide me, Oil my Saviour hide, 
 
 Till the storm of life is past ; 
 Safe into the haven guide, 
 
 O receive my soul at last-." 
 
 But there seemed in her death something 
 of reluctance to what her brother had ; she 
 wished to stay till her mamma went with 
 her. Benjamin but a little before his ill- 
 ness, hearing his mamma read one of the 
 children's death, in the Token for Chil- 
 dren, burst into a flood of tears ; and, when 
 asked for what, said, " Because he feared 
 he should not be like that good child." He 
 had more of the savour of divine things than 
 other children, as might be instanced in 
 many particulars too long for this brief nar- 
 rative. 
 
 Se!ina, the third, who died by the fever, 
 was five years and ten rnqnths old. From 
 the time of Benjamin's death to her own, 
 that is, from May the first, to June the fif- 
 
219 
 
 teenth, her desire was to be with Ben. to 
 sing Hallelujah. The first notice I took of 
 it was a few days after his death ; she stood 
 by the table in my study with her sister Ann ; 
 and,, after I had been telling them Ben. was 
 now singing with holy saints, and good chil- 
 dren in glory, Hallelujah, better than we 
 did in the winter ; after my study, we walk- 
 ed up and down, singing Salvation, O the 
 joyful sound, with the chorus, Glory, hon- 
 our, &c. she seemed dull ; I asked her 
 what made her look so ! " I want to go to 
 heaven too, and sing with Ben. Hallelujah, 
 and see Jesus, &c." I told her she should 
 go bye-and-bye ; she answered in a mourri^ 
 ful tone, Ci I want to go now." I then told 
 Selina, and Ann, to seek the Lord that he 
 might make them ready to die. The con- 
 versation then turned upon Ann's saying, 
 those wicked children that said to the good 
 preacher, (her own words, meaning the 
 prophet,) " Go up thou bald head, go up 
 thou bald head," that such could or would 
 not go to heaven. Upon which, I asked 
 where was the picture of that Prophet which 
 she had often seen ? I asked her if it was in 
 the large book, meaning Stack-house's His- 
 tory, in folio; she said, No, it was in the 
 other ; running to, and pointing out Scott's 
 Bible, on which I reached it down ; she 
 
080 
 
 found the picture of the Prophet, Q, Kings 
 ii. 23, and the children : and said they were 
 naughty children. Upon which I dropt 
 some words, as I thought suited to their ca- 
 pacity. 
 
 Somehow, whether in conversation, or 
 how, I do not recollect ; but either they 
 turned to the picture of Jacob's blessing Jo- 
 seph's two sons, or I mentioned it first, or 
 they ; as I think, it was Selina said, " Papa, 
 how did he bless them ?" Upon which I said, 
 my dear I will bless vou, and show you, that 
 you may never be like the bad children 
 who called after the prophet ; but, as the 
 good children, be blessed of the Lord. 
 Upon which I put my hands upon them, one 
 on each head, and prayed the Lord to bless 
 them living and dying, that God might 
 give them to see the way of salvation, show 
 them the need of grace, and keep them 
 from all evil, and make them happy in life 
 and death, and more to that effect ; that 
 they might pray the Lord to give them his 
 blessing ; then advised them never to call, 
 like those wicked children, after good peo- 
 ple, as those after the Prophet. Ann af- 
 terwards said a great deal about the Pro- 
 phet, and the naughty children, (her own 
 phrase,) calling names ; as Go up thou bald 
 head, Sec. Often, after Ann's death, Sell- 
 
221 
 
 na would come up to me in my- study, and 
 talk about heaven, and good people, and 
 what persons they were who put the good 
 men, meaning the martyrs, to death, point- 
 ing to the picture of their mode of sufferings, 
 and then close with saying, " Papa, when 
 I die you will teach me to say Hallelujah, 
 praise the Lord." Often would she request 
 this of me in so solemn and serious a way 
 and manner, as to surprise me, and make 
 me think something was at hand with her. 
 I must here remark, during last winter, Ben- 
 jamin, Selina, and Ann, used to be with me 
 in my study, after they came from school, 
 and before candles were lighted ; we sat by 
 the fire, or walked up and down in the study 
 or library, singing that hymn : 
 
 " Salvation, O the joyful sound, 
 
 What pleasure to our ears, 
 A sovereign balm for every wouad s 
 
 A cordial for our fears." 
 
 with the chorus, " Glory, honour, praise 
 and power, be unto the Lamb for ever, Je- 
 sus Christ is our Redeemer, Hallelujah, 
 praise the Lord." And after Benjamin's 
 death, when I told her he was gone to hea- 
 ven, to sing Hallelujah perfectly ; she, 
 from that time, wanted to be with him, to 
 praise Jesus Christ ; and almost every day a 
 
<2<22 
 
 or very often, would seriously say, " Papa, 
 but when I die, you will teach me to say 
 Hallelujah, praise the Lord;'* these were 
 her own words. To a friend, who had her 
 one afternoon to tea, about three weeks be- 
 fore her death, she said, " My brother Ben- 
 jamin is gone to heaven, and Ann is gone ;" 
 and, with a degree of joy, said, " and I am 
 going too." One day, when she heard her 
 mamma say a member of our church was 
 dead, Mrs. El very, who was well and dead 
 in a few days, she said, (< Mamma, there are 
 so many good people going to heaven, I fear 
 there will not be room for me, but you 
 know I can stand in a corner,and sing Hal- 
 lelujah. " The morning of the day that 
 she was taken ill at night, and she was bu- 
 ried that day week, she had been looking at 
 some of the pictures of the martyrs, in my 
 study, and at a picture of the skeleton of a 
 body, at the bottom of which are seven 
 skulls, and different crowns of Europe upon 
 them; while J was writing she came up 
 to me of a sudden, and said, " Papa, I will 
 go to heaven and sing Hallelujah f I turn- 
 ed round with surprise, as if an angel spoke,, 
 for the thought struck me, though she was 
 in perfect health, the Lord is about removing 
 this dear little girl, and has been preparing 
 my mind for the event ; for five weeks hath 
 
223 
 
 she been wishing for heaven, to sing, with 
 Ben. Hallelujah to the Lord ; but to her I 
 said, my dear, you must not say I will go 
 to heaven, but leave it to the Lord. She 
 answered, and said, " When God pleases i 
 but, papa, when I die, you will teach rae 
 Hallelujah, praise the Lord." On which I 
 said, why my dear you know it ; she re- 
 plied, " No, papa, i cannot say it all f 
 meaning the whole hymn and chorus, that 
 hymn which begins, Salvation, Othejoyful 
 sound. Being deeply impressed with the so- 
 lemn declaration, I will die and go to hea- 
 ven, I said, my dear, do you remember af- 
 ter Ben. died, how I blessed you and Ann, 
 when you wanted to know how Jacob 
 blessed the two sons of Joseph ? Yes, papa, 
 was her answer ; well then, now I will bless 
 you again ; I then kneeled, with one knee 
 on a chair by my desk, and put my hand 
 upon her head, and prayed the Lord to 
 bless her living and dying, that she might 
 be blessed of God, with ail spiritual blessings^ 
 with needful and essential good ; that God, 
 who had led and fed me all my days, would 
 bless her, and all her relatives ; her brother 
 George, and sisters, with grace, mercy, and 
 peace ; fit for time, death, and eternity, 
 each, and all belonging to us. Afterwards., 
 with a sweet smile, which I shall never for 
 
224 
 
 get, site looked up so innocently, and said, 
 " But, papa, when I die, you will teach me 
 to sing Hallelujah." On tlie same day in 
 the afternoon, she went to a friend's to see a 
 little girl, and to drink tea ; she was very 
 cheerful till the evening ; then complained 
 that she was afraid she should be sick, and 
 desired to go home; when her mamma 
 said, you will lay still, as she put her into 
 bed, and be better soon ; she answered, 
 u No, mamma, I will lay here and go to 
 heaven.'' She became very ill, and the fe- 
 ver increased ; during which she often sent 
 for me, when I had been absent but a little 
 while ; and, when I came, she said with a 
 sweet smile, " Papa, I want you to say Hal- 
 lelujah ;" and put her hands together, and, 
 after me, repeated the verse, Salvation, O 
 the joyful sound, &c. Thus several times we 
 said it ; and at other times at her desire, 
 when she could not say it, at her request I 
 sung it. Sometimes, as she would often 
 have it, I repeated the words. One time 
 she said, u Papa, I want you to go to hea- 
 ven with me ;" my dear, I am coming after 
 you, 1 shall not be long. She raised her- 
 self up, seized my hand, and pulled me to 
 her with a force that surprised me; " Papa, 
 I want you to go with me now." On which 
 her mother said, tell her yon are going ; oa 
 
225 
 
 which I said, my dear, I am going too-— in 
 the Lord's time. She lay in convulsions 
 some time, during the last night of her mor- 
 tal existence; in one interval she was telling 
 me, thinking I was in the room, (as the 
 nurse told me afterwards,) a great deal 
 about something which she could not arti- 
 culate clearly, as the phlegm almost choak- 
 ed her, of what she saw : All the person 
 could understand, were these words, " Papa, 
 papa, what a number !" She was again con- 
 vulsed : and, after a dreadful struggle, lay 
 quiet — gave a delightful smile, and closed 
 her eyes for ever on frail time ; and now, I 
 doubt not, is singing, as her heavenly de- 
 sire was, Salvation, glory, and honour, to 
 the Lamb for ever ; now she knows Jesus, 
 Christ to be her Redeemer. She often 
 asked her mother, after she had seen the 
 flowers in Ann's coffin, that when she died 
 she might have some in hers ; we little 
 thought it would be so soon ; but her im- 
 mortal spirit, which had scarce been an in- 
 habitant of this world six years, now be- 
 holds the flowery fields of an eternal para- 
 dise : she asked for, and had flowers when 
 dying ; but what an extensive scene of de- 
 light, hath opened to her view in eternity. 
 This life to her was a vapour, dream, shad- 
 ow 7 , span, an handbreadth, a fading flower, 
 
226 
 
 a little storm ; but an eternal calm has suc- 
 ceeded to her happy spirit. Believers and 
 infants, who die in the Lord, find their sun 
 set in this, to rise in a better clime ; death, 
 to them, is a departure from the shores of 
 mortality to the port of glory ; from conflict 
 to songs of victory ; from darkness to light ; 
 sin to holiness ; sorrow to joy ; death to life ; 
 prayer to praise ; from a temporary to an 
 eternal habitation ; 2 Cor. v. 1.7. To the 
 kingdom of God, an inheritance unfading, 
 where there is a total exclusion of sin and 
 sorrow ; and the full and unbounded pos- 
 session of joy and gladness, in a perfection 
 of knowledge, purity and happiness; with 
 myriads of angels and spirits, the spirits of 
 just men made perfect, in the presence of 
 the divine mediator, and God the Judge of 
 all. In this city of the living God, with 
 all the patriarchal, prophetic, and apostol- 
 ic tribes; with your eleven children depart- 
 ed, and my six dear and happy little ones, 
 with all our former, present, and succeeding 
 relatives, may we, Sir, spend an happy eter- 
 nity, in sacred pleasure, and triumphant 
 praise ; there shall we know, even as we 
 are known ; and, as the Apostle saith, be 
 for ever with the Lord, to enjoy the unfold- 
 ings of eternal wisdom, in the great histo- 
 ry of his providence and grace ; and know, 
 
227 
 
 in that state, what was mystery in this * 
 for our Lord hath said, " What I do 
 now, thou knowest not, but shall know 
 hereafter." Now may our intellect, talent, 
 time, and all we have, be sacred to God ; 
 may he give us the needful and essential 
 grace, for time, death, and eternity; then, 
 if we live, it is to the Lord ; or, if we die, it 
 is to be with him, which is far better ; for 
 the day of death, to believers, is far superi- 
 or to that of their birth ; the one was to 
 sorrow, the other to endless joy and glory. 
 Requesting the God of heaven to make this 
 brief statement useful to young minds, for 
 godly pleasure on earth, comfort in death, 
 and happiness in eternity ; I remain 
 your friend in the gospel of Christ, 
 
 Geo. Townsend, 
 Ramsgate, Oct. 30, 1797'. 
 
 P. S. Benjamin died May 1, aged six 
 years and eleven months. Ann, May 20, 
 four years and a half. Selina, June 15, five 
 years and ten months. Mary, June £3, 
 twenty-two months ; all of a fever. 
 
 As Job said, so do I, by Divine Grace, 
 " The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken 
 away, blessed be the name of the Lord," 
 
223 
 
 EXAMPLE XXIX. 
 
 It cannot but afford infinite pleasure to 
 the serious mind to reflect, that God is car- 
 rying on his work of grace in a secret, but 
 yet efficacious way, upon subjects so young, 
 that at once evidences the truth and the 
 power of the Gospel ; as no sinister views 
 could incite children to express their love 
 to God, and a regard for their soul's ever- 
 lasting welfare. 
 
 It must be acknowledged a source of 
 consolation to the afflicted Christian, that 
 there is a religion whose influence is sensi- 
 bly felt under the trials of life, and which 
 affords living comforts in dying moments. 
 Nor is this religion peculiar only to believ- 
 ers of mature years, or cultivated minds; 
 God has often, by the power of his grace 
 in the heart, exalted men of low degree ; 
 and sometimes, as in the following instance, 
 he fulfils his purpose in exhibiting the 
 truth of that important passage of scripture, 
 c< Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings 
 hast thou ordained strength." In the con- 
 version of young children to himself, Jeho- 
 vah indeed perfects his own praise. 
 
 The dear little subject of these hint?, 
 
229 
 
 Eliza Thurnam, of Warwick, was attacked 
 with a violent fever, which she patiently en- 
 dured about ten days, and then fell asleep. 
 Her first impressions were noticed by those 
 attending upon her soon after she was ta- 
 ken ill, whilst she uttered the following lines 
 of a hymn, " Afflictions pain me, lo I bend !" 
 Her mother immediately repeating the next 
 line of the couplet, (( Though he chastise 
 me, he's my friend," asked her whether 
 she could say so ? " God only knows," re- 
 plied the child, shaking her little head, ex- 
 pressive of great inward concern. 
 
 She constantly coveted her mother's com- 
 pany which could not be complied with, on 
 account of the sickness of several whom the 
 Lord had visited in the same family at that 
 time. As often as her mother could be with 
 her she would improve the time — sometimes 
 wishing her parent to sing hymns. Once 
 particularly when her pains were extreme, 
 instead of repining, she sung herself an hour 
 together/* Hallelujah, praise the Lord," then 
 cried out with great warmth of expression, 
 " I want — I want;" upon being asked what 
 she wanted ? replied, " I want the Lord and 
 Mrs. F." (a godly friend of the family.) 
 Upon being called to the child, in company 
 with some other friends, the little one said, 
 <( some of you pray ;" when inquired of, 
 
230 
 
 what they should pray for, said she, " That 
 1 may die, and go to heaven to Jesus Christ." 
 Her mother then said, " Would you not 
 rather live, and stay with your father ! (for 
 whom she always showed partiality,) " No, 
 said she, I had rather die." 
 
 At another time Mrs. M. putting some 
 questions to her about heaven, and Jesus 
 there; the child broke out with eagerness, 
 and said, " I love the Lord with all my 
 heart — and with all my mind — and with all 
 my soul — and with all my strength, (ar- 
 ticulating the words,) for Jesus Christ is my 
 Redeemer, Hallelujah, praise the Lord," and 
 added, " sing it, some of you." She passed 
 the remainder oi that day singing of hymns. 
 
 A little while after, the mother having, 
 according to the child's request, obtained 
 two or three godly young women to sing 
 to her, it was wished she would name a 
 hymn, when she fixed upon the following, 
 in the Coventry supplement : 
 
 '* Lord, and am I yet alive, 
 
 " Not in torment, not in hell, &c." 
 
 After which she begged them to sing, 
 
 u Rock of ages cleft for me, 
 
 " Let me hide myself lathee, &c." 
 
231 
 
 Wlien she bad repeated the last lines, lifting 
 up her little dying hands and eyes to hea- 
 ven, she said, " Oh, what a sweet hymn 
 this is !" Upon which her mother desired 
 her to say, if she knew, what the rock of 
 ages meant. " Yes, (said the child,) it is 
 the Lord Jesus Christ." 
 
 Next day, seeing her mother with the Bi- 
 ble in her hand, she said, '* Mother, find 
 that chapter that says, they that believe 
 shall be saved, and they that believe not 
 shall be damned." After reading it, it was 
 put to her, whether she thought she was 
 among the happy number who believed 
 ■ — -when she hastily replied, " Yes." 
 
 About this time, a little female play-fel- 
 low being with her, was speaking of her 
 deceased little brother, and was saying, that 
 her brother's bodv was devoured by worms 
 — " Ah ! (said Eliza,) it does not signify 
 what becomes of the body, if the soul is 
 happy in heaven." 
 
 The child appeared sensible of her ap- 
 proaching dissolution, and atone time, when 
 she thought no one was in the room, she 
 was heard several times to cry out, " O 
 Lord, come — come to me." Upon being 
 asked whether she expected to see Mrs. 
 &nd Miss M. (who were then on a journey,) 
 
232 
 
 any more, she answered — " No, lor 1 shail 
 die." 
 
 The morning of the day before her de- 
 parture, she appeared greatly exercised in 
 her soul ; and as if under the power of 
 strong temptation, started up, and cried out, 
 ** What shall I do r" Upon this her parent 
 said, " My dear, the Lord will have mercy ." 
 " He won't, he won't," replied the child. 
 A few words of prayer were then put up by 
 one present, in which she joined; and when 
 it was concluded, she continued, " Pray 
 Lord, pray God/' with her dying hands lifted 
 upwards. After this, she said, u Kiss me, 
 my dear precious mother, for I love you," 
 and appeared to take an affectionate fare- 
 well, She then inquired for her father, 
 wishing to see him — but he was too ill to 
 attempt to go to her, of which they inform- 
 ed the child. After this she lay more com- 
 posed — then called upon the house to help 
 her to praise God, and concluded the day 
 with singing, " Jesus Christ is my Re- 
 deemer." The following night she grew 
 worse, gradually declining till about seven 
 the next morning j when, without sigh or 
 groan, she closed her eyes in Jesus, and en- 
 tered into the joy of her Lord, on the 2d of 
 January, 1798, aged six years. 
 
233 
 
 EXAMPLE XXX. 
 
 Another instance of the grace of God 
 we are favoured with is, in the experience, 
 and happy death of Hester Rogers, 
 who was brought up at Whitfield, in Kent, 
 under the care of her own mother, who, 
 we have reason to believe, is a faithful fol- 
 lower of the Lord Jesus. 
 
 The happy subject of this memoir, was 
 remarkable for her tractability and obedi- 
 ence to her parents ; she was at all oppor^ 
 tunities accompanied with her sister, or 
 mother, to a place of worship, and was no- 
 ticed for her mode of entrance into the cha- 
 pel ; which was, as it were, on tip-toe, lest 
 she should run without thought into the 
 presence of God her Saviour. She would 
 often sit on the end of a dresser, near the 
 cottage door, and, while busily emplo)^ed at 
 her needle, or otherwise, would, with seem- 
 ing pleasure and delight, sing ; 
 
 " Nothing but vanity I see, 
 
 •' Lord, I long to be with thee." 
 
 Being at her brother's, at Dover, during the 
 greatest part of the time of a fair in that 
 u 2 
 
£34 
 
 place, she went with him to chapel, to hear 
 Mr. McDonald. His discourse was ground- 
 ed on these words, (if we remember rightly,) 
 " Who shall lay any thing to the charge or" 
 God's elect r" From that time she became 
 sickly, which growing to illness, she went 
 home with her mother, to the country, on 
 Saturday, Dec. 2, 1797- She had been 
 home but a few minutes, when she said, " I 
 am going to die ; I shall soon leave this 
 vain world," and then called her sister, and 
 asked her to read an hymn. 
 
 She continued to grow worse, and com- 
 plained of a pain in her back ; she told her 
 friends that she was sure she was going to 
 die, for she saw nothing but death before 
 her eyes ; and with a sweet complacency, 
 subjoined, " What can I see better r" She 
 had a complete view of her state as a sin- 
 ner ; which she much lamented, and groan- 
 ed under, for sometime; and being told by 
 her friends, that they thought she could not 
 be so great a sinner, she somewhat sharply 
 replied, u Wlio, not I ! who, not I !'' She 
 said that she saw her sins as a mountain 
 ready to fall and crush her, and that God 
 was then chastising her for her wickedness. 
 
 She prayed to God fervently for pardon 
 and acceptance, soliciting the blessed Sa- 
 viour to open unto her the gates of heaven. 
 
u O thou God of Abraham, of Isaac, and 
 of Jacob, thou art not the God of the dead, 
 but of the living," said she, in a spirit of hu- 
 mility and devotion. God soon granted 
 her request, and manifested himself to her 
 young soul ; she expressed herself very 
 comfortable, and would lay and sing, with 
 seeming delight, 
 
 " But this I can tell — he hath lov*d me so well. 
 To lay down his life, to redeem me from hell." 
 
 Her mother asked her whether she would 
 not like to get well, have new hymn-books, 
 and go with her constantly to chapel ; she 
 answered, " No, there is nothing in this 
 world I wish to stay for; I have a desire to 
 depart, and to be with Christ, which is far 
 better." 
 
 She called for her father, and said unto 
 him, " Father, you must be born again." 
 To her sister she said, u I have got a God> 
 have you ?" Being asked by her friends, 
 whether she loved God better than her fa- 
 ther and mother, and whether she had rather 
 die and leave them, than to live longer in 
 health with them \ she answered with affec- 
 tionate tears in her eyes, "That she loved 
 them, and always loved them, but that she 
 loved God better, and she would rather leave 
 them and go to God." Seeing her friends 
 weeping by her, she said, " Do not weep for 
 
236 
 
 aie, weep for yourselves ; I can weep iur 
 in) self." She declined very last, and all 
 hopes were now laid aside, but her's of hea- 
 ven, which were too sure to fail ; she was 
 heard to repeat the following words : 
 
 " Thei-e sits my Saviour dress'd in love, 
 " And there ray smiling God." 
 
 A few days before her death, her mother 
 asked her whether she had heard any body 
 talk about Jesus Christ that ever affected 
 her ; she said she did, at the great chapel, 
 when she went with her brother ; (and we 
 then recollected the aforementioned ser- 
 mon,) she said, that she was then much 
 distressed in mind, and thought that the eyes 
 of every body were upon her in particular, 
 and that something was said about her that 
 every body knew of. 
 
 Great patience was here evinced, but her 
 utterance failed her a few hours before her 
 death. On Jan. 25th, 1798, the Great 
 Redeemer, in whom she rejoiced, received 
 her, we trust, into those mansions of bliss, 
 where pain and sorrow are for ever inadmis- 
 sible ; aged eleven years. 
 
 END OF THE TOKEN FOR CHILDREN. 
 
THE 
 
 CHILD S MONITOR ; 
 
 THE DYING EXPERIENCE 
 
 MARY JONES, 
 
 NORTH-TOWN, near maidenhead 
 
 WITH REMARKS BY 
 
 THE REV. JOHN COOKE. 
 
 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. 
 
 NEW-YORK: 
 PUBLISHED BY WHITING AND WATSON 
 
TH£ 
 
 CHILD'S MONITOR 
 
 Mary Jones was the daughter of pi- 
 ous parents, living in a village, called North- 
 Town, near Maidenhead, in Berkshire. Her 
 father, a labouring man, died when she was 
 very young. Being taught to read by her 
 mother, she became very fond of Dr. Watts' 
 Psalms and Hymns. One day she was 
 reading the ninety-second Psalm, first Part, 
 which describes a good man, in his best 
 frame of mind, on a sabbath-day ; she was 
 greatly struck with the following lines : 
 
 " Fools never raise their thoughts so high : 
 Like brutes they Jive, iik«- brutes they die ; 
 Like grass they flourish, ~Jl thy breath 
 Blasts them in everlasiiflg death." 
 
 The impression which these words made 
 on her mind, did not last long : but after 
 going some time to a Sunday school, in the 
 
240 
 
 vestry of our meeting-bouse, she one day 
 read in a little book, which had been given 
 her, the following words, "■ Behold the 
 Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins 
 of the world !" On her returning home she 
 was very thoughtful, and inquired into the 
 meaning of these words ; and when she be- 
 gan to understand that the words meant 
 that Jesus Christ suffered and died for sin- 
 ners, she cried out with much feeling, " Mo- 
 ther, what a good thing it was for me, that 
 ever I went to a Sunday school !" 
 
 After this she suffered a long affliction, 
 by a disease which brought on a consump- 
 tion, and ended her life. 
 
 During the time of her long confinement, 
 she found much pleasure in reading the Bi- 
 ble, which she did with great attention ; of- 
 ten asking her mother the meaning of dif- 
 ferent parts of what she read. 
 
 The blessing of God attended the reading 
 of his own word. This was very evident ; 
 for she soon began to learn and complain 
 of the wickedness of her heart. She saw 
 the evil nature of sin. She was much con- 
 cerned to put her trust in Jesus Christ, to 
 save her soul : and she very frequently and 
 very earnestly prayed to God for mercy. 
 Mary did not only pray herself, but re- 
 quested other persons, who came to see her, 
 
241 
 
 to pray with her and for her. She also 
 desired, that the minister and the people of 
 God would pray for her in public ; not that 
 she might be restored to health; but that 
 the Lord would make the sufferings of her 
 body useful to her soul. 
 
 Once, she blessed God for the pains and 
 weaknesses which she suffered ; for, said she, 
 if the Lord had not sent this trial, I might 
 have gone to hell. 
 
 Another time she said, e< I am such a 
 vile sinner, my heart is so hard, that I can- 
 not pray. Will Jesus Christ ever receive 
 me ? I am afraid he will not accept so great 
 a sinner.'' 
 
 Often did this young sufferer lament that 
 she was not able to go and hear the word of 
 God preached, saying, " I should be glad 
 ta be carried, or drawn in a chair, if I could 
 sit and hear God's word." 
 
 On a sabbath day, Mary would repeat 
 some verses of hymns with much delight; 
 particularly the following verses of the 348th 
 of Mr. Rippon's selection : 
 
 " Another six day's work is done, 
 Another sabbath is begun ; 
 Return my soul, enjoy thy rest, 
 Improve the day thy God hast blest. 
 
S42 
 
 Id hoty duties let the day 
 In holy pleasures pass away ; 
 How sweet a sabbath thus to spend. 
 In hope of one that ne'er shall end !** 
 
 The change which the grace of God had 
 made in her temper, appeared in the man- 
 ner of her receiving reproof. When her 
 mother reproved her for a fault, she wept 
 over it and thanked her for the reproof. 
 
 Her affectionate parent one day said to 
 her, " Mary, I am afraid you do not feel 
 so much of the importance of prayer, as you 
 have done ; and that yOu are not so atten- 
 tive to your Bible, as you have been." A 
 short time after this seasonable reproof, she 
 appeared low and sorrowful. Mrs. Jones, 
 on seeing her weeping, said, f< Mary, are you 
 offended r" she answered " No mother, I 
 thank you for reproving me, [ needed the 
 reproof, and hope I shall profit by it." 
 
 In her sickly state, her appetite could not 
 be expected to be good. Her mother, with 
 her widow's fare, said to her one day at din- 
 ner, fi My dear Mary, I wish I had some- 
 thing better for your dinner." Mary an- 
 swered her with great contentment and 
 thankfulness in the following lines : 
 
 " I think my table richly spread, 
 
 With wholesome herbs, and wholesome bread/' 
 
 This young sufferer was muckalone in her 
 chamber ; whilst her mother attended to her 
 
243 
 
 little school below. " Mary/ said her pa- 
 rent,, " do not you find yourself dull, in be- 
 ing so much alone ?" <f No, mother," she an- 
 swered, " I am never dull with my Bible." 
 
 " Give me a bible in my hand, 
 And heart to read and understand ; 
 I'll sit alone from day to day, 
 Nor urge my company to stay, 
 Nor wish to rove abroad." 
 
 A person one day remarked to her, that 
 one of her former companions, was dressed 
 very smart. " I am not careful now," said 
 she, " what Iwear, so that I be clothed with 
 my Redeemer's righteousness— that is the 
 best dress." 
 
 One day, on her brother coming into the 
 room, she expressed her fear that he did not 
 think seriously of the salvation of his soul, 
 urged him to read the word of God, and 
 prayed that the Lord might bless him. 
 
 Four months before her death, she de- 
 sired her mother to request me to improve 
 her death, by a sermon on Ecclesiastes 1 2. 
 1. " Remember now thy Creator in the 
 days of thy youth ; before the evil days 
 come, and the years draw nigh, when thou 
 shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." Af- 
 ter repeating the text, she added, "Although 
 I am young, I have had no pleasure in these 
 evil days, a great while, only what I have 
 found in^riydear Saviour." And with much 
 
244 
 
 pleasure, she mentioned Saint Paul's words, 
 ** This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all 
 acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the 
 world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 5 ' 
 1 Tim. 1. 15. 
 
 Amidst the sickness, weakness, coughing, 
 and restlessness of body which she suffered, 
 far from murmuring at her illness, she was 
 grateful to God and to her friends : crying 
 out, * Bless the Lord, O my soul, and for- 
 get not ail his benefits !" 
 
 On the Tuesday before her death, she said, 
 ie I shall be here but a few days more, I 
 have found my Saviour ! I know Christ died 
 for me ! I am very happy !" 
 
 After this delightful frame of mind, she 
 was tried, painfully tried, with many doubts 
 and fears, whether Christ was both able and 
 willing to save such a vile sinner. 
 
 This gloomy frame was, however, soon 
 removed, and she said with great cheerful- 
 ness, " It will soon be over : yes, I thought 
 I should have died last night." On being 
 now asked, "" Are you afraid to die ?" She 
 answered, " No, Jesus died for me." 
 
 Soon after this, she died, nearly ten years 
 and six months old. Two hours before her 
 death, her mind was calmly resigned, fer- 
 vent in prayer, and rejoicing in hope. The 
 last of her words, noticed, were the fellow- 
 
345 
 
 jpg, <e Lord great me patience to bear what 
 thou seest fit to lay upon ine ; not my will 4 
 tmt thine be done. Come, Lord Jesus ; 
 come quickly, shorten thy work in right- 
 eousness ; send thy Chariot, and fetch my 
 spirit home." 
 
 Now my dear young Reader, stop a few 
 minutes and think, — not only read, but 
 think. Many children read much, but do 
 not seriously think of what they read. Think, 
 how great a mercy you possess, in being able 
 to read the Bible ! Think, what a blessing a 
 Sunday-school must be, by which a poor 
 ignorant child may become learned in the 
 knowledge of God, of a Saviour, and of 
 Heaven. Think, how happy a poor sinful 
 child, like you, may become by trusting in 
 Jesus Christ, to save you from sin and hell ! 
 Think how needful it must be, for a child 
 to be ready to suffer, and to die, since some 
 children die when they are very young. If 
 such a child should be confined for man)' 
 months, by sickness, the Holy Spirit can 
 make it patient and happy hi reading the 
 word of God. 
 
 There is a great difference between a 
 child who is a real Christian, and one who 
 is a Christian only in name. I will tell you, 
 my dear child, how you may know whether 
 
 * % 
 
246 
 
 you have received the Grace of God, lo 
 make you a true Christian. 
 
 You may often hear ministers preach 
 sermons, and sometimes you may read the 
 Bible; but if you have not the grace of 
 God, in your heart, you will hear and read 
 as if you was learning a task, which you 
 do not like. And then you will like play 
 better than reading, or hearing the word of 
 God. But if the Lord has given you grace, 
 to make you a Christian, you will pray to 
 him for his Holy Spirit, to make you under- 
 stand what you read. You will love to 
 hear those who love God, talk of his word. 
 You will ask them the meaning of it. And 
 when you are alone, you will often read and 
 think of some part of the word of God. 
 Wicked children hope to go to Heaven, 
 when they die ; but Mary Jones tells you a 
 reason, why she hoped to go to Heaven, be- 
 cause Jesus Christ had suffered and died in 
 her stead, to save her from suffering and 
 hell. And because the Lord had changed 
 her heart, and given her a nezo heart, to make 
 her Jit for Heaven. A child who does not 
 care how often he sins against God may 
 confess his sins ; but when Mary Jones con- 
 fessed her sins she was very sorry that she 
 had ever sinned against the Lord. She 
 was in great distress, because her heart was 
 
247 
 
 so hard. She hated wicked thoughts also, 
 as well as wicked words and wicked actions. 
 
 Some children learn to say the words of a 
 prayer to God,, but do not love prayer ; but 
 Mary Jones prayed very often, and very 
 earnestly to the Lord. She prayed when 
 she was alone, that God would forgive her 
 sins, for the sake of Jesus Christ, and give 
 her his Holy Spirit to make her heart and 
 life holy. 
 
 But ought you to think of God, be afraid 
 to offend him, and try to please him whilst 
 you are so young ? yes, you cannot trust in 
 Christ to save you too scon. I will tell 
 you the reason why you should now pray to 
 Christ to save you. 
 
 The first is, that if your heart is not 
 thinking of good things, it will bethinking 
 of evil things. 
 
 The second reason is^ because if you be- 
 gin now, to fear God, and you should live 
 long, you will be more happy and do more 
 good to others, and honour God the longer; 
 and God will very kindly reward you for 
 ever. 
 
 The third reason wiry you should now re- 
 member God, is, because it is a very great 
 sin to forget God ; and this one sin will 
 make you commit other sins; and it may 
 provoke God to punish you, to take away 
 
248 
 
 ypar life and send you to the place of tor- 
 ments. 
 
 The fourth reason, why you should now 
 begin to seek the Lord, is, that it will make 
 you very happy, to think of God, as the 
 glorious Being who is in every place ; whose 
 eye alw r ays sees you, night and day ; who 
 hears your prayers, protects your life, gives 
 you food and clothes ; Grace and Heaven. 
 The child who believes that God is in every 
 place, trusts his word, hopes in his mercy 
 through Jesus Christ, and loves to do his will* 
 may be patient, thankful and happy, when 
 he is sick, and thinks he shall die. The 
 wicked child, who forgets God when he is 
 in health, will be afraid of God as his ene- 
 my, and think that God will not take him 
 to heaven, but send him to hell, for his sins. 
 
 You should remember, God is present 
 with you night and day, in every place, to 
 make you thankful to him for his mercies, 
 and contented with what he gives you ; also 
 afraid of evil words, evil actions, and evil 
 thoughts ; because God is holy and hates all 
 kinds of sin. 
 
 And if some men and women, who do 
 not love God, who should see that you, 
 though so young, are afraid to offend him, 
 it may do them good, and convince ^heaa 
 oT their wickedness,. 
 
249 
 
 You should remember and seek God now 
 you are youngi because your life is uncer- 
 tain. You must die. You may die soon. 
 Perhaps you may die this year, or this month. 
 You may die this week — this day, or this 
 very hour. And if you should die without 
 fearing and loving God, without trusting in 
 Christ to save your soul 'from sin and hell, 
 you will be miserable tor ever. 
 
 Dear young Reader, what do you think of 
 Religion? What do you feeVt What do 
 you desire f Do you wish to die safe and 
 happy I Trust in the grace of Christ to save 
 you from the love of sin, the practice of sin 
 < — and the punishment of sin. Do not sup- 
 pose that you are too young to think of Re- 
 ligion. The evil days may come whilst you 
 are young. You are not too } T oung to re- 
 pent of sin, to be converted to God, to be- 
 lieve in Christ as your Saviour, your Lord, 
 and your example. You are not too young 
 to suffer, and to die. You are not too youngs 
 to be punished for your sins ; not too young 
 to be saved from them. 
 
 You may ask, li what shall I do to be sa- 
 ved ?" I will tell you ; — Do as Mary Jones 
 did — read the word of God, or ask others 
 to read it to you. Go to those places where 
 the word of God is faithfully preached-— 
 Pray for the Holy Spirit to enable you to un- 
 
£50 
 
 fclerstand the scriptures. When you are alone, 
 pray to God in some such words as follow : 
 Lord help me to pray by the Holy Spirit 
 » — Teach me what to ask, and how to ask it 
 —Give me grace to pray for more grace — 
 Help me to hate sin, even secret sins. Lor p 
 make me truly sorry for the sins I have 
 committed against thee — Show me the evils 
 of my heart, and change it — Help me to 
 love thee as my Creator and my Father — O 
 inay I trust in Jesus Christ to save me from 
 sin, and from Hell,— Send thy good Spirit 
 into my heart, to make me wise to salvation ; 
 to make me holy, happy, and useful in life 
 -sand death ; And if I live, may I live to the 
 honour of Christ my Saviour ; and when I 
 die may I die joyful in the Lord, and be 
 with him for ever.— ^Lord grant me these 
 mercies, for the sake of Jesus Christ ! Amen. 
 
 If this short account, with these remarks, 
 should prove a blessing to your soul, my 
 young Reader, it will afford joy to angels, 
 over one sinner that repenteth, although that 
 sinner be but a child ; and it will give plea* 
 sure in this world and the next to 
 Your real friend, 
 
 JOHN cook?:, 
 
 ^Maidenhead, 21st October, 1805. 
 FINIS. 
 


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