Classic Audiobook Collection - A Token for Children by James Janeway ~ Full Audiobook [religion]

Episode Date: September 18, 2024

A Token for Children by James Janeway audiobook. Genre: religion First published in the late seventeenth century, James Janeway's A Token for Children is a classic work of Puritan devotion written to speak directly to young listeners and their families. Framed as a series of brief accounts, the book gathers stories of boys and girls whose short lives are marked by earnest faith, searching self-examination, and a steadying hope in Christ. Janeway writes as a pastor and teacher, using plain language and vivid scenes to show how children can wrestle with fear, temptation, sickness, and the certainty of death, while also learning prayer, repentance, and trust in God's promises. Parents, ministers, and caregivers appear alongside the children, offering counsel, asking probing questions, and urging a life shaped by Scripture. The central tension is not outward adventure but inward: how a child, aware of sin and mortality, can find assurance, comfort, and a sense of purpose. Both sobering and tender, A Token for Children aims to form the conscience, awaken spiritual seriousness, and encourage a household faith that holds fast under trial. For ad-free listening try our premium subscription Chapters (Approximate) (00:00:00) Chapter 00 (00:04:31) Chapter 01 (00:18:46) Chapter 02 (00:24:38) Chapter 03 (00:34:03) Chapter 04 (00:37:06) Chapter 05 (00:42:12) Chapter 06 (00:46:35) Chapter 07 (00:59:32) Chapter 08 (01:09:59) Chapter 09 (01:13:55) Chapter 10 (01:17:30) Chapter 11 (01:49:49) Chapter 12 (01:53:06) Chapter 13 (02:09:54) Chapter 14 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A token for children by James Janeway. To all parents, schoolmasters and school mistresses, or any who have any hand in the education of children. Dear friends, I have often thought that Christ speaks to you, as Pharaoh's daughter did to Moses's mother. Take this child and nurse it for me. Ours, consider what a precious jewel is committed to your charge. What an advantage you have to show your love to Christ, to stock the next generation with noble plants, and what a joyful account you may make if you be faithful. Remember souls. Christ and grace cannot be 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 is at work hard. Wicked ones are industrious and corrupt nature is a rugged, knotty peace to hue. But be not discouraged. I am almost as much afraid of your laziness and unfaithfulness as anything. Do but fall to work lustily, and who knows, but that rough stone may prove a pillar in the

temple of God. In the name of the living God, as you will answer it shortly at his bar, I command you to be faithful in instructing and catechising your young ones. If you think I am too preemptory, I pray read the command from my master himself, Deuteronomy 6 verse 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 errands of hell?

Are you indifferent whether they be damned or saved? Shall the devil run away with them without control? Will not you 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 to hill. They are not too little to serve their great master.

too little to go to heaven, for of such is the kingdom of God, it 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 apaceous. 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 wholly 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 schoolmistress 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 setting to pray and weep by themselves after Christ. Take heed of their company, take heed of pardoning a lie, take heed of letting them misspend the Sabbath. Put them, I beseech you upon imitating these sweet children.

Let them read this book over and hundred times, and observe how they are affected, and ask them what they think of those children, and whether they would not be such. And follow what you do with earnest cries to God and be in travail to see Christ formed in their souls. I have prayed for you, I have often prayed for your children,

and I love them dearly, and I have prayed over these papers that God would strike in with them and make them effectual to be 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 themselves were eye and ear witnesses of God's works of wonder, or from my own knowledge, or from reverend godly ministers, and from persons that are of unspotted reputation for holiness, integrity and wisdom, and several passages are taken verbatim in writing from their dying lips.

I may add many other excellent examples if I have encouragement in this piece that the young generation may be far more excellent than this is the prayer of one that dearly loves little children. James Janeway. End of Preface. Section 1 of A Token for Children by James Janeway. This Librevonk's recording is in the public domain.

Example 1. Of one eminently converted, between 8 and 9 years old, with an account of her life and death. Mrs. Sarah Howley, when she was between 8 and 9 years old, was carried by her friends to hear a sermon, where the minister preached upon Matthew 11 verse 31, my yoke is easy and my burden is light. In the applying of which scripture this child was mightily awakened and made deeply sensible of the condition of her soul and her need of a Christ.

She wept bitterly to think what a case she was in and went home and got by 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. She was not contented with this, but she got her little brother and sister into a chamber with her, and told them of their condition by nature and wept over them, and prayed with them and for them.

After this she heard another sermon from Proverbs 29 verse 1. He, that being often reproved, hardneth his heart, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. At which she was more affected than before, and was so exceeding solicitous about her soul, that she spent a great part of the night in weeping and praying, and could scarce take any rest day and night for some time together,

desiring with all her soul to escape from everlasting flame, and to get an interest in the Lord Jesus. Oh, what should she do for a Christ? What should she do to be saved? She gave herself much to attending upon the word preached, and still continued very tender under it, greatly favouring what she heard. She was very much in secret prayer, as might be easily perceived by those who listened at the chamber door and usually very importunate and full of tears. She could scarce speak of sin or be spoke to, but her heart was ready to melt. 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, and was much directed by it how to get acquaintance with God, especially toward

the end of that book. Another book she was much delighted with was Mr. Swinick's Christian man's calling, and by this she was taught in this measure to make religion her business. The spiritual bee was a great companion of hers. She was exceeding dutiful to her parents, very loath to grieve them in the least, and if she had at any time, which was very rare, offended them, she would weep bitterly. She abhorred lying and allowed herself in no known sin. She was very conscientious in spending of time and heated idleness and spent her whole time either in praying, reading, or instructing at her needle, at which she was very ingenious. When she was at school, she was eminent for her diligence, teachableness, meekness, and modesty,

speaking little, but when she did speak, it was usually spiritual. She continued in this course of religious duties for some years together. When she was about 14 years old, she break a vein in her lungs, as is supposed, and off did spit blood, yet did a little recover again, but had several dangerous relapses. At the beginning of January last, she was taken very bad again, in which sickness she was in great distress of soul. When she was first taken, she said, O mother, pray, pray, pray for me, for Satan is so busy that I cannot pray for myself. I see I am undone without a Christ and a pardon. Oh, I am undone to all eternity. Her mother, knowing how serious she had been formally, did a little wonder that she should be in such

agonies upon which her mother asked her, what sin it was that was so burdensome to her spirit. Her mother, said she, it is not any particular sin of omission or commission that sticks so close to my conscience as the sin of my nature. Without the blood of Christ, that will damn me. 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 patience and silence to learn of them, and it was

exceeding painful to her to speak to any. One time when she fell into a fit, she cried out, oh, I am going, I am going, 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. She was much afraid of presumption and dreaded a mistake in the matters of her soul and would be often putting up ejaculations 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.

She would many times be laying hold upon the promises and plead them in prayer, that in Matthew 11 verses 28 and 29 was much on her tongue, and no small relief to her spirit, How many times would she cry out, Lord, as thou not said, come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Another time her father bid her be of good cheer, because she was going to a better father, at which she fell into a great passion and said, But how do I know that? I am a poor sinner that wants assurance. Oh, for assurance!

It was still her note, oh for assurance. This was her great, earnest and constant request To all that came to her to 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 poor creature more earnest for anything than she was for assurance and the light of God's countenance. Oh, the piteous moans that she would make, or the agonies that her soul was in.

Her mother asked her, if God would spare her life, how she would live. Truly, mother, said she, We have such base hearts that I can't 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 return again unto folly, but I hope I shall be more careful of my time and my soul than I have been. 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 we shall meet, I hope, in glory. she being very weak could speak but little therefore her mother said child if thou hast any comfort lift up thine hand which she did the lord's day before that on which she died a kinsman of hers came to see her and asking of her whether she knew him she replied yea i know you and i desire you would learn to know christ you are young but you know not how soon you may die and oh to die without a christ it is a fearful thing o redeem'd time Oh, time, time, time, precious time.

Being requested by him not to spend herself, she said, she would do all the good she could while she lived, and when she was dead too, as possible. Upon which account she desired a sermon might be preached at her funeral concerning the preciousness of time. Oh, that young ones would now remember their creator. 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. After she had long waited for an answer of their prayers, she said, well, I will venture my soul upon Christ. She carried it with wonderful patience, and yet would often pray that the Lord would give her more patience, which she answered to astonishment. For considering the pains and agonies she was in, her patience was next to a wonder. Lord, Lord, give me patience, said she, that I may not dishonor thee. 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 audible voice and cheerful countenance. Lord, thou hast promised, that whosoever

cometh unto thee, thou wilt in no wise cast out. Lord, I come unto thee, and surely thou wilt in no wise cast me out. Oh, so sweet, oh so glorious is Jesus. Oh, I have the sweet and glorious Jesus. He is sweet, he is sweet, he is sweet. Oh, the admirable love of God in sending Christ. Oh, free grace to a poor, lost creature. And thus she ran on repeating many of these things and hundred times over, but her friends were so astonished to see her in this divine rapture, and to see such gracious words and her prayers and desires satisfied that they could not write a quarter of what she spoke. When her soul was thus ravished with the love of Christ and her tongue so highly engaged in the magnifying of God, her father, brethren and sisters with others of the family were called,

to whom she spake particularly, as her strength would allow. 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, or make use of time to get a Christ for your souls, spend no time in running up and down in playing, or get a Christ for your souls while you are young. Remember now your creator before you come to a sickbed. Put not off 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 ye are young what need you to be in such haste.

you will have time enough when you are old but there stands one meaning her grandmother that stays behind and i am but young am going before her and 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 your dying sister. Oh, if you knew how good Christ were, oh, 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 thousand and ten thousand worlds part with my interest in Christ.

Oh, how happy am I, that I am going to everlasting joy. I would not go back again for twenty thousand worlds, and will you not strive to get an interest in Christ? After this, looking upon one of her father's servants, she said, What shall I do at the great day when Christ shall say to me, Come thou blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for thee, and shall say to the wicked, go thou cursed into the lake that burns forever? What a grief is it for me to think that I shall see any of my friends that I knew upon earth turned into that lake that burns forever.

Oh, that word forever, remember that forever. I speak these words to you, but they are nothing, except God speak to you too. Oh, 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, said she, to see you in glory, but it will be your everlasting happiness. Her grandmother told her she spent herself too much. She said, I care not for that, if I could do any soul good.

Or with what vehemently did she speak, as if her heart were in every word she spoke. She was full of divine sentences, almost all her discourse from the first to the last, in the time of her sickness, was about her soul, Christ's sweetness, and the souls of others, in a word like a continued sermon. Upon Friday, after she had such lively discoveries of God's love, she was exceeding desirous to die, and cried out, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly, conduct me to thy tabernacle, I am a poor creature without thee, but, Lord Jesus, my soul longs to be with thee. O, when shall it be?

Why not now, dear Jesus? Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly, but why do I speak thus? Thy time, dear Lord, is the best. O give me patience. Upon Saturday, she spoke very, very. little, being very drowsy, yet now and then dropped these words, How long, sweet Jesus, finish thy work, sweet Jesus. Come away, dear sweet 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. Thus at several times when out of her sleep, for she was asleep the greatest part of the day. upon the Lord's Day she scarce spoke anything but much desired that bills of

Thanksgiving might be sent to those who had formerly been praying for her, that they might help her to praise God for that full assurance that he had given her of his love and seemed to be much swallowed up with the thoughts of God's free love to her soul. She often commended her spirit into the Lord's hands

and the last words she was heard to speak were these. Lord help, Lord Jesus help, dear Lord Jesus, blessed Jesus, and thus upon the Lord's Day between 9 and 10 of the clock in the forenoon, she slept sweetly in Jesus and began an everlasting Sabbath, February 19th, 1670. End of Section 1. Section 2 of A Token for Children by James Janeway. This Librevalk's recording is in the public domain.

Example 2. Of a child that was admirably affected with the things of God when he was between 2 and 3. years old, with a brief account of his life and death. A certain little child whose mother had dedicated him to the Lord in her womb, when she could not speak plain, would be crying after God and was greatly desirous to be taught good things. He could not endure to be put to bed without family duty, but would put his parents upon duty, and would with much devotion kneeled down and with great patience and delight, continue till duty was at an end, without the least expression of being one.

weary, and he seemed never so well pleased as when he was engaged in duty. He could not be satisfied with family duty, but he would be oft upon his knees by himself in one corner or another. He was much delighted in hearing the word of God, either read or preached. He loved to go to school that he might learn something of God and would observe and take 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, oh mother, I have had a sweet lesson today. Will you please give me leave to fetch my book that you may hear it? As he grew up, he was more and more affected with the things of another world, so that if we had not received our information from one that is of undoubted fidelity,

it would seem incredible. He learned quickly to read the scripture, and with great reverence, tenderness and groans, read till tears and sobs were ready to hinder him. When he was at secret prayer, he would weep bitterly. He was wont, oftentimes, to complain of the naughtiness of his heart, and seemed to be more grieved for the corruption of his nature than for actual sin. He had a vast understanding in the things of God, even next to a wonder for one of his age. He was much troubled for the wandering 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 affections constantly raised. 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. As he grew up, he grew daily in knowledge and experience, and his carriage was so heavenly, and his discourse so excellent and experimental, that it made those which heard it ever astonished. He was exceeding importunate with God in duty, and would plead with God at a strange rate, and used such arguments in prayer that one would think it were impossible should ever enter into the heart of a child, and he would beg and expostulate and weep so that sometimes it could not be kept from the ears of neighbours, so that one of the next house was forced to cry out, the prayers and tears of that child in the next house will sink me to hell, because by it he did condemn his neglect of prayer and his slight performance of it.

He was very fearful of wicked company, and would often beg of God to keep him from it, that he might never be pleased in them that took delight in displeasing of God, and when he was at any time in the hearing of their wicked words, taking the Lord's name in vain or swearing or any filthy words, it would even make him tremble and ready to go home and weep. He abhorred lying with his soul. When he had committed any sin, 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 chamber door from whom I received this narrative. When he had been asked whether he would commit such a sin again,

he would never promise absolutely because he said his heart was naughty, but he would weep and say he hoped by the grace of God he should not. When he was left at home alone upon the Sabbath days, he would be sure not to spend any part of the day in idleness and play, but be busied in praying, reading in the Bible and getting of his catechism. when other children were playing he would many a time and oft be praying one day a certain person was discoursing with him about the nature officers and excellency of christ and that he alone can satisfy for our sins and merit everlasting life for us at about other of the great mysteries of redemption he seemed savingly to understand them and greatly delighted with the discourse one speaking concerning the resurrection of the body he did acknowledge it but that that the same weak body that was buried in the churchyard should be raised again, he thought

very strange, but with admiration yielded that nothing was impossible with God, and that very day he was taken sick unto death. A friend of his asked him whether he was 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 in humble and sincere heart, and I have heard thee. Didst thou not pray with thy heart? I hope I did, said he. Not long after the same person asked him again whether he were willing to die, he answered, Now I am willing, for I shall go to Christ. One asked him, what would become of his sister if he should die and leave her? He answered, The will of the Lord must be done. 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, and at last did cheerfully commit his spirit, to the Lord, and calling upon the name of the Lord and saying, Lord Jesus, Lord Jesus, in whose bosom he sweetly slept, dying, as I remember, when he was about five or six years old. End of Section 2. Section 3 of A Token for Children by James Janeway. This Librevalch's recording is in the public domain. Example 3 of a little girl that was wrought upon when she was between four and five years old, with some account of her holy life and triumphant death.

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 condition, weeping bitterly to think what would become of her in another world, asking strange questions concerning God and Christ and her own soul, so that this little Mary, before she was full five years old, seemed to mind the one thing needful and to choose the better part, and sat at the feet of Christ many a time, and often with tears.

She was wont to be much in secret duty, and many times come off from her knees with tears. She would choose such times and places for secret duty as might render her less observed by others and did endeavour what possible she could to conceal what she was doing when engaged in secret duty. She was greatly afraid of hypocrisy, afraid of hypocrisy and of doing anything to be seen of men, and to get commendation and praise.

And when she had heard one of her brothers saying 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 but little to his praise to pray like a hypocrite, and to be glad that any should know what he had been doing. 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 father was dead. No, dear mother, said the child,

you have no cause to weep so much, for God is a good God still to you. She was a dear lover of faithful ministers. One time after she had been hearing of Mr. Whitaker, she said, I love that man dearly, for the sweet words that he speaks concerning Christ. 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 observation and understanding, and many times she was so strangely affected in the reading of the scriptures that she would burst out into tears and would hardly be pacified, so greatly was she taken with Christ's sufferings,

the zeal of God's servants, and the danger of a natural state. She would complain oftentimes of the corruption of her nature, of the hardness of her heart, that she would repent no more thoroughly, and be no more humble and grieved for her sins against a good God, and when she did thus complain it was with abundance of tears. She was 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 some pretty sweet word of Christ, but above all, she would do what she could to draw the heart of her brethren and sisters after Christ, and there was no sense.

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. She was very conscientious in keeping the Sabbath, spending the whole time either in reading or praying, or learning her catechism, or in teaching her 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 brothers and sisters, and instead of playing, as other naughty children used to do, she told them, that was the Lord's day and that they ought to remember that day to keep it holy. And then she told them how it was to be spent in religious exercise all the day long,

except so much as was to be taken up with 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 them little children, that they might know how to serve him, as one of the little ones in the company with her told afterwards. She was a child of a strong, strange tenderness and compassion to all, full of bowels and pity. Whom she could not help, she would weep over, especially if she saw her mother at any time troubled, she would quickly make her sorrows her own, and weep for her and with her. When her mother had been somewhat solicitous about any worldly thing, she would, if she could,

put her off from her care one way or other. One time she told her, Oh, mother, grace is better than that, meaning something her mother wanted. I had rather have grace and the love of Christ than anything in the world. This child was often musing and busied in the thoughts of her everlasting work. Witness that strange question, Oh, what are they doing who are already in heaven? And she seemed to be greatly desirous to be among them who were praising, loving,

delighting in God, and serving of him without sin. Her language was so strange about spiritual matters that she made many excellent Christians to stand amazed, as judging it scarce to be paralleled. 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 apply them suitably.

She was not altogether a stranger to other good books, but would be reading of them with much affection, and where she might, she noted the books particularly, observing what in the reading did most warm her heart, and she was ready upon occasion to improve it. One time a woman coming into the house in a great passion spoke of her condition as if none were like hers

and it would never be otherwise and the child said, it were a strange thing to say when it is night it will never be day again. At another time a near relation of hers being in some straits made some complaint to whom she said, I have heard Mr Carter say

a man may go to heaven without a penny in his purse, but not without grace in his heart. 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. She loved to be much by herself, and she would be greatly grieved if she were at any time deprived of a conveniency for secret duty. She could not live without constant address to God in secret, and was not a little pleased when she could go into a corner to pray and weep. She was much in praising God and seldom or never complained of anything but sin. She continued in this course of praying and praising of God and great dutifulness and sweetness to her parents and those that taught her anything, yet she did greatly encourage her mother while she was a widow

and desired, the absence of a husband, might in some measure be made up by the dutifulness and holiness of a child. She studied all the ways that could be to make her mother's life sweet. when she was between 11 and 12 years old she sickened in which she carried it with admirable patience and sweetness and did what she could with scripture arguments to support and encourage her relations to part with her who was going to glory and to prepare themselves to meet her in a blessed eternity she was not many days sick before she was marked which she first saw herself and was greatly rejoiced to think that she was marked out for the lord and was now going a pace to Christ She called to her friends and said, I am marked, but be not troubled, for I know I am marked for one of the Lord's own. One asked her, how she knew that, she answered, the Lord hath told me that I am one of his dear children. And thus she spake with a holy confidence in the Lord's love to her soul, and was not in the least daunted when she spake of her death, but seemed greatly delighted in the apprehension of her

nearness to her father's house, and it was not long before she was filled with joy unspeakable in believing. When she just lay a dying, her mother came to her and told her, she was sorry that she had reproved and corrected so good a child so oft. O mother, said she, speak not thus, I bless God, now I am dying for your reproofs and corrections too, for it may be, I might have gone to hill if it had not been for your reproofs and corrections. Some of her neighbors, 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. 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 not his but Christ's. After this, she had a great sense of God's love and a glorious sight, as if she had seen the very heavens opened, and the angels come to receive her, by which her heart was filled with joy and her tongue with praise. Being desired by the standers-by, to give them a particular account of what she saw, she answered, You shall know hereafter. And so, in an ecstasy of joy and holy triumph, she went to heaven when she was about twelve years old. Hallelujah. End of Section 3.

Section 4 of a token for children by James Janeway. This Librevalk's recording is in the public domain. Example 4 of a child that began to look towards heaven when he was about four years old, with some observable passages in her life and at her death. A certain child, when she was about four years old, had a conscientious sense of her duty towards her parents, because the commandment saith honour thy father and thy mother. And though she had little advantage of education,

she carried it with the greatest reverence to her parents imaginable, so that she was no small credit as well as comfort to them. It was no unusual thing for her to weep if she saw her parents troubled, though herself had not been the occasion of it. When she came from school, she would with grief and abhorrencey say that other children had sinned against God by speaking grievous words, which were so bad that she durst not speak them again. She would be oftentimes admiring of God's mercy

for so much goodness to her rather than to others, that she saw some begging, others blind, some crooked, and that she wanted nothing that was good for her. She was many a time and often in one hole or another, in tears upon her knees. 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 had been abroad, to have been teaching children to pray,

especially upon the Lord's Day. She very seriously begged the prayers of others that they would remember her, that the Lord would give her grace. When this child saw some that were laughing, who she judged to be very wicked, she told them she feared they had little reason to be married. They asked whether one might not laugh, she answered, indeed till you have grace. They who are wicked have more need to cry than to laugh. 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. She would be very attentive when she read the scripture and be much affected with them. She would by no means be persuaded to profane the Lord's Day, but would spend it in some good duties. When she went to school, it was willingly and joyfully, and she was very teachable and exemplary to other children. When she was taken sick, one asked whether she were willing to die, she answered, yes, if God would pardon her sins. Being asked how her sins should be pardoned, she answered through the blood of Christ. 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. There were very many observable passages in the life and death of this child, but the hurry and grief that her friends were in buried them. End of Section 4. Section 5 of A Token for Children by James Janeway. This Librevonk's recording is in the public domain. Example 5 of the pious life and joyful death of a child who died when he was about 12 years old, 1632. Charles Bridgman had no sooner learned to speak, but he betook himself to prayer.

He was very prone to learn the things. of God. He would be sometimes teaching them their duty that waited upon them. He learned by heart many good things before he was fit to go to school, and when he was sent to school he carried it so that all who observed him either did or might admire him, or the sweet nature, the good disposition, the sincere religion which was in this child. When he was at school, what was it, that he desired to learn but Christ and him crucified. So religious and savory were his words His actions so upright, his devotions so hearty, his fear of God so great, that many were ready to say, as they did of John, what manner of child shall this be?

He would be much in reading the Holy Scriptures. He was desirous of more spiritual knowledge, and would be often asking very serious and admirable questions. He would not stir out of doors before he had poured out his soul to the Lord. When he eat anything, he would be sure to lift up his heart unto the Lord for a blessing upon it, and when he had moderately refreshed himself by eating, he would not forget to acknowledge God's goodness in feeding of him. He would not lie down in his bed till he had been upon his knees, and when sometimes he had forgotten his duty,

he would quickly rise out of his bed and kneeling down upon his bare knees, covered with no garment but his linnings, ask God forgiveness for that sin. He would rebuke his brethren if they were at any time too hasty at their meal, and did eat without asking a blessing. his check was usually thus. Dare you do thus, God be merciful to us, this bit of bread might choke us. His sentences were wise and weighty, and well might become some ancient Christian.

His sickness was a lingering disease, against which to comfort him, one tells him of possessions that must fall to his portion. And what are they, said he, I had rather have the kingdom of heaven than the thousand such inheritances. When he was sick, he seemed much taken up with heaven, and asked very serious questions about the nature of his soul. After he was pretty well satisfied about that, he 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. Being asked whether he had rather live or die, he answered, I desire to die that I may go to my saviour. His pains increasing upon him, one asked him, whether he would rather still endure those pains or forsake Christ. Alas, said he, I know not what to say. Being but a child, for these pains may stagger a strong man, but I will strive to endure the best that I can. Upon this he called to mind that martyr Thomas Bliny, who, being in prison, the night before his burning,

put his finger into the candle to know how he could endure the fire. Oh, said the child, had I lived then, I would have run through the fire to have gone to Christ. 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 very 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 Sunday come?

At last the looked-for day came indeed, 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, hands and feet clasped in a bow, as if he would have received some blessed angel that were at hand to receive his soul. But he comes to himself and tells them how he saw the sweetest body that ever eyes beheld, who bid him be of good cheer, for he must presently go with him. One that stood near him, as now suspecting the time of disillusion nigh, bid him say, Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit, which is thy due,

for why thou hast redeemed it, O Lord, my God most true. The last words which he spake were exactly these. Pray, pray, pray, nay, yet pray, and the more prayers, the better all prospers. God is the best physician. Into his hands I commend my spirit. O Lord Jesus, receive my soul. Now close mine eyes. Forgive me, father, mother, brother, sister, all the world.

Now I am well, my pain is almost gone. My joy is at hand. Lord, have mercy on me. O Lord received my soul unto thee, and thus he yielded his spirit up unto the Lord when he was about twelve years old. This narrative was taken out of Mr. Ambrose's life's lease. End of Section 5. Section 6 of A Token for Children by James Janeway. This Librovoc's recording is in the public domain. Example 6 of a poor child that was awakened when he was about five years old. 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. At the first he did with great sweetness and kindness allure the child, by which means it was not long before he got a deep interest in the heart of the child, and he began to obey him with more readiness than children usually do their parents. By this a door was opened for a father work, and he had a greater advantage to instill spiritual principles into the soul of the child which he was not wanting in,

as the Lord gave opportunity and the child was capable of. It was not long before the Lord was pleased to strike in with the spiritual exhortations of this good man, so that the child was brought to a liking of the things of God. He quickly learned a great part, of the Assembly's Catechism by heart, and that before he could read his primer within book, and he took a great delight in learning his Catechism. He was not only able to give a very good account of his Catechism, but he would answer such questions as are not in the Catechism,

with greater understanding than could be expected of one of his age. He took great delight in discoursing about the things of God, and when my friend had been either praying or reading, expounding or repeating of sermons, he seemed very attentive and ready to receive the truth of God, and would with incredible gravity, diligence, and affection, wait till duties were ended, to the no small joy and admiration of them which observed him. He would ask very excellent questions and discourse about the condition of his soul and heavenly things, and seemed mightily concerned what should become of his soul when he should die, so that his discourse made some Christians even to stand astonished.

He was greatly taken with the great kindness of Christ in dying for sinners, and would be in tears, at the mention of them, and seemed at a strange rate to be affected with the unspeakable love of Christ. When nobody had been speaking to him, he would burst out into tears, and being asked the reason he would say that the very thoughts of Christ's laughter sinners in suffering for them made him that he could not but cry. Before he was six years old, he made conscience of secret duty, and when he prayed it was with such extraordinary meltings that his eyes looked red and saw, with weeping by himself for his sin. He would be putting of Christians upon spiritual discourse when he saw them, and seemed little satisfied unless they were talking of good things.

It is evident that this poor child's thoughts were very much busied about the things of another world, for he would oftentimes be speaking of his bedfellow at midnight 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 thus he would provoke and put forward an experienced Christian to spend waking hours in talk of God and the everlasting rest. Not long after this his good mother died, which went very near his heart, for he greatly honoured his mother. After the death of his mother, he would often repeat some of the promises that are made to fatherless children, especially that in Exodus 22 verse 22, ye shall not afflict any widow or the

fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry. These words he would often repeat with tears and say, I am fatherless and motherless upon earth, yet if any wrong me, I have a father in heaven who will take my part. To him I commit myself, and in him is all my trust. Thus he continued in a course of holy duties, living in the fear of God, and showed wonderful grace for a child and died sweetly in the faith of Jesus. My friend is a judicious Christian of many years' experience, who was no ways related to him but a constant and ear-witness of his godly life and honorable and cheerful death, from whom I received this information. End of Section 6. Section 7 of A Token for Children by James Janeway. This

Librovoc's recording is in the public domain. Example 7. Of a notorious wicked child who is taken up from begging and admirably converted with an account of his holy life and joyful death when he was nine years old. A very poor child in the parish of Nubingen Butz came begging to the door of a dear Christian friend of mine in a very lamentable case so filthy and nasty that he would have even turned one's stomach to have looked on him. But it pleased God to raise in the heart of my friend a great pity and tenderness towards this poor child, so that in charity he took him out of the streets whose parents were unknown, and who had nothing at all to commend him to anyone'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 him up for the Lord Christ. A noble piece of charity, and that which did make the kindness farther greater was that there seemed to be very little hope of doing any good upon this child, He was a very monster of wickedness and a thousand times more miserable and vile by his sin than by his poverty. He was running to hell as soon as he could go, and was old in naughtiness when he was young in years, and one shall scarce hear of a person so like the devil in his infancy, as this poor child was.

What sin was there, that his age was capable of, that he did not commit? What, by the corruption of his nature and the abominable example of little beggar-boys, he was arrived to a strange pitch of impiety? call filthy names, take God's name in vain, curse and swear, and do almost all kind of mischief, and as to anything of God, worse than an 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 firebrand out of the fire, and it was not long before the Lord was pleased to let him understand that he had a design of everlasting kindness upon the soul of this poor child, for no sooner had this good man taken this creature

into his house, but he prays for him and labors with all his might to convince him of his miserable condition by nature, and to teach him something of God, the worth of his own soul, and that eternity of glory or misery that he was born to. And blessed be free grace, it was not long before the Lord was pleased to let him understand that it was himself which put it into his heart to take in this child, that he might bring him up for Christ. The Lord soon struck in with his godly instruction, so that an amazing change was seen in the child. In a few weeks' time he was convinced of the evil of his ways, 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 respective, and such a strange alteration was wrought in the child, that all the parish that rung of his villainy before was now ready to talk of his reformation. His company, his talk, his employment is now changed, and he is like another creature, so that the glory of God's friend.

free grace began already to shine in him. And this change was not only an external one, and to be discerned abroad, but he would get by himself and weep and mourn bitterly for this horrible wicked life, as might easily be perceived by them that lived in the house with him. 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 of his undone state by nature. He is often 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 greediness and affection what he was taught. Seldom was there any discourse about soul matters in his hearing, but he heard it as if it were for his life and would weep greatly. He would, after his master had been speaking to him or others of the things of God, go to him and question 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. Thus he continued seeking after the knowledge of God and Christ, and practicing holy duties, till the sickness came into the house with which the child was smitten. At his first sickening, the poor child was greatly amazed and afraid, and though his pains were

great and the distemper very tedious, yet the sense of his sense of his sense, sin and the thought of the miserable condition 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 spirits. 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 thought 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 that he should go to hill. His sins had been so great and so many that there

was no hopes for him. He was not by far so much concerned for his life as for his soul. What would become of that forever? Now the plague upon his body seemed nothing to that which was in his soul. But in this great distress the Lord was pleased to send one to take care for his soul, who urged him the great and precious promises which were made to one in his condition, telling him there was enough in Christ for the chiefest 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 believe that there was any mercy for such a dreadful sinner as he had been.

He was made to cry out of himself, not only for his swearing and lying, and other outwardly notorious sins, but he was in great horror for the sin of his nature, for the vile of his heart and original 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. 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. He would condemn himself for sin as deserving no mercy, and thought that there was not a greater sinner in all London than himself, and he abhorred himself as the vilest creature he knew. He did not only pray much with strong cries and tears himself, but he begged the prayers of Christians

for him. He would ask Christians whether they thought there were any hopes for him, and would beg of them to deal plainly with him, for he was greatly afraid of being deceived. Being informed how willing and ready the Lord Christ was to accept of poor sinners upon their repentance and turning, and being counseled to venture himself upon 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 that he found it one of the hardest things in the world to believe. 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 chiefest of sinners, and was made to lay a little hold upon such promises as that, come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, 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, free and rich, and rich, and which 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 precious man who 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 lower heaven, so full of joy and praise.

The child grew exceedingly in knowledge, experience, patience, humility, and self-abhorrency, and he thought he could never speak bad enough of himself, the name that he would call himself by, was a toad. And though he prayed before, yet now the Lord poured out upon him the spirit of prayer in an extraordinary manner for one of his age, so that now he prayed more frequently, more earnestly, more spiritually than ever. How eagerly would he beg to be washed in the blood of Jesus, and that the King of Kings and Lord's, that was over heaven and earth and sea, would pardon and forgive him all his sins, and receive his soul into his kingdom. And what he spoke, it was was with so much life and fervor of spirit as that it filled the hearers with astonishment and

joy. He had no small sense of the use and excellency of Christ and such longings and breathings of his soul after him that when mention hath been made of Christ, he hath been ready almost to leap out of his bed for joy. When he was told that if he should recover, he must not live as he list, but he must give himself up to Christ and to be his child and servant, to bear his yoke and to be obedient to his laws and live a holy life, and take his cross, and suffer mocking and reproach, it may be persecution for his namesake. Now, child, said one to him, are you willing to have Christ upon such terms? He signified his willingness by the earnestness of his looks 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. Yet he had many doubts and fears, and was ever and anon harping upon that, that though he were willing, yet Christ be feared, was not willing to accept him because of the greatness of his sins, yet his hopes were greater than his fears. 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 in a little pet, and asked his nurse, why she did not let him go. Go with a child, said she. Why, along with those brave gentlemen, said he. But they told me they would come and fetch me for all of you, upon Friday next. And he doubled his words many times,

upon Friday next, those brave gentlemen will come for me, and upon that day the child died joyfully. He was very thankful to his master and very sensible of his great kindness in taking him out of the streets when he was a begging, and he admired at the goodness of God which put into the mind of a stranger to look upon and to take such a fatherly care of such a pitiful, sorry creature as he was. Oh, my dear master, said he, and servant of God, I hope to see you in heaven, for I am sure you will go thither. Oh, blessed, blessed be God, that made you to take pity upon me, for I might have died, and have gone to the devil, and have been damned forever if it had not been for you.

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 himself with false hopes. at which my friend spoke to him thus, Child, for all that I have endeavoured to hold forth the grace of God in Christ to thy soul, and given you a warrant from the word of God, that Christ is as freely offered to you as to any sinner in the world, if thou art but willing to accept of him.

Thou mayst have Christ, and all that thou dost want with him, and yet thou dost give way to these thy doubtings and fears, as though I told you nothing but lies. Thou sayest, thou fearest, that Christ will not. 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 unfaignedly willing to have Christ, I tell thee, he is a thousand times more willing to have thee, and wash thee and save thee, than thou art to desire it. And now at this time, Christ offers himself freely to thee again, therefore receive

him humbly by faith into thy heart, and bid him welcome, for he deserveeth it. upon which words the Lord discovered his love to the child, and he gave a kind of a leap in his bed, and snapped his fingers and thumb together, with abundance of joy, as much as to say, Well, yea, all is well, the match is made, Christ is willing, and I'm willing too, and now Christ is mine, and I am his forever. And from that time forward, in full joy and assurance of God's love, he continued earnestly praising God with desire to die and be with Christ, and on Friday morning he sweetly went to rest, using that very expression, into thy hands lord I commit my spirit. He died punctually at the time which he had spoke of, and in which he expected those angels to come to him. He was not

much above nine years old when he died. This narrative I had from a judicious holy man, unrelated to him, who was an eye and ear witness of all these things. End of Section 7. Section 8 of A Token for Children by James Janeway, this Librevol. recording is in the public domain. Example 8. Of a child that was very serious at four years old, with an account of his comfortable death when he was 12 years and three weeks old. John Sudlow was born of religious parents in the county of Middlesex, whose great care was to instill spiritual principles into him as soon as he was capable of understanding them, whose endeavors the Lord was pleased to crown with the desired success, so that, to use the expression of a

holy man concerning him, scarce more could be expected or desired from so little a one. When he was scarce able to speak plain, he seemed to have a very great awe and reverence of God upon his spirit, and a strange sense of the things of another world, as might easily be perceived by those serious and admirable questions which he would be oft asking of those Christians that he thought he might be bold with. The first thing that did most affect him and made 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 then carried out of doors and put into a pit-hole, he was greatly concerned and asked notable questions about him, but that which was most affecting of himself and others was whether he must die too, which being answered, it made such a deep impression upon him that from that time forward he was exceeding serious, and this was when he was about four years old. Now he is desirous to know what he might do that he might live in another world, and what he must avoid, that he might not die forever, and being instructed by his godly

parents, he soon labours to avoid whatsoever might displease God. Now tell him that anything was sinful and that God would not have him to do it, and he is easily kept from it, and even at this time of day, the apprehensions of God and death and eternity laid such a restraint upon him that he would not, for a word, have told a lie. He quickly learned to read exactly and took such pleasure in reading of these scriptures 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 at his recreation to be doing that which is good. When he was in coats, he would be still asking his made serious questions, and praying her to teach him his catechism or scriptures or some good thing.

common discourse he took no delight in but did most eagerly desire to be sucking in of the knowledge of the things of God, Christ, his soul and another world. He was hugely taken with the reading of the Book of Martyrs and would be ready to leave his dinner to go to his book. He was exceeding careful of redeeming and improving of time, scarce a moment of it, but he would give an excellent account of the expense of it, so that this child might have taught elder persons and will questionless condemn their idol and, unaccountable wasting of those precious hours in which they should, as this sweet child, have been laying in provision for eternity. He could not endure to read anything over slightly, but whatsoever he read he dwelt upon, laboured to understand it thoroughly and remember it, and what he could not understand, he would oft ask his father or mother the meaning of it.

When any Christian friends have been discoursing with his father, if they began to talk anything about religion, to be sure they should have his company, and of his own accord, he would leave all to hear anything of Christ and crept as close to them as he could and listen as affectionately, though it were for an hour or two. He was scarce ever known to express the least token of weariness when he was hearing anything that was good, and sometimes when neighbor's children would come and call him out and entice him and beg of him to go with them, he could by no means be persuaded, though he might have had the leave of his parents, if he had any hopes that any good body would come into his father's house. He was very very very good body would come into his father's house.

He was very modest while any stranger was present, and was loathed to ask them any questions, but as soon as they were gone, he would let his father know that there was little said or done, but he observed it, and would reflect upon what was passed in their discourse and desire satisfaction in what he could not understand at present. He was a boy of most prodigious parts for his age, as will appear from his solid and rational questions, I shall mention but two of many. The first was this, when he was reading by himself in Drayton, poems about Noah's flood and the ark, he asked, who built the ark? It being answered that 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 into it themselves? Another question he put was this, whether had a greater glory, saints or angels. It being answered that angels were the most excellent of creatures, and it's to be thought their nature is made capable of greater glory than man's. He said, he was of another mind, and his reason was because angels were servants and saints are children, and that Christ never took upon him the nature of angels, but he took upon him the nature of saints, and by his being man he hath advanced human nature above the nature of angels. By this you may perceive the greatness of his parts and the bent of his thoughts, and thus he continued for several years together,

laboring to get more and more spiritual knowledge and to prepare for an endless life. He was a child of an excellent sweet temper, wonderfully dutiful to his parents, ready and joyful to do what he was bid, and by no means would do anything to displease them, and if they were at any time seemingly angry, he would not stir from them till they were thoroughly reconciled to him. He was not only good himself, but would do what he could to make others so too, especially those that were nearest to him. He was very watchful over his brethren and sisters, and would not suffer them to use any unhandsome words or to do any unhandsome action, but he would be putting them upon that which

was good, and when he did at any time rebuke them, it was not childishly and slightly, but with great gravity and seriousness, as one that was not a little concerned for God's honour and the eternal welfare of their souls. He would go to his father and mother with great tenderness and compassion, being far from telling of tales and beg of them to take more care of the souls of his brethren and sisters, and to take heed, 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 ruined forever. 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 shorthand, and would give a very pretty account of any sermon that he heard. He was much engaged in secret duty and in reading the scriptures. To be sure, morning and evening, he would be by himself and was no question, wrestling with God. He would get choice scriptures by heart, and was very perfect at his catechism. The providences of God were not passed by without considerable observation by him. In the time of the plague, he was exceedingly concerned about his soul and everlasting state, and much by himself upon his knees.

This prayer was found written in shorthand after his death. 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 heaven. O Lord, keep me from this poisonous infection, however, not my will, but thy will be done, O Lord, on earth as it is in heaven. But, O Lord, if thou hast appointed me to die by it, O Lord, fit me for death, and give me a good heart to bear up under my afflictions. O Lord God and merciful Father, take pity on me, thy child.

Teach me, O Lord, thy word, make me strong in faith. O Lord, I have sinned against thee. Lord, pardon my sins. I had been in hell long ago if it had not been for thy mercy. O Lord, I pray thee to keep my parents in thy truth, and save them from this infection, if it be thy will, that they may live to bring me up in 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. 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.

About the beginning of November, 1665, this sweet child was smote with the distemper, but he carried it with admirable patience under the hand of God. These are some of his dying expressions. The Lord shall be my physician, for he will cure both soul and body. Heaven is the best hospital. It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth good in his eyes. Again, it is the Lord that taketh away my health, but I will say, as Job said,

Blessed be the name of the Lord. If I should live longer, I shall but sin against God. Looking upon his father, he said, if the Lord would but lend me the least finger of his hand to lead me through the dark entry of death, I will rejoice in him. When a minister came to him, among other things, he spake somewhat of life. He said, this is a wicked world, yet it is good to live with my parents, but it is better to live in heaven. An hour and a half before his death, the same minister came again to visit him, and asked him, John, art thou afraid to die? He answered, no, if the Lord will but comfort me in that hour.

but said the minister, how canst thou expect comfort, seeing we deserve none? He answered, No, if I had my deserts, I had been in hell long ago. But replied the minister, which way dost thou expect comfort and salvation, seeing thou art a sinner? He answered, in Christ alone, in whom, about an hour and a half after, he fell asleep, saying he would take a long sleep,

charging them that were about him not to wake him. He died when he was twelve years, three weeks, and one day old. End of Section 8 Section 9 of a token for children by James Janeway. This Librevon's recording is in the public domain. Example 9 of a child that was very eminent when she was between 5 and 6 years old with some memorable passages of her life who died about 1640.

Anne Lane was born of honest parents in Colbrook, in the county of Bucks, who was no sooner able to speak plain and express anything considerable of reason, but she began to act as if she were sanctified from the very womb. She was very solicitous about her soul, what should become of it when she should die, and where she should live forever, and what she should do to be saved when she was about five years old. She was wont to be often engaged in secret prayer and pouring out her soul in such a manner as is rarely to be heard of from one of her years.

I, having occasion to lie at Colbrook, sent for her father, an old disciple, an Israelite indeed, and desired him to give me some account of his experiences and how the Lord first wrought upon him. He gave me this answer, that he was of a child somewhat civil, honest, and as to a man, harmless, but he was little acquainted with the power of religion, till this sweet child put him upon a thorough inquiry into the state of his soul, that would still be begging of 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 demonstration to him of the reality of invisibles, that a very babe and suckling should speak so feelingly about the things of God, and be so greatly concerned not only about her own soul but about her 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 impression of it from his spirit. After this she, as I remember, put her father upon family duties, and if he were for any time out of his shop, She would find him out, and, with much sweetness and humility, beg of him to come home and to remember the preciousness of time, for which we must all give an account. She was grieved if she saw any that conversed with her father if they were unprofitable, unsavory, or long in their discourse of common things. 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. She could not endure the company of common children, nor play, but was quite above all those things

which most children are taken with. Her business was to be reading, praying, discoursing about the things of God, and any kind of business that her age and strength was capable of, idle she would not be by any means. It was the greatest recreation to her to hear any good people talking about God, Christ, their souls, the scriptures, or anything that concerned another life. She had a strange contempt of the world and scorned those things which most are too much pleased with. She could not be brought to wear any laces or anything that she thought superfluous. She would be complaining to her parents if she saw anything in them

that she judged would not be for the honour of religion or suitable to that condition which the providence of God had set them in in the world. This child was the joy and delight of all the Christians thereabouts 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. She continued thus to walk as a stranger 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 of Jesus before she was ten years old. She departed about 1640. End of Section 9. Section 10 of A Token for Children by James Janeway. This Librevox recording is in the public domain.

Example 10 of a child that was awakened when she was between seven and eight years old, with some account of her last hours and triumphant death. Tabitha Alder was a daughter of a holy and reverend minister in Kent, who lived near Graves' End. She was much instructed in the Holy Scriptures and her catechism by her father and mother, but there appeared nothing extraordinary in her till she was between seven and eight years old. About which time, when she was sick, one asked her what she thought would become of her if she should die.

She answered that she was greatly afraid she should go to hell. Being asked why she was afraid of going to hell, she answered, because she feared she did not love God. Again being asked, how she did know that 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 all

Being further demanded If she would not fain love God She answered yes with all her heart If she could but she found it a hard thing To love one she did not see She was advised to beg of God a heart to love him She answered she was afraid it was too late 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 Upon this, seeing her in such a desponding condition, a dear friend of hers spent the next day in fasting and prayer for her. 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. Oh, said she, I love him dearly. 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, but now I love him, O blessed be God for the Lord Jesus Christ. After this she had a discovery of her approaching disillusion, which was no small comfort to her. Anon, said she, with a holy triumph, I shall be with Jesus, I am married to him, he is my husband, and I am his bride, I have given myself to him, and he hath given himself to me, and I shall live with him forever. This strange language made the hearers even stand astonished, but thus she continued 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. After a while some of her friends standing by her observed a more than ordinary earnestness and fixedness in her countenance. They said one to another, look how earnestly she looks, sure she seeth something. One asked, what it was, she fixed her eyes, upon so eagerly. I warrant, saith one that was by, she seeth death are coming. No, said she, it is glory that I see. Tis that I fix my eye upon. One asked her, what was glory like? She answered, I can't speak what, but I am going to it. Will you go with me? I am going to glory. Oh, that all you were to go with me to that glory. With which words her

soul took wing and went to the possession of that glory which she had some believing sight of before. She died when she was between 8 and 9 years old, about 1644. End of Section 10. Section 11 of A Token for Children by James Janeway. This Librevalk's recording is in the public domain. Of a child that was greatly affected with the things of God when she was very young, with an exact account of her admirable carriage upon her deathbed. Susanna Bix was born at Leiden in Holland,

January 24th, 1650 are very religious parents, whose great care was to instruct and catechise this their child, and to present her to the ministers of the place to be publicly instructed and catechized. 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 savor and relish of what she was taught, and made an admirable use of it in a time of need, as you shall hear afterwards, She was a child of great dutifulness to her parents and of a sweet, humble, spiritual nature, and not only the truth but the power and eminency of religion did shine in her so clearly that she did not only comfort the hearts of her parents,

but drew the admiration of all that were witnesses of God's works of love upon her, and may well be proposed as a pattern not only to children, but to persons of riper years. 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 deserved to have been written in letters of gold. But take these which follow, as some of the many which were taken from her dying lips, and first published by religious and judicious Christians in Dutch, afterwards translated into scotch, and with a little alteration of the style for the benefit of English children, brought into this form by me. 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. Her father coming to her to her to encourage her in her sickness said to her, Be of good comfort, my child, for the Lord will be near to thee and us under the heavy trial. He will not forsake us, though he chasten us. Ye, father, said she, Our heavenly father doth chasten us for our prophet, that we may be partakers of his holiness. No chastisement seemeth for the present to be joyous, but grievous. Yet afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them which are exercised thereby.

The Lord is now chastening of me upon this sick-bed, but I hope he will bless it so to me as to cause it to yield to me that blessed fruit according to the riches of his mercy, which fail not. After this she spake to God with her eyes lift up to heaven, saying, Be merciful to me, O father, be merciful to me a sinner according to thy word. Then, looking upon her sorrowful parents, she said, it is said, Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee, and he will never suffer the righteous to be moved. Therefore, my dear father and mother, cast all your care upon him, who causes all things to go well that do concern you. Her mother said unto her, O my dear child, I have no small comfort from the Lord in thee, and the fruit of his grace, whereby thou hast been so much exercised unto godliness in reading the word,

in prayer and gracious discourse to the edification of 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. 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 suckling child, that she should not have compassion on the fruit of her womb, yet will not I forget thee?

Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, her comfortable words both for mother and children. Mark, dear Mother, how fast the Lord keeps and holdeth his people, that he doth even grave them upon the palms of his hands, though I must part with you, and you, with me. Yet, blessed be God, he will never part either from you or me. Being weary of much speaking, she desired to rest a while, but after a little time waking again, her father asked how it was with her. She made no direct answer, but asked what day it was. Her father 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 fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much. She had a very high esteem for the faithful ministers of Christ, and much desired their company where she was, but knowing the hazard that such a visit might expose them and the church to, she would by no means suffer that the ministers should come near her person, but chose rather to throw 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 cases, to visit and comfort the sick. one of those which came to visit her was of very great use to comfort her and lift her up in some measure above the fears of death. Though young she was very much concerned for the interest of God and religion for gospel ministers and for the sins and the decay of the power of godliness in her own country which will further appear by what may follow. Her father, coming into 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 caused to weep? When I hear that Dominat the wit Was taken sick this day in his pulpit And went home very ill? Is not this a sad sign of God's displeasure to our country When God smiteth such a faithful pastor? She had a high valuation of God

And could speak in David's language, Whom have I in heaven but thee, And there is none on earth that I can desire in comparison of thee. She was much lifted up above the fears of death, What else was the meaning of such expressions as these? O, how do I long, even as the heart panteth after thee, O God, for God, the living God, when shall I come and appear before God? She was a great hater of sin, and did with much grief and self-apporrency reflect upon it,

but that which lay most upon her heart was the corruption of her nature and original sin. How oft would she cry out in the words of the psalmist, behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me, and I was altogether born in sin. She could never lay herself low enough under a sense of that original sin which she brought with her into the world. She spake many things very judiciously of the old man and putting it off and of the new man and putting that on, which showed that she was no stranger to conversion, that she in some measure understood what mortification, self-denial and taking up of her cross and following Christ 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 brokenness 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. 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 smoking flax he will not quench then she discoursed excellently of the nature of faith and desired that the eleventh of the hebrews should be read unto her at the reading of which she cried out oh what a steadfast loyal faith was that of abraham which made him willing to offer up his own and only son faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen her father and my father and my mother, hearing her excellent discourse and seeing her admirable carriage, burst out into abundance of tears, upon which she pleased with them to be patient, and content with the hand of God. Oh, said she, why do you weep at this rate over me, feeling, 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 doth whatsoever pleaseth him.

and do not you pray every day that the will of God may be done upon earth as it is in heaven. Now, Father, this is God's will, that I should die upon this sickbed and of this disease. Shall we not be content when our prayers are answered? Would not your extreme 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 me, and I will, as long as I live, pray that God's will may be done and not. mine. Seeing her parents still very much moved, she further argued with them from the providence 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 of our head are all numbered, therefore fear not, you are of more value than many sparrows. Adversity and prosperity, they are both good. Some things appear evil in our eyes, but the Lord turns all to the good of them which are his. 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 those people mean which 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?

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 we not read long ago together? Out of Leviticus 26 verse 25, I shall bring a sword upon you and avenge the quarrel of my covenant, and when you are assembled in the cities, then will I bring the pestilence in the midst of you. After this, having taken some little rest, she said, Oh, now is the day for opening of the first question of the Catechism, and if we were there, we should hear that whether in death or life a believer is Christ's, who hath redeemed us by his own precious blood from the power of the devil. And then she quoted Romans 14, verses 7 and 8,

for none of us liveth unto himself, and none of us dieth unto 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. Or why do you afflict yourselves 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 as the day of my death than the day of my birth. 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.

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 of distress, and he will deliver us, and we shall glorify him. Therefore, dear father, call upon him yet again for me. About this time a Christian friend came in to visit her, who was not a little comforted when he heard and saw so much of the grace of God living in a poor young thing,

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. That which was not the least observable in her was the ardent affection she had for the Holy Scriptures and her catechism, in which she was thoroughly instructed 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. Oh, how did she bless God for her catechism, and beg of her father to go particularly to those ministers that had taken so much pains with her to instruct her in her catechism,

and to thank them from her a dying child for their good instructions, and to let them understand for their encouragement to go on in the work of catechising, how refreshing those truths were now to her in the hour of her, in the hour of her distress. Oh, that sweet categuising, said she, unto which I did always resort with gladness and attended without weariness. She was much above the vanities of the world, and took no pleasure at all in those things which usually take up the heart and time of young ones.

She would say that she was grieved and ashamed, both for young and old, to see how glad and mad they were upon vanity, and how foolishly they spent their time. 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 could never be thankful enough both to God and man for that kindness that she had experience of. But again and again, she desired to be sure to thank the ministers who instructed her, either by catechising or

preaching. After some rest, her father asked her again how she did, and began to express somewhat of that satisfaction and joy that he had taken in her former diligence, in her reading the scriptures and writing, and her dutifulness, and that great progress 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, and said she esteemed her holy education under such parents and ministers as a greater portion than ten thousand guilders, for thereby I have learnt to comfort myself out of the word of God, which the world besides could never have afforded. Her father, perceiving her to grow very weak, said,

I perceive, child, thou art very weak. It is true, sir, said she, I feel my weakness increaseth, and I see your sorrow increasing too, which is a piece of my affliction. Be content, I pray you, it is the Lord which doth it, and let you and I say, with David, let us fall into the Lord's hand, for his mercies are great. She laid a great charge upon her parents not to be overest, were grieved for her after her death, urging that of David on them, while the child was sick, he fasted and wept, but when it died, he washed his face and sat up and eat, and said,

Can I bring him back again from death? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. So ought you to say after my death, our child is well, for we know it shall be well with them that trust in the Lord. She did lay a more particular and straight charge upon her mother, saying to her, dear mother, who have done so much for me, you must have done so much for me, promise me one thing more before I die, and that is that you will not sorrow over much for me. I speak thus to you because I am afraid of your great 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 me you shall have peace. And must the apostles suffer so great tribulation,

and must we suffer none? Did not Jesus Christ, my only life and saviour, sweat drops of blood? Was he not in a bitter agony, mocked, spit at, nailed to the cross, and a spear thrust through his blessed side, and all this for my sake, for my stinking sin's sake? Did not he cry out my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Did not Christ hang naked upon the cross to purchase for me the garments of salvation, and to clothe me with his righteousness, for there is salvation in no other name? Being very feeble and weak, she said, oh, if I might quietly sleep in the bosom of Jesus, and that till then he would strengthen me,

or that he would take me into his arms as he did those little ones, where he said, suffer little children to come unto me, for of such as the kingdom of heaven, that he took them into his arms, and laid his hands on them, and blessed them. I lie here as a child, O Lord, I am thy child, receive me into thy gracious arms. O Lord, grace, grace, and not justice, for if thou shouldst enter into your child, to judgment with me, I cannot stand, yea, none living should be just in thy sight. After this she cried out, Oh, 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 recover me,

how careful would I be to please you in my work and learning, and whatsoever you should require of me? After this the Lord did again send her strength, and she laboured to spend it all for Christ in the awakening, edifying, and comforting of those who 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 who are called according to his purpose. O God establish me with thy free spirit, who shall separate us from the love of Christ. I am persuaded that neither life nor death, nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor any other

creature shall separate us from the love of God which is toward 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 to a holy confidence in God and an assurance of her state as to another world. When she had a little refreshed herself with rest, she burst forth with abundance of joy and gladness of heart, with a holy triumph of faith, saying out, death is swallowed up of victory, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is

the law, but thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 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 return to the dust from whence it is, and the spirit to God who gave it. Then she discoursed of the shortness of man's life. Or what is the life of man? The days of man upon the earth are as the grass and the flowers of the field.

So he flourisheth, the wind passeth over it, and it is no more, and his place knows him no more. She further urged the sin and sorrow that did attend us in this life, and the longer we live, the more we sin, now the Lord will free me from that sin and sorrow. We know not the thoughts of God, yet do we know so much that they are mercy and peace, and do give an expected end? But what shall I say? My life will 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. She was very frequent in spiritual ejaculations, and it was no small comfort to her that the Lord Christ did pray for her, and promised to send his spirit to comfort her. It's said, said she, I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter. Oh, let not him leave me. O Lord continue with me Till my battle and work be finished She had low and undervaluing thoughts

Of herself and her own righteousness What meant she else to cry out In such language as that, none but Christ Without thee I can do nothing Christ is the true vine O let me be a branch of that vine What poor worms are we O dear Father how lame and halting

Do we go in the ways of God and salvation We know but in part But when that which is perfect is come then that which is imperfect shall be done away. Oh, that I had attained to that now. But what are we ourselves not only weakness and nothingness but wickedness? For all the thoughts and imaginations of man's heart are only evil in that continually. We are by nature children of wrath and are conceived and born in sin and unrighteousness.

Oh, oh, this wretched and vile thing sin, but thanks to God who hath redeemed me from it. She comforted herself and her father in that great scripture Romans 8 verses 15, 16 and 17. You have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the spirit of adoption by which we cry, Abba Father. It is the spirit that witness us 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 house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. I will come again and take you to myself, that where I am there ye may be also. O Lord, take me to thyself. Behold, dear mother, he hath prepared a place and dwelling for me. Yea, my dear child, said her mother, he shall strengthen you with his Holy Spirit, until he have fitted and prepared you fully for that place which he hath prepared for you.

yea mother it is said in the eighty-fourth psalm how lovely are thy tabernacles a lord of hosts my soul do thirst and longeth for the courts of the lord one day in thy courts is better than a thousand yea i had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of god than dwell in the tents of the wicked read that psalm dear mother wherewith we may comfort one another as for me i am more and more spent and draw near my last hour then she desired to be prayed with and begged that the lord would give her an easy passage after this she turned to her mother and with much affection she said ah my dear and loving mother that which cometh from the heart doth ordinarily go to the heart once more come and kiss me before i leave you she was not a little concerned about the souls of her relations and it particularly charged upon her father to do what he possibly could to bring them up in the ways of God. Oh, let my sister be trained up in the scriptures and catechising as I have been. I formerly wept for my sister, thinking that she should 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 spoke with many heartbreaking words both to her parents and the children. 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 bid his daughter to take her from her, 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 passest through the fire thou shalt not burn, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. She had a very strong faith in the doctrine of the resurrection,

and did greatly solace her soul with excellent scriptures, which do speak of the happy state of believers as soon as their souls are separated from their bodies, and while she quoted out of the scriptures, she did excellently and suitably apply to their own use, incomparably above the common reach of her sex and age. That in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 42 was a good support to her. The body is sown in corruption, but it shall be raised incorrupted, It is sown in dishonour, it shall be raised in glory.

It is sown in weakness, but it shall be raised in power. And then she sweetly applies, and takes in this cordial. Behold, thus it is, and thus it shall be with my poor mortal flesh. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, because they rest from their labour, and their works do follow them. The righteous perish, and no man layeth it to heart, and the upright are taken away, and no man regardeth it, that they are taken away from the evil to come. They shall enter into peace, and they shall rest in their beds, everyone who walketh in their uprightness.

Behold now, Father, I shall rest and sleep in that bedchamber. Then she quoted Job 19, verses 25, 26 and 27, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter end upon the earth, and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh I shall 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 again, and these very eyes which now are so dim,

shall, on that day, see and behold my dear and precious redeemer, albeit the worms eat up my flesh, yet with these eyes shall I behold God, even I myself, and not another for me. Then she quoted John 5 verse 28, Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in which all that are in their graves shall come forth, those that have done good under the resurrection of life. See, Father, I shall rise in that day, and then I shall behold, ye blessed of my

father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the beginning of the world. Behold, now I live, yet not I but Christ, liveeth in me, and the life that I 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 myself it is the gift of God, not of works, that no man should boast. My dear parents, now we must shortly part my speech faileth me, pray the Lord for a quiet close to my combat. Her parents replied, Our dear child, how 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. Then she comforted herself to think of seeing her precious brother and sister again in glory. I go to my brother Jacob, who did so much cry and call upon God to the last moment of his breath, and to 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. I will go to my little brother, 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. Oh, 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 God, as if it had no

will of its own, but if it be the will of God, if it please God, nothing from her but what is 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 I shall the more gladly be gone. Be gracious then, O Lord, unto me also be gracious to me. Wash me thoroughly from my unrighteousness and cleanse me from my sin. 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, oh, how I do 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 I heard or ever shall hear, I heard this in the new church, which is matter of great comfort to me. Then she repeated several notable scriptures which were quoted in that sermon. 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. Afterwards, she prayed herself and continued a pretty space. When prayers were ended, she called to her father and mother,

demanded of them whether she had at any time angered or grieved them or done anything that did not become her, and begged of them to forgive her. They answered her that if all children had carried themselves so to their parents as she had done, there would be less grief and sorrow on all hands than there is, and if anything hath escaped thee, we would forgive it with all our hearts. You have done as became a good child. Her heart being quieted with her peace with God and her parents, she began to dispose of her books. Particularly, she entreated her mother to keep Mr. DeWitt's Catechism lectures, as long as she lived, for her sake, and let my little sister have my other books as my remembrance.

Then, said she, she felt her breath exceedingly 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 necessity. Yea, said she, the Lord is my shepherd, 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 revealed in us. Shall I not suffer and endure, seeing my glorious redeemer was pleased

to suffer so much for me? Or how was he mocked and crowned with thorns, that he might purchase a crown of righteousness for us, and that is the crown of which Paul spoke when he said, I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth, is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give unto me unto me, but to all that love is appearing. Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God with your souls and bodies, which are his. Must I not then exalt and bless him while I have a being, who hath bought me with his blood?

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and took our infirmities, and we esteemed him smitten and stricken of God, but he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our sins. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are 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 hath satisfied for my sins, so saith Paul, ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and through the spirit of our God. 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 are come out of great tribulation, who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. She spoke this with a dying voice but full of spirit and of the power of faith. Her lively assurance she further uttered in the words of the apostle, we know that if this sort of, 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. 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 that heavenly paradise, into that

heavenly Jerusalem. There shall I dwell and go no more out, but sit and sing. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts, the Lord of Sabbath. Her last words were these, O Lord God, into thy hands I commit my spirit. Her Lord be gracious, be merciful to me, a poor sinner. And here she fell asleep. She died the 1st September 1664, between six and eight in the evening, in the 14th year of her age, having obtained that which she so often treated of the Lord, a quiet and easy departure at the end of her faith, the salvation of her soul. End of Section 11. Section 12 of A Token for Children by James Janeway.

This Librevox recording is in the public domain. Example 12. Of the excellent carriage of a child upon his deathbed when but seven years old. Jacob Bix, the brother of Susanna Bix, was born in Leiden in the year 1657, and had 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 distress. This sweet little child was visited of the Lord of a very sore sickness upon the 6th of August 1664, three or four weeks before his sister, of whose life and death we have given you some account already.

In this distemper he was, for the most part, very sleepy and drowsy, till near his death, but when he did awake, he was wont still to fall a-praying. Once when his parents had prayed with him, they asked him if they should once more send for the physician. No, said he, I will have the doctor no more. The Lord will help me. I know he will take me to himself, and then he shall help all. Ah, my dear child, said his father, that grieveth my heart. Well, said the child, Father, let us pray, and the Lord shall be near for my helper.

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 farewell dear father and mother farewell dear sister farewell all now shall i go to heaven unto god and jesus christ and the holy angels father know you not what is said by jeremiah blessed is he who trusted in the lord now i trust in him and he will bless me and in one john two it is said little children love not the world for the world passeth away away then all that is in the world away with all my pleasant things in the world, away with my dagger, for where I go, there is nothing to do with daggers and swords. Men shall not fight there, but praise God. Away with all my

books, there shall I know sufficiently, and be learned in all things of true wisdom without books. 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. Yea, father, said he, the apostle Peter saith, God resisteth the proud, but he giveth grace to the humble. I shall humble myself under the mighty hand of God, and he will help and lift me up. Oh, my dear child, said his father, as thou so strong of faith? Yes, said the child, God hath given me so strong a faith upon himself, through Jesus Christ, that the devil himself shall flee from me, for it is said, he that believeth in the sun hath everlasting

life, and he hath overcome the wicked one. Now I believe in Jesus Christ, my redeemer, and he will not leave or forsake me, but shall give unto me eternal life, and then, shall I sing holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Sabbath. Then, with a short word of prayer, Lord, be merciful to me, a poor sinner. He quietly breathed out his soul and sweetly slept in Jesus when he was about seven years old. He died August the 8th, 1664.

Hallelujah. End of Section 12. Section 13 of A Token for Children by James Janeway. This Librevalk's recording is in the public domain. example 13 of one who began to look towards heaven when he was very young, with many eminent passages of his life and his joyful death when he was 11 years and 3 quarters old. John Harvey was born in London in the year 1654. His father was a Dutch merchant.

He was piously educated under his virtuous mother and soon began to suck in divine things with no small delight. The first thing very observable in him was that when he was two years and eight months, old, he could speak as well as other children do usually at five years old. His parents judging that he was then a little too young to send out to school, let him have his liberty to play a little about their yard, but instead of playing, he found out a school of his own accord hard by home, and went to the schoolmistress and entreated her to teach him to read, and so went for some time to school without the knowledge of his parents, and made a very strange progress in his learning, and was able to

read distinctly before most children are able to know their letters. He was wont to ask many serious and weighty questions about matters which concerned his soul and eternity. His mother, being greatly troubled upon the death of one of his uncles, this child came to his mother and said, Mother, though my uncle be dead, doth not the scripture say he must rise again, yea, and I must die, and so must everybody, and it will not be long before Christ will come to judge the world, and then we shall see one another again. I pray mother do not weep so much. This grave counsel he gave his mother when he was not quite five years old, by which her sorrow for her brother was turned into admiration at her child, and she was made to sit silent and quiet

under that smarting stroke. After this his parents removed to Aberdeen in Scotland, and settled their child under an able and painful schoolmaster there, whose custom was upon the Lord's Day in the morning to examine his scholars concerning the sermons that they had heard the former Lord's Day and to add some other questions which might try the understanding and knowledge of his scholars. The question that was once proposed to this form was whether God had a mother. None of all the scholars could answer it, till it came to John Harvey, who being asked whether God had a mother, answered, no, as he was God, he could not have a mother, but as he was man, he had. This was before he was quite six years old. His master was somewhat amazed at the child's

answer and took the first opportunity to go to his mother, to thank her for instructing her son so well, but she replied that he was never taught that from her, but that he understood it by reading and by his own observation. He was a child that was extraordinary inquisitive and full of good questions, and very careful to observe and remember what he heard. He had a great hatred of whatsoever he knew to be displeasing to God, and was so greatly concerned for the honor of God that he would take on bitterly 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 dangerous to their souls.

One day, seeing one of his near relations come to his father's house distempered with drink, as he thought, he quickly went very seriously to him and wept over him that he should so offend God and hazard 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 verily believed. When he was at play with other children, he would be oftentimes putting in some word to keep them from naughty talk or wicked actions, and if he did take the Lord's name in vain

or do anything that was not becoming of a child, they should soon hear of it with a witness, 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 transported. with zeal that he could not forbear falling upon him to beat him, but his mother, chiding him for it, he said, that he could not endure to hear the name of God so abused by a wretched boy. This is observed not to vindicate the act, but to take notice of his zeal. He was a child that took great delight in the company of good men, and especially ministers and scholars, and if he had any leisure time, he would improve it by visiting of 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 scholar than a child. One day after school time was over, he gave Mr. Andrew Kent, one of the ministers of Aberdeen a visit, and asked him several solid questions, but the good man asked him some questions out of his catechism, and find him not so ready in the answers as he should have been, did a little reproof him and told him that he must be sure to get his catechism perfectly by heart. The child took the reproof very well and went home and fell very heart upon his catechism and never left, till he had got it by heart, and not only so, but he would be inquiring into the

sense and meaning of it. He was so greatly taken with his catechism that he was not content to learn it himself, but he would be putting others upon learning their catechism, especially those that were nearest him. He could not be satisfied till he had persuaded his mother's maids to learn it, and when they were at work he would be still following them with some good question or other, so that the child seemed to be taken up with the thoughts of his soul and God's honour, and the good of other souls. He was a conscientious observer of the Lord's Day, spending all the time either in secret prayer or reading the scriptures and good books, learning of his catechism and hearing the word of God in public duties,

and was not only careful in the performance of these duties himself, but was ready to put all that he knew upon a strict observation of the Lord's Day, and was exceedingly grieved at the profanation of it. One Lord's Day, a servant of his fathers, going out of the house upon extraordinary occasion to fetch some beer, he took on so bitterly that he could scarce be pacified because that holy day was so abused as he judged in his father's house. 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 well as many boys do their play, and that which was worse, he was commanded by the doctor not to read any book whatsoever at home. But, oh, 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 himself and stand by the window and read the Bible and good books? Yea, he was so greedy of reading the scriptures and took so much delight in them, that he would scarce allow 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 at God's command 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 side more. It was his practice to be much by himself in secret prayer, and he was careful to manage that work so as that it might be as secret as possible it could be, but his frequency and constancy made it to be easily observed,

upon which a person 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 glory might be hastened. He was wont to continue half an hour, sometimes an hour, together upon his knees. He was much above the vanities that most children are taken with, and was indeed too much a man to live long.

He was very humble and modest, and did by no means affect fineness in apparel, but hated anything more than necessaries, either in clothes, or diet. When he perceived either his brother or sisters, pleased with their new clothes, he would, with a great deal of gravity, reprove their folly, and when this reproof signified little, he would bewail their vanity. Once he had a new suit brought from the tailors, which he looked on, he found some ribbons at the knees at which he was grieved, asking his mother whether those things would

keep him warm. No child, said his mother. Why then, said he, do you suffer them to be put here? You are mistaken if you think such things please me, and I doubt some that our better than us may want the money that this cost you to buy them bread. He would entreat his mother to have a care of gratifying a proud humour in his brothers and sisters, and to 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 for sin, we should have no need of clothes. At leisure time he would be talking to his schoolfellows about the things of

God, and urged the necessity of a holy life. That text he much spoke on 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 acts of God's wrath and cast 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 eight years old,

and if he perceived any children unconcerned about their souls, he would be greatly troubled at it. After this his parents removed not far from London, where he continued till that dreadful year 65. He was then sent to the Latin school, where he soon made a great progress, and was greatly beloved of his master. The school was his beloved place and learning his recreation.

He was never taught to write, but took it of his own ingenuity. He was exceeding dutiful to his parents and never did in the least dispute their command except when he thought they might cross the command of God, as in the aforementioned business of reading the scriptures when his eyes were so bad. He was exceedingly contented with any mean diet, and to be sure he would not touch a bit of anything till he had begged God's blessing upon it. He would put his brother and sisters upon their duties, and observe them whether they performed

it or no, and when he saw any neglect he would soon warn them, and if he saw any of them, take a spoon into their hands before they had craved a blessing. He said, that is just like a hog, indeed. His sister was afraid of the darkness, and would sometimes cry upon this account. He told her she must fear God more, and she need then be afraid of nothing. He would humbly put his near relations upon their duty, and minding the concerns of their souls and eternity with more seriousness and life, and to have a care of doing that which was for the dishonour of God and the hazard of the soul.

He was of a compassionate and charitable disposition, and very pitiful to the poor, or any that were in distress, but his greatest pity was to poor souls, and as well as he could he would be putting children, playfellows, servants, and neighbours upon minding their poor souls. One notable instance of this true charity 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 anyway instrument. to do it good. At last, finding a man that understood the language of the Turk, he used means to get them together, which he at last procured. The first thing that he did was to put his friend upon discoursing with the Turk about his principles, whether he acknowledged a deity, which the Turk owning, the next thing he inquired after was what he thought of the Lord Jesus Christ, at which the Turk was troubled and put off the discourse and said he was a thirst and hungry, which the child being informed of by the interpreter, immediately went to a brewhouse near at hand, his own house being afar off, and did entreat the master of the brewhouse to give him

some beer for the Turk, and the argument he used was this, sir, here is a poor stranger that is a first, we know not where we may be cast before we die. He went to another place and begged food for him, using the same argument as before, but his friends hearing of it were angry with him, but he told them he did it for a poor stranger that was far from home, and he did it that he might think the better of the Christians and the Christian religion. He would have a savory word to say to everyone he conversed with, to put them in mind of the worth of Christ and their souls and their nearness to eternity. In so much that good people took no small pleasure in his company.

The tailor that made his clothes would keep them the longer before he brought them home, that he might have the benefit of his spiritual and Christian society and the more frequent visits. He bewailed the miserable condition of the generality of mankind, when he was about ten years old, that were utterly estranged from God, though they called him father. Yet they were his children only by creation, and not by any likeness they had to God, or interest in him. Thus he continued, walking in the ways of God, engaged in reading, prayer, hearing the word of God, and spiritual discourse, discovering thereby his serious thoughts of eternity. He had an earnest desire, if it might be the Lord's good pleasure, to give himself up to the

Lord in the work of the ministry if he should live, and this out of a dear love to Christ and souls. He was, next to the Bible, most taken with reading of the Reverend Mr. Baxter's works, especially his saints' everlasting rest, and truly the thoughts of that rest and eternity seemed to swallow up all other thoughts, and he lived in a constant preparation for it, and looked more like one that was ripe for glory than an inhabitant of this lower world. When he was about eleven years and three-quarters old, his mother's house was visited with the plague. His eldest sister was the first that was visited with this distemper, and when they were praying for her, he would sob and weep bitterly. As soon as he perceived that his sister was dead,

he said, the will of the Lord be done, blessed be the Lord. Dear mother, said he, you must do as David did, after the child was dead. He went and refreshed himself and quietly submitted himself to the will of God. The rest of the family held well for about 14 days, which time he spent in religious duties and preparing for his death, but still his great book was the saint's rest, which he read with exceeding curiosity, gathering many observations out of it in writing for his own use. He wrote several divine meditations of his own upon several subjects, but that which seemeth most admirable was a meditation upon the excellency of Christ. He was never well, but when he was more immediately engaged in the service of God.

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. His mother, looking upon his brother, shaked her head, at which, he asked, if his brother were marked. She answered, yay, child. He asked again whether he were marked. She answered nothing.

Well, says he, I know I shall be marked. I pray let me have Mr. Baxter's 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, She was so full of grief

That she could not pray now But she desired to hear him pray his last prayer His mother asked him Whether he were willing to die and leave her He answered, Yes, I am willing to leave you And to go to my heavenly father His mother answered, child

If thou hadst but an assurance of God's love I should not be so much troubled. 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 He has stood an angel by me

That told me I should quickly be in glory. 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 rejoice. I tell you I am so full of comfort that I can't tell you how I am. O mother, I shall presently have my head in my father's bosom, and shall be there where the four and twenty elders shall cast down their crowns and sing hallelujah, glory and praise to him that sits upon the throne and unto the lamb forever. 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 devote his mother, he asked her what she had to supper,

but presently in a kind of divine rapture he cried out, Oh, what sweet supper have I making ready for me in glory? But seeing all this 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, that it is the hand of the Almighty? Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, lay your own, 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 before him. Upon which, raising himself a little, he gave a lowly bow and spoke no more, but went cheerfully and triumphantly to rest in the bosom of Jesus.

Hallelujah. End of Section 13. Section 14 of A Token for Children by James Janeway. This Librevalch's recording is in the public domain. A narrative of sundry remarkable passages concerning Mr. John Langham, son of Sir James Langham, Knight and Baronet, by Thomas Burroughs B.D. This sweet child was five years and a half old within two or three days when God took him. But he had arrived to that in five years and a little more,

that some, I am afraid, have not arrived to in ten times the space. He had learnt the Assembly's shorter Catechism through and began to learn it over again with the proofs out of the, the scriptures at large, wherein he had made some progress. He met one day in a gentlewoman's chamber, who lives in my house, with a book that treated of the passion of Christ, and reading a little in it, said he liked the book well, and that he would read it over. So he began and read some few pages, then turned the leaf down, and the next day came again and began where he left, and so from day to day, till he had read a considerable part of it. He was a very dutiful child to

his parents and would exceedingly rejoice when he had done anything or carried himself so as to please them. He was taken with a book called the practice of piety and delighted to be reading in it. His father speaking to him one day about the devil and hell and things of that nature asked him if he were not afraid to be alone. He answered, no, for God would defend him. His father asked why he thought so, he replied that he loved God and that he hoped that God loved him. But, saith his father, you have been a sinner and God loves not sin. but I am sorry for my sins, saith he, and do repent. Repent, replied his father, do you know what repentance means and what belongs to it? And he gave him a good account of the apprehension he had

of the nature of that grace, according to what he had learnt in his catechism, but yet in his own words and expressions. He would oft ask his sister, who was somewhat younger than himself, whether she trusted in God and loved God, and would tell her that if she sought God, God would be found of her, but if she forsook God, God would cast her off forever. He took that delight in his book that his father and mother have seen cause sometimes to hide away his book from him. He was never observed to discover any pouting or discontent when upon any occasion he was corrected, and you must not think, I am telling you the story of one in whom Adam, as the feign of Bonaventure, never sinned. There is that foolishness bound up in all children's hearts that will sometimes

need the rod of correction. Though there be very few in whom there appeared less than in him. The day before he died, he desired me to pray for him. I told him, if he would have me to pray for him, he must tell me what I should pray for, and what he would have God to do for him. He answered to pardon his sins. After upon his sickbed, he would be repeating to himself the 55th chapter of Isaiah and other pieces of scripture, which in the time of his health he had learned by heart. But that passage in the forementioned chapter was most of the most of the first-mentioned chapter was most frequently in his mouth, and uttered by him with much affection. My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, saith the Lord,

for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As if God, out of this sweet babe's mouth, had, in these words, read to his parents a lecture of silence and submission under his hand, and taught them that he must be dealt with and disposed of, not as they, but as his heavenly father, whose thoughts were far different, should see fitting. One time he broke out into this expression, My God, my God, deliver me out of this misery, and from the pains of hell forever.

A little before his death he broke out into these words, My sins pardon, my soul save, for Christ, his sake. I cannot blame those worthy persons so nearly related to him, though they mourn at parting with such a sweet and hopeful child, any more than I could blame them for feeling pain if one of their limbs were torn from another, only they must not mourn to despondency. What an instrument of God's glory must,

might he have proved, what a deal of service might he have done for God in all likelihood had he lived to old age, but it was God's doing. End of Section 14. End of A token for children by James Janeway.