A Token for Children, Example 3 – Example 4
EXAMPLE III. 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.
1. MAry A. When ſhe was between four and five years old, was greatly affected in hearing the word of God, and became very ſolicitous about her Soul and everlaſting 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 oft with tears.
2. She was wont to be much in ſecret duty, and many times come off from her knees with tears.
3. She would chuſe ſuch times and places for ſecret duty, as might render her leſs obſerved by others, and did endeavour what poſſibly ſhe could to conceal what ſhe was doing when ſhe was engaged in ſecret duty.
4. She was greatly afraid of hypocriſie, and of doing any thing to be ſeen of men, and to get commendation and praiſe; and when ſhe hath 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 was little to his praiſe to pray like a hypocrite, and to be glad that any ſhould know what he had been doing.
5. Her Mother being full of ſorrow after the death of her Huſband, this Child came to her Mother and askt 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.
6. She was a dear lover of faithful Miniſters. One time after ſhe had been hearing of Mr. Whitaker, ſhe ſaid I love that name dearly for the ſweet words that he ſpeaks concerning Chriſt.
7. Her Book was her delight, and what ſhe did read ſhe loved to make her own, and cared not for paſſing over what ſhe learned without extraordinary obſervations and underſtanding; and many times ſhe was ſo ſtrangely affected in reading of the Scriptures, that ſhe would burſt out into tears, and would hardly be pacified, ſo greatly was ſhe taken with Chriſts ſufferings, the zeal of Gods Servant, the danger of a natural ſtate.
8. She would complain oftentimes of the corruption of her nature, of the hardneſs of her heart, that ſhe could repent no more thorowly, 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.
9. 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 handſomly, ſhe would be putting in ſome pretty ſweet word for Chriſt; but above all, ſhe would do what ſhe could to draw the hearts of her brethren and ſiſters after Chriſt; and there was no ſmall hopes, that her example and good counſel did prevail with ſome of them when they were very young to get into corners to pray, to ask very gracious queſtions about the things of God.
10. She was very conſcientious in keeping the Sabbath, ſpending the whole time either in reading or praying, or learning her Catechiſm, or teaching her Brethren and Siſters. One time when ſhe was left at home upon the Lords day, ſhe got ſome other little children, together with her brothers and ſiſters, and inſtead of playing (as other naughty children uſe to do) ſhe told them, that that was the Lords 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 exerciſes all the day long, except ſo much as was to be taken up in the works of neceſſity and mercy; then ſhe prayed with them her ſelf, 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.
11. She was a Child of a ſtrange tenderneſs and Compaſſion to all, full of Bowels and Pity: whom ſhe could not help, ſhe would be ready to weep over; eſpecially if ſhe ſaw her Mother at any time troubled, ſhe would quickly make her ſorrows her own, and weep for her and with her.
12. When her Mother had been ſomewhat ſolicitous about any worldly thing, ſhe would, if ſhe could poſſible, put her off from her care one way or other. One time ſhe told her, O Mother, grace is better than that (meaning ſomething her Mother wanted) I had rather have grace and the love of Chriſt, than any thing in the world.
13. This Child was often muſing and buſied in the thoughts of her everlaſting Work; witneſs that ſtrange queſtion, O what are they doing which are already in Heaven? And ſhe ſeemed to be hugely deſirous to be among them that 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 paralell'd.
14. She took great delight in reading of the Scripture, and ſome part of it was more ſweet to her than her appointed food; ſhe would get ſeveral choice Scriptures by heart, and diſcourſe of them ſavourly, and apply them ſutably.
15. She was not altogether a ſtranger to other good Books, but would be reading of them with much affection; and where ſhe might, ſhe noted the Books particularly, obſerving what in the reading did moſt warm her heart, and ſhe was ready upon occaſion to improve it.
16. One time a woman coming into the houſe in a great paſſion, ſpoke of her condition, as if none were like hers, and it would never be otherwiſe; the Child ſaid, it were a ſtrange thing to ſay when its night, it will never be day again.
17. At another time a near Relation of hers being in ſome ſtreights made ſome complaint, to whom ſhe ſaid, I have heard Mr. Carter ſay, A man may go to Heaven without a Penny in his Purſe; but not without Grace in his heart.
18. She had an extraordinary love to the people of God; and when ſhe ſaw any that ſhe thought feared the Lord, her heart would e'n leap for joy.
19. She loved to be much by her ſelf, and would be greatly grieved if ſhe were at any time deprived of a coveniency for ſecret duty; ſhe could not live without conſtant addreſs to God in ſecret; and was not a little pleaſed when ſhe could go into a corner to pray and weep.
20. She was much in praiſing God, and ſeldom or never complained of any thing but ſin.
21. She continued in this courſe of praying and praiſing of God, and great dutifulneſs and ſweetneſs to her Parents, and thoſe that taught her any thing; yea, ſhe did greatly encourage her Mother while ſhe was a Widow, and deſired that the abſence of a Husband might in ſome meaſure be made up by the dutifulneſs and holineſs of a Child. She ſtudied all the ways that could be to make her Mothers life ſweer.
22. When ſhe was between Eleven and Twelve years old, ſhe ſickned, in which ſhe carried it with admirable patience and ſweetneſs, and did what ſhe could with Scripture arguments to ſupport and encourage her Relations to part with her that was going to Glory, and to prepare themſelves to meet her in a bleſſed Eternity.
23. She was not many days ſick before ſhe was marked; which ſhe firſt ſaw her ſelf, and was greatly rejoyced to think that ſhe was marked out for the Lord, and was now going apace to Chriſt. She called to her Friends, and ſaid, I am marked, but be not troubled, for I know I am marked for one of the Lords own. One asked her how ſhe knew that? She anſwered, the Lord hath told me that I am one of his dear Children. And thus ſhe ſpake with a holy confidence in the Lords love to her ſoul, and was not in the leaſt daunted when ſhe ſpake of her death; but ſeemed greatly delighted in the apprehenſion of her nearneſs to her Fathers houſe. And it was not long before ſhe was filled with joy unſpeakable in believing.
24. When ſhe juſt lay a dying, her Mother came to her and told her ſhe was ſorry that ſhe had reproved and corrected ſo good a child ſo oft. O Mother, ſaid ſhe, ſpeak not thus, I bleſs God, now I am dying, for your reproofs and corrections too; for it may be, I might have gone to Hell, if it had not been for your reproofs and corrections.
25. Some of her Neighbours coming to viſit her, asked her if ſhe would leave them? She anſwered them, if you ſerve the Lord, you ſhall come after me to glory.
26. A little before ſhe died, ſhe had a great conflict with Satan, and cried out, I am none of his; her Mother ſeeing her in trouble, asked her what was the matter? She anſwered, Satan did trouble me, but now I think God all is well, I know I am none of his, but Chriſts.
27. After this, ſhe had a great ſenſe of Gods love, and a glorious ſight, as if ſhe had ſeen the very Heavens open, and the Angels come to receive her; by which her heart was filled with joy, and her tongue with praiſe.
28. Being deſired by the ſtanders by to give them a particular account of what ſhe ſaw: ſhe anſwered, you ſhall know hereafter; and ſo in an extafie of joy and holy triumph, ſhe went to Heaven, when ſhe was about Twelve years old. Hallelujah.
A Fourth Example of a Child that began to look towards Heaven when ſhe was about four years old, with ſome obſervable paſſages in her Life and at her Death.
1. A Certain little Child, when ſhe was about four years old, had a conſcientious ſenſe of her duty towards her Parents, becauſe the Commandment ſaith, Honour thy Father and thy Mother: And though ſhe had little advantage of education, ſhe carried it with the greateſt reverence to her Parents imaginable, ſo that ſhe was no ſmall credit as well as comfort, to them.
2. It was no unuſual thing for her to weep if ſhe ſaw her Parents troubled, though her ſelf had not been the occaſion of it.
3. When ſhe came from School, ſhe would with grief and abhorrency ſay, that other Children had ſinned againſt God by ſpeaking grievous words, which were ſo bad that ſhe durſt not ſpeak them again.
4. She would be often times admiring of Gods mercy for ſo much goodneſs to her rather than to others; that ſhe ſaw ſome begging, others blind, ſome crooked, and that ſhe wanted nothing that was good for her.
5. She was many a time and often in one hole or other in tears upon her knees.
6. This poor little thing would be ready to counſel other little children how they ought to ſerve God, and putting them upon getting by themſelves to pray; and hath been known when her friends have been abroad, to have been teaching Children to pray, eſpecially upon the Lords Day.
7. She very ſeriouſly begged the Prayers of others, that they would remember her, that the Lord would give her Grace.
8. When this Child ſaw ſome that were laughing, who ſhe judged to be very wicked; She told them, that ſhe feared that they had little reaſon to be ſo merry. They asked whether one might not laugh? She anſwered, no indeed till you have grace, they who are wicked have more need to cry than to laugh.
9. She would ſay, that it was the duty of Parents, Maſters and Miſtreſſes, to reprove (thoſe under their charge) for ſin, elſe God will meet with them.
10. She would be very attentive when ſhe read the Scriptures, and be much affected with them.
11. She would by no means be perſwaded to prophane the Lords Day, but would ſpend it in ſome good Duties.
12. When ſhe went to School, it was willingly and joyfully, and ſhe was very teachable and exemplary to other children.
13. When ſhe was taken ſick, one asked her whether ſhe were willing to die? She anſwered, Yes, if God would pardon her ſins. Being asked how, her ſins ſhould be pardoned? She anſwered, through the blood of Chriſt.
14. She ſaid, ſhe did believe in Chriſt, and deſired, and longed to be with him, and did with a great deal of chearfulneſs give up her ſoul.
There were very many obſervable paſſages in the Life and Death of this Child, but the hurry and grief that her friends were in, buryed them.