And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
— Genesis 17:7
And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.
— Jeremiah 32:39-40
A Song of degrees of David. LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.
— Psalm 131:1-2
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
— Luke 18:17
A Token For Children: Being An Exact Account of the Conversion, Holy and Exemplary Lives, and Joyful Deaths of Several Young Children, by James Janeway. The following contains an excerpt from his work. Printed in 1781.
The First Part.
Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God.
— Mark x. 14 d-f
Example: Miss Sarah Howley
Of one eminently converted between eight and nine years old, with an account of her life and death.
Miss Sarah Howley, when she was between eight and nine years old, was carried by her friends to hear a sermon, where the minister preached upon Matth. xi. 19. My yoke is easy, and by 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 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 be well as she could; which might easy HE perceived by her eyes and countenance. 2. She was not not contented with this, but got her little brother and sister into a chamber with her, and told them of their condition by nature, and wept over them, and prayed with them and for them.
3. After this, she heard another sermon upon Prov. xxix. 1. He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy: at which she was more affected than before, and so exceeding solicitous about her soul, that she spent a great part of the night in weeping and praying, and could scarce take any rest day or night for some time togethèr, desiring with all her soul to escape from everlasting flames, and to get an interest in the Lord Jesus: O what should she do for Christ? what should she do to be saved?
4. She gave herself very much to attending upon the word preached, and still continued very tender under it, greatly savouring what she heard.
5. She was very much in secret prayer, as might easily be perceived by those who listened at the chamber door; and was usually very importunate, full of tears.
6. She could scarce speak of sin, or be spoken to, but her heart was ready to melt. 7. She spent much time in reading the scripture, and a book called The best Friend in the worst of Times, by which the work of God was much promoted upon her soul; and was much directed by it how to get acquaintance with God, especially toward the end of that book. Another book that she was much delighted with was, Mr. SWINNOCK’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.
8. She was exceedingly dutiful to her parents, very loath to grieve them in the least; and if she had at any time, (which was very rare,) offended them, she would weep bitterly.
9. She abhorred lying, and allowed herself in no known sin.
10. She was very conscientious in spending of time, and hated idleness, and spent her whole time either in praying, reading, or working at her needle, at which she was very ingenious.
11. When she was at school, she was eminent for her diligence, teachableness, meekness, and modesty, speaking little; but, when she did speak, it was usually spiritual.
12. She continued in this course of religious duties for some years together.
13. When she was about fourteen years old she broke a vein in her lungs, (as is supposed,) and oft did spit blood; yet did a little recover again, but had several dangerous relapses.
14. At the beginning of January last, she was taken very bad again: in which sickness she was in great distress of soul. When she was first taken she said, O mother, pray, pray, pray for me; for Satan is so busy that I cannot pray for myself; I see I am undone without Christ and a pardon! Oh! I am undone to all eternity!
15. Her mother, knowing now serious she had been formerly, did a little wonder that she should be in such agonies: upon which her mother asked her what sin it was that was so burthensome to her spirits: O mother, said she, it is not any particular sin of omission or commission, that sticks so close to my conscience, as the sin of my nature: without the blood of Christ that will damn me.
16. Her mother asked her what she should pray for, for her? She answered, That I may have a saving knowledge of sin and Christ; and that I may have an assurance of God’s love to my soul. Her mother asked her why she did speak so little to the minister that came to her? She answered, that it was her duty with silence and patience to learn of them; and it was exceeding painful to her to speak to any.
17. One time, when she fell into a fit, she cried out, Oh! I am going, I am 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.
18. 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…
19. She would many times be laying hold upon the promises, and plead them in prayer. That in Matt. xi. 28, 29. was much on her tongue, and no small relief to her spirits. How many times would she cry out, Lord hast thou not said, Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest
20. Another time her father bid her be of good cheer, because she was going to a better father; at which she was much affected, and said, But how do I know that? I am a poor sinner that wants assurance: O for assurance! It was still her note, O 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 a poor creature more earnest for any thing than she was for an assurance, and the light of God’s countenance: O the piteous moan that she would make! O the agonies that her soul was in!.
21. Her mother asked her, if God should spare her life how she would live? Truly mother, said she, we have such base hearts, that I cannot tell; we are apt to promise great things when we are sick; but when we are recovered, we are as ready to forget ourselves, and turn again unto folly: but I hope I shall be more careful of my time, and my soul, than I have been.
22. She was full of natural affection to her parents, and very careful lest her mother should be tired out with much watching. Her mother said, how shall I bear parting with thee, when I have scarce dried my eyes for thy brother? She answered, the God of love support and comfort you: it is but a little while, and I hope we shall meet in glory. She, being very weak, could speak but little; therefore her mother said, Child, if thou hast any comfort lift up thy hand; which she did.
23. The Lord’s day before that in which she died, a kinsman of her’s came to see her, and, asking of her whether she knew him, she answered, 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, O! to die without Christ is a fearful thing: O redeem time! O time, time, time, precious time! Being requested by him not to spend herself, she said, she would fain do all the good she could while she lived, and when she was dead too, if possible: upon which account she desired that a sermon might be preached at her funeral concerning the preciousness of time. O that young ones would now remember their Creator.
24. Some ministers that came to her did with earnestness beg that the Lord would please to give her some token for good, that she might go off triumphing; and bills of the same nature were sent to several churches.
25. After she had long waited for an answer of their prayers, she said, Well, I will venture my soul upon Christ.
26. She carried it with wonderful patience, and yet would often pray that the Lord would give her more patience; which
the Lord answered to astonishment; for, considering the pains and agonies that she was in, her patience was next to a wonder. Lord, Lord, give me patience, said she, that I may not dishonour thee.
27. Upon Thursday, after long waiting, great fears, and many prayers, when all her friends thought she had been past speaking, to the astonishment of her friends, she broke forth thus, with a very audible voice and cheerful countenance: Lord, thou hast promised, that whosoever comes unto thee thou wilt in no wise cast out. Lord, I come unto thee, and surely thou wilt in no wise cast me out. O so sweet, O so glorious, is Jesus! O I have a sweet and glorious Jesus! he is sweet, he is sweet! O the admirable love of God in sending Christ! O free grace to a poor lost creature! And thus she ran on in repeating many of these things a hun-dred times over; but her friends were so astonished to see her in this divine rapture, and to hear such gracious words, and her prayers and desires satisfied, that they could not write a quarter of what she spoke.
28. While her soul was thus ravished with love of Christ, and her tongue so highly engaged in the magnifying God, her father, brethren, and sisters, with others of the family, were called; to whom she spoke particularly, as her strength would give leave. She gave her Bible as a legacy to one of her brothers, and desired him to use that well for her sake; and added, to him and the rest, O make use of time, to get Christ for your souls! O spend no time in running up and down, and playing! O get Christ for your souls while you are young: remember now your Creator before you come to a sick bed; put not 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 you are young, what need you be in such haste? you will have time enough when ye are old. But there stands one, (meaning her grandmother,) that stays behind, and I, that am but young, am going before her: O therefore make your calling and election sure, while you are in health! But I am afraid this will be but one night’s trouble to your thoughts; but remember these are the words of a dying sister. O if you knew how good Christ was! O, if you had but one taste of his sweetness, you would rather go to him a thousand times than stay in this wicked world! I would not, for ten thousand and ten thousand worlds, part with my interest in Christ: O how happy am I that I am going to everlasting joys! I would not
go back again for twenty thousand worlds; and will you not strive to get an interest in Christ?
29. After this, looking upon one of her father’s servants, she said, What shall I do, What shall I do at the Great Day, when Christ shall say unto me, Come, thou blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for thee; and shall say to the wicked, Go, thou cursed, into the lake that burns for ever? What a grief is it to me, to think that I shall see any of my friends, that I knew upon earth, turned into that lake that burns for ever! O those words, for ever! remember that, for ever! I speak these words to you; but they are nothing except God speak to you too: O pray, pray, pray, that God would give you grace! and then she prayed, O Lord, finish thy work upon their souls: it will be my comfort to see you in glory, but it will be your everlasting happiness.
30. Her grandmother told her that she spent herself too much: she said, I care not for that, if I could do any soul good. O with what vehemence did she speak, as if her heart were in every word she spoke !
31. She was full of divine sentences; and almost all her discourse, from the first to the last, in the time of her sickness, was about her soul, Christ’s sweetness, and the souls of others; in a word, like a continued sermon.
32. Upon Friday, after she had had such lively discoveries of God’s love, she was exceedingly desirous to die, and cried out, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly; conduct me to thy tabernacle: I am a poor creature without thee: but, Lord Jesus, my soul longs to be with thee; O when shall it be? why not now, dear Jesus? Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly: but why do I speak thus? thy time, dear Lord, is the best: O give me patience!
33. Upon Saturday she spoke very little, (being very drowsy, yet now and then she dropt these words: How long, sweet Jesus? Finish thy work; come away, sweet, dear Lord Jesus; come quickly, sweet Lord, help; come away now, now, dear Jesus, come quickly; good Lord, give patience to me to wait thy appointed time; Lord Jesus, help me, help me, help me! Thus at several times, (when out of her sleep;) for, she was asleep the greatest part of the day.
34. Upon the Lord’s day she scarce spoke any thing; but much desired that bills of thanksgiving might be sent to those who had formerly been praying for her, that they might help her to praise God for that full assurance that he had given her of his love; and seemed to be much swallowed up with the thoughts of God’s free love to her soul. She oft commended her spirit into the Lord’s hands: and the last words which she was heard to speak were these : Lord, help; Lord Jesus, help; dear Jesus, blessed Jesus! -And thus upon the Lord’s day between nine and ten o’clock in the forenoon, she slept sweetly, in Jesus, and began an everłasting sabbath, Feb. 19, 1670.
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