N00759:453
A token for children. Being an exact account of the conversion, holy and exemplary…
A token for children. Being an exact account of the conversion, holy and exemplary lives and joyful deaths of several young children. / By James Janeway, Minister of the Gospel. : To which is added, A token, for the children of New England. Or, Some examples of children, in whom the fear of God was remarkably budding before they died; in several parts of New England. Preserved and published for the encouragement of piety in other children.
printed for Nicholas Boone, 1700
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
MR. Thomas Thornton, the aged and faithful Pastor of Yarmouth, was blessed with a Daughter, named Priscilla, which at the Age of Eleven, left this world, having first given demonstrations of an Exemplary Piety.
She was one remarkably grave, devout, serious; very inquisitive about the matters of Eternity; and in her particular Calling very diligent. She was nevertheless troubled with sore Temptations and Exercises about the state of her own Soul: the Anguish of her Spirit, about her Body of Death, caused her to pour out many tears and prayers; and she pressed, That some other pious Children of her acquaintance, might with her keep a Day of Humiliation together, That (as she expressed it) they might get power against their sinful Natures. But it pleased God at length to bless the words of her Godly Mother, for the quieting of her mind. It was her singular Happiness, that she had such Godly Parents; but it was her Opinion and Expression, We trust too much to the Prayers ⟨p. 13⟩of our Parents, whereas we should Pray for our selves.
At last, she fell Mortally Sick. In the beginning of her Sickness, she was afraid of Dying; For, said she, I know of no Promise to encourage me. She could not but own that she had in some measure walked with God; yet she complained, That she had not found God meeting her in her Prayers, and making her Heart willing to be at His Dispose; and that the Pride of her heart, now lay as a Load upon it. She owned, That she had many Thoughts of Jesus Christ, and that it grieved her that she had Sinned against Him, who had Done & Died for her.
At last, she fell Mortally Sick. In the beginning of her Sickness, she was afraid of Dying; For, said she, I know of no Promise to encourage me. She could not but own that she had in some measure walked with God; yet she complain'd, That she had not found God meeting her in her Prayers, and making her Heart willing to be at His Dispose; and that the Pride of her heart, now lay as a Load upon it. She own'd, That she had many Thoughts of Jesus Christ, and that it grieved her that she had Sinned against Him, who had Done & Dy'd for her.