JOHN HARVEY was born in London, in the year 1654: his father was a Dutch
merchant: he was piously educated under his mother, and soon began to
hear Divine things with delight.
2. The first thing 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.
3. His parents, judging that he was then too young to send to school,
let him have his liberty to play about their yard, but instead of
playing, he found out a school of his own accord near home, and went to
the schoolmistress, and entreated her to teach him to read; and so he
went 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 knew their letters.
4. He was wont to ask many serious and weighty questions about matters
which concerned his soul and eternity.
5. His mother being greatly troubled upon the death of one of his
uncles, this child came to his mother and said, "Mother, though my uncle
be dead, do not the Scriptures say he must rise again? Yes, and I must
die, and so must every body, and it will not be long before Christ will
come to judge the world, and then we shall see one another again: I pray
mother, do not weep so much." He was not then quite five years old: by
which her sorrow for her brother was turned into admiration, and she was
made to sit silent and quiet under that trying providence.
6. After this his parents removed to Aberdeen, and settled their child
under a schoolmaster there, whose custom was upon the Lord's day in the
morning, to examine his scholars concerning the sermons they had heard
the former Lord's day, and to add some other questions, which might try
the understanding and knowledge of his scholars. The question that was
once proposed to his form was, whether Christ had a mother? None of the
scholars could answer it, till it came to John Harvey, who, being asked
whether Christ 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 six
years old.
7. One day, seeing one of his near relations come into his father's
house distempered with drink, he went to him, and wept over him, and
besought him that he would not so offend God, and hazard his soul.
8. He was a conscientious observer of the Lord's day, spending all the
time either in secret prayer, reading the Scriptures and good books,
learning his catechism, or hearing the word of God. And he 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.
9. He was very humble and modest, and hated any thing more than
necessaries, either in clothes or diet.
10. When he perceived either his brother or sister pleased with their
new clothes, he would reprove their folly; and when his reproof
signified little, he would bewail their vanity.
11. Once he had a new suit brought from the tailor's, which, when he
looked on, he found some ribands on the knees, at which he was grieved:
asking his mother "whether these things would keep him warm?" "No,
child," said his mother. "Why then," said he, "do you suffer them to be
put there? You are mistaken if you think such things please me: and, I
doubt some that are better than us may want the money that this cost
you, to buy them bread."
12. At leisure times he was talking to his school fellows about the
things of God, and 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."
13. After this his parents removed not far from London, where he
continued till the year 1665. He was then sent to the Latin school,
where he soon made a very considerable progress, and was greatly beloved
of his master. The school was his beloved place, and learning his
recreation.
14. He had a word to say to every one that he conversed with, to put
them in mind of the worth of Christ and their souls; and their nearness
to eternity: insomuch that good people took no small pleasure in his
company.
15. He bewailed the miserable condition of the generality of mankind,
(when he was about ten years old,) that they were utterly estranged from
God. "Though they called him Father, he said, yet they were his children
by creation, and not by any likeness they had to God, or any interest in
him."
16. Thus he continued walking in the ways of God: in reading, praying,
hearing the word of God, and spiritual intercourse; discovering thereby
his serious thoughts of eternity, which 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.
17. When he was about eleven years and nine months 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.
18. As soon as he perceived his sister was dead, he said, "The will of
the Lord be done, blessed be the Lord! Dear mother, you must do as David
did: after the child was dead he went and refreshed himself, and quietly
submitted to the will of God."
19. The rest of the family held well for some days, which time he spent
in preparing for death. Meantime he wrote several meditations upon
different subjects, particularly upon the excellence of Christ. He was
never well but when he was more immediately engaged in the service of
God.
20. At the end of fourteen days he was taken sick, at which he seemed
very cheerful; though his pains were great.
21. His mother, looking upon his brother, shook her head: at which he
asked if his brother was marked with the complaint? She answered, "Yea,
child." He asked again whether he was 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 he was not able to read. He said, "Then
pray by me and for me."
22. His mother asked him whether he was willing to die and leave her? He
answered, "Yes. I am willing to leave you and go to my heavenly Father."
She answered, "Child, if thou hadst but an assurance of God's love, I
should not be so much troubled." He answered, "I am assured that my sins
are forgiven, and that I shall go to heaven: for," said he, "here stood
an angel by me, that told me I should quickly be in glory."
23. 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 cannot 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 cast down their crowns, and sing
hallelujah, glory, and praise to him that sits upon the throne, and to
the Lamb for ever!"
24. Upon this his speech began to fail him, but his soul was still taken
up with glory; and nothing now grieved him but the sorrow that he saw
his mother to be in for his death; a little to divert her he asked,
"What she had for supper?" But presently, in a kind of rapture he cried,
"O what a sweet supper have I making ready for me in glory!"
25. But seeing all this did but increase his mother's grief, he 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 yourself in the dust and kiss the rod, in token of your submission
to the will of God." Upon which, raising himself a little, he gave a
lowly bow, and spake no more! but went to rest in the bosom of Jesus.