A New Years Gift.  
OR, THE Youth's Instructor THROUGH The Wilderness of this World, TO THE Mansions of Eternal Glory. WITH A most Pious and Religious Catechism, fitting for the Capacities of Young Children; with several Morning and Evening Prayers: And Prayers before and after the Receiving the Holy Communion.  
With Graces before and after Meat.  
To which is added the Life of Mrs. Elizabeth Robinson.  
Recommended as useful and very necessary for the Use of Children, by D. Stephens.  
Printed according to Order.  
LONDON, Printed and Sold by J. Wilkins, near Fleet street MDCLXXXXVIII.   

A Catechism for Children.  
Question. WHo made thee?  
Answer God.  
Question. What is God?  
A. He is Almighty, Maker, and Governor of all things.  
Q. Wherefore did the Lord make thee?  
A. To serve him.  
Q. How oughtest thou to serve him?  
A. As he hath appointed in his Laws.  
Q. which be they?  
A. The keeping of the Ten Commandments, as they are appointed in the Twentieth Chap. of Ex.  
Q. What dost thou believe concerning Jesus Christ?  
A. I believe he is the only begotten Son of God, of the Father, the Eternal Son of God, and able to save sinners.  
Q. What hath Christ done for thee?  
A. He died for me.  
Q. If Christ were God, how could he Die?  
A. Christ was both God and Man, as he was God, he could not die; but being Man, he died for my sins, and risen again for my Redemption.  
Q. Are all then saved by the Death of Christ?  
A. No; only such are saved as by a lively faith ●ay hold on him.  
Q. What is a lively Faith.  
A. A true Belief and faithful relying on all the Promises of God, and a steadfast belief that Christ died as well for my Sins as any other, if I, thro' Faith, do lay hold on him.  
Q. Who was the first Man that God Created?  
A. Adam.  
Q. Who was his Wife?  
A. Eve.  
Q. Of whom was the first Man, Adam, a Figure?  
A. Of the Second Adam, Jesus Christ.  
Q. How do you prove that?  
A. The first Man Adam was made a living Soul, and the last Adam, Christ, was made a quickening Spirit.  
Q. What cast Adam out of Paradise?  
A. Sin.  
Q. Who was the Faithfullest Man?  
A. Abraham.  
Q. In what?  
A. In offering his only Son Isaac when he was tried.  
Q. What else?  
A. He less his Native Land, as God commanded.  
Q. Who was the Meekest Man on Earth?  
A. Moses.  
Q. Who was the hard-heartedst Man?  
A. Pharaoh.  
Q. Who was the Patientest Man?  
A. Job.  
Q. Wherein?  
A. When the tidings came to him of the sudden loss of his Goods and his Children, he said, Blessed be the Name of the Lord.  
Q. How long did he live?  
A. Nine Hundred sixty nine years.  
Q. Who was the only Righteous Man?  
A. Noah.  
Q. What Man Wrestled with God's Angel  
A. Jacob.  
Q. Where?  
A. At Penel, when he was going to meet his Brother Esau.  
Q. After his Wrestling with God, who was he called?  
A. Israel.  
Q. Why?  
A. Because as a Prince he had power with God.  
Q. Who was the only Man after Gods own heart?  
A. David.  
Q. Wherein?  
A. He followed the Lord with all his heart.  
Q. Who was the wisest Man?  
A. Solomon.  
Q. Wherein?  
A. In ask of God for Understanding.  
Q. Who was the strongest Man?  
A. Samson.  
Q. Wherein lay his great strength?  
A. In his Hair.  
Q. How many Judges Governed Israel?  
A. Seventeen; from Judah to Samuel.  
Q. What occasioned the Change of Israel's Government?  
A. samuel's Son's ill Government.  
Q. Who was the first King of Israel?  
A. Saul.  
Q. Who was the second King of Israel?  
A. David.  
Q. Who was the third King of Israel?  
A. Solomon.  
Q. How long did Solomon Reign?  
A. Forty Years.  
Q. Who was the Oldest Man?  
A. Methusalem.   

A Prayer before the Receiving of the Holy Sacrament.  
O Heavenly Father, fit me with a lively Faith, profound humility, filial obedience, inflamed affections, and universal charity: O raise in my Soul, all those heavenly transports of zeal and devotion, of love and desire, of joy and delight, of praise and thanksgiving, which becomes the remembrance of a crucified Saviour, which becomes one redeemed by the Blood of God, and that for his sake only that redeemed me, in whose holy Words I sum up all the Graces and Blessings I stand in need of. Our Father, etc.   

A Thanksgiving after Receiving the Sacrament.  
O How plentiful is thy goodness, my Lord, and my God, which thou hast laid up for those that fear thee, and put their trust in thy Mercy!  
Was it not love infinite enough dearest Lord, to give thyself for me on the Cross? Was not that Sacrifice of thyself sufficient to expiate the Sins of the whole World? What, Lord, couldst thou then do more for me?  
O dearest Lord, raise thou my Devotion to the highest pitch it can possibly reach, to praise thee; enlarge my Soul to its utmost extent to love thee Amen   

A Praer for the Morning.  
BLessed be God, for keeping me this Night past. God bless me, and keep me from sin and danger this day following; and give me Grace to love and serve him, and to honour and obey my Father and Mother, according to his Commandment, that I may inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, through Jesus Christ. Amen.   

A Prayer for the Night.  
BLessed be God, for keeping me this day passed in health and safety. God forgive my Sins, and give me, Grace to do so no more: God give me Faith in Christ, and Salvation by him. God bless me and keep me, and my Father and Mother, this night and for ever, through Jesus Christ. Amen.   

A Morning Prayer.  
WE bless thee for keeping us this night past, and day peesent hitherto. Now take us, O Lord, into thy protection; guide bless, and keep us from sin and danger, Grant we may always so demean ourselves as in thy sight and presence, that at the last day we may give up our accounts with joy, Hear and answer us for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, in whose name and words we further pray unto thee, saying, Our Father, etc.   

An Evening Praer.  
WE bless thee for the blessing of the day past, that thro' thy goodness we have not wanted any good thing. Pardon the Sins we have this day committed, and be fully reconciled to us in Christ: take us into thy tuition this following night; refresh us with quiet rest and sleep, and raise us up the ensuing day (if thou shalt in mercy add it to our lives) to serve thee with diligence in the discharge of the duties of our places, to thy praise and our comfort and salvation, through Jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour: to whom, with thyself and holy Spirit, be all Honour, Praise and Glory, now and evermore. Amen.   

Grace before Meat.  
God bless his good Creatures to me.   

Grace after Meat.  
Blessed be God for his Goodness in feeding of me.   

Before Meat.  
God bless us and our Food and save us throug Faith in Christ Jesus. Amen.   

After Meat.  
Blessed be God for our health, food, and hope of Salvation, through Jesus Christ. Amen.   

The Child completely Armed for Christ, etc.  
A More notable Instance of True saving Knowledge than what I am going to lay before you, as a worthy pattern to guide and direct your lives and conversations by, has perhaps been seldom or never recorded, especially in these latter woeful evil days wherein Sin and wickedness so much abound, and wherein all manner of Abominations, with Grief I speak it, are so much countenanced, etc.  
Elizabeth Robinson, was the Daughter of John Robinson, a very reputable Mercer in the Parish of St. Martin's in the fields: she was carefully, by her Religious Father taught and well acquainted with the Holy Scriptures: But it deed there appeared nothing extraordinary in her, till towards the 11th year of her Age, at which time it pleased God to visit her with a sharp fit of Sickness, during the continuance whereof one asked her, what she thought would become of her if she should die? She answered. That she was afraid she should go to Hell. Being asked why she harboured such Thoughts, she replied, Because she feared she did not love God. Again, being asked how she did know she did not love God? she replied, What have I done for God ever since I was born? Being asked again, Whether she was not sorry that she could not love God? she answered, Yes; but was still afraid it was to late: some few Months After this she had a discovery o● he approaching Death which was no small comfort to her: Anon, said she, I shall be with Christ, and I shall live, with him for ever. So she died between a Eleven and Twelve years old.  
FINIS.