A Token for Children, Publishers advertisement 1 – To the reader
Theſe Three Books of the ſame Author Mr. James Janeway, are Printed for, and Sold by Dorman Newman.
HEaven upon Earth, or the beſt friend in the worſt of times; The third Edition enlarged, Price 2 s. 6 d.
Death unſtung, a Sermon Preacht at the Funeral of Thomas Mouſley an Apothecary: With a brief Narrative of his Life and Death: alſo the manner of Gods dealings with Him, before and after his Converſion: Drawn up by his own hand; Price 1 s.
A Sermon Preached at the Funeral of Thomas Savage, Price 4 d.
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.
— Suffer little Children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of ſuch is the Kingdom of God:
Mark 10.14.
LONDON, Printed for Dorman Newman, at the Kings Arms at the Corner of Grocers Alley in the Poultrey, 1676.
To all Parents, School-maſters and School-Miſtreſſes, or any that have any hand in the Education of Children.
Dear Friends,
I Have oft thought that Chriſt ſpeaks to you, as Pharaoh's Daughter did to Moſes's Mother; Take this Child and Nurſe it for me. O Sirs, conſider what a precious Jewel is committed to your charge, what an advantage you have to ſhew your love to Chriſt, to ſtock the next Generation with Noble Plants, and what a joyful account you may make, if you be faithful: Remember, Souls, Chriſt, and Grace, cannot be over-valued. I confeſs you have ſome diſadvantages, but let that only excite your diligence; the Salvation of Souls, the commendation of your Maſter, the greatneſs of your reward, and everlaſting glory, will pay for all. Remember the Devil is at work hard, wicked ones are induſtrious, and a corrupt nature is a rugged knotty piece to hew; but be not diſcouraged, I am almoſt as much afraid of your lazineſs and unfaithfulneſs, as any thing. Do but fall to work luſtily, and who knows but that rough ſtone may prove a Pillar in the Temple of God? In the Name of the living God, as you will anſwer in ſhortly at his Bar, I command you to be faithful in Inſtructing and Catechizing your young ones; If you think I am too peremptory, I pray read the command from my Maſter himſelf, Deut. 6.7. Is not the duty clear? and dare you neglect ſo direct a Command? Are the Souls of your Children of no value? Are you willing that they ſhould be Brands of Hell? Are you indifferent whether they be Damned or Saved? ſhall the Devil run away with them without controul? Will not you uſe your utmoſt endeavour to deliver them from the wrath to come? you ſee that they are not Subjects uncapable of the Grace of God; whatever you think of them, Chriſt doth not ſlight them; they are not too little to dye, they are not too little to go to Hell, they are not too little to ſerve their great Maſter, too little to go to Heaven; For of ſuch is the Kingdom of God: And will not a poſſibility of their Converſion and Salvation, put you upon the greateſt diligence to teach them? Or are Chriſt, and Heaven, and Salvation, ſmall things with you? If they be, then indeed I have done with you: but if they be not, I beſeech you lay about you with all your might; the Devil knows your time is going apace, it will ſhortly be too late. O therefore what you do, do quickly; and do it, I ſay, with all your might; O pray, pray, pray, and live holily before them, and take ſome time daily to ſpeak a little to your Children, one by one, about their miſerable condition by Nature; I knew a Child that was converted by this ſentence, from a godly School-miſtreſs in the Country, Every Mothers Child of you are by Nature Children of wrath. Put your Children upon Learning their Catechiſm, and the Scriptures, and getting to pray and weep by themſelves after Chriſt: take heed of their company; take heed of pardoning a lye; take heed of letting them miſpend the Sabbath; put them, I beſeech you, upon imitating theſe ſweet Children; let them Read this Book over an hundred times, and obſerve how they are affected, and ask them what they think of thoſe Children, and whether they would not be ſuch? and follow what you do with earneſt cries to God, and be in travel to ſee Chriſt formed in their Souls. I have prayed for you, I have oft prayed for your Children, and I love them dearly; and I have prayed over theſe papers, that God would ſtrike in with them, and make them effectual to the good of their Souls. Incourage your Children to read this Book, and lead them to improve it. What is preſented, is faithfully taken from experienced ſolid Chriſtians, ſome of them no way related to the Children, who themſelves were Eye and Ear-witneſſes of God's works of Wonder; or from my own knowledg, or from Reverend godly Miniſters, and from Perſons that are of unſpotted reputation for Holineſs, Integrity and Wiſdom; and ſeveral paſſages are taken verbatim in writing from their dying Lips. I may add many other excellent Examples, if I have any encouragement in this Piece. That the young generation may be far more excellent than this, is the Prayer of one that dearly loves little Children.
James Janeway.