A Token for Children, Preface 1
A PREFACE: Containing DIRECTIONS TO CHILDREN.
YOƲ may now hear (my dear Lambs) what other good Children have done, and remember how they wept and prayed by themſelves; how earneſtly they cryed out for an intereſt in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: May you not read how dutiful they were to their Parents? How diligent at their Books? how ready to learn the Scripture, and their Catechiſms? Can you forget what Queſtions they were wont to ask? How much they feared a lye, how much they abhorred naughty company, how holy they lived, how dearly they were loved, how joyfully they died?
But tell me, my dear Children, and tell me truly, Do you do as theſe Children did? Did you ever ſee your miſerable ſtate by Nature? Did you ever get by your ſelf and weep for ſin, and pray for grace and pardon? Did you ever go to your Father and Mother, or Maſter, or Miſtreſs, and beg of them to pity you, and pray for you, and to teach you what you ſhall do to be ſaved, what you ſhall do to get Chriſt, Heaven and Glory? Doſt thou love to be taught good things? Come tell me truly, my dear Child; for I would fain do what I can poſſibly to keep thee from falling into everlaſting Fire. I would fain have you one of thoſe little ones, which Chriſt will take into his Arms and bleſs: How doſt thou ſpend thy time? is it in play and Idleneſs, and with wicked Children? Dare you take Gods Name in vain, or ſwear, or tell a lie? Dare you do any thing which your Parents forbid you, and neglect to do what they command you? Do you dare to run up and down upon the Lords day? or do you keep in to read your book, and to learn what your good Parents command you? What do you ſay, Child? Which of theſe two ſorts are you of? Let me talk a little with you, and ask you a few Queſtions.
1. Were not theſe Children ſweet Children, which feared God, and were dutiful to their Parents? Did not their Fathers and Mothers, and every body that fears God, love them, and praiſe them? What do you think is become of them, now they are dead and gone? Why, they are gone to Heaven, and are ſinging Hallelujahs with the Angels: They ſee glorious things, and having nothing but joy and pleaſure, they ſhall never ſin no more, they ſhall never be beat any more, they ſhall never be ſick, or in pain any more.
2. And would not you have your Fathers love; your Mothers Commendation, your Maſters good word? Would not you have God and Chriſt love you? And would you not fain go to Heaven when you die? And live with your godly Parents in Glory, and be happy for ever?
3. Whither do you think thoſe Children go, when they dye, that will not do what they are bid, but play the Truant, and Lye, and ſpeak naughty words, and break the Sabbath? Whither do ſuch Children go, do you think? Why, I will tell you, they which Lye, muſt go to their Father the Devil into everlaſting burning; they which never pray, God will pour out his wrath upon them; and when they beg and pray in Hell Fire, God will not forgive them, but there they muſt lye for ever.
4. And are you willing to go to Hell to be burned with the Devil and his Angels? Would you be in the ſame condition with naughty Chilren? O Hell is a terrible place, that's worſe a thouſand times than whipping; Gods anger is worſe than your Fathers anger; and are you willing to anger God? O Child, this is moſt certainly true, that all that be wicked, and die ſo, muſt be turned into Hell; and if any be once there, there is no coming out again.
5. Would you not do any thing in the World rather than be thrown into Hell Fire? would you not do any thing in the World to get Chriſt, and grace and glory?
6. Well now, what will you do? will you read this book a little, becauſe your good Mother will make you do it, and becauſe it is a little new Book, but as ſoon as ever you have done, run away to play, and never think of it?
7. How art thou now affected, poor Child, in the Reading of this Book? Have you ſhed ever a tear ſince you begun reading? Have you been by your ſelf upon your knees, and begging that God would make you like theſe bleſſed Children? or are you as you uſe to be, as careleſs, and fooliſh and diſobedient, and wicked as ever?
8. Did you never hear of a little Child that died? and if other Children die, why may not you be ſick and die? and what will you do then, Child, if you ſhould have no grace in your heart, and be found like other naughty children?
9. How do you know but that you may be the next Child that may die? and where are you then, if you be not God 's Child?
10. Wilt thou tarry any longer, my dear Child, before thou run into thy chamber, and beg of God to give thee a Chriſt for thy Soul, that thou mayeſt not be undone for ever? Wilt thou get preſently into a corner to weep and pray? Methinks I ſee that pretty Lamb begin to weep, and thinks of getting by himſelf, and will as well as he can cry unto the Lord, to make him one of theſe little ones that go into the Kingdom of Heaven; Methinks there ſtands a ſweet Child, and there another, that are reſolved for Chriſt and for Heaven: Methinks that little Boy looks as if he had a mind to learn good things. Methinks I hear one ſay, well, I will never tell a lye more, I will never keep any naughty Boy company more, they will teach me to ſwear, and they will ſpeak naughty words, they do not love God. I'le learn my Catechiſm, and get my Mother to teach me to pray, and I will go to weep and cry to Chriſt, and will not be quiet till the Lord hath given me Grace. O that's my brave Child indeed!
11. But will you not quickly forget your promiſe? are you reſolved by the ſtrength of Chriſt to be a good child? Are you indeed? nay, but are you indeed? Conſider: dear child, God calls you to remember your Creator in the dayes of your Youth; and he takes it kindly when little ones come to him, and he loves them dearly; and godly people, eſpecially Parents, and Maſters and Miſtreſſes, they have no greater joy, than to ſee their Children walking in the way of truth.
Now tell me, my pretty dear Child, What will you do? ſhall I make you a Book? Shall I pray for you, and entreat you? Shall your Good Mother weep over you? And will not you make us all glad, by your turning quickly to the Lord? Shall Chriſt tell you that he will love you? And will not you love him? Will you ſtrive to be like theſe Children? I am perſwaded, that God intends to do good to the Souls of ſome little Chidren by theſe Papers, becauſe he hath laid it ſo much upon my heart to pray for them, and over theſe Papers, and thorow mercy I have already experienced, that ſomething of this nature hath not been in vain: I ſhall give a word of direction, and ſo leave you.
1. Take heed of what you know is naught; as lying, O that is a grievous fault indeed; and naughty words, and taking the Lords name in vain, and playing upon the Lords Day, and keeping bad company, and playing with ungodly Children: But, if you do go to School with ſuch, tell them that God will not love them, but that the Devil will have them, if they continue to be ſo naught.
2. Do what your Father and Mother bids you, chearfully; and take heed of doing any thing that they forbid you.
3. Be diligent in reading the Scripture, and learning your Catechiſm; and what you do not underſtand, to be ſure ask the meaning of.
4. Think a little ſometimes by your ſelf about God and Heaven, and your Soul, and where you ſhall go when you die, and what Chriſt came into the world for.
5. And if you have no great mind to do thus, but had rather be at play, then think what is it that makes me that I do not care for good thinks; is this like one of Gods dear Children? I am afraid I am none of God's Child, I feel I do not love to come to Him: O, what ſhall I do? Either I muſt be Gods Child or the Devils; O, what ſhall I do? I would not be the Devils Child for any thing in the world.
6. Then go to your Father or Mother, or ſome good body, and ask them what thou ſhalt do to be Gods Child; and tell them that thou art afraid, and that thou canſt not be contented, till thou haſt got the love of God.
7. Get by thy ſelf, into the Chamber or Garret, and fall upon thy knees, and weep and mourn, and tell Chriſt, thou art afraid that he doth not love thee, but thou would fain have his love; beg of him to give thee his Grace and pardon for thy ſins, and that he would make thee his Child: Tell God thou doſt not care who don't love thee, if God will but love thee: ſay to him, Father, haſt thou not a bleſſing for me, thy poor little Child? Father, haſt thou not a bleſſing for me, even for me? O give a Chriſt; O give me a Chriſt; O let me not be undone for ever: thus beg, as for your lives, and be not contented till you have an anſwer; and do thus every day, with as much earneſtneſs as you can, twice a day at leaſt.
8. Give your ſelf up to Chriſt: ſay, dear Jeſus, thou didſt bid that little Children ſhould be ſuffered to come unto thee; and Lord, I am come as well as I can, would fain be thy Child: take my heart, and make it humble, and meek, and ſenſible, and obedient: I give my ſelf to thee, dear Jeſus, do what thou wilt with me, ſo that thou wilt but love me, and give me thy grace and glory.
9. Get acquainted with godly people, and ask them good queſtions, and endeavour to love their talk.
10. Labour to get a dear love for Chriſt; read the Hiſtory of Chriſt 's ſufferings, and ask the reaſon of his ſufferings; and never be contented till you ſee your need of Chriſt, and the excellency and uſe of Chriſt.
11. Hear the moſt powerful Miniſters; and read the moſt ſearching Books; and get your Father to buy you Mr. White's Book for little Children, and A Guide to Heaven.
12. Reſolve to continue in well-doing all your dayes; then you ſhall be one of thoſe ſweet little ones that Chriſt will take into his Arms, and bleſs, and give a Kingdom, Crown and Glory to. And now dear Children, I have done, I have written to you, I have prayed for you; but what you will do, I can't tell. O Children, if you love me, if you love your Parents, if you love your Souls, if you would ſcape Hell Fire, and if you would live in Heaven when you dye, do you go and do as theſe good Children; and that you may be your Parente joy, your Countreys honour, and live in Gods fear, and dye in his love, is the prayer of your deal Friend.
J. Janeway.