ought to be applied thereunto and observed as the proper and adaequate Rule thereof And these say that Conscience 〈◊〉 2.15 assisted with a summary of Principles contained therein is by its Office to search into and discern the lawfulness or unlawfulness of things and to direct and order how things lawful in themselves may be performed in a right manner and to right end and how things either evil in themselves or of an ill tendency ought to be forborn and avoided also to reveiw and examine actions done by us both as to their matter and form whether they be good or evil and that every man is highly concerned to take good heed to this Rule by which his Conscience ought to be guided because its determinations are like unto those of a supreme Dictator speaking Oracles within us and exercising an Authority over us having in that respect some kind of co-ordinate power and authority with God and for that also as Conscience without Divine Authority will not justifie an action so God will not accept it without the concurrant authority of Conscience without the one our pretended service is unlawful without the other unreasonable The perfect and that which is to every Christian the only adaequate Rule of Conscience being the Will and Law of God written in the Heart and revealed in the Scripture it is hence presumed that every Christian is endued both with a natural and an enlightned Mind and Conscience and this Will and Law of God comprehended under these two general branches hath an immediate and soveraign authority over their Conscience It is God alone who knows the inward workings thereof and he only can punish it when it sinneth and the obligation which lies upon the Conscience of every Christian to observe Humane Laws and Constitutions as they correspond with this Divine Law is because God hath as well by his Law written on the Heart as his revealed Will in the Scriptures commanded it should be so and hence it is that natural Obligations 1 Pet. â— 14 1â— Rom. â—â— 1 5. and such humane Constitutions as correspond with this Divine Law are not infringed but corroborated by Christianity for that discharges no man from but better informs every man in the knowledge of his Duty towards God and Man and binds the Conscience of every Christian to the discharge of all relative Duties in his station amongst Men as he will answer it not only to those who have Authority on Earth but also to God himself if against the light and obligation of Conscience he therein transgresseth the Will of God In this respect Christians have a double advantage and are under a double Obligation above all others For 1st They partake in common with other Men of the universal Law of Nature engraven on the Heart 1 Tiâ— Hos 6â— 1 Pet. which no positive or revealed Institution discharges any Man from 2ly They have the Written and Revealed Will and Law of God in the Holy Scriptures with whiâ—h by Divine Grace and Providence they are priviledged above others and through Faith enabled to make a more clear and distinct Judgment of the Principles and End as well of Divine as Moral Actions 〈◊〉 2.6 〈◊〉 9 10. â—â—â—r 1.12 as they tend to the Service and Glory of God the Good of their Neighbours and their own Peace and Happiness Hence also it is that the Peace Comfort and Joy of a Christian proceeding from the discharge of a good Conscience towards God and Man 〈◊〉 4.7 exceeds all that can be apprehended by a meer natural light as having some savour and relish in its Soul of that love of of Christ 〈◊〉 3 19. which passeth knowledge and of that peace of God which passeth understanding For though the fredom from the accusation of conscience be not his compleat justification before God â—â—or 4.4 yet it gives him confidence towards God and on the contrary the confusion darkness perplexity horrour and despair of a person acquainted with the Will of God revealed in the Scriptures wilfully sinning against Knowledge and the express dictates and judgment of his own Conscience â—om 〈◊〉 20. 〈◊〉 13 14 do far exceed all that can be spoken by such who have no other but a natural light for though that extends itself very far yet the severity of God against such transgressions is more clearly and distinctly represented in the Holy Scriptures â—â—â—h 1.14 â—â— 17 18. â—â—e 9 25. 〈◊〉 2.2 3. 〈◊〉 2.25 â—â—es 5.3 â—â—et 2 1. 〈◊〉 16.26 than in any other Writings for as the sin of such a person hath in it all manner of aggravations to render it most heinous so the Judgments of the righteous God therein revealed against such an impenitent sinner are of all others declared to be the most dreadful intolerable unavoidable irremediable endless It is not our intention to speak any thing herein more largely concerning the Nature and Effects of Conscience than what is to our present purpose many entire and useful Discourses of very learned and pious Persons are extant on this Subject wherein is observed that which we are all obliged to take notice of that God by his providence hath preserved in the innermost seat of our hearts some scintillulae little sparks of that greater light wherewith the mind of man was invested before his fall that these sparks of light are continued with us that they may be publishers of the good Pleasure and Will of God concerning us and monitors of our obedience 1st To those common Principles of his Law written in our Hearts to do Good and eschew Evil which by reason of their highest evidence instantly as soon as they are offered to our mind and thoughts command our Faith and compel our Assent 2ly To his revealed Will contained in the Holy Scriptures so soon as thro' his grace either by the Discourse or Writings of others or by our own search we have the knowledge thereof And by how much any man does frequent and exercise his natural Light in the study and search after the knowledge of this revealed Will of God his Creator and only Lord and Law-giver 2 Cor. â— Joh. 7â— 17. Hos 6. â— 2 Tim 14. to 〈◊〉 end Eph. 4 â— 18 19 ch 5. 〈◊〉 Judg. â— 11. 〈◊〉 1 Tim 4 5. 〈◊〉 2 Pet. to the 〈◊〉 2 Cor. â— and thereby square and order his Inclinations Affections and Conversation by so much the more shall he be secured from and strengthened to resist the raging tyranny of his own inbred Lusts and blind and lawless Appetite and the inchanting Flatteries Inticements Discourses and Examples of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth who for the more effectual razing out of our minds as much as is possible the little remains of natural Light and blinding the mind and hardning the heart against the perception and reception of supernatural Light do all they can to set the Conscience free from all Obligations to the Will
Heathens as being strangers to the Will of God revealed and Covenant of Grace treated of in the Scriptures from the dictates of Natural Light comparison of Good and Evil Moral Virtues and Vices Tranquility and Perturbations of Mind which ensued the reflection upon good and evil Actions went very far in describing the proper Office of Conscience and those Horrors which were the Consequents of Heinous Offences But this Man hath so much the more exceeded them all by how much the Remedies properly applicable to a peninent sinner through the Benefits of a Mediatour were more known and oppugned by him than by any of them They could and did write of an universal and immuatable Law engraven on the Mind of Man as that there was one eternal righteous God to be worshipped and with respect as well to future as present Rewards and Punishments was to be reverenced and feared Parents to be Honoured our Neighbours not to be injured in their Persons or Properties and that what we would not have done to us that we should not do to another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That this Law was known to the generality of Mankind by its effects and by natural anticipations and common notions of Good and Evil imprinted in Humane Nature And altho' by the introducing or intermixture of some Notions as the Rule of discerning and judging the Morality of Actions which are not proper and adequate Rules for the directing of Conscience to make a right Judgment as our own good Intentions other Mens Example or Doctrines and the like Conscience may be mis-guided and from such Premises make wrong Conclusions as it may also happen through Ignorance by a wrong application of the proper and adequate Rule yet that Rule remains a fixt and permanent Faculty in the rational Soul a connate Habit in the Practical Understanding in such manner as that when the Mind and Memory are awakened and stirred up rightly to discern and apply that Rule to Actions past it will be made evident that it is above the power of any man to give himself or any other an absolute dispensation from this adequate Rule and Law of Conscience which God hath erected in our Hearts as his Tribunal and our neglect of this Rule or suffering our Consciences to be mislead by any other will when the Vail is taken off be no excuse but rather an aggravation at least if it proceeded from a voluntary Ignorance that we did not according to the power of natural light remaining in us by a right application of the proper Rule discern measure and judge our own Actions whether they were morally good or evil These Philosophers discerned and by unanswerable Arguments from Demonstrations evinced that God created all things in order and that therefore every created Being together with and in itself ◠148. as the Psalmist also in the written Word of God declares had its proper Law and Limit without which that Order could not be considered and that Humane Nature which was endued with a faculty or power of election to do or refuse was under the inspection of God to be incouraged and assisted curbed corrected or punished as Men observed or acted contrary to that Law which was inscribed in their Natures Hence they affirmed even as by Divine Ordination the Reward of Virtue to be in itself and that it was therefore to be followed as that which always carried with it and left behind it a singular profit also that whilst the Mind was quiet as not being conscious of any crime it would restrain and stop the Mouth of passions and prevail to the silent bearing of whipping cutting torturing c. Horat. Justum tenacem propositi virum Non Civium ardor prava jubentium Non vultus instantis Tyranni Mente qualit solidâ neque Auster Dux inquietae turbidus Adriae Nec fulminantis magna Jovis manus Si fractus illabitur Orbis Impavidum ferient ruinae The just man's judgment and resolved will No fury popular injoyning ill No urgent aspect of a Tyrant's face Doth shake in setled Mind on solid base Nor the tempestuous South-Winds which command Rough Adria's Seas nor Jove's great thund'ring hand If Ruins overwhelm and crackt World fall Undaunted like he bears the shock of all But on the contrary that a notorious wicked Conscience was like an Ulcer in the Body and that none could ever impose upon a hot burning Conscience or perswade that such an one should not cry out or not tare his hair or not smite his breast so much more violent is the sence of having done evil than that of Fire and Sword Exempto quodcunque malo committitur ipsi Juven Displicet Authori prima est hec ultio quod se Judice Nemo nocens absolvitur improba quamvis Gratia fullacis Praetoris vicerit urnam cur tamen hos tu Evasiste putes quos dire conscia facti Mens habet attonitos Jurdo verbere caedit Occultum quatiente animo tortore flagellum Nocte dieque suum gestare in pectore testem Perpetua anxietas nec mense tempore cessat What e're by ill example 's done amiss Troubles th' Author the first revenge is this Himself being Judge his Guilt he can't discharge Tho' the brib'd Judge and Votes set him at large How think'st thou then that those escapes confin'd Accus'd of high Crimes by their conscious Mind ' Stonisht trembling tortur'd within they stand Severely punisht by a secret Hand Both night and day he bears within his Breast Perpetual Anguish at his Meals no rest Hence that vulgar saying Dat penas quicunque expectat They can never be happy who always live in suspicion and fear of Punishment for that fear of punishment will haunt a person that sins heinously against his Conscience so long as it cannot be beyond contradiction proved and demonstrated that there is no just God to avenge his Crime Thus far have the learned Philosophers and Poets proceeded upon the Principles of Natural Light and common Experience in the Description of Conscience its Office and Effects as not consisting in and arising from a bare speculative knowledge of things but in and from a practical knowledge of the rule applied to the particular Fact done or to be done wherein the Divine Authority of the Law-giver the rectitude of that uniform and universal Law written in Humane Nature the quality of the Action and intention of the Person as known to God and which might and ought to be known and considered by the Actor with its consequents are all comprehended Others by their conversation with Holy Scripture improving this Natural Light have according to the Laws and Rules thereof confirmed and in their Discourses enlarged upon this subject concerning the different qualities of Conscience performing aright or neglecting its proper Office in judging according to present understanding of things morally good or evil by that Divine Law or Will of God manifest in them or made known to them which is and
THE English Spira BEING A Fearful EXAMPLE OF AN APOSTATE Who had been a Preacher many Years and then Apostatized from his Religion miserably Hanged himself October the 13th 1684. GIVING An Account of his Dispair and Divers Conferences had with him by several Ministers and others of his Friends TOGETHER With his Answer and Papers Written by his own Hand Left Attested by Mr. T. Plant Mr. H. Collings Mr. B. Dennis Mr. B. Keach Second Edition TO THE READER THAT which hath prevailed with us to publish this Treatise is that we might give those many who have desired it and all that shall vouchsafe to read it an impartial Account of what hath come to our knowledge concerning the Dreadful Horror of Conscience and Deplorable End of Mr. John Child In his Youthful days a zealous Professor of Religion in his Riper years a Backslider from God under pretence of Change of his Opinion A Neglecter of Publick Worship not only in the way he had formerly profest but in that also which of late years in his Discourses and Arguments he preferred before the other Vnder the specious shew of promoting a more full and firm Vnion amongst all good Protestants a great Calumniator of his Brethren publickly charging many of them in general as guilty of such Crimes and Blasphemies as his own Knowledge and Dictates of Conscience at the season when he did it could and did testifie they were clear of What prompted him hereunto besides the Hypocrisie Pride and Malice of his own heart we certainly know not but have some ground to suspect when he was about this evil work which caused his downfal he conversed with some persons who rather promoted than cautioned him against it Vnder his Temptation we fear he did not consider that anciently-approved useful and necessary Caution which the Apostle mentions Be not deceived evil communication corrupts good manners After he was once throughly awakened with the sence of his Sin he fell under those Horrours of Conscience which have not been parallel'd in any other that we have heard of since the Case of Francis Spira being so dreadful permanent and prevalent over him as to resist all Friendly Endeavours used to appease his grief which after several months abiding in the highest extremity at length tempted and prevailed with him by his own hands to end his miserable Life Vpon this occasion we have also given some brief Hints of the Nature and Office of Conscience and the Obligations we are under to it All which we recommend to the Readers serious consideration with our fervent Prayers to God that what we have herein done may succeed to his and our own Souls advantage and peace of Conscience both here and hereafter It may be in many respects useful to take notice that the Pamphlet which was Written and Published by Mr. John Child and which with respect to the bitter Reflections and Calumnies therein cast upon his Brethren did afterwards fill him with so great Horrour of Soul as to destroy himself bare the Title of as charitable an Argument as could be undertaken by the best of Christians For a more full and firm Union amongst all good Protestants But though in this Title his Words were as the Psalmist speaks softer than oyl 〈◊〉 55.21 yet were they drawn swords He put forth his hand against such as were at peace with him his Equals his Acquaintance who had walked with him to the House of God in company The sence whereof when he was awakened to see and feel in his own Conscience the heinousness of his Crime in slandering his Brethren did so terrifie him that it could not be discerned either by his Relations or any of those many of his Brethren whom he had offended who came to visit him and endeavoured to pour Balm into bind up and heal his deep wounds that at any time afterwards he enjoyed any peace in his Soul The principal inducement to publish a Narrative of this Man's Trouble of Spirit and Miserable End is to give an Impartial Account to many who desire to be truly informed thereof what Conferences were had with him what Papers on this Subject were left behind him and that the whole may be a seasonable Caution to all who read them to take heed how they do in any case whatsoever presume to sin against the clear Light Knowledge and Dictates of their own Conscience for which end it is intended to say something briefly concerning the Nature and Office of Conscience and that attendance which every man is to give to it But for the avoiding of all sinister Reflections on what is herein undertaken the Publishers hereof do declare First That they do not ascribe this Man's Miserable End to any Consciencious Change of Opinion in Matters of Religion or Worship or to any Endeavour of his to propagate Vnion amongst Christians in a candid way by proper Arguments but they lay the stress of his Miscarriage where he fixed it himself that is upon his Backsliding from the Ways of God forsaking that which was Good doing that which he knew to be Evil and upon his Hypocrisie Pride of Spirit Covetousness and his unjustifiable Calumniating Reproaching Reviling and Accusing many of his Brethren of such things as he knew they were not guilty All which he acknowledged in his own Papers and frequently charges himself with Secondly We are so far from Censuring any Attempts that have been made in a Christian manner for a more full and firm Vnion amongst all good Protestants that we heartily wish we could see more Hearts and such Hands as are fitly qualified for it at work on this Subject for blessed are the Peace-makers and the Fruits of Righteousness are sown in peace of them that make peace Thirdly To shew our good Will to such an Vndertaking we shall upon this occasion after we have made some brief Reflections on the Nature and Office of Conscience and finished the Narrative of this Man's Troubles assume the Argument and according to that measure of Faith and Knowledge which God hath given us speak the Truth in Love in order to the obtaining if it may be upon a right Foundation a better Vnderstanding and from thence a more full and firm Vnion among all who love the Lord Jesus in Sincerity REMARKS UPON THE Nature and Office OF CONSCIENCE HERE we have a recent and pregnant Instance of the powerful and perpetual prosecution of an offended and an awakened Conscience Jer. 2â— 2 3. Ps 119 the Horrors whereof were so dreadful and unapeasable that all Attempts either to divert the Thoughts to other Subjects or apply the Mind to the receiving or using of mitigating or healing Remedies were altogether ineffectual Herein we may also perceive how the Terrors of such a Mind are aggravated beyond the rate of Natural Impressions proportional to the help which Natural Light receives by Education Heb. â—â— 26 27 Conversation and Acquaintance with Divine Revelation The Philosopers whom we esteem
and Law of God by introducing and setting up in the mind another Rule viz. that of their own Appetite private Interest and Utility Than which nothing can be more rebellious against God pernitious to humane Society or destructive to him that hath drenched in such a damnable Delusion For as that first and great Command of God scilicet Mat. 2â— 37 38 â—â— Mat. 1â— 30. To love him with all the heart and with all the soul and with all the mind and with all the strength and that second which is like unto it To love our Neighbour as our selves are the principal Branches of that Universal Law of God Tim. â— to the 〈◊〉 1 Joh. â— 6 7. whereby all other Branches thereof are to be interpreted and on which all the rest depend so by Obedience thereunto in Faith out of a pure Heart and good Conscience our Union Fellowship and Communion with God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ our Lord and one with another is maintained confirmed and enlarged Phil. 3. 2 Tim. 2 3 4 Phil. 3.19 Rom. 2 8 9. Jam. 9. 2 Tim. 9 10. 2 Pet. â— 2 3. and we thereby brought to have our Conversation in Heaven whilst we are on Earth and prepared for everlasting Habitations with the Saints in light And on the contrary they which are lovers of Pleasures more than lovers of God who make their God their Belly glory in their shame mind earthly things stop the voice of their Conscience act contrary to its Dictates and strive to thrust from them as long and as far as they can the terrors thereof are whilst they remain upon Earth on the very borders of Hell and every moment ready to sink into Destruction and everlasting Perdition We have made this brief Reflection on the Nature and Office of Conscience as deeming it may be now and at all times useful to our selves and all that read it whilst remaining in the state of the living but we make not so much as in our thoughts any Reflection upon or Application of any thing we have herein said to the state of him that is dead further than to declare how sadly he experimented in the course and issue of his Life what has been here spoken of the horror of an offended and awakened Conscience and to exercise the Judgment of Charity which only appertains unto us concerning his sorrows for his sin fervent desires to be forgiven of those he has injured attempts after a publick Recantation of his Evils endeavours to repent and pray for forgiveness of God The final Judgment we leave to him who is the proper and only Judge of the secrets of his heart with our fervent Prayers to God that we who have heard and all that shall read the ensuing Narrative treasure up in our hearts what is therein instructive to us so as to have it always ready in our minds as a seasonable Warning never in the like or in any other case wilfully to put to a peradventure the Eternal Salvation of our precious and immortal Souls A brief Account of the Life of Mr. John Child HE was born at Bedford about the year 1638 and when he was grown up put Apprentice to an Handicraft Trade which when he came of age he followed for some time afterwards he betook himself to another Calling and removed to Newport-Pagnel where he lived divers years married twice and by his last Wife of honest Parentage and good Report he had several Children after his second Marriage in appearance he increased in his Estate About five years since he removed to London and in October last he ended his days by hanging himself in a House he had taken the last Spring in Brick-lane near Spittlefields He was endued with a competent measure of natural Parts and vivacity of Spirit In his youth he applied himself to the reading and study of the Scriptures and attained to a greater knowledge in matters of Religion than many of his Equals in years and Education In his Opinion and Practice he was for the Baptism of Believers and consorted with some of us who are called Anabaptists for about twenty years and for divers years at seasons exercised himself in Preaching He was observed for some years before his dreadful Fall to be very remiss in Religious Exercises and in his ordinary Conversation to frequent other Company than he had done in former times He was of a very haughty Spirit and peremptory in asserting his Opinions He sought to exalt himself above what became either his Profession or Attainments All which when the Hand of God was heavy upon him for his open sins he freely acknowledged with severe Charges against himself for his Pride and Hypocrisie as you will find in the following Relations A Narrative of Mr. John Child's Trouble of Spirit and Deplorable End Of some of the Conferences had with him in the times of his Troubles and of such Papers as were written by him on this Subject SOon after the said Mr. John Child had published his forementioned second Argument which was about the latter end of the year 1682 he signified to some of his intimate Acquaintance that his mind was perplext for what he had therein done but yet bare the trouble so as not to make any great shew of it in his general Behaviour until about the beginning of July 1684. when he could no longer bear or conceal the horrors of his mind but spake of it to some that came accidentally to see him and sent to several others of his Acquaintance to come to him to whom when they came he disclosed the miserable Condition into which he had brought himself and the occasion thereof in such manner as that it became publickly known to many of his Acquaintance and Neighbours and occasioned many besides those sent for to visit and discourse with him and others to write to him the substance whereof with his Answers you have as follows Some Account of Mr. John Child by Mr. D. MY Acquaintance with Mr. Child was of about fifteen years standing About two years since meeting with a Book which I was informed he had caused to be published but two days before I saw it I went presently and gave him a visit and found him in his Chamber in a very pensive posture his Eyes red with Tears he immediately acknowledged he was the Author of it and bitterly exclaimed against himself that he wrote it in malice and by the instigation of the Devil from very ill principles of Pride Vain-glory and Hypocrisie I quickly found the wound upon his Spirit was very deep and therefore forbore all Aggravations and endeavoured to administer some spiritual Relief to him After this in his Discourse to others he seemed not to have so sharp a sence upon his Mind but for ought I could observe the Sore continued festered inwardly from the first time he reflected upon his publishing that Book to the end of his miserable Life tho' it brake not out openly