till about July last About August last I gave him another Visit and then found him tho' naturally of a strong Constitution and lively Spirit so exceedingly shaken that the horror of the sight made such deep impressions as I think will at seasons recur and set it self before me afresh as long as I live His Speech was very regular which discovered his Memory to be good and that his Distemper had not seized his Head but his Heart He freely discoursed the grief of â—is Mind expressing and setting forth his Condition to be most deplorable as having no hopes of salvation I laid before him with the greatest tenderness the freeness and riches of Gods Grace chusing to argue from his own former declared Opinion against limiting of it but could fasten no word of consolation or hope upon him With some Reluctancy he granted me liberty to pray with him but said his Spirit was shut up he could not pray and while I was praying he often groaned and after I had ended told me God would make him a terrible Example to this present Age and tho' he was full of benignity yet he was also a terrible God being provoked These Expressions and the horror that appeared in his Eyes and all parts of his body drew many tears from mine Eyes and rendred the Spectacle so dreadful that I cannot say as is reported of one that visited Francis Spira that he would go a thousand miles to see another Spira but on the contrary I desire I may never see the like Spectacle again whilst I live in this world He told me he thought either in a dream or when he was awake he could not tell which that I should say to him If he died the common death of all men the Lord had not spoken by me I answered He better knew the temper of my Spirit and Principles than to conceive such a thought of me or that I should take up the words of the Prophet of God divinely inspired and apply them to him but all I could say abated nothing of the horror of his Soul that I could perceive This Comment I make upon it that if any Atheist in the world who had formerly known this man and had conversed with him in these his Agonies he would have seen sufficient to have convinced him that there is a Power besides and so much above Nature as can with a touch shake and disorder and turn into confusion the strongest constitution of body by ministring and fastning terrible things upon the Soul That when God wounds the Spirit of a man neither he himself can bear it nor can any other aid him Therefore it is a fearful thing to fall under the Wrath of the living God who is a consuming Fire and can at his pleasure awaken a stupid Conscience and revive upon it the memory and horror of such sins as seem to be past over and forgotten My Prayer is that this man being made as a Pillar of Salt may warn the present and future Ages of the danger of sinning against the present Light of their Understandings The Effect of a Conference between Mr. John Child and Mr. B. K. ABout the middle of July 1684. Mr. B. K. went to see Mr. Child not hearing the least report of any trouble he was then under and after some discourse which passed between them Mr. K. occasionably mentioned that Book called A Second Argument telling Mr. Child he was reported to be the Author thereof which he presently acknowledged and cried out against himself in a bitter manner saying What he had done therein was out of Malice and Revenge against those People and seemed to abhor himself for casting such abominable Reproaches upon them whom he said he knew deserved it not and presently desired Mr. K. to go up stairs with him which he did and then he farther signified to him his deplorable condition and what horror and anguish of Soul he lay under and that there was no mercy for him And Mr. K. being on a sudden surprized with his deep expression of horror of which he had heard nothing it did amaze him yet he endeavoured with the utmost of his ability to comfort him by shewing the greatness of Gods mercy to true penitent persons together with the infinite worth and value of Christ's Bloud telling him withal that he was glad to find he had the sence of his great Evil on his heart or words to that effect and that he hoped this breaking was in order to healing But Mr. Child said he doubted of that And all the Words and Arguments Mr. K. could use to satisfie him were in vain so that at that time it being late at night he took his leave of him Mr. K. Soon after he came to seek me at my house but then I could not stay long with him But a few days after when he sent for me I went and found him in bed rowling and tumbling up and down in a lamentable manner enough to pierce ones heart I said to him Mr. Child I thought by your deportment when you was at my house the burden was pretty well off or to that effect Mr. Child No no my burden is greater than I can bear I would fain be satisfied as touching one thing Mr. K. What is that Mr. Jo. Child Whether my sin may not be that against the Holy Ghost Mr. K. I hope and believe it is not Mr. Child But I wrote the Book out of malice Mr. K. There is a great deal of difference between doing a thing out of malice and prejudice against the Lord's People and acting out of malice against Christ himself or doing despight to the Spirit of Grace I do not doubt but that you always had holy and reverent dread and respect to the Name of God tho' you might take up a great offence against some of his People Mr. Child I have often had that Scripture brought to me Psal 50.19 20. Thou givest thy mouth to evil and with thy tongue thou forgest deceit Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and slanderest thy mothers son And of that which follows Consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces Mr. K. But pray observe tho' you should be guilty of that great evil there mentioned yet there is ground of hope in that you are exhorted to consider I used many Arguments to perswade him to rely on the mercy of God thro' Christ mentioning that passage of the Prophet David Forgive me my sin for it is great and how wonderfully he had manifested and magnified the attribute of his mercy in pardoning great and bloudy sinners Mr. Child Breaking forth into bitter tears cried out I know that the Majesty of Heaven is a good and gracious Being yet when provoked stretching forth his hands in a frightful manner he is a terrible God Mr. K. I think it is necessary that you retract what you have written in that Book for that I think nothing short of it will be
one of the Company prayed and upon parting Mr. Child thanked them for their Visit and said to this effect All this will make against me A Conference between Mr. John Child Mr. T. W. Mr. A. B. and Mr. F. M. Company AS Physicians visiting their Patients so Friends one that is wounded in Spirit enquire what is the cause of his grief We pray you declare your mind herein To this for about half an hour they could obtain no Answer Company The Apostle Paul endeavoured to recover such again as had fallen from an Article of Faith 1 Cor. â—â— 12 13 2 Timâ—â—â— 25 2â— without which they could not be saved and counselled others in meekness to instruct such as oppose themselves if God peradventure would give them Repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth What do you think of Spira's condition Mr. Child Spira's condition was nothing to mine for wrath is come and coming on me to the utmost because I have forsaken that which I believed to be true to embrace that which I knew to be false thro' slavish fear to keep my self from sufferings I sought to be great in the world but God crost me therein in all my designs And since the hand of God hath been upon me my Spirit hath often-times risen against God that gave me nourishment by food and sleep And looking to the Ceiling said I see as it were a little light thro' a cranny or crevise as if I would desire to pray then Tears came down his Cheeks abundantly and he said If it would please God to manifest himself to me I should be such a Monument of Mercy as never was in the world to be a warning to all others Company It 's the Apostles councel that we confess our faults one to another and pray one for another that we may be healed Mr. Child With Tears said I cannot get this base heart to open it self farther Company Shall we pray for you Mr. Child No no no. Company It 's desired you would set down in Writing the heads of your chief Trouble Mr. Child I did write something to that effect but when I had done I destroyed it Some Passages between Mr. John Child and some of his Friends collected by Mr. H. C. Mr. Child with Mr. R. I Had a turn in my Spirit the last week as a result of that warm discourse I had with you and Mr. H. C. concerning the eminency and soveraignty of the grace of God but it is now gone again Mr. R. Implore again the Throne of Grace Mr. Child I regard iniquity in my heart and God will not hear my Prayer And said to another If God should send an Angel from Heaven to inform him he should not believe it Mr. Child to Mr. W. I cannot pray Mr. W. How can you so long as you have a Lye in your right hand Retract what you have done publickly or else you cannot expect to have an heart to pray Mr. Child To Mrs. M. How deplorable a thing is this that I who have preached so much of the Glory of another World should now be deprived of it all You will as surely see me damned as you now see me stand here Mrs. M. Have you no intermission Do such thoughts always attend you Mr. Child I have intermission sometimes Mrs. M. Do you think God cannot save you Mr. Child Yes he can or else I might desire to be in Hell immediately Mrs. M. Do you think God will not save you Mr. Child I cannot believe that he will Mrs. M. What is the cause of all this trouble Mr. Child That cursed Book Being at one Mr. C.'s in discourse concerning Francis Spira Mr. Child said I am an hundred times greater sinner than Spira a thousand times ten thousand times yea a hundred thousand times a greater sinner than he Mr. C. Do you love me Mr. Child I love you And taking Mr. C. by the hand said I conjure thee by the eternal God that thou take care of my Wife and Children I would give ten thousand worlds for a God and often Oh what an ungodly Family have I Husband cannot pray Wife cannot pray Children cannot pray Servants cannot pray while others are serving their God we do nothing Mr. P. Mr. F. Mr. L. giving him a Visit asked if they should pray with him Mr. Child No it is too late The company of good men are a burden to me They prest him to publish Repentance for his Book that had caused him so much trouble Mr. Child I have sometimes thought so to do but I am so confused and confounded in my mind that I know not what to do I can do nothing to purpose Mr. L. Offering him some good Counsel and he returning no Answer said Do you think what I speak is insignificant is there no weight in what we say Mr. Child There is not only enough in what you say to raise a man from Earth to Heaven but from Hell to Heaven unless such an one as I who have an heart of a Devil I have no heart to read or pray all good is departed from me Mr. Child to Mr. M. asking how it was with him answered Very ill Mr. M. Mean you in body or mind Mr. Child walking up and down the Room very disconsolate looking much downward Mr. M. said Why do you look so much downward Look up for Salvation is not from beneath but from above Mr. Child replied I would look upward but I cannot To another he said That hellish Book would ruine him in Body and Soul Another said The learned Dr. Twist in his Vinditae Gratiae confesseth there were depths in the Controversie between Calvanists and Arminians which he could not fathom yet he believed the truth against the Arminians Mr. Child Oh I thought I could have dived to the bottom of it by parts but I see I cannot And then and at many other times said I am broken in Judgment I have no consistency in my self Adding I have trifled in Religion trifled trifled many times I am lost there is no hope no hope Another Friend present with him had mentioned and turned to Prov. 1.25 26. Ye have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh Mr. Child took the Bible put his finger on the place shewed it to us and said That 's my Portion Mr. P. speaking to Mr. Child concerning Redemption and Forgiveness thro' Faith in the precious Bloud of Christ and exhorting him to trust to it Mr. Child answered Oh I cannot reach it I cannot come at it Again with a deep sigh said The black Token of Reprobation are upon me M. You are obliged to stoop to the Soveraignty of God Mr. Child Oh I cannot I would be above him Oh that there should be an eternal blessed Being and I sure never to enjoy him That there should be an eternal Wrath and Punishment and I sure to fall to fall
under it I shall be an eternal Monument of the Wrath of God! The Effect of a Conference had with Mr. John Child by T. P. between whom there had been for divers years more than a common Intimacy and Conversation MR. Child signified by a Friend he had a great desire to speak with T. P. and sent a short Letter to him to that purpose concluding it thus It may be of advantage to the wretched Soul of him who was formerly known to you by the name of John Child T. P. gave him a meeting and found him in a very dejected and despairing frame full of horror and confusion crying out as soon as his Tears would give him leave that his condition was exceeding bad that he was a miserable wretch that he had sinned at an extraordinary rate that there was no mercy for him he had been guilty of those things spoken of Psal 50.19 20. and that the 22th verse was a dreadful word to him for as God had there threatned so he would do to him even tear him in pieces T. P. God there calls upon men who had forgotten him to consider in order to Repentance Mr. Child Yea so it was and that sometime gave me a little hope but it was quickly over And rising up and walking smote his breast saying Sir I am damned I am damned it is most certainly so my day is over Oh that it were with me as in days past but it is too late The Decree is gone forth it is sealed in Heaven and it is irreversible Jesus cannot now save me he will not he cannot mediate for me I have so much offended him in maliciously abusing his People Oh what a Wretch was I what a 〈…〉 T. P. Remember the goodness of God to Mankind Mr. Child That is a truth still that is a truth still but I cannot lay hold on it and by how much the more I have believed and asserted it so much the greater is my Sin and the aggravation of my Condemnation T. P. Remember what the Prophet speaks Jer. 3.5 12 13. Will he reserve his anger for ever Behold thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldst Go and proclaim these words Return thou backsliding Israel I am merciful saith the Lord I will not keep anger for ever only acknowledge thine iniquity T. P. Knowing his former temper of Spirit told him he feared his Pride and Ambition had prompted him to do and publish such things whereof he now felt the unsupportable smart Mr. Child This is true Pride and Covetousness hath ruined me it hath undone me I have been too much influenced thereby I have been an Hypocrite I am so now I seem to repent I do not I cannot repent T. P. I advise you to take care of your health and consult with some able Physician lest this distress and horror of mind bring you under such Distempers as may render you more uncapable of receiving that advice and comfort that may be offered to you from the Word of God Mr. Child walking to the end of the Room turned back with a very stern countenance and striking his hand on his breast said No Sir I cannot pamper this Body for God will have it made a remarkable Example to this Generation T. P. I advise you to frequent hearing the Word of God Mr. Child I have no inclination to it T. P. Offered that some should come and improve some hours in Prayer to God for him but to this Mr. Child gave no answer This is the substance of what passed betwixt us about the beginning of August And soon after going a Journey I saw him no more Many other Passages to the like effect were uttered from Mr. Child with which his countenance gestures and whole behaviour bore such a proportion as were sufficient to evidence to all persons of understanding and sobriety who had formerly known him and then heard and beheld him that he apprehended the Arrows of the Almighty to stick fast in him and that the troubles darkness confusions horrors and affrightments of his Soul were not less if they were not much more than his Tongue exprest In the dread and fear of the righteous Judgments of him who is the searcher of all hearts whom this Man had so highly offended in sinning against the light and checks of his Conscience I suffer not my thoughts to run out concerning his Eternal Estate His remorse of Conscience self-condemnation frequent asking forgiveness of his offended Brethren begging the Prayers of others and attempts to pray himself seemed to savour of that which himself would not allow to be called repentance perhaps because his publick recantation of the injuries done to his Brethren which he acknowledged to be just but by reason of shame and thereby exposing himself to sufferings and losses he could not bring his heart throughly to consent to it were by some made the terms of it And however it pleaseth God in his long-suffering to permit without an open rebuke such as make it a trade for gain sake without any distinction of persons as ignorantly as maliciously to brand and calumniate a whole Society with the high Crimes committed by some few that bear their Name to the scandal and grief of all their Brethren yet our God is a terrible God that accepteth no man's person nor taketh rewards but is known by the Judgments he executeth and in this Person we have a dreadful Instance of his High Displeasure against such who by their Conversation amongst their Brethren know how to distinguish between the guilty and the innocent and yet will dare presumptuously for private and selfish ends hypocritically and against the dictates of their own Knowledge and Conscience maliciously to accuse a whole Party as guilty of such things whereof he knows if there be any it is but here and there one among thousands that have ever administred any occasion for such an accusation which may be a warning to us all how we offend in the like kind Mr. John Child's Aspersions in his printed Plea of the Nonconformists for the Conformists to which as we suppose his Paper written with his own Hand transcribed in the other Colume refers Mr. Child's Recantation in his Paper written with his own Hand That it is a dishonour to the Church and Clergy of England to have such an one that hath no more Wit so little Justice Reason and Conscience plead for them that the Author of this Libel is worthily so represented appears by divers base false devilish and most scandalous Passages therein contained Page 5. THE Nonconformist have no Order at all especially the generality of Mechanical Preachers in that Way for either they leave their Callings and Concerns of their Families and run up and down Preaching of their own Heads upon a phansical supposition that they are able to Preach or else at most have but the consent and connivance of a few weak persons like themselves who are altogether incompitent Judges in such
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
a demonstration of the sincerity of your heart and proof of the truth of your repentance Mr. Child I have begun to write but I cannot write neither have I any one of the Books Mr. K. I will see and get you one of them and send it to you At another time I advised him to consult some Physician about his health To which he made no answer Mr. K. Shall I acquaint any persons with your condition mentioning some worthy Ministers to him whom he knew Mr. Child formerly had a great esteem for Mr. Child I should be glad to sâ—e Mr. P. Mr. K. assured him he would do his endeavour therein and accordingly did and made known his fearful state to divers others by which means Mr. J. sent him a comfortable Letter and many godly persons went to visit him Mr. K. at another Visit not long before his death perceiving the anguish of his Spirit was rather greater than ever asked him Have you not yet any more light Mr. Child No nor never shall Mr. K. Shall I and two or three more such as you shall best approve of come and spend some time in Prayer to the Lord for you To which he gave no answer tho' much prest to it Mr. Child at another time said I have touched the Apple of God's Eye I am damned Mr. Child's Wife said That she found sometimes in the night-season that the very ends of his Hair did stand in drops thro' the anguish of his Spirit continually crying out against himself for writing that Book A Letter in July 1684. from Mr. J. to Mr. Child I Am informed that your Soul is greatly afflicted in the sence of your Evil I design not to add to your grief but as I ought to pity the afflicted Our Lord will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax And I have learned from him my part the duty of a true Neighbour to do what I can for cleansing and healing the Wounds you have made in your own Conscience Thereforefore I pray you consider 1. God's own Children are sometimes guilty of backsliding 2. That 't is the Will of God they should return to him from whom they have revolted 3. That he is ready to receive and heal them upon their return and I pray God you may be helpt to say the next words in sincerity of heart Behold I come unto thee for thou art the Lord my God Consider upon repentance and returning Isai 55 God will abundantly pardon such as have abundantly sinned The Lord help you to plead as David did For thy name sake pardon my iniquity for it is great Psal 2â— Consider Christ is able to save to the utmost Heb. 7. them that come unto God by him Let these few Lines be acceptable to you from him who prayeth for you and remains Your Cordial Friend J. J. Upon the receipt and reading this Letter Mr. Child was heard to say What! is J. J. whom I have so greatly envied so kind to me and presently set Pen to Paper and writ and in some few days sent a doleful Letter to the said J. J. A Copy whereof follows Mr. J. July 30. 1684. YOurs I received this day but without date the latter part of which hath attained its wish and desire for it is very acceptable unto me and can be no otherwise where the least degrees of gratitude do remain And for the Expressions of your Christian love and desires of my happiness in all respects lays a double obligation upon me to esteem your friendship What you have been informed of my Souls affliction is true and I think no small cause for it dishonour to God grieving his Spirit sinning against Christ blaspheming his Tabernacle persecuting the Saints grieving and wounding thousands dear to Jehovah stumbling the Weak shortning Life weakning Senses destroying rational Powers giving occasion to the wicked to blaspheme and the uncircumcised to rejoyce the destroying inward Peace and outward Felicity the turning Light into Darkness and the Noon-day into horrible Night the provoking God to make the Heavens Brass the Earth Iron and the Rain nothing but Powder and Dust the shutting a man out from the comforts of the Promises and bringing of him under the most dismal Threats that ever an Almighty Being gave forth marring all Comforts spoiling all Joys making the Life a Burthen and Death a Terrour the putting besides Duty and all acceptable improvements of Talents the giving the Devil advantage and bringing the Salvation into imminent danger the being possest with Doubts Fears and Tremblings night and day the sad savour of Gall and Wormwood and harsh relish of Gravel-stones the sad apprehensions of Curses Blasting and Mildew of Caterpillars Locusts and Cancer-worms the dismal sound of the mad Prophets words I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not nigh is a sufficient ground of Soul-affliction Your tender aim and charitable design in the balmy Application you sent I have reason well and kindly to resent and wish they had been high enough to hit the mark and have answered the design Had I been a Backslider of an ordinary size they might have had an effectual Operation but to that it 's vastly different I have a Voice behind me or dire Texts that make a dreadful sound To love and to make lyes is a qualification for the Lake He shall have Judgment without mercy that shewed none To offend one little one is a sin against Christ and a condition worse than to have a Milstone about the neck with a cast into the Sea To slander the Mothers Son is near destruction by a tearing to pieces but what is prepared and justly deserved for condemning many Generations of the just branding and wounding and grieving Thousands and Ten Thousands of good and just Men by charging Consequences upon their Principles beyond the sence of their minds and rendring them not only mislead and deceived but no Church no Christians vile Monsters Infidels Robbers of God my Murderers of the worst sort and highest order great Enemies to their Native Country but the aking of my Heart stops the progress of my Hand upon the repetition of these astonishing things I thank you for your kindness I beg pardon for my own shortness and conclude these Lines very sad and hopeless John Child After the receipt of this from Mr. J. Child J. J. wrote again to him to this effect Mr. John Child Aug. 1. 1684. IN continuance of my tender Compassions because of your Soul's Afflictions and being encouraged by your kind acceptance of those few Lines I sent you before I now write again taking notice of your many doleful Expressions wherein you highly and I hope humbly aggravate your Backsliding from God wronging his Servants and toward the close that my application of God's healing backsliding Children might have hit the Mark had you been a Backslider of an ordinary size Now therefore that I may be a little helpful to your distressed Soul
and a very great piece of prophaness To reflect upon them as Deniers of the Faith and worse than Infidels not fit to be trusted with a National Church nor to be a true Church themselves is a condemning to so high degree and carries so much of the rank poyson and venome of the Devil the Accuser of the Brethren in it that renders forgiveness of the Crime much doubted of for all the base Reflections Slanders and most astonishing Accusations and Censures I beg Pardon of all good men and their Prayers to God that I may obtain Pardon and Forgiveness at his Hand POSTSCRIPT THis NARRATIVE was prepar'd for the Press soon after the Death of Mr. Child but the Severity of the Times were such that no Printer would undertake it nor durst the Compilers appear to own it not that the Matter of Fact in any respect wanted of truth or the Language harsh and reflecting on the Church of England we hope we may without vanity say that it 's written with a Temper sutable to the Profession we have always made of Love and Charity to those that differ from us and though the face of Affairs in this Nation be since changed through the Goodness of God and the gracious Favour of his Majesty towards us we purpose in all our Actings to shew the same Spirit and Temper towards all Christians of what Perswasion soever and we would by no means have this Construction pass upon the Publication of this Narrative at this time as if we design'd to make the Church of England odious by refreshing the Memory of so dreadful an Accident which was the natural effect of some of their Persecutions God is our Witness our naked Design being only to Arraign the Practice of Persecution it self without reflecting on any who have been the Instruments hoping Time and this Glorious Design of his Majesty's will have such an happy issue as to put all that profess to be the Followers of Christ into such a condition as to see it is their Interest as well as their Duty not to Contend for Persecution and if our Passions be cool'd by wanting Power to do Mischief the thing its self viz. the Doctrine of Persecution may be safer discuss'd in the lawfulness of it We had a Design to have Publish'd something in this Postscript tending to a Hearty Union and Love among all Christians which is also intimated in the beginning of the Narrative but the present Temper of some Mens Zeal which sets their Passions on fire will render a Discourse of this Nature of little use they contending to preserve the Instruments of our Ruine and we the removal of them and we believe all thinking Men will agree with us that we have ground for this Apprehension All we shall say to it at present is that we hope our Actions shall constantly witness to the truth of this that we design nothing but to be in a capacity of living quietly by our Neighbours and shewing how much we love and value those that differ from us by forgetting Injuries and striving who shall shew most of the Spirit of the blessed Jesus which consists in Meekness Forgiveness and Forbearance That which we shall add with respect to the Narrative its self is this That it 's a true and dreadful Instance of a Man scar'd into Conformity by the Severity he saw on others and in part felt himself that the Temptation met with his Corruptions which if his own charge on himself be not too severe you see verified by his own Papers yet this excuseth not the Doctrine and Practice of Persecution if so Satan might wash his hands also of the Sins of Men and though some Men may know the beginnings of Sins yet none knows the bounds of it so after his Conformity he drew his Pen and dipt it in Gall against his Brethren going on to do violence to his Conscience till God in a dreadful manner awaken'd it against himself so as prov'd terrible to all the beholders as well as to himself the Particulars whereof shall not be repeated we account it a loud Voice against Persecution and durst not silence it lest we should betray this Witness of God against it we know Authorities of Scripture and Reason are best to work upon the Judgment to convince the World of the error of doing that to others that would not they should do to them but a Fact of this Nature may move the Affections and corroborate that Light that Men receive from thence and for this end it was at first intended to be published It 's a dreadful thing not only to break in upon the Civil Rights of Men on account of Religion but far more to be Instruments to put any upon such ways which not only endanger their Peace of Conscience here but their Eternal Welfare hereafter and this Evil we are bold to charge Persecution with and have evidence enough for it in this very Instance The Discourse of the Nature and Office of Conscience that you find in the beginning of the Narrative was written by a worthy Brother of ours for Private Satisfaction which we have presumed to publish we humbly conceiving it to be for Publick Good The Conclusions that we think are natural from the foregoing Narrarative is First That all Men be exceeding careful of bidding Defiances to their Consciences out of it may come a strong Wind that rends the Rocks however some Men may not taste that severity this Man did but go to the Grave with their Bones full of Marrow yet it 's certainly the Duty and Interest of every Man to take diligent heed to keep a Conscience void of offence towards God and Man that they may escape that Shipwrack that this Man and other Instances of the World of the like nature have met with God sometimes makes some Men Pillers of Salt that the secure World may be awakened and that Atheists and Prophane Persons may tremble at the living Instances of the Sovereignty of the Divine Majesty in and over the Consciences of Men which they would outbrave or deny the Almighty God can create a Hell on this side Hell in the Consciences of Men the Fire of which neither the Artifice of Men nor Time not the Application of the Promises of the Gospel though the fittest Mediums can extinguish An Instance of this you have in what the Friends of this Man did who with great tenderness endeavour'd to do all they could in this kind but without success and as is apparent in the precedent Narrative they had not the humors of a Man under Natural Melancholy to deal with but a Man purely under the dreadful Terrors of a guilty and an enrag'd Conscience a Man of so sound and strong a Constitution of Body that all that knew him even to the last could and did easily discern his Disease was purely Spiritual Secondly We conceive at this time of day at least it may put our Country-men who have hitherto been of a contrary Opinion to a serious thought whether that Practice be of God that is attended with such dreadful Instances of this Nature and we the rather conceive this Narrative useful at this time because the Eye of the whole Nation are upon and their Thoughts are at work about these Instruments we mean the Penal Laws which have made such havock on the Liberties Persons and Estates of Men and on the Consciences of many others who yet by the goodness of God have not felt the Dreadful Effects this Man did and we pray God they never may And above all since his Gracious Majesty by the goodness of God hath published His Royal Declaration for Liberty of Conscience and upon such Grounds and Reasons as we conceive are unanswerable out doing all King and Princes not only in the Fact of his Clemency but in the Reason of it and as it is that that will be to his immortal Honour so we hope that it will have that Perfection by Law that may for ever deliver this Nation from the Convulsions and Evils it has labour'd under in former Years and render us so happy as not any more so much as to dispute what her Persecution be agreeable to the Divine Law We confess we most willingly fall in with his Majesty's gracious Designs and shall to our utmost endeavour to carry them on not knowing a greater Service we can be capable of rendring to God to our Prince our Country or Religion we certainly believe that if once we were on even ground with our Fellow-Subjects it will be easie to let them see the goodness and benefit of Liberty of Conscience and how just it is that Religion should be left to him who is the Object of it to correct the Errors of Men about it and we have not only the Authority of Scriptures and right Reason but also Suffrage of his gracious Majesty to this Assertion We conclude humbly imploring the Divine Blessing on the Person and Councels of the King by whom we sit under our Vine and Fig-tree and pray he may live to see the Top stone of this glorious Fabrick of Liberty of Conscience laid and that He and his People may long live to enjoy the Blessings of it and that Piety to God and that Charity to Men which we believe are natural Fruits of this Liberty may flourish in this Kingdom FINIS Some BOOKS Printed for Tho. Fabian at the Bible in S. Paul's Church-Yard a Corner-Shop next Cheap side 1688. A Sermon taken out of an Oxford Scholar's Pocket who was found Dead in Bishop's-Wood near High-gate on Munday Fâ—b 15. 168â— Together with a True Relation of the Manner of his being Discovered there Now Publish'd for the Publick Good Quarto The Pacquet of Letters Quarto Bishop Usher's Method of Teaching true English Octavo Gouges Word to Saints and Sinners Octavo The Spiritual Guide which Disintangles the Soul and brings it by the Inward Way to the getting of Perfect Contemplatâ—â—â— and the Rich Treasure of Internal Peace Written by Dr. 〈…〉 Molâ—nos Priest With a short Treatise concerning Daily Commumunion by the same Author Translated from the 〈…〉 Printed at Venice 1685. Twelves