ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR.

The life of Badman is a very interesting description, a true and lively portraiture,of the demoralized classes of the trading community in the reign of King CharlesII; a subject which naturally led the author to use expressions familiar among suchpersons, but which are now either obsolete or considered as vulgar. In fact it isthe only work proceeding from the prolific pen and fertile imagination of Bunyan,in which he uses terms that, in this delicate and refined age, may give offence.

Note by Judith Bronte: George Offor wrote thesewords in the 1800's.

So, in the venerable translation of the holy oracles, there are some objectionableexpressions, which, although formerly used in the politest company, now point tothe age in which it was written. The same ideas or facts would now be expressed byterms which could not give offence; and every reader must feel great pleasure inthe improvement of our language, as seen in the contrast between the two periods,and especially in the recollection that the facts might be stated with equal precision,and reflections made with equal force, in terms at which the most delicate mind couldnot be offended.

Those who read the writings of Bunyan must feel continually reminded of his ardentattachment to his Saviour, and his intense love to the souls of sinners. He was asdelicate in his expressions as any writer of his age, who addressed the openly viciousand profane–calling things by their most forcible and popular appellations. A wilfuluntruth is, with him, 'a lie.' To show the wickedness and extreme folly of swearing,he gives the words and imprecations then commonly in use; but which, happily forus, we never hear, except among the most degraded classes of society. Swearing wasformerly considered to be a habit of gentility; but now it betrays the blackguard,even when disguised in genteel attire. Those dangerous diseases which are so surelyengendered by filth and uncleanness, he calls not by Latin but by their plain Englishnames. In every case, the Editor has not ventured to make the slightest alteration;but has reprinted the whole in the author's plain and powerful language.

The life of Badman forms a third part to the Pilgrim's Progress, not a delightfulpilgrimage to heaven, but, on the contrary, a wretched downward journey to the infernalrealms. The author's object is to warn poor thoughtless sinners, not with smoothwords, to which they would take no heed; but to thunder upon their consciences theperil of their souls, and the increasing wretchedness into which they were madlyhurrying. He who is in imminent, but unseen danger, will bless the warning voiceif it reach his ears, however rough and startling the sound may be.

The life of Badman was written in an age when profligacy, vice, and debauchery, marchedlike a desolating army through our land, headed by the king, and officered by hispolluted courtiers; led on with all the pomp and splendour which royalty could display.The king and his ministers well knew that the most formidable enemies to tyranny,oppression, and misgovernment, were the piety and stern morality of the Puritans,Nonconformists, and the small classes of virtuous citizens of other denominations;and therefore every effort was made by allurements and intimidation to debauch anddemoralize their minds. Well does Bunyan say that 'wickedness like a flood is liketo drown our English world. It has almost swallowed up all our youth, our middleage, old age, and all are almost carried away of this flood. It reels to and frolike a drunkard, it is like to fall and rise no more.' 'It is the very haunts andwalks of the infernal spirits.' 'England shakes and makes me totter for its transgressions.'

The gradations of a wicked man in that evil age, from his cradle to his grave, aregraphically set before the reader; it is all drawn from reality, and not from effortsof imagination. Every example is a picture of some real occurrence, either withinthe view of the author, or from the narratives of credible witnesses. 'All the thingsthat here I discourse of, have been acted upon the stage of this world, even manytimes before mine eyes.' Badman is represented as having had the very great advantageof pious parents, and a godly master, but run riot in wickedness from his childhood.Lying and pilfering mark his early days; followed in after life by swearing, cheating,drunkenness, hypocrisy, infidelity and atheism. His conscience became hardened tothat awful extent, that he had no bands in his death. The career of wickedness hasoften been so pictured, as to encourage and cherish vice and profanity–to excitethe unregenerate mind 'to ride post by other men's sins.'[1] Not so the life of Badman.The ugly, wretched, miserable consequences that assuredly follow a vicious career,are here displayed in biting words–alarming the conscience, and awfully warning thesinner of his destiny, unless happily he finds that repentance that needeth not tobe repented of. No debauchee ever read the life of Badman to gratify or increasehis thirst for sin. The tricks which in those days so generally accompanied trading,are unsparingly exposed; becoming bankrupt to make money, a species of robbery, whichought to be punished as felony; double weights, too heavy for buying, and light tosell by, overcharging those who take credit, and the taking advantage of the necessitiesof others, with the abuse of evil gains in debauchery, and its ensuing miseries,are all faithfully displayed.

In the course of the narrative, a variety of awful examples of divine vengeance areintroduced; some from that singular compilation, Clarke's looking-glass for Saintsand Sinners; others from 'Beard's theatre of God's Judgments' and many that happenedunder the author's own immediate knowledge. The faithfulness of his extracts frombooks has been fully verified. The awful death of Dorothy Mately, of Ashover, inDerbyshire, mentioned, I had an opportunity of testing, by the aid of my kind friend,Thomas Bateman, Esq., of Yolgrave. He sent me the following extract from the AshoverRegister for 1660:– 'Dorothy Mately, supposed wife to John Flint of this parish,forswore herself; whereupon the ground opened, and she sunk over head, March 23,and being found dead, she was buried, March 25.' Thus fully confirming the facts,as stated by Bunyan. Solemn providences, intended, in the inscrutable wisdom of God,for wise purposes, must not be always called 'divine judgments.' A ship is lost,and the good with the bad, sink together; a missionary is murdered; a pious Malayis martyred; still no one can suppose that these are instances of divine vengeance.But when the atrocious bishop Bonner, in his old age, miserably perishes in prison,it reminds us of our Lord's saying, 'with what measure ye mete, it shall be measuredto you again.'

Bunyan's pictures, of which the life of Badman is a continued series, are admirablypainted from life. The extraordinary depths of hypocrisy, used in gaining the affectionsof a pious wealthy young woman, and entrapping her into a marriage, are admirablydrawn, as is its companion or counterpart, when Badman, in his widower- hood, suffersan infamous strumpet to inveigle him into a miserable marriage, as he so richly deserved.The death-bed scene of the pious broken-hearted Mrs. Badman, is a masterpiece. Infact the whole is a series of pictures drawn by a most admirable artist, and calculatedto warn and attract the sinner from his downward course.

In comparison with the times of Bunyan, England has now become wonderfully reformedfrom those grosser pollutions which disgraced her name. Persons of riper age, whosereminiscences go back to the times of the slave trade, slavery, and war, will callto mind scenes of vice, brutality, open debauchery and profligacy, which, in thesepeaceful and prosperous times, would be instantly repressed and properly punished.Should peace be preserved, domestic, social, and national purity and happiness mustincrease with still greater and more delightful rapidity. Civilization and Christianitywill triumph over despotism, vice, and false religions, and the time be hastenedon, in which the divine art of rendering each other happy will engross the attentionof all mankind. Much yet remains to be done for the conversion of the still numerousfamily connections of Mr. Badman; but the leaven of Christianity must, in spite ofall opposition, eventually spread over the whole mass.

Homely proverbs abound in this narrative, all of which are worthy of being treasuredup in our memories. Is nothing so secret but it will be revealed? we are told that'Hedges have eyes and pitchers have ears.' They who encourage evil propensities are'nurses to the devil's brats.' It is said of him who hurries on in a career of follyand sin, 'The devil rides him off his legs.' 'As the devil corrects vice,' refersto those who pretend to correct bad habits by means intended to promote them. 'Thedevil is a cunning schoolmaster.' Satan taking the wicked into his foul embracesis 'like to like, as the devil said to the collier.'

In two things the times have certainly improved. Bunyan describes all 'pawnbrokers'to have been 'vile wretches,' and, in extortion, the women to be worse than the men.Happily for our days, good and even pious pawnbrokers may be found, who are honourableexceptions to Mr. Bunyan's sweeping rule; nor do our women in any respect appearto be greater extortioners than our men. The instructions, exhortations, and scripturalprecepts and examples to enforce honest dealing, interspersed as reflections throughoutthis narrative, are invaluable, and will, I trust, prove beneficial to every reader.

I have taken the liberty of dividing this long-continued dialogue into chapters,for the greater facility of reference, and as periods in the history, where the readermay conveniently rest in his progress through this deeply interesting narrative.

GEO. OFFOR.




THE AUTHOR TO THE READER.

COURTEOUS READER,

As I was considering with myself what I had written concerning the Progress of thePilgrim from this world to glory, and how it had been acceptable to many in thisnation, it came again into my mind to write, as then, of him that was going to heaven,so now, of the life and death of the ungodly, and of their travel from this worldto hell. The which in this I have done, and have put it, as thou seest, under thename and title of Mr. Badman, a name very proper for such a subject. I have alsoput it into the form of a dialogue, that I might with more ease to myself, and pleasureto the reader, perform the work. And although, as I said, I have put it forth inthis method, yet have I as little as may be gone out of the road of mine own observationof things. Yea, I think I may truly say that to the best of my remembrance, all thethings that here I discourse of, I mean as to matter of fact, have been acted uponthe stage of this world, even many times before mine eyes.

Here therefore, courteous reader, I present thee with the life and death of Mr. Badmanindeed; yea, I do trace him in his life, from his childhood to his death; that thoumayest, as in a glass, behold with thine own eyes the steps that take hold of hell;and also discern, while thou art reading of Mr. Badman's death, whether thou thyselfart treading in his path thereto. And let me entreat thee to forbear quirking[2]and mocking, for that I say Mr. Badman is dead; but rather gravely inquire concerningthyself by the Word, whether thou art one of his lineage or no; for Mr. Badman hasleft many of his relations behind him; yea, the very world is overspread with hiskindred. True, some of his relations, as he, are gone to their place and long home,but thousands of thousands are left behind; as brothers, sisters, cousins, nephews,besides innumerable of his friends and associates. I may say, and yet speak nothingbut too much truth in so saying, that there is scarce a fellowship, a community,or fraternity of men in the world, but some of Mr. Badman's relations are there;yea, rarely can we find a family or household in a town, where he has not left behindhim either a brother, nephew, or friend.

The butt[3] therefore, that at this time I shoot at, is wide; and it will be as impossiblefor this book to go into several families, and not to arrest some, as for the king'smessenger to rush into a house full of traitors, and find none but honest men there.[4]I cannot but think that this shot will light upon many, since our fields are so fullof this game; but how many it will kill to Mr. Badman's course, and make alive tothe Pilgrim's Progress, that is not in me to determine; this secret is with the Lordour God only, and he alone knows to whom he will bless it to so good and so blessedan end. However, I have put fire to the pan,[5] and doubt not but the report willquickly be heard.

I told you before that Mr. Badman had left many of his friends and relations behindhim, but if I survive them, as that is a great question to me, I may also write oftheir lives; however, whether my life be longer or shorter, this is my prayer atpresent, that God will stir up witnesses against them, that may either convert orconfound them; for wherever they live, and roll in their wickedness, they are thepest and plague of that country. England shakes and totters already, by reason ofthe burden that Mr. Badman and his friends have wickedly laid upon it. Yea, our earthreels and staggereth to and fro like a drunkard, the transgression thereof is heavyupon it.

Courteous reader, I will treat thee now, even at the door and threshold of this house,but only with this intelligence, that Mr. Badman lies dead within. Be pleased therefore,if thy leisure will serve thee, to enter in, and behold the state in which he islaid, betwixt his death-bed and the grave. He is not buried as yet, nor doth he stink,as is designed he shall, before he lies down in oblivion. Now as others have hadtheir funerals solemnized, according to their greatness and grandeur in the world,so likewise Mr. Badman, forasmuch as he deserveth not to go down to his grave withsilence, has his funeral state according to his deserts.

Four things are usual at great men's funerals, which we will take leave, and I hopewithout offence, to allude to, in the funeral of Mr. Badman.

First. They are sometimes, when dead, presented to their friends, by their completelywrought images, as lively as by cunning men's hands they can be; that the remembranceof them may be renewed to their survivors, the remembrance of them and their deeds;and this I have endeavoured to answer in my discourse of Mr. Badman, and thereforeI have drawn him forth in his features and actions from his childhood to his greyhairs. Here therefore, thou hast him lively set forth as in cuts; both as to theminority, flower, and seniority of his age, together with those actions of his life,that he was most capable of doing, in and under those present circumstances of time,place, strength; and the opportunities that did attend him in these.

Second. There is also usual at great men's funerals, those badges and escutcheonsof their honour, that they have received from their ancestors, or have been thoughtworthy of for the deeds and exploits they have done in their life; and here Mr. Badmanhas his, but such as vary from all men of worth, but so much the more agreeing withthe merit of his doings. They all have descended in state, he only as an abominablebranch. His deserts are the deserts of sin, and therefore the escutcheons of honourthat he has, are only that he died without honour, 'and at his end became a fool.''Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial.' 'The seed of evil doers shall neverbe renowned' (Isa 14:20).

The funeral pomp therefore of Mr. Badman, is to wear upon his hearse the badges ofa dishonourable and wicked life; since 'his bones are full of the sin of his youth,which shall lie down,' as Job says, 'with him in the dust.' Nor is it fit that anyshould be his attendants, now at his death, but such as with him conspired againsttheir own souls in their life; persons whose transgressions have made them infamousto all that have or shall know what they have done.

Some notice therefore I have also here in this little discourse given the reader,of them who were his confederates in his life, and attendants at his death; witha hint, either of some high villainy committed by them, as also of those judgmentsthat have overtaken and fallen upon them from the just and revenging hand of God.All which are things either fully known by me, as being eye and ear-witness thereto,or that I have received from such hands, whose relation, as to this, I am bound tobelieve. And that the reader may know them from other things and passages hereincontained, I have pointed at them in the margin.

Third. The funerals of persons of quality have been solemnized with some suitablesermon at the time and place of their burial; but that I am not come to as yet, havinggot no further than to Mr. Badman's death; but forasmuch as he must be buried, afterhe hath stunk out his time before his beholders, I doubt not but some such that weread are appointed to be at the burial of Gog, will do this work in my stead; suchas shall leave him neither skin nor bone above ground, but shall set a sign by ittill the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamon-gog (Eze 39).

Fourth. At funerals there does use to be mourning and lamentation, but here alsoMr. Badman differs from others; his familiars cannot lament his departure, for theyhave not sense of his damnable state; they rather ring him, and sing him to hellin the sleep of death, in which he goes thither. Good men count him no loss to theworld, his place can well be without him, his loss is only his own, and it is toolate for him to recover that damage or loss by a sea of bloody tears, could he shedthem. Yea, God has said he will laugh at his destruction; who then shall lament forhim, saying, Ah! my brother. He was but a stinking weed in his life; nor was he betterat all in his death; such may well be thrown over the wall without sorrow, when onceGod has plucked them up by the roots in his wrath.

Reader, if thou art of the race, lineage, stock, or fraternity of Mr. Badman, I tellthee, before thou readest this book, thou wilt neither brook the author nor it, becausehe hath writ of Mr. Badman as he has. For he that condemneth the wicked that dieso, passeth also the sentence upon the wicked that live. I therefore expect neithercredit of, nor countenance from thee, for this narration of thy kinsman's life. Forthy old love to thy friend, his ways, doings, &c., will stir up in thee enmityrather in thy very heart against me. I shall therefore incline to think of thee,that thou wilt rend, burn, or throw it away in contempt; yea, and wish also, thatfor writing so notorious a truth, some mischief may befal me. I look also to be loadedby thee with disdain, scorn, and contempt; yea, that thou shouldest railingly andvilifyingly say I lie, and am a bespatterer of honest men's lives and deaths. For.Mr. Badman, when himself was alive, could not abide to be counted a knave, thoughhis actions told all that went by, that indeed he was such an one. How then shouldhis brethren that survive him, and that tread in his very steps, approve of the sentencethat by this book is pronounced against him? Will they not rather imitate Korah,Dathan, and Abiram's friends, even rail at me for condemning him, as they did atMoses for doing execution?

I know it is ill puddling in the cockatrice's den, and that they run hazards thathunt the wild boar. The man also that writeth Mr. Badman's life had need be fencedwith a coat of mail, and with the staff of a spear, for that his surviving friendswill know what he doth; but I have adventured to do it, and to play, at this time,at the hole of these asps; if they bite, they bite; if they sting, they sting. Christsends his lambs in the midst of wolves, not to do like them, but to suffer by themfor bearing plain testimony against their bad deeds. But had one not need to walkwith a guard, and to have a sentinel stand at one's door for this? Verily, the fleshwould be glad of such help; yea, a spiritual man, could he tell how to get it (Acts23). But I am stript naked of these, and yet am commanded to be faithful in my servicefor Christ. Well then, I have spoken what I have spoken, and now 'come on me whatwill' (Job 13:13). True, the text say, Rebuke a scorner and he will hate thee; andthat he that reproveth a wicked man getteth himself a blot and shame. But what then?Open rebuke is better than secret love, and he that receives it shall find it soafterwards.

So then, whether Mr. Badman's friends shall rage or laugh at what I have writ, Iknow that the better end of the staff[6] is mine. My endeavour is to stop a hellishcourse of life, and to 'save a soul from death' (James 5:20). And if for so doingI meet with envy from them, from whom in reason I should have thanks, I must rememberthe man in the dream,[7] that cut his way through his armed enemies, and so got intothe beauteous palace; I must, I say, remember him, and do myself likewise.

Yet four things I will propound to the consideration of Mr. Badman's friends beforeI turn my back upon them.

1. Suppose that there be a hell in very deed; not that I do question it any morethan I do whether there be a sun to shine, but I suppose it for argument sake withMr. Badman's friends. I say, suppose there be a hell, and that too such an one asthe Scripture speaks of, one at the remotest distance from God and life eternal,one where the worm of a guilty conscience never dies, and where the fire of the wrathof God is not quenched. Suppose, I say, that there is such a hell, prepared of God–asthere is indeed– for the body and soul of the ungodly world after this life to betormented in; I say, do but with thyself suppose it, and then tell me is it not preparedfor thee, thou being a wicked man? Let thy conscience speak, I say, is it not preparedfor thee, thou being an ungodly man? And dost thou think, wast thou there now, thatthou art able to wrestle with the judgment of God? why then do the fallen angelstremble there? Thy hands cannot be strong, nor can thy heart endure, in that daywhen God shall deal with thee (Eze 22:14).

2. Suppose that some one that is now a soul in hell for sin, was permitted to comehither again to dwell, and that they had a grant also, that, upon amendment of life,next time they die, to change that place for heaven and glory. What sayst thou, Owicked man? Would such an one, thinkest thou, run again into the same course of lifeas before, and venture the damnation that for sin he had already been in? Would hechoose again to lead that cursed life that afresh would kindle the flames of hellupon him, and that would bind him up under the heavy wrath of God? O! he would not,he would not; Luke 16 insinuates it; yea, reason itself awake would abhor it, andtremble at such a thought.

3. Suppose again, that thou that livest and rollest in thy sin, and that as yet hastknown nothing but the pleasure thereof, shouldest be by an angel conveyed to someplace, where, with convenience, from thence thou mightest have a view of heaven andhell, of the joys of the one and the torments of the other; I say, suppose that fromthence thou mightest have such a view thereof as would convince thy reason that bothheaven and hell are such realities as by the Word they are declared to be; wouldestthou, thinkest thou, when brought to thy home again, choose to thyself thy formerlife, to wit, to return to thy folly again? No; if belief of what thou sawest remainedwith thee thou wouldest eat fire and brimstone first.

4. I will propound again. Suppose that there was amongst us such a law, and sucha magistrate to inflict the penalty, that for every open wickedness committed bythee, so much of thy flesh should with burning pincers be plucked from thy bones,wouldest thou then go on in thy open way of lying, swearing, drinking, and whoring,as thou with delight doest now? Surely, surely, no. The fear of the punishment wouldmake thee forbear; yea, would make thee tremble, even then when thy lusts were powerful,to think what a punishment thou wast sure to sustain so soon as the pleasure wasover. But O! the folly, the madness, the desperate madness that is in the heartsof Mr. Badman's friends, who, in despite of the threatenings of a holy and sin-revengingGod, and of the outcries and warnings of all good men, yea, that will, in despiteof the groans and torments of those that are now in hell for sin, go on in a sinfulcourse of life, yea, though every sin is also a step of descent down to that infernalcave (Luke 16:24,28). O how true is that saying of Solomon, 'The heart of the sonsof men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and afterthat they go to the dead' (Eccl 9:3). To the dead! that is, to the dead in hell,to the damned dead, the place to which those that have died bad men are gone, andthat those that live bad men are like to go to, when a little more sin, like stolenwaters, hath been imbibed by their sinful souls.

That which has made me publish this book is,

1. For that wickedness, like a flood, is like to drown our English world. It beginsalready to be above the tops of the mountains; it has almost swallowed up all; ouryouth, middle age, old age, and all, are almost carried away of this flood. O debauchery,debauchery, what hast thou done in England! Thou hast corrupted our young men, andhast made our old men beasts; thou hast deflowered our virgins, and hast made matronsbawds. Thou hast made our earth 'to reel to and fro like a drunkard'; it is in dangerto 'be removed like a cottage,' yea, it is, because transgression is so heavy uponit, like to fall and rise no more (Isa 24:20). O! that I could mourn for England,and for the sins that are committed therein, even while I see that, without repentance,the men of God's wrath are about to deal with us, each having his 'slaughtering weaponin his hand' (Eze 9:1,2). Well, I have written, and by God's assistance shall praythat this flood may abate in England; and could I but see the tops of the mountainsabove it, I should think that these waters were abating.

2. It is the duty of those that can to cry out against this deadly plague, yea, tolift up their voice as with a trumpet against it, that men may be awakened aboutit, fly from it, as from that which is the greatest of evils. Sin pulled angels outof heaven, pulls men down to hell, and overthroweth kingdoms. Who, that sees a houseon fire, will not give the alarm to them that dwell therein? Who, that sees the landinvaded, will not set the beacons on a flame. Who, that sees the devils as roaringlions, continually devouring souls, will not make an out-cry? But above all, whenwe see sin, sinful sin, a swallowing up a nation, sinking of a nation, and bringingits inhabitants to temporal, spiritual, and eternal ruin, shall we not cry out andcry, They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink;they are intoxicated with the deadly poison of sin, which will, if its malignitybe not by wholesome means allayed, bring soul and body, and estate, and country,and all, to ruin and destruction?

3. In and by this outcry I shall deliver myself from the ruins of them that perish;for a man can do no more in this matter–I mean a man in my capacity–than to detectand condemn the wickedness, warn the evil doer of the judgment, and fly therefrommyself. But O! that I might not only deliver myself! O that many would hear, andturn at this my cry from sin! that they may be secured from the death and judgmentthat attend it.

Why I have handled the matter in this method is best known to myself. And why I haveconcealed most of the names of the persons whose sins or punishments I here and therein this book make relation of is, (1.) For that neither the sins nor judgments wereall alike open; the sins of some were committed, and the judgments executed for them,only in a corner. Not to say that I could not learn some of their names, for couldI, I should not have made them public, for this reason, (2.) Because I would notprovoke those of their relations that survive them; I would not justly provoke them;and yet, as I think, I should, should I have entailed their punishment to their sins,and both to their names, and so have turned them into the world. (3.) Nor would Ilay them under disgrace and contempt, which would, as I think, unavoidably have happenedunto them had I withal inserted their names.

As for those whose names I mention, their crimes or judgments were manifest; publicalmost as anything of that nature that happeneth to mortal men. Such therefore havepublished their own shame by their sin, and God his anger, by taking of open vengeance.As Job says, God has struck 'them as wicked men in the open sight of others' (Job34:26). So that I cannot conceive, since their sin and judgment was so conspicuous,that my admonishing the world thereof should turn to their detriment. For the publishingof these things are, so far as relation is concerned, intended for remembrances,that they may also bethink themselves, repent and turn to God, lest the judgmentsfor their sins should prove hereditary. For the God of heaven hath threatened tovisit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, if they hate him, to the thirdand fourth generation (Exo 20:5).

Nebuchadnezzar's punishment for his pride being open– for he was for his sin drivenfrom his kingly dignity, and from among men too, to eat grass like an ox, and tocompany with the beasts–Daniel did not stick to tell Belshazzar his son to his facethereof; nor to publish it that it might be read and remembered by the generationsto come. The same may be said of Judas and Ananias, &c., for their sin and punishmentwere known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem (Acts 1:19). Nor is it a sign but ofdesperate impenitence and hardness of heart, when the offspring or relations of thosewho have fallen by open, fearful, and prodigious judgments, for their sin, shalloverlook, forget, pass by, or take no notice of such high outgoings of God againstthem and their house. Thus Daniel aggravates Belshazzar's crime, for that he hardenedhis heart in pride, though he knew that for that very sin and transgression his fatherwas brought down from his height, and made to be a companion for asses. 'And thouhis son, O Belshazzar,' says he, 'hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewestall this' (Dan 5:22). A home reproof, indeed, but home [reproof] is most fit foran open and a continued in transgression.

Let those, then, that are the offspring or relations of such, who by their own sin,and the dreadful judgments of God, are made to become a sign (Deut 16:9-12), havingbeen swept as dung from off the face of the earth, beware, lest when judgment knocksat their door, for their sins, as it did before at the door of their progenitors,it falls also with as heavy a stroke as on them that went before them (Num 16:38-40).Lest, I say, they in that day, instead of finding mercy, find for their high, daring,and judgment-affronting sins, judgment without mercy.

To conclude; let those that would not die Mr. Badman's death, take heed of Mr. Badman'sways; for his ways bring to his end. Wickedness will not deliver him that is givento it; though they should cloak all with a profession of religion. If it was a transgressionof old for a man to wear a woman's apparel, surely it is a transgression now fora sinner to wear a Christian profession for a cloak. Wolves in sheep's clothing swarmin England this day; wolves both as to doctrine and as to practice too. Some menmake a profession, I doubt, on purpose that they may twist themselves into a trade;and thence into an estate; yea, and if need be, into an estate knavishly, by theruins of their neighbour. Let such take heed, for those that do such things havethe greater damnation. Christian, make thy profession shine by a conversation accordingto the gospel; or else thou wilt damnify religion, bring scandal to thy brethren,and give offence to the enemies; and it would be better that a millstone was hangedabout thy neck, and that thou, as so adorned, was cast into the bottom of the sea,than so to do. Christian, a profession according to the gospel is, in these days,a rare thing; seek then after it, put it on, and keep it without spot, and, as becomesthee, white, and clean, and thou shalt be a rare Christian.

The prophecy of the last times is, that professing men, for so I understand the text,shall be many of them base (2 Tim 3); but continue thou in the things that thou hastlearned, not of wanton men, nor of licentious times, but of the Word and doctrineof God, that is, according to godliness; and thou shalt walk with Christ in white.Now, God Almighty gave his people grace, not to hate or malign sinners, nor yet tochoose any of their ways, but to keep themselves pure from the blood of all men,by speaking and doing according to that name and those rules that they profess toknow and love; for Jesus Christ's sake.

JOHN BUNYAN.



CONTENTS.

CHAP. I. Badman's death and its awful consequences, This leads to the discourse ofhis life.

CHAP. II. Badman's wicked behavior in childhood,

CHAP. III. Badman's apprenticeship to a pious master,

CHAP. IV. He gets a new master bad as himself,

CHAP. V. Badman in business; the tricks of a wicked tradesman,

CHAP. VI. His hypocritical courtship and marriage to a pious, rich, young lady,

CHAP. VII. He throws off the mask and cruelly treats his wife. Bunyan's rules forsuch as think of marriage,


CHAP. VIII. Badman is a bankrupt, and gets by it hat-fulls of money,

CHAP. IX. Badman's fraudulent dealings to get money,

CHAP. X. The simple Christian's views of extortion,

CHAP. XI. Instructions for righteous trading,

CHAP. XII. Badman's pride, atheism, infidelity, and envy,

CHAP. XIII. He gets drunk and breaks his leg. God's judgments upon drunkards,

CHAP. XIV. His pretended repentings and promises of reform when death grimly staresat him,

CHAP. XV. Death leaves him for a season, and he returns to his sins, like a sow thathas been washed to her wallowing in the mire,

CHAP. XVI. His pious wife dies broken-hearted. Her deathbed charge to her family,

CHAP. XVII. He is tricked into a second marriage by a woman as bad as himself,

CHAP. XVIII. He parts from his wife, diseases attack him under Captain Consumption;he rots away and dies in sinful security,

CHAP. XIX. Future happiness not to be hoped from a quiet, hardened death. Some remarkableinstances,

CHAP. XX. Without godly repentance, the wicked man's hopes and life die together.




THE LIFE AND DEATH OF MR.
BADMAN,




CHAPTER I.

[BADMAN'S DEATH AND ITS AWFUL CONSEQUENCES.]

WISEMAN. Good morrow, my good neighbour, Mr. Attentive; whither are you walking soearly this morning? Methinks you look as if you were concerned about something morethan ordinary. Have you lost any of your cattle, or what is the matter?

ATTENTIVE. Good Sir, good morrow to you, I have not as yet lost aught, but yet yougive a right guess of me, for I am, as you say, concerned in my heart, but it isbecause of the badness of the times. And, Sir, you, as all our neighbours know, area very observing man, pray, therefore, what do you think of them?

WISE. Why, I think, as you say, to wit, that they are bad times, and bad they willbe, until men are better; for they are bad men that make bad times; if men, therefore,would mend, so would the times. It is a folly to look for good days so long as sinis so high, and those that study its nourishment so many. God bring it down, andthose that nourish it, to repentance, and then, my good neighbour, you will be concerned,not as you are now; now you are concerned because times are so bad, but then youwill be so because times are so good; now you are concerned so as to be perplexed,but then you will be concerned so as to lift up your voice with shouting, for I daresay, could you see such days, they would make you shout.

ATTEN. Ay, so they would; such times I have prayed for, such times I have longedfor; but I fear they will be worse before they be better.

WISE. Make no conclusions, man; for he that hath the hearts of men in his hand canchange them from worse to better, and so bad times into good. God give long lifeto them that are good, and especially to those of them that are capable of doinghim service in the world. The ornament and beauty of this lower world, next to Godand his wonders, are the men that spangle and shine in godliness.

Now as Mr. Wiseman said this, he gave a great sigh.

ATTEN. Amen, amen. But why, good Sir, do you sigh so deeply; is it for ought elsethan that for the which, as you have perceived, I myself am concerned?

WISE. I am concerned, with you, for the badness of the times; but that was not thecause of that sigh, of the which, as I see, you take notice. I sighed at the remembranceof the death of that man for whom the bell tolled at our town yesterday.

ATTEN. Why, I trow, Mr. Goodman your neighbour is not dead. Indeed I did hear thathe had been sick.

WISE. No, no, it is not he. Had it been he, I could not but have been concerned,but yet not as I am concerned now. If he had died, I should only have been concernedfor that the world had lost a light; but the man that I am concerned for now wasone that never was good, therefore such an one who is not dead only, but damned.He died that he might die, he went from life to death, and then from death to death,from death natural to death eternal. And as he spake this, the water stood in hiseyes.[8]

ATTEN. Indeed, to go from a deathbed to hell is a fearful thing to think on. But,good neighbour Wiseman, be pleased to tell me who this man was, and why you concludehim so miserable in his death?

WISE. Well, if you can stay, I will tell you who he was, and why I conclude thusconcerning him.

ATTEN. My leisure will admit me to stay, and I am willing to hear you out. And Ipray God your discourse may take hold on my heart, that I may be bettered thereby.So they agreed to sit down under a tree. Then Mr. Wiseman proceeded as followeth:–

WISE. The man that I mean is one Mr. Badman; he has lived in our town a great while,and now, as I said, he is dead. But the reason of my being so concerned at his deathis, not for that he was at all related to me, or for that any good conditions diedwith him, for he was far from them, but for that, as I greatly fear, he hath, aswas hinted before, died two deaths at once.

ATTEN. I perceive what you mean by two deaths at once; and to speak truth, it isa fearful thing thus to have ground to think of any: for although the death of theungodly and sinners is laid to heart but of few, yet to die in such a state is moredreadful and fearful than any man can imagine. Indeed if a man had no soul, if hisstate was not truly immortal, the matter would not be so much; but for a man to beso disposed of by his Maker, as to be appointed a sensible being for ever, and forhim too to fall into the hands of revenging justice, that will be always, to theutmost extremity that his sin deserveth, punishing of him in the dismal dungeon ofhell, this must needs be unutterably sad, and lamentable.

WISE. There is no man, I think, that is sensible of the worth of one soul, but must,when he hears of the death of unconverted men, be stricken with sorrow and grief:because, as you said well, that man's state is such that he has a sensible beingfor ever. For it is sense that makes punishment heavy. But yet sense is not all thatthe damned have, they have sense and reason too; so then, as sense receiveth punishmentwith sorrow, because it feels, and bleeds under the same, so by reason, and the exercisethereof, in the midst of torment, all present affliction is aggravated, and thatthree manner of ways:–1. Reason will consider thus with himself. For what am I thustormented? and will easily find it is for nothing but that base and filthy thing,sin; and now will vexation be mixed with punishment, and that will greatly heightenthe affliction. 2. Reason will consider thus with himself. How long must this bemy state? And will soon return to himself this answer: This must be my state forever and ever. Now this will greatly increase the torment. 3. Reason. will considerthus with himself. What have I lost more than present ease and quiet by my sins thatI have committed? And will quickly return himself this answer: I have lost communionwith God, Christ, saints, and angels, and a share in heaven and eternal life: andthis also must needs greaten the misery of poor damned souls. And this is the caseof Mr. Badman.

ATTEN. I feel my heart even shake at the thoughts of coming into such a state. Hell!who knows that is yet alive, what the torments of hell are? This word HELL givesa very dreadful sound.

WISE. Ay, so it does in the ears of him that has a tender conscience. But if, asyou say, and that truly, the very name of hell is so dreadful, what is the placeitself, and what are the punishments that are there inflicted, and that without theleast intermission, upon the souls of damned men, for ever and ever.

ATTEN. Well, but passing this; my leisure will admit me to stay, and therefore praytell me what it is that makes you think that Mr. Badman is gone to hell.

WISE. I will tell you. But first, do you know which of the Badmans I mean?

ATTEN. Why, was there more of them than one?

WISE. O yes, a great many, both brothers and sisters, and yet all of them the childrenof a godly parent, the more a great deal is the pity.

ATTEN. Which of them therefore was it that died?

WISE. The eldest, old in years, and old in sin; but the sinner that dies an hundredyears old shall be accursed.

ATTEN. Well, but what makes you think he is gone to hell?

WISE. His wicked life, and fearful death, especially since the manner of his deathwas so corresponding with his life.

ATTEN. Pray let me know the manner of his death, if yourself did perfectly know it.

WISE. I was there when he died; but I desire not to see another such man, while Ilive, die in such sort as he did.

ATTEN. Pray therefore let me hear it.

WISE. You say you have leisure and can stay, and therefore, if you please, we willdiscourse even orderly of him. First, we will begin with his life, and then proceedto his death: because a relation of the first may the more affect you, when you shallhear of the second.

ATTEN. Did you then so well know his life?

WISE. I knew him of a child. I was a man, when he was but a boy, and I made specialobservation of him from first to last.

ATTEN. Pray then let me hear from you an account of his life; but be as brief asyou can, for I long to hear of the manner of his death.




CHAPTER II.

[BADMAN'S WICKED BEHAVIOUR IN CHILDHOOD.]

WISE. I will endeavour to answer your desires, and first, I will tell you, that froma child he was very bad; his very beginning was ominous, and presaged that no goodend was, in likelihood, to follow thereupon. There were several sins that he wasgiven to, when but a little one, that manifested him to be notoriously infected withoriginal corruption; for I dare say he learned none of them of his father and mother;nor was he admitted to go much abroad among other children that were vile, to learnto sin of them: nay, contrariwise, if at any time he did get abroad amongst others,he would be as the inventor of bad words, and an example in bad actions. To themall he used to be, as we say, the ringleader, and master-sinner from a child.

ATTEN. This was a bad beginning indeed, and did demonstrate that he was, as you say,polluted, very much polluted with original corruption. For to speak my mind freely,I do confess that it is mine opinion that children come polluted with sin into theworld, and that ofttimes the sins of their youth, especially while they are veryyoung, are rather by virtue of indwelling sin, than by examples that are set beforethem by others. Not but that they learn to sin by example too, but example is notthe root, but rather the temptation unto wickedness. The root is sin within; 'forfrom within, out of the heart of men,' proceedeth sin (Mark 7:21).

WISE. I am glad to hear that you are of this opinion, and to confirm what you havesaid by a few hints from the Word. Man in his birth is compared to an ass, an uncleanbeast, and to a wretched infant in its blood (Job 11:12; Eze 16). Besides, all thefirst-born of old that were offered unto the Lord, were to be redeemed at the ageof a month, and that was before they were sinners by imitation (Exo 13:13, 34:20).The scripture also affirmeth, that by the sin of one, judgment came upon all; andrenders this reason, 'for that all have sinned' (Rom 5:12). Nor is that objectionworth a rush, that Christ by his death hath taken away original sin. First. Becauseit is scriptureless. Secondly. Because it makes them incapable of salvation by Christ;for none but those that in their own persons are sinners are to have salvation byhim. Many other things might be added, but between persons so well agreed as youand I are, these may suffice at present. But when an antagonist comes to deal withus about this matter, then we have for him often other strong arguments, if he bean antagonist worth the taking notice of.

ATTEN. But, as was hinted before, he used to be the ring- leading sinner, or themaster of mischief among other children; yet these are but generals; pray thereforetell me in particular which were the sins of his childhood.

WISE. I will so. When he was but a child, he was so addicted to lying that his parentsscarce knew when to believe he spake true; yea, he would invent, tell, and standto the lies that he invented and told, and that with such an audacious face, thatone might even read in his very countenance the symptoms of a hard and desperateheart this way.

ATTEN. This was an ill beginning indeed, and argueth that he began to harden himselfin sin betimes. For a lie cannot be knowingly told and stood in, and I perceive thatthis was his manner of way in lying, but he must as it were force his own heart untoit. Yea, he must make his heart hard, and bold to do it. Yea, he must be arrivedto an exceeding pitch of wickedness thus to do, since all this he did against thatgood education, that before you seemed to hint he had from his father and mother.

WISE. The want of good education, as you have intimated, is many times a cause whychildren do so easily, so soon, become bad; especially when there is not only a wantof that, but bad examples enough, as, the more is the pity, there is in many families;by virtue of which poor children are trained up in sin, and nursed therein for thedevil and hell. But it was otherwise with Mr. Badman, for to my knowledge this hisway of lying was a great grief to his parents, for their hearts were much dejectedat this beginning of their son; nor did there want counsel and correction from themto him if that would have made him better. He wanted not to be told, in my hearing,and that over and over and over, that 'all liars shall have their part in the lakewhich burneth with fire and brimstone'; and that 'whosoever loveth and maketh a lie,'should not have any part in the new and heavenly Jerusalem (Rev 21:8,27, 22:15).But all availed nothing with him; when a fit, or an occasion to lie came upon him,he would invent, tell, and stand to his lie as steadfastly as if it had been thebiggest of truths that he told, and that with that hardening of his heart and face,that it would be to those who stood by, a wonder. Nay, and this he would do whenunder the rod of correction, which is appointed by God for parents to use, that therebythey might keep their children from hell (Prov 22:15, 23:13,14).[9]

ATTEN. Truly it was, as I said, a bad beginning, he served the devil betimes; yea,he became nurse to one of his brats, for a spirit of lying is the devil's brat, 'forhe is a liar and the father of it' (John 8:44).

WISE. Right, he is the father of it indeed. A lie is begot by the devil as the father,and is brought forth by the wicked heart as the mother; wherefore another scripturealso saith, 'Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie,' &c. (Acts 5:3,4). Yea,he calleth the heart that is big with a lie, an heart that hath conceived, that is,by the devil. 'Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not liedunto men, but unto God.' True, his lie was a lie of the highest nature, but everylie hath the same father and mother as had the lie last spoken of. 'For he is a liar,and the father of it.' A lie then is the brat of hell, and it cannot be in the heartbefore the person has committed a kind of spiritual adultery with the devil. Thatsoul therefore that telleth a known lie, has lien with, and conceived it by lyingwith the devil, the only father of lies. For a lie has only one father and mother,the devil and the heart. No marvel therefore if the hearts that hatch and bring forthlies be so much of complexion with the devil. Yea, no marvel though God and Christhave so bent their word against liars.[10] A liar is wedded to the devil himself.

ATTEN. It seems a marvellous thing in mine eyes, that since a lie is in the offspringof the devil, and since a lie brings the soul to the very den of devils, to wit,the dark dungeon of hell, that men should be so desperately wicked as to accustomthemselves to so horrible a thing.

WISE. It seems also marvellous to me, especially when I observe for how little amatter some men will study, contrive, make, and tell a lie. You shall have some thatwill lie it over and over, and that for a penny profit. Yea, lie and stand in it,although they know that they lie. Yea, you shall have some men that will not stickto tell lie after lie, though themselves get nothing thereby. They will tell liesin their ordinary discourse with their neighbours, also their news, their jests,and their tales, must needs be adorned with lies; or else they seem to bear no goodsound to the ear, nor show much to the fancy of him to whom they are told. But alas!what will these liars do, when, for their lies they shall be tumbled down into hell,to that devil that did beget those lies in their heart, and so be tormented by fireand brimstone, with him, and that for ever and ever, for their lies?

ATTEN. Can you not give one some example of God's judgments upon liars, that onemay tell them to liars when one hears them lie, if perhaps they may by the hearingthereof, be made afraid, and ashamed to lie.

WISE. Examples! why Ananias[11] and his wife are examples enough to put a stop, onewould think, to a spirit addicted thereto, for they both were stricken down deadfor telling a lie, and that by God himself, in the midst of a company of people (Acts5). But if God's threatening of liars with hell-fire, and with the loss of the kingdomof heaven, will not prevail with them to leave off to lie and make lies, it cannotbe imagined that a relation of temporal judgments that have swept liars out of theworld heretofore, should do it. Now, as I said, this lying was one of the first sinsthat Mr. Badman was addicted to, and he could make them and tell them fearfully.

ATTEN. I am sorry to hear this of him, and so much the more, because, as I fear,this sin did not reign in him alone; for usually one that is accustomed to lying,is also accustomed to other evils besides; and if it were not so also with Mr. Badman,it would be indeed a wonder.

WISE. You say true, the liar is a captive slave of more than the spirit of lying;and therefore this Mr. Badman, as he was a liar from a child, so he was also muchgiven to pilfer and steal, so that what he could, as we say, handsomely lay his handson,[12] that was counted his own, whether they were the things of his fellow-children,or if he could lay hold of anything at a neighbour's house, he would take it away;you must understand me of trifles; for being yet but a child, he attempted no greatmatter, especially at first. But yet as he grew up in strength and ripeness of wit,so he attempted to pilfer and steal things still of more value than at first. Hetook at last great pleasure in robbing of gardens and orchards; and as he grew up,to steal pullen[13] from the neighbourhood. Yea, what was his father's could notescape his fingers, all was fish that came to his net, so hardened, at last, washe in this mischief also.

ATTEN. You make me wonder more and more. What, play the thief too! What, play thethief so soon! He could not but know, though he was but a child, that what he tookfrom others was none of his own. Besides, if his father was a good man, as you say,it could not be but he must also hear from him that to steal was to transgress thelaw of God, and so to run the hazard of eternal damnation.

WISE. His father was not wanting to use the means to reclaim him, often urging, asI have been told, that saying in the law of Moses, 'Thou shalt not steal' (Exo 20:15).And also that, 'This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth;for every one that stealeth shall be cut off', &c. (Zech 5:3). The light of naturealso, though he was little, must needs show him that what he took from others wasnot his own; and that he would not willingly have been served so himself. But allwas to no purpose, let father and conscience say what they would to him, he wouldgo on, he was resolved to go on in his wickedness.

ATTEN. But his father would, as you intimate, sometimes rebuke him for his wickedness;pray how would he carry it then?

WISE. How! why like to a thief that is found. He would stand gloating,[14] and hangingdown his head in a sullen, pouching manner; a body might read, as we used to say,the picture of ill-luck in his face; and when his father did demand his answer tosuch questions concerning his villainy, he would grumble and mutter at him, and thatshould be all he could get.

ATTEN. But you said that he would also rob his father, methinks that was an unnaturalthing.

WISE. Natural or unnatural, all is one to a thief. Besides, you must think that hehad likewise companions to whom he was, for the wickedness that he saw in them, morefirmly knit, than either of father or mother. Yea, and what had he cared if fatherand mother had died for grief for him. Their death would have been, as he would havecounted, great release and liberty to him; for the truth is, they and their counselwere his bondage; yea, and if I forget not, I have heard some say that when he was,at times, among his companions he would greatly rejoice to think that his parentswere old, and could not live long, and then, quoth he, I shall be mine own man, todo what I list, without their control.

ATTEN. Then it seems he counted that robbing of his parents was no crime.

WISE. None at all; and therefore he fell directly under that sentence, 'Whoso robbethhis father or his mother, and saith it is no transgression, the same is the companionof a destroyer' (Prov 28:24). And for that he set so light by them as to their personsand counsels, it was a sign that at present he was of a very abominable spirit, andthat some judgment waited to take hold of him in time to come (1 Sam 2:25).

ATTEN. But can you imagine what it was, I mean, in his conceit, for I speak not nowof the suggestions of Satan, by which doubtless he was put on to do these things;I say what it should be in his conceit, that should make him think that this hismanner of pilfering and stealing was no great matter.

WISE. It was for that the things that he stole were small; to rob orchards, and gardens,and to steal pullen, and the like, these he counted tricks of youth, nor would hebe beat out of it by all that his friends could say. They would tell him that hemust not covet, or desire, and yet to desire is less than to take, even anything,the least thing that was his neighbour's; and that if he did, it would be a transgressionof the law; but all was one to him; what through the wicked talk of his companions,and the delusion of his own corrupt heart, he would go on in his pilfering course,and where he thought himself secure, would talk of, and laugh at it when he had done.

ATTEN. Well I heard a man once, when he was upon the ladder with the rope about hisneck, confess, when ready to be turned off by the hangman, that that which had broughthim to that end was his accustoming of himself, when young, to pilfer and steal smallthings. To my best remembrance he told us, that he began the trade of a thief bystealing of pins and points;[15] and therefore did forewarn all the youth that thenwere gathered together to see him die, to take heed of beginning, though but withlittle sins; because by tampering at first with little ones, way is made for thecommission of bigger.[16]

WISE. Since you are entered upon stories, I also will tell you one; the which, thoughI heard it not with mine own ears, yet my author I dare believe. It is concerningone old Tod, that was hanged about twenty years ago, or more, at Hertford, for beinga thief. The story is this:–

At a summer assizes holden at Hertford, while the judge was sitting upon the bench,comes this old Tod into court, clothed in a green suit, with his leathern girdlein his hand, his bosom open, and all on a dung sweat, as if he had run for his life;and being come in, he spake aloud as follows:–My lord, saith he, here is the veriestrogue that breathes upon the face of the earth. I have been a thief from a child.When I was but a little one, I gave myself to rob orchards, and to do other suchlike wicked things, and I have continued a thief ever since. My lord, there has notbeen a robbery committed these many years, within so many miles of this place, butI have either been at it, or privy to it.

The judge thought the fellow was mad, but after some conference with some of thejustices, they agreed to indict him; and so they did of several felonious actions;to all which he heartily confessed guilty, and so was hanged, with his wife at thesame time.

ATTEN. This is a remarkable story indeed, and you think it is a true one.

WISE. It is not only remarkable, but pat to our purpose. This thief, like Mr. Badman,began his trade betimes; he began too where Mr. Badman began, even at robbing oforchards, and other such things, which brought him, as you may perceive, from sinto sin, till at last it brought him to the public shame of sin, which is the gallows.

As for the truth of this story, the relater told me that he was, at the same time,himself in the court, and stood within less than two yards of old Tod, when he heardhim aloud to utter the words.

ATTEN. These two sins, of lying and stealing, were a bad sign of an evil end.

WISE. So they were, and yet Mr. Badman came not to his end like old Tod; though Ifear to as bad, nay, worse than was that death of the gallows, though less discernedby spectators; but more of that by and by. But you talk of these two sins as if thesewere all that Mr. Badman was addicted to in his youth. Alas, alas, he swarmed withsins, even as a beggar does with vermin, and that when he was but a boy.

ATTEN. Why, what other sins was he addicted to, I mean while he was but a child?

WISE. You need not ask to what other sins was he, but to what other sins was he notaddicted; that is, of such as suited with his age; for a man may safely say thatnothing that was vile came amiss to him, if he was but capable to do it. Indeed,some sins there be that childhood knows not how to be tampering with; but I speakof sins that he was capable of committing, of which I will nominate two or threemore. And, First, He could not endure the Lord's day, because of the holiness thatdid attend it; the beginning of that day was to him as if he was going to prison,except he could get out from his father and mother, and lurk in by- holes among hiscompanions, until holy duties were over. Reading the Scriptures, hearing sermons,godly conference, repeating of sermons and prayers, were things that he could notaway with; and, therefore, if his father on such days, as often he did, though sometimes,notwithstanding his diligence, he would be sure to give him the slip, did keep himstrictly to the observation of the day, he would plainly show, by all carriages,that he was highly discontent therewith. He would sleep at duties, would talk vainlywith his brothers, and, as it were, think every godly opportunity seven times aslong as it was, grudging till it was over.

ATTEN. This his abhorring of that day, was not, I think, for the sake of the dayitself; for as it is a day, it is nothing else but as other days of the week. ButI suppose that the reason of his loathing of it was for that God hath put sanctityand holiness upon it; also, because it is the day above all the days of the weekthat ought to be spent in holy devotion, in remembrance of our Lord's resurrectionfrom the dead.

WISE. Yes, it was therefore that he was such an enemy to it; even because more restraintwas laid upon him on that day, from his own ways, than were possible should be laidupon him on all others.

ATTEN. Doth not God, by instituting of a day unto holy duties, make great proof howthe hearts and inclinations of poor people do stand to holiness of heart, and a conversationin holy duties?

WISE. Yes, doubtless; and a man shall show his heart and his life what they are,more by one Lord's day than by all the days of the week besides. And the reason is,because on the Lord's day there is a special restraint laid upon men as to thoughtsand life, more than upon other days of the week besides. Also, men are enjoined onthat day to a stricter performance of holy duties, and restraint of worldly business,than upon other days they are; wherefore, if their hearts incline not naturally togood, now they will show it, now they will appear what they are. The Lord's day isa kind of an emblem of the heavenly Sabbath above, and it makes manifest how theheart stands to the perpetuity of holiness, more than to be found in a transientduty does.

On other days, a man may be in and out of holy duties, and all in a quarter of anhour; but now, the Lord's day is, as it were, a day that enjoins to one perpetualduty of holiness. 'Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day'; which, by Christ,is not abrogated, but changed, into the first of the week, not as it was given inparticular to the Jews, but as it was sanctified by him from the beginning of theworld (Gen 2:2; Exo 31:13-17; Mark 16:1; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:1,2; Mark 2:27,28; Rev1:10); and therefore is a greater proof of the frame and temper of a man's heart,and does more make manifest to what he is inclined, than doth his other performanceof duties. Therefore, God puts great difference between them that truly call, andwalk in, this day as holy, and count it honourable, upon the account that now theyhave an opportunity to show how they delight to honour him; in that they have notonly an hour, but a whole day, to show it in (Isa 58:13). I say, he puts great differencebetween these, and that other sort that say, When will the Sabbath be gone, thatwe may be at our worldly business? (Amos 8:5). The first he calleth a blessed man,but brandeth the other for an unsanctified worldling. And, indeed, to delight ourselvesin God's service upon his holy days, gives a better proof of a sanctified naturethan to grudge at the coming, and to be weary of the holy duties of such days, asMr. Badman did.[17]

ATTEN. There may be something in what you say, for he that cannot abide to keep oneday holy to God, to be sure he hath given a sufficient proof that he is an unsanctifiedman; and, as such, what should he do in heaven? That being the place where a perpetualSabbath is to be kept to God; I say, to be kept for ever and ever (Heb 4:9). And,for ought I know, one reason why one day in seven hath been by our Lord set apartunto holy duties for men, may be to give them conviction that there is enmity inthe hearts of sinners to the God of heaven, for he that hateth holiness, hateth Godhimself. They pretend to love God, and yet love not a holy day, and yet love notto spend that day in one continued act of holiness to the Lord. They had as goodsay nothing as to call him Lord, Lord, and yet not do the things that he says. Andthis Mr. Badman was such a one, he could not abide this day, nor any of the dutiesof it. Indeed, when he could get from his friends, and so spend it in all mannerof idleness and profaneness, then he would be pleased well enough; but what was thisbut a turning the day into night, or other than taking an opportunity at God's forbidding,to follow our callings, to solace and satisfy our lusts and delights of the flesh?I take the liberty to speak thus of Mr. Badman, upon a confidence of what you, Sir,have said of him is true.

WISE. You needed not to have made that apology for your censoring of Mr. Badman,for all that knew him will confirm what you say of him to be true. He could not abideeither that day, or anything else that had the stamp or image of God upon it. Sin,sin, and to do the thing that was naught, was that which he delighted in, and thatfrom a little child.

ATTEN. I must say again I am sorry to hear it, and that for his own sake, and alsofor the sake of his relations, who must needs be broken to pieces with such doingsas these. For, for these things' sake comes the wrath of God upon the children ofdisobedience (Eph 5:6). And, doubtless, he must be gone to hell, if he died withoutrepentance; and to beget a child for hell is sad for parents to think on.

WISE. Of his dying, as I told you, I will give you a relation anon; but now we areupon his life, and upon the manner of his life in his childhood, even of the sinsthat attended him then, some of which I have mentioned already; and, indeed, I havementioned but some, for yet there are more to follow, and those not at all inferiorto what you have already heard.

ATTEN. Pray what were they?

WISE. Why he was greatly given, and that while a lad, to grievous swearing and cursing;yea, he then made no more of swearing and cursing than I do of telling my fingers.Yea, he would do it without provocation thereto. He counted it a glory to swear andcurse, and it was as natural to him as to eat, and drink, and sleep.

ATTEN. O what a young villain was this! Here is, as the apostle says, a yieldingof 'members, as instruments of righteousness unto sin,' indeed! (Rom 6:13). Thisis proceeding from evil to evil with a witness. This argueth that he was a black-mouthedyoung wretch indeed.

WISE. He was so; and yet, as I told you, he counted above all this kind of sinningto be a badge of his honour; he reckoned himself a man's fellow when he had learnedto swear and curse boldly.

ATTEN. I am persuaded that many do think as you have said, that to swear is a thingthat does bravely become them, and that it is the best way for a man, when he wouldput authority or terror into his words, to stuff them full of the sin of swearing.

WISE. You say right, else, as I am persuaded, men would not so usually belch outtheir blasphemous oaths as they do; they take a pride in it; they think that to swearis gentleman-like; and, having once accustomed themselves unto it, they hardly leaveit all the days of their lives.[18]

ATTEN. Well, but now we are upon it, pray show me the difference between swearingand cursing; for there is a difference, is there not?

WISE. Yes; there is a difference between swearing and cursing. Swearing, vain swearing,such as young Badman accustomed himself unto. Now, vain and sinful swearing is alight and wicked calling of God, &c., to witness to our vain and foolish attestingof things, and those things are of two sorts. 1. Things that we swear, are or shallbe done. 2. Things so sworn to, true or false.

1. Things that we swear, are or shall be done. Thou swearest thou hast done sucha thing, that such a thing is so, or shall be so; for it is no matter which of theseit is that men swear about, if it be done lightly, and wickedly, and groundlessly,it is vain, because it is a sin against the third commandment, which says, 'Thoushalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain' (Exo 20:7). For this is a vainusing of that holy and sacred name, and so a sin for which, without sound repentance,there is not, nor can be rightly expected, forgiveness.

ATTEN. Then it seems, though as to the matter of fact, a man swears truly, yet ifhe sweareth lightly and groundlessly, his oath is evil, and he by it under sin.

WISE. Yes, a man may say, 'The Lord liveth,' and that is true, and yet in so saying'swear falsely'; because he sweareth vainly, needlessly, and without a ground (Jer5:2). To swear groundedly and necessarily, which then a man does when he swears asbeing called thereto of God, that is tolerated by the Word.[19] But this was noneof Mr. Badman's swearing, and therefore that which now we are not concerned about.

ATTEN. I perceive by the prophet that a man may sin in swearing to a truth. Theytherefore must needs most horribly sin that swear to confirm their jests and lies;and, as they think, the better to beautify their foolish talking.

WISE. They sin with a high hand; for they presume to imagine that God is as wickedas themselves, to wit, that he is an avoucher of lies to be true. For, as I saidbefore, to swear is to call God to witness; and to swear to a lie is to call Godto witness that that lie is true. This, therefore, must needs offend; for it putsthe highest affront upon the holiness and righteousness of God, therefore his wrathmust sweep them away (Zech 5:3). This kind of swearing is put in with lying, andkilling, and stealing, and committing adultery; and therefore must not go unpunished(Jer 7:9; Hosea 4:2,3). For if God 'will not hold him guiltless that taketh his namein vain,' which a man may do when he swears to a truth, as I have showed before,how can it be imagined that he should hold such guiltless, who, by swearing, willappeal to God for lies that be not true, or that swear out of their frantic and bedlammadness. It would grieve and provoke a sober man to wrath, if one should swear toa notorious lie, and avouch that that man would attest it for a truth; and yet thusdo men deal with the holy God. They tell their jestings, tales, and lies, and thenswear by God that they are true. Now, this kind of swearing was as common with youngBadman, as it was to eat when he was an hungered, or to go to bed when it was night.

ATTEN. I have often mused in my mind, what it should be that should make men so commonin the use of the sin of swearing, since those that be wise will believe them neverthe sooner for that.

WISE. It cannot be anything that is good, you may be sure; because the thing itselfis abominable. 1. Therefore it must be from the promptings of the spirit of the devilwithin them. 2. Also it flows sometimes from hellish rage, when the tongue hath seton fire of hell even the whole course of nature (James 3:6-9). 3. But commonly, swearingflows from that daring boldness that biddeth defiance to the law that forbids it.4. Swearers think, also, that by their belching of their blasphemous oaths out oftheir black and polluted mouths, they show themselves the more valiant men. 5. Andimagine also, that by these outrageous kind of villainies, they shall conquer thosethat at such a time they have to do with, and make them believe their lies to betrue. 6. They also swear frequently to get gain thereby, and when they meet withfools they overcome them this way. But if I might give advice in this matter, nobuyer should lay out one farthing with him that is a common swearer in his calling;especially with such an oath-master that endeavoureth to swear away his commodityto another, and that would swear his chapman's money into his own pocket.

ATTEN. All these causes of swearing, so far as I can perceive, flow from the sameroot as do the oaths themselves, even from a hardened and desperate heart. But, pray,show me now how wicked cursing is to be distinguished from this kind of swearing.

WISE. Swearing, as I said, hath immediately to do with the name of God, and it callsupon him to be witness to the truth of what is said; that is, if they that swear,swear by him. Some, indeed, swear by idols, as by the mass, by our lady, by saints,beasts, birds, and other creatures;[20] but the usual way of our profane ones inEngland is to swear by God, Christ, faith, and the like. But, however, or by whateverthey swear, cursing is distinguished from swearing thus.

To curse, to curse profanely, it is to sentence another or ourself, for or to evil;or to wish that some evil might happen to the person or thing under the curse unjustly.

It is to sentence for or to evil, that is, without a cause. Thus Shimei cursed David;he sentenced him for and to evil unjustly, when he said to him, 'Come out, come out,thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial. The Lord hath returned upon thee all theblood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned, and the Lord hath deliveredthe kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art taken in thymischief, because thou art a bloody man' (2 Sam 16:7,8).

This David calls 'a grievous curse.' 'And behold,' saith he to Solomon his son, 'thouhast with thee Shimei, - a Benjamite, - which cursed me with a grievous curse inthe day when I went to Mahanaim' (1 Kings 2:8).

But what was this curse? Why, First, It was a wrong sentence past upon David; Shimeicalled him bloody man, man of Belial, when he was not. Secondly, He sentenced himto the evil that at present was upon him for being a bloody man, that is, againstthe house of Saul, when that present evil overtook David for quite another thing.And we may thus apply it to the profane ones of our times, who in their rage andenvy have little else in their youths but a sentence against their neighbour forand to evil unjustly. How common is it with many, when they are but a little offendedwith one, to cry, Hang him, Damn him, Rogue! This is both a sentencing of him forand to evil, and is in itself a grievous curse.

2. The other kind of cursing is to wish that some evil might happen to, and overtakethis or that person or thing. And this kind of cursing Job counted a grievous sin.'Neither have I suffered [says he] my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul';or consequently to body or estate (Job 31:30). This then is a wicked cursing, towish that evil might either befall another or ourselves. And this kind of cursingyoung Badman accustom himself unto. 1. He would wish that evil might befall others;he would wish their necks broken, or that their brains were out, or that the poxor plague was upon them, and the like; all which is a devilish kind of cursing, andis become one of the common sins of our age. 2. He would also as often wish a curseto himself, saying, Would I might be hanged, or burned, or that the devil might fetchme, if it be not so, or the like. We count the Damn-me-blades to be great swearers,but when in their hellish fury they say, God damn me, God perish me, or the like,they rather curse than swear; yea, curse themselves, and that with a wish that damnationmight light upon themselves; which wish and curse of theirs in a little time theywill see accomplished upon them, even in hell fire, if they repent them not of theirsins.

ATTEN. But did this young Badman accustom himself to such filthy kind of language?

WISE. I think I may say that nothing was more frequent in his mouth, and that uponthe least provocation. Yea, he was so versed in such kind of language, that neitherfather, nor mother, nor brother, nor sister, nor servant, no, nor the very cattlethat his father had, could escape these curses of his. I say that even the brutebeasts, when he drove them or rid upon them, if they pleased not his humour, theymust be sure to partake of his curse. He would wish their necks broke, their legsbroke, their guts out, or that the devil might fetch them, or the like; and no marvel,for he that is so hardy to wish damnation or other bad curses to himself, or dearestrelations, will not stick to wish evil to the silly beast in his madness.

ATTEN. Well, I see still that this Badman was a desperate villain. But pray, Sir,since you have gone thus far, now show me whence this evil of cursing ariseth, andalso what dishonour it bringeth to God; for I easily discern that it doth bring damnationto the soul.

WISE. This evil of cursing ariseth in general from the desperate wickedness of theheart, but particularly from, 1. Envy, which is, as I apprehend, the leading sinto witchcraft. 2. It also ariseth from pride, which was the sin of the fallen angels.3. It ariseth too, from scorn and contempt of others. 4. But for a man to curse himself,must needs arise from desperate madness (Job 15; Eccl 7:22).

The dishonour that it bringeth to God is this. It taketh away from him his authority,in whose power it is only to bless and curse; not to curse wickedly, as Mr. Badman,but justly and righteously, giving by his curse, to those that are wicked, the duereward of their deeds.

Besides, these wicked men, in their wicked cursing of their neighbour, &c., doeven curse God himself in his handiwork (James 3:9). Man is God's image, and to cursewickedly the image of God is to curse God himself. Therefore as when men wickedlyswear, they rend, and tear God's name, and make him, as much as in them lies, theavoucher and approver of all their wickedness; so he that curseth and condemnethin this sort his neighbour, or that wisheth him evil, curseth, condemneth, and wishethevil to the image of God, and, consequently judgeth and condemneth God himself. Supposethat a man should say with his mouth, I wish that the king's picture was burned;would not this man's so saying render him as an enemy to the person of the king?Even so it is with them that, by cursing, wish evil to their neighbour, or to themselves,they contemn the image, even the image of God himself.

ATTEN. But do you think that the men that do thus, do think that they do so vilely,so abominably?

WISE. The question is not what men do believe concerning their sin, but what God'sWord says of it. If God's Word says that swearing and cursing are sins, though menshould count them for virtues, their reward will be a reward for sin, to wit, thedamnation of the soul. To curse another, and to swear vainly and falsely, are sinsagainst the light of nature. 1. To curse is so, because whoso curseth another, knowsthat at the same time he would not be so served himself. 2. To swear also is a sinagainst he same law; for nature will tell me that I should not lie, and thereforemuch less swear to confirm it. Yea, the heathens have looked upon swearing to bea solemn ordinance of God, and therefore not to be lightly or vainly used by men,though to confirm a matter of truth (Gen 31:43-55).

ATTEN. But I wonder, since cursing and swearing are such evils in the eyes of God,that he doth not make some examples to others, for their committing such wickedness.

WISE. Alas! so he has, a thousand times twice told, as may be easily gathered byany observing people in every age and country. I could present you with several myself;but waving the abundance that might be mentioned, I will here present you with two.One was that dreadful judgment of God upon one N. P. at Wimbleton in Surrey; who,after a horrible fit of swearing at and cursing of some persons that did not pleasehim, suddenly fell sick, and in little time died raving, cursing, and swearing.

But above all, take that dreadful story of Dorothy Mately, an inhabitant of Ashover,in the county of Derby. This Dorothy Mately, saith the relater, was noted by thepeople of the town to be a great swearer, and curser, and liar, and thief; just likeMr. Badman. And the labour that she did usually follow was to wash the rubbish thatcame forth of the lead mines, and there to get sparks of lead ore; and her usualway of asserting of things was with these kind of imprecations: I would I might sinkinto the earth if it be not so; or, I would God would make the earth open and swallowme up. Now upon the 23d of March, 1660, this Dorothy was washing of ore upon thetop of a steep hill, about a quarter of a mile from Ashover, and was there taxedby a lad for taking of two single pence out of his pocket, for he had laid his breechesby, and was at work in his drawers; but she violently denied it; wishing that theground might swallow her up if she had them: she also used the same wicked wordson several other occasions that day.

Now one George Hodgkinson, of Ashover, a man of good report there, came accidentallyby where this Dorothy was, and stood still awhile to talk with her, as she was washingher ore; there stood also a little child by her tub-side, and another a distanceform her, calling aloud to her to come away; wherefore the said George took the girlby the hand to lead her away to her that called her: but behold, they had not goneabove ten yards from Dorothy, but they heard her crying out for help; so lookingback, he saw the woman, and her tub, and sieve twirling round, and sinking into theground. Then said the man, Pray to God to pardon thy sin, for thou are never liketo be seen alive any longer. So she and her tub twirled round and round, till theysunk about three yards into the earth, and then for a while staid. Then she calledfor help again; thinking, as she said, she should stay there. Now the man, thoughgreatly amazed, did begin to think which way to help her; but immediately a greatstone which appeared in the earth, fell upon her head, and broke her skull, and thenthe earth fell in upon her, and covered her. She was afterwards digged up, and foundabout four yards within ground, with the boy's two single pence in her pocket, buther tub and sieve could not be found.

ATTEN. You bring to my mind a sad story, the while I will relate unto you. The thingis this:–About a bow-shot from where I once dwelt, there was a blind ale-house,[21]and the man that kept it had a son, whose name was Edward. This Edward was, as itwere, a half fool, both in his words and manner of behaviour. To this blind ale-housecertain jovial companions would once or twice a week come, and this Ned, for so theycalled him, his father would entertain his guests withal; to wit, by calling forhim to make them sport by his foolish words and gestures. So when these boon bladescame to this man's house, the father would call for Ned. Ned, therefore, would comeforth; and the villain was devilishly addicted to cursing, yea, to cursing his fatherand mother, and any one else that did cross him. And because, though he was a halffool, he saw that his practice was pleasing, he would do it with the more audaciousness.

Well, when these brave fellows did come at their times to this tippling-house, asthey cal lit, to fuddle and make merry, then must Ned be called out; and becausehis father was best acquainted with Ned, and best knew how to provoke him, thereforehe would usually ask him such questions, or command him such business, as would besure to provoke him indeed. Then would he, after his foolish manner, curse his fathermost bitterly; at which the old man would laugh, and so would the rest of the guests,as at that which pleased them best, still continuing to ask that Ned still mightbe provoked to curse, that they might still be provoked to laugh. This was the mirthwith which the old man did use to entertain his guests.

The curses wherewith this Ned did use to curse his father, and at which the old manwould laugh, were these, and such like; the devil take you–the devil fetch you; hewould also wish him plagues and destructions many. Well, so it came to pass, throughthe righteous judgment of God, that Ned's wishes and curses were in a little timefulfilled upon his father; for not many months passed between them after this manner,but the devil did indeed take him, possess him, and also in a few days carried himout of this world by death; I say Satan did take him and possess him; I mean, soit was judged by those that knew him, and had to do with him in that his lamentablecondition. He could feel him like a live thing go up and down in his body; but whentormenting time was come, as he had often tormenting fits, then he would lie likean hard bump in the soft place of his chest, I mean I saw it so, and so would rentand tear him, and make him roar till he died away.

I told you before that I was an ear and eye-witness of what I here say; and so Iwas. I have heard Ned in his roguery cursing his father, and his father laughingthereat most heartily; still provoking of Ned to curse, that his mirth might be increased.I saw his father also, when he was possessed, I saw him in one of his fits, and sawhis flesh, as it was thought, by the devil gathered up on a heap, about the bignessof half an egg, to the unutterable torture and affliction of the old man. There wasalso one Freeman, who was more than an ordinary doctor, sent for, to cast out thisdevil; and I was there when he attempted to do it; the manner thereof was this:–Theyhad the possessed into an out-room, and laid him on his belly upon a form, with hishead hanging over the form's end. Then they bound him down thereto; which done, theyset a pan of coals under his mouth, and put something therein which made a greatsmoke; by this means, as it was said, to fetch out the devil. There, therefore, theykept the man till he was almost smothered in the smoke, but no devil came out ofhim; at which Freeman was somewhat abashed, the man greatly afflicted, and I madeto go away wondering and fearing.[22] In a little time, therefore, that which possessedthe man, carried him out of the world, according to the cursed wishes of his son.And this was the end of this hellish mirth.

WISE. These were all sad judgments.

ATTEN. These were dreadful judgments indeed.

WISE. Ay, and they look like the threatening of that text, though chiefly it concernedJudas, 'As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him; as he delighteth not in blessing,so let it be far from him. As he clothed himself with cursing, like as with a garment,so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones' (Psa 109:17,18).

ATTEN. It is a fearful thing for youth to be trained up in a way of cursing and swearing.

WISE. Trained up in them! that I cannot say Mr. Badman was, for his father hath ofttimesin my hearing bewailed the badness of his children, and of this naughty boy in particular.I believe that the wickedness of his children made him, in the thoughts of it, gomany a night with heavy heart to bed, and with as heavy a one to rise in the morning.But all was one to his graceless son, neither wholesome counsel, nor fatherly sorrow,would make him mend his manners.

There are some indeed that do train up their children to swear, curse, lie, and steal,and great is the misery of such poor children whose hard hap it is to be usheredinto the world by, and to be under the tuition too of such ungodly parents. It hadbeen better for such parents had they not begat them, and better for such childrenhad they not been born. O! methinks for a father or a mother to train up a childin that very way that leadeth to hell and damnation, what things so horrible! ButMr. Badman was not by his parents so brought up.

ATTEN. But methinks, since this young Badman would not be ruled at home, his fathershould have tried what good could have been done of him abroad, by putting him outto some man of his acquaintance, that he knew to be able to command him, and to keephim pretty hard to some employ; so should he, at least, have been prevented of timeto do those wickednesses that could not be done without time to do them in.




CHAPTER III.

[BADMAN'S APPRENTICESHIP TO A PIOUS MASTER.]

WISE. Alas! his father did so; he put him out betimes to one of his own acquaintance,and entreated him of all love that he would take care of his son, and keep him forextravagant ways. His trade also was honest and commodious; he had besides a fullemploy therein, so that this young Badman had no vacant seasons nor idle hours yieldedhim by his calling, therein to take opportunities to do badly; but all was one tohim, as he had begun to be vile in his father's house, even so he continued to bewhen he was in the house of his master.

ATTEN. I have known some children, who, though they have been very bad at home, yethave altered much when they have been put out abroad; especially when they have falleninto a family where the governors thereof have made conscience of maintaining ofthe worship and service of God therein; but perhaps that might be wanting in Mr.Badman's master's house.

WISE. Indeed some children do greatly mend when put under other men's roofs; but,as I said, this naughty boy did not so; nor did his badness continue because he wanteda master that both could and did correct it. For his master was a very good man,a very devout person; one that frequented the best soul means, that set up the worshipof God in his family, and also that walked himself thereafter. He was also a manvery meek and merciful, one that did never over- drive young Badman in business,nor that kept him at it at unseasonable hours.

ATTEN. Say you so! This is rare. I for my part can see but few that can parallel,in these things, with Mr. Badman's master.

WISE. Nor I neither, yet Mr. Badman had such an one; for, for the most part, mastersare now-a-days such as mind nothing but their worldly concerns, and if apprenticesdo but answer their commands therein, soul and religion may go whither they will.Yea, I much fear that there have been many towardly lads put out by their parentsto such masters, that have quite undone them as to the next world.

ATTEN. The more is the pity. But, pray, now you have touched upon this subject, showme how many ways a master may be the ruin of his poor apprentice.

WISE. Nay, I cannot tell you of all the ways, yet some of them I will mention. Suppose,then, that a towardly lad be put to be an apprentice with one that is reputed tobe a godly man, yet that lad may be ruined many ways; that is, if his master be notcircumspect in all things that respect both God and man, and that before his apprentice.

1. If he be not moderate in the use of his apprentice; if he drives him beyond hisstrength; if he holds him to work at unseasonable hours; if he will not allow himconvenient time to read the Word, to pray, &c. This is the way to destroy him;that is, in those tender beginning of good thoughts, and good beginnings about spiritualthings.

2. If he suffers his house to be scattered with profane and wicked books, such asstir up to lust, to wantonness, such as teach idle, wanton, lascivious discourse,and such as have a tendency to provoke to profane drollery and jesting; and lastly,such as tend to corrupt and pervert the doctrine of faith and holiness. All thesethings will eat as doth a canker, and will quickly spoil, in youth, &c. thosegood beginnings that may be putting forth themselves in them.

3. If there be a mixture of servants, that is, if some very bad be in the same place,that is a way also to undo such tender lads; for they that are bad and sordid servantswill be often, and they have an opportunity too, to be distilling and fomenting oftheir profane and wicked words and tricks before them, and these will easily stickin the flesh and minds of youth, to the corrupting of them.

4. If the master have one guise for abroad, and another for home; that is, if hisreligion hangs by in his house as his cloak does, and he be seldom in it, excepthe be abroad; this young beginners will take notice of, and stumble at. We say, hedgeshave eyes, and little pitchers have ears;[23] and, indeed, children make a greaterinspection into the lives of fathers, masters, &c., than ofttimes they are awareof. And therefore should masters be careful, else they may so destroy good beginningsin their servants.

5. If the master be unconscionable in his dealing, and trades with lying words; orif bad commodities be avouched to be good, or if he seeks after unreasonable gain,or the like; his servant sees it, and it is enough to undo him. Eli's sons beingbad before the congregation, made men despise the sacrifices of the Lord (1 Sam 2).

But these things, by the by, only they may serve for a hint to masters to take heedthat they take not apprentices to destroy their souls. But young Badman had noneof these hindrances; his father took care, and provided well for him, as to this.He had a good master, he wanted not good books, nor good instruction, nor good sermons,nor good examples, no nor good fellow-servants neither; but all would not do.

ATTEN. It is a wonder that in such a family, amidst so many spiritual helps, nothingshould take hold of his heart! What! not good books, nor good instructions, nor goodsermons, nor good examples, nor good fellow-servants, nor nothing do him good!

WISE. You talk, he minded none of these things; nay, all these were abominable tohim. 1. For good books, they might lie in his master's house till they rotted fromhim, he would not regard to look into them; but contrariwise, would get all the badand abominable books that he could, as beastly romances, and books full of ribaldry,even such as immediately tended to set all fleshly lusts on fire.[24] True, he durstnot be known to have any of these to his master; therefore would he never let thembe seen by him, but would keep them in close places, and peruse them at such timesas yielded him fit opportunities thereto.

2. For good instruction, he liked that much as he liked good books; his care wasto hear but little thereof, and to forget what he heard as soon as it was spoken.Yea, I have heard some that knew him then say, that one might evidently discern bythe show of his countenance and gestures that good counsel was to him like littleease, even a continual torment to him; nor did he ever count himself at liberty butwhen farthest off of wholesome words (Prov 15:12). He would hate them that rebukedhim, and count them his deadly enemies (Prov 9:8).

3. For good example, which was frequently set him by his master, both in religiousand civil matters, these young Badman would laugh at, and would also make a by-wordof them when he came in place where he with safety could.

4. His master indeed would make him go with him to sermons, and that here he thoughtthe best preachers were, but this ungodly young man, what shall I say, was, I think,a master of art in all mischief, he had these wicked ways to hinder himself of hearing,let the preacher thunder never so loud. 1. His way was, when come into the placeof hearing, to sit down in some corner and then to fall fast asleep. 2. Or else tofix his adulterous eyes upon some beautiful object that was in the place, and soall sermon-while therewith to be feeding of his fleshly lusts. 3. Or, if he couldget near to some that he had observed would fit his humour, he would be whispering,giggling, and playing with them till such time as sermon was done.

ATTEN. Why! he was grown to a prodigious height of wickedness.

WISE. He was so, and that which aggravates all was, this was his practice as soonas he was come to his master–he was as ready at all these things as if he had, beforehe came to his master, served an apprenticeship to learn them.

ATTEN. There could not but be added, as you relate them, rebellion to his sin. Methinksit is as if he had said, I will not hear, I will not regard, I will not mind good,I will not mend, I will not turn, I will not be converted.

WISE. You say true, and I know not to whom more fitly to compare him than to thatman who, when I myself rebuked him or his wickedness, in this great huff replied,What would the devil do for company if it was not for such as I?

ATTEN. Why, did you ever hear any man say so?

WISE. Yes, that I did, and this young Badman was as like him as an egg is like anegg. Alas! the Scripture makes mention of many that by their actions speak the same,'They say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways'(Job 21:14). Again, 'They refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stoppedtheir ears. Yea, they make their hearts' hard 'as an adamant- stone, lest they shouldhear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent' (Zech 7:11,12). Whatare all these but such as Badman, and such as the young man but now mentioned? Thatyoung man was my play-fellow when I was solacing myself in my sins; I may make mentionof him to my shame, but he has a great many fellows.

ATTEN. Young Badman was like him indeed, and he trod his steps as if his wickednesshad been his very copy: I mean as to his desperateness, for had he not been a desperateone he would never have made you such a reply when you was rebuking of him for hissin. But when did you give him such a rebuke?

WISE. A while after God had parted him and I, by calling of me, as I hope, by hisgrace, still leaving him in his sins; and so far as I could ever gather, as he lived,so he died, even as Mr. Badman did; but we will leave him and return again to ourdiscourse.

ATTEN. Ha! poor obstinate sinners! Do they think that God cannot be even with them?

WISE. I do not know what they think, but I know that God hath said, 'That as he cried,and they would not hear; so they cried and I would not hear, saith the Lord' (Zech7:13). Doubtless there is a time coming when Mr. Badman will cry for this.

ATTEN. But I wonder that he should be so expert in wickedness so soon! Alas, he wasbut a stripling, I suppose he was as yet not twenty.

WISE. No, nor eighteen either; but, as with Ishmael, and with the children that mockedthe prophet, the seeds of sin did put forth themselves betimes in him (Gen 21:9,10;2 Kings 2:23,24).

ATTEN. Well, he was as wicked a young man as commonly one shall hear of.

WISE. You will say so when you know all.

ATTEN. All, I think, here is a great all; but if there is more behind, pray let ushear it.

WISE. Why then, I will tell you, that he had not been with his master much abovea year and a half, but he came acquainted with three young villains, who here shallbe nameless, that taught him to add to his sin much of like kind, and he as aptlyreceived their instructions. One of them was chiefly given to uncleanness, anotherto drunkenness, and the third to purloining, or stealing from his master.

ATTEN. Alas! poor wretch, he was bad enough before, but these, I suppose, made himmuch worse.

WISE. That they made him worse you may be sure of, for they taught him to be an arch,a chief one in all their ways.

ATTEN. It was an ill hap that he ever came acquainted with them.

WISE. You must rather word it thus–it was the judgment of God that he did, that is,he came acquainted with them through the anger of God. He had a good master, andbefore him a good father; by these he had good counsel given him for months and yearstogether, but his heart was set upon mischief, he loved wickedness more than to dogood, even until his iniquity came to be hateful, therefore, from the anger of Godit was that these companions of his and he did at last so acquaint together. SaysPaul, 'They did not like to retain God in their knowledge'; and what follows? wherefore'God gave them over,' or up to their own hearts' lusts (Rom 1:28). And again, 'Asfor such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth withthe workers of iniquity' (Psa 125:5). This therefore was God's hand upon him, thathe might be destroyed, be damned, 'because he received not the love of the truththat he might be saved' (2 Thess 2:10). He chose his delusions and deluders for him,even the company of base men, of fools, that he might be destroyed (Prov 12:20).

ATTEN. I cannot but think indeed that it is a great judgment of God for a man tobe given up to the company of vile men; for what are such but the devil's decoys,even those by whom he draws the simple into his net? A whoremaster, a drunkard, athief, what are they but the devil's baits by which he catcheth others?

WISE. You say right; but this young Badman was no simple one, if by simple you meanone uninstructed; for he had often good counsel given him; but, if by simple youmean him that is a fool as to the true knowledge of, and faith in Christ, then hewas a simple one indeed; for he chose death rather than life, and to live in continualopposition to God, rather than to be reconciled unto him; according to that sayingof the wise man, 'The fools hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord'(Prov 1:29). And what judgment more dreadful can a fool be given up to, than to bedelivered into the hands of such men, that have skill to do nothing but to ripensin, and hasten its finishing unto damnation? And, therefore, men should be afraidof offending God, because he can in this manner punish them for their sins. I knewa man that once was, as I though, hopefully awakened about his condition; yea, Iknew two that were so awakened, but in time they began to draw back, and to inclineagain to their lusts; wherefore, God gave them up to the company of three or fourmen, that in less than three years' time, brought them roundly to the gallows, wherethey were hanged like dogs, because they refused to live like honest men.

ATTEN. But such men do not believe that thus to be given up of God is in judgmentand anger; they rather take it to be their liberty, and do count it their happiness;they are glad that their cord is loosed, and that the reins are on their neck; theyare glad that they may sin without control, and that they may choose such companyas can make them more expert in an evil way.

WISE. Their judgment is, therefore, so much the greater, because thereto is addedblindness of mind, and hardness of heart in a wicked way. They are turned up to theway of death, but must not see to what place they are going. They must go as theox to the slaughter, 'and as a fool to the correction of the stocks, till a dartstrike through his liver,' not knowing 'that it is for his life' (Prov 7:22,23).This, I say, makes their judgment double; they are given up of God for a while, tosport themselves with that which will assuredly make them 'mourn at the last, whentheir flesh and their body are consumed' (Prov 5:11). These are those that Peterspeaks, that shall utterly perish in their own corruptions; these, I say, who 'countit pleasure to riot in the day-time,' and that sport 'themselves with their own deceivings,'are 'as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed' (2 Peter 2:12,13).

ATTEN. Well, but I pray now concerning these three villains that were young Badman'scompanions; tell me more particularly how he carried it then.

WISE. How he carried it? why, he did as they. I intimated so much before, when Isaid they made him an arch,[25] a chief one in their ways.

First, he became a frequenter of taverns and tippling- houses, and would stay thereuntil he was even as drunk as a beast. And if it was so that he could not get outby day, he would, be sure, get out by night. Yea, he became so common a drunkardat last, that he was taken notice of to be a drunkard even by all.

ATTEN. This was swinish, for drunkenness is so beastly a sin, a sin so much againstnature, that I wonder that any that have but the appearance of men can give up themselvesto so beastly, yea, worse than beastly, a thing.

WISE. It is a swinish vanity indeed. I will tell you another story. There was a gentlemanthat had a drunkard to be his groom, and coming home one night very much abused withbeer, his master saw it. Well, quoth his master within himself, I will let thee aloneto night, but to-morrow morning I will convince thee that thou art worse than a beastby the behaviour of my horse. So, when morning was come, he bids his man go and waterhis horse, and so he did; but, coming up to his master, he commands him to waterhim again; so the fellow rode into the water the second time, but his master's horsewould now drink no more, so the fellow came up and told his master. Then, said hismaster, thou drunken sot, thou art far worse than my horse; he will drink but tosatisfy nature, but thou wilt drink to the abuse of nature; he will drink but torefresh himself, but thou to thy hurt and damage; he will drink that he may be moreserviceable to his master, but thou till thou art incapable of serving either Godor man. O thou beast, how much art thou worse than the horse that thou ridest on!

ATTEN. Truly, I think that his master served him right; for, in doing as he did,he showed him plainly, as he said, that he had not so much government of himselfas his horse had of himself; and, consequently, that his beast did live more accordingto the law of his nature by far than did his man. But, pray, go on with what youhave further to say.

WISE. Why, I say, that there are four things, which, if they were well considered,would make drunkenness to be abhorred in the thoughts of the children of men. 1.It greatly tendeth to impoverish and beggar a man. 'The drunkard,' says Solomon,'shall come to poverty' (Prov 23:21). Many that have begun the world with plenty,have gone out of it in rags, through drunkenness. Yea, many children that have beenborn to good estates, have yet been brought to a flail and a rake, through this beastlysin of their parents. 2. This sin of drunkenness it bringeth upon the body many,great, and incurable diseases, by which men do, in little time, come to their end,and none can help them. So, because they are overmuch wicked, therefore they diebefore their time (Eccl 7:17). 3. Drunkenness is a sin that is oftentimes attendedwith abundance of other evils. 'Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions?Who hath babbling? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes? Theythat tarry long at the wine, they that go to seek mixed wine'; that is, the drunkard(Prov 23:29,30). 4. By drunkenness, men do oftentimes shorten their days; go outof the ale-house drunk, and break their necks before they come home. Instances, nota few, might be given of this, but this is so manifest a man need say nothing.

ATTEN. But that which is worse than all is, it also prepares men for everlastingburnings (1 Cor 6:10).

WISE. Yea, and it so stupefies and besots the soul, that a man that is far gone indrunkenness is hardly ever recovered to God. Tell me, when did you see an old drunkardconverted? No, no, such an one will sleep till he dies, though he sleeps on the topof a mast; let his dangers be never so great, and death and damnation never so near,he will not be awaked out of his sleep (Prov 23:34,35). So that if a man have anyrespect either to credit, health, life, or salvation, he will not be a drunken man.But the truth is, where this sin gets the upper hand, men are, as I said before,so intoxicated and bewitched with the seeming pleasures and sweetness thereof, thatthey have neither heart nor mind to think of that which is better in itself; andwould, if embraced, do them good.

ATTEN. You said that drunkenness tends to poverty, yet some make themselves richby drunken bargains.

WISE. I said so, because the Word says so. And as to some men's getting thereby,that is indeed but rare and base; yea, and base will be the end of such gettings.The Word of God is against such ways, and the curse of God will be the end of suchdoings. An inheritance may sometimes thus be hastily gotten at the beginning, butthe end thereof shall not be blessed. Hark what the prophet saith, 'Woe to him thatcoveteth an evil covetousness, that he may set his nest on high' (Hab 2:5,9-12,15).Whether he makes drunkenness, or ought else, the engine and decoy to get it; forthat man doth but consult the shame of his own house, the spoiling of his family,and the damnation of his soul; for that which he getteth by working of iniquity isbut a getting by the devices of hell; therefore he can be no gainer neither for himselfor family, that gains by an evil course. But this was one of the sins that Mr. Badmanwas addicted to after he came acquainted with these three fellows, nor could allthat his master could do break him off this beastly sin.

ATTEN. But where, since he was but an apprentice, could he get money to follow thispractice; for drunkenness, as you have intimated, is a very costly sin.

WISE. His master paid for all. For, as I told you before, as he learned of thesethree villains to be a beastly drunkard, so he learned of them to pilfer and stealfrom his master. Sometimes he would sell off his master's goods, but keep the money,that is, when he could; also, sometimes he would beguile his master by taking outof his cash box; and when he could do neither of these, he would convey away of hismaster's wares, what he thought would be least missed, and send or carry them tosuch and such houses, where he knew they would be laid up to his use; and then appointset times there, to meet and make merry with these fellows.

ATTEN. This was as bad, nay, I think, worse than the former; for by thus doing hedid not only run himself under the wrath of God, but has endangered the undoing ofhis master and his family.

WISE. Sins go not alone, but follow one the other as do the links of a chain; hethat will be a drunkard, must have money, either of his own or of some other man's;either of his father's, mother's, master's, or at the highway, or some way.

ATTEN. I fear that many an honest man is undone by such kind of servants.

WISE. I am of the same mind with you, but this should make the dealer the more warywhat kind of servants he keeps, and what kind of apprentices he takes. It shouldalso teach him to look well to his shop himself; also to take strict account of allthings that are bought and sold by his servants. The master's neglect herein mayembolden his servant to be bad, and may bring him too in short time to rags and amorsel of bread.

ATTEN. I am afraid that there is much of this kind of pilfering among servants inthese bad days of ours.

WISE. Now while it is in my mind, I will tell you a story. When I was in prison,there came a woman to me that was under a great deal of trouble.[26] So I asked her,she being a stranger to me, what she had to say to me. She said she was afraid sheshould be damned. I asked her the cause of those fears. She told me that she had,some time since, lived with a shopkeeper at Wellingborough, and had robbed his boxin the shop several times of money, to the value of more than now I will say; andpray, says she, tell me what I shall do. I told her I would have her go to her master,and make him satisfaction. She said she was afraid; I asked her, why? She said, shedoubted he would hang her. I told her that I would intercede for her life, and wouldmake use of other friends too to do the like; but she told me she durst not venturethat. Well, said I, shall I send to your master, while you abide out of sight, andmake your peace with him, before he sees you; and with that I asked her her master'sname. But all that she said, in answer to this, was, Pray let it alone till I cometo you again. So away she went, and neither told me her master's name nor her own.This is about ten or twelve years since, and I never saw her again. I tell you thisstory for this cause; to confirm your fears that such kind of servants too many therebe; and that God makes them sometimes like old Tod, of whom mention was made before,through the terrors that he lays upon them, to betray themselves.

I could tell you of another, that came to me with a like relation concerning herself,and the robbing of her mistress; but at this time let this suffice.

ATTEN. But what was that other villain addicted to; I mean young Badman's third companion.

WISE. Uncleanness; I told you before, but it seems you forgot.

ATTEN. Right, it was uncleanness. Uncleanness is also a filthy sin.

WISE. It is so; and yet it is one of the most reigning sins in our day.[27]

ATTEN. So they say, and that too among those that one would think had more wit, evenamong the great ones.

WISE. The more is the pity; for usually examples that are set by them that are greatand chief, spread sooner, and more universally, than do the sins of other men; yea,and when such men are at the head in transgressing, sin walks with a bold face throughthe land. As Jeremiah saith of the prophets, so may it be said of such, 'From themis profaneness gone forth into all the land': that is, with bold and audacious face(Jer 23:15).

ATTEN. But pray let us return again to Mr. Badman and his companions. You say oneof them was very vile in the commission of uncleanness.

WISE. Yes, so I say; not but that he was a drunkard and also thievish, but he wasmost arch in this sin of uncleanness: this roguery was his masterpiece, for he wasa ringleader to them all in the beastly sin of whoredom. He was also best acquaintedwith such houses where they were, and so could readily lead the rest of his gangunto them. The strumpets also, because they knew this young villain, would at firstdiscover themselves in all their whorish pranks to those that he brought with him.

ATTEN. That is a deadly thing: I mean, it is a deadly thing to young men, when suchbeastly queens shall, with words and carriages that are openly tempting, discoverthemselves unto them; it is hard for such to escape their snare.

WISE. That is true, therefore the wise man's counsel is the best: 'Come not nighthe door of her house' (Prov 5:8). For they are, as you say, very tempting, as isseen by her in the Proverbs. 'I looked,' says the wise man, 'through my casement,and behold among the simple ones I discerned a young man void of understanding, passingthrough the street near her corner, and he went the way to her house, in the twilight,in the evening, in the black and dark night. And, behold, there met him a women withthe attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart; she is loud and stubborn; her feetabide not in her house; now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in waitat every corner. So she caught him, and kissed him, and, with an impudent face, saidunto him, I have peace-offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows. Thereforecame I forth to meet thee diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. I havedecked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fillof love until the morning; let us solace ourselves with loves' (Prov 7:6-18). Herewas a bold beast. And, indeed, the very eyes, hands, words, and ways of such, areall snares and bands to youthful, lustful fellows. And with these was young Badmangreatly snared.

ATTEN. This sin of uncleanness is mightily cried out against both by Moses, the prophets,Christ, and his apostles; and yet, as we see, for all that, how men run headlongto it!

WISE. You have said the truth, and I will add, that God, to hold men back from sofilthy a sin, has set such a stamp of his indignation upon it, and commanded suchevil effects to follow it, that, were not they that use it bereft of all fear ofGod, and love to their own health, they could not but stop and be afraid to commitit. For besides the eternal damnation that doth attend such in the next world, forthese have no 'inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God' (Eph 5:5), the evileffects thereof in this world are dreadful.

ATTEN. Pray show me some of them, that as occasion offereth itself, I may show themto others for their good.

WISE. So I will. 1. It bringeth a man, as was said of the sin before, to want andpoverty; 'For by means of a whorish woman, a man is brought to a piece of bread'(Prov 6:26). The reason is, for that a whore will not yield without hire; and men,when the devil and lust is in them, and God and his fear far away from them, willnot stick, so they may accomplish their desire, to lay their signet, their bracelets,and their staff to pledge, rather than miss of the fulfilling of their lusts (Gen38:18). 2. Again, by this sin men diminish their strength, and bring upon themselves,even upon the body a multitude of diseases. This King Lemuels' mother warned himof. 'What, my son?' said she, 'and what the son of my womb? And what the son of myvows? Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings'(Prov 31:2,3). This sin is destructive to the body. Give me leave to tell you anotherstory. I have heard of a great man that was a very unclean person, and he had livedso long in that sin that he had almost lost his sight. So his physicians were sentfor, to whom he told his disease; but they told him that they could do him no good,unless he would forbear his women. Nay then, said he, farewell sweet sight. Whenceobserve, that this sin, as I said, is destructive to the body; and also, that somemen be so in love therewith, that they will have it, though it destroy their body.[28]

ATTEN. Paul says also, that he that sins this sin, sins against his own body. Butwhat of that? He that will run the hazard of eternal damnation of his soul, but hewill commit this sin, will for it run the hazard of destroying his body. If youngBadman feared not the damnation of his soul, do you think that the considerationof impairing of his body would have deterred him therefrom?

WISE. You say true. But yet, methinks, there are still such bad effects follow, oftenupon the commission of it, that if men would consider them, it would put, at least,a stop to their career therein.

ATTEN. What other evil effects attend this sin?

WISE. Outward shame and disgrace, and that in these particulars:–

First, There often follows this foul sin the foul disease, now called by us the pox.A disease so nauseous and stinking, so infectious to the whole body, and so entailedto this sin, that hardly are any common with unclean women, but they have more orless a touch of it to their shame.

ATTEN. That is a foul disease indeed! I knew a man once that rotted away with it;and another that had his nose eaten off, and his mouth almost quite sewed up thereby.

WISE. It is a disease, that where it is it commonly declares that the cause thereofis uncleanness. It declares to all that behold such a man, that he is an odious,a beastly, unclean person. This is that strange punishment that Job speaks of, thatis appointed to seize on these workers of iniquity (Job 31:1-3).

ATTEN. Then it seems you think, that the strange punishment that Job there speaksof should be the foul disease.

WISE. I have thought so indeed, and that for this reason. We see that this diseaseis entailed, as I may say, to this most beastly sin, nor is there any disease soentailed to any other sin as this to this. That this is the sin to which the strangepunishment is entailed, you will easily perceive when you read the text. 'I madea covenant with mine eyes,' said Job, 'why then should I think upon a maid? For whatportion of God is there,' for that sin, 'from above, and what inheritance of theAlmighty from on high?' And then he answers himself: 'Is not destruction to the wicked,and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?' This strange punishment isthe pox. Also, I think that this foul disease is that which Solomon intends whenhe saith, speaking of this unclean and beastly creature, 'A wound and dishonour shallhe get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away' (Prov 6:33). A punishment Job callsit; a wound and dishonour Solomon calls it; and they both do set it as a remark uponthis sin; Job calling it a 'strange punishment,' and Solomon a 'reproach that shallnot be wiped away,' from them that are common in it.

ATTEN. What other things follow upon the commission of this beastly sin?

WISE. Why, oftentimes it is attended with murder, with the murder of the babe begottenon the defiled bed. How common it is for the bastard-getter and bastard-bearer toconsent together to murder their children, will be better known at the day of judgment,yet something is manifest now.

I will tell you another story. An ancient man, one of mine acquaintance, a man ofgood credit in our country, had a mother that was a midwife, who was mostly employedin laying great persons. To this woman's house, upon a time, comes a brave younggallant on horseback, to fetch her to lay a young lady. So she addresses herselfto go with him, wherefore he takes her up behind him, and away they ride in the night.Now they had not rid far, but the gentleman lit of his horse, and, taking the oldmidwife in his arms from the horse, turned round with her several times, and thenset her up again, then he got up and away they went till they came at a stately house,into which he had her, and so into a chamber where the young lady was in her pains.He then bid the midwife do her office, and she demanded help, but he drew out hissword, and told her if she did not make speed to do her office without, she mustlook for nothing but death. Well, to be short, this old midwife laid the young lady,and a fine sweet babe she had. Now there was made in a room hard by a very greatfire; so the gentleman took up the babe, went and drew the coals from the stock,cast the child in and covered it up, and there was an end of that. So when the midwifehad done her work he paid her well for her pains, but shut her up in a dark roomall day, and when night came took her up behind him again, and carried her away tillshe came almost at home, then he turned her round and round as he did before, andhad her to her house, set her down, bid her farewell, and away he went, and she couldnever tell who it was. This story the midwife's son, who was a minister, told me,and also protested that his mother told it him for a truth.

ATTEN. Murder doth often follow indeed, as that which is the fruit of this sin. Butsometimes God brings even these adulterers and adulteresses to shameful ends. I heardof one, I think a doctor of physic, and his whore, who had three or four bastardsbetwixt them and had murdered them all, but at last themselves were hanged for it,in or near to Colchester. It came out after this manner,–the whore was so afflictedin her conscience about it that she could not be quiet until she had made it known.Thus God many times makes the actors of wickedness their own accusers, and bringsthem, by their own tongues, to condign punishment for their own sins.

WISE. There has been many such instances, but we will let that pass. I was once inthe presence of a woman, a married woman, that lay sick of the sickness whereof shedied, and being smitten in her conscience for the sin of uncleanness, which she hadoften committed with other men, I heard her, as she lay upon her bed, cry out thus,I am a whore, and all my children are bastards, and I must go to hell for my sin,and look, there stands the devil at my bed's feet to receive my soul when I die.

ATTEN. These are sad stories, tell no more of them now, but if you please show meyet some other of the evil effects of this beastly sin.

WISE. This sin is such a snare to the soul, that, unless a miracle of grace prevents,it unavoidably perishes in the enchanting and bewitching pleasures of it. This ismanifest by these and such like texts–'The adulteress will hunt for the preciouslife' (Prov 6:26). 'Whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding.He that doeth it destroyeth his own soul' (Prov 6:32). 'A whore is a deep ditch,and a strange woman is a narrow pit' (Prov 23:27). 'Her house inclineth unto death,and her paths unto the dead. None that go under her return again, neither take theyhold of the paths of life' (Prov 2:18,19). 'She hath cast down many wounded; yea,many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going downto the chambers of death' (Prov 7:26,27).

ATTEN. These are dreadful sayings, and do show the dreadful state of those that areguilty of this sin.

WISE. Verily so they do. But yet that which makes the whole more dreadful is, thatmen are given up to this sin because they are abhorred of God, and because abhorred,therefore they shall fall into the commission of it, and shall live there. 'The mouth,'that is, the flattering lips, 'of strange women is a deep pit, he that is abhorredof the Lord shall fall therein' (Prov 22:14). Therefore it saith again of such, thatthey have none 'inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God' (Eph 5:5).

ATTEN. Put all together, and it is a dreadful thing to live and die in this transgression.

WISE. True, but suppose that instead of all these judgments this sin had attendingof it all the felicities of this life, and no bitterness, shame, or disgrace mixedwith it, yet one hour in hell will spoil all. O! This hell, hell-fire, damnationin hell, it is such an inconceivable punishment that, were it but thoroughly believed,it would nip this sin, with others, in the head. But here is the mischief, thosethat give up themselves to these things do so harden themselves in unbelief and atheismabout the things, the punishments that God hath threatened to inflict upon the committersof them, that at last they arrive to almost an absolute and firm belief that thereis no judgment to come hereafter; else they would not, they could not, no not attemptto commit this sin by such abominable language as some do.

I heard of one that should say to his miss when he tempted her to the committingof this sin, If thou wilt venture thy body I will venture my soul. And I myself heardanother say, when he was tempting of a maid to commit uncleanness with him–it wasin Oliver's days–that if she did prove with child he would tell her how she mightescape punishment–and that was then somewhat severe– Say, saith he, when you comebefore the judge, that you are with child by the Holy Ghost. I heard him say thus,and it greatly afflicted me; I had a mind to have accused him for it before somemagistrate, but he was a great man, and I was poor and young, so I let it alone,but it troubled me very much.

ATTEN. It was the most horrible thing that ever I heard in my life. But how far offare these men from that spirit and grace that dwelt in Joseph (Gen 39:10).

WISE. Right; when Joseph's mistress tempted him, yea, tempted him daily, yea, shelaid hold on him and said, with her whore's forehead, Come, 'lie with me,' but herefused; he hearkened not to lie with her or to be with her. Mr. Badman would havetaken the opportunity.

And a little to comment upon this of Joseph. 1. Here is a miss, a great miss, thewife of the captain of the guard, some beautiful dame I'll warrant you. 2. Here isa miss won, and in her whorish affections come over to Joseph without his speakingof a word. 3. Here is her unclean desire made known, Come, 'lie with me,' said she.4. Here was a fit opportunity, there was none of the men of the house there within.5. Joseph was a young man, full of strength, and therefore the more in danger tobe taken. 6. This was to him a temptation from her that lasted days. 7. And yet Josephrefused, (1.) Her daily temptation; (2.) Her daily solicitation; (3.) Her daily provocation,heartily, violently, and constantly. For when she got him by the garment, saying,'Lie with me,' he left his garment in her hand and gat him out. Ay, and althoughcontempt, treachery, slander, accusation, imprisonment, and danger of death followed–fora whore careth not what mischief she does when she cannot have her end–yet Josephwill not defile himself, sin against God, and hazard his own eternal salvation.

ATTEN. Blessed Joseph! I would thou hadst more fellows!