think indeed that it is a Great Judgment of God for a man to be given up to the company of vile men for what are such but the Devils * Decoyes even those by whom he drawes the simple into his Net A Whoremaster a Drunkard a Thiefe what are they but the Devils baits by which he catcheth others Wise. You say right but this young Badman was no simple one if by simple you mean one â—instructed for he had often good counsel given him but if by simple you mean him that is a Fool as to the true Knowledge of and Faith in Christ then he was a simple one indeed for he chose death rather than life and to live in continual opposition to God rather than to be Reconciled unto him according to that saying of the wise man The fooles hated knowledge and did not choose the Fear of the Lord and what Judgement more dreadfull can a fool be given up to than to be delivered into the hands of such men that have skill to do nothing but to â—ipen sin and hasten its finishing unto damnation And therefore men should be afraid of offending God because he can in this manner punish them for their sins I knew a man that once was as I thought hopefully awakened about his Condition yea I knew two that were so awakened but in time they began to draw back and to incline again to their lusts wherefore God gave them up to the company of three or four men that in less than three years time brought them roundly to the Gallows where they 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 Judgement and 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 in their neck they are glad that they may sin without controul and that they may choose such company as can make them more expert in an evil way Wise. Their Judgement is therefore so much the greater because thereto is added blindness of Mind and hardness of Heart in a wicked way They are turned up to the way of Death but must not see to what place they are going They must go as the Ox to the slaughter and as the Fool to the Correction of the Stocks till a Dart strikes through their Liver not knowing that it is for their life This I say makes their Judgement double they are given up of God for a while to sport themselves with that which will assuredly make them mourn at last when their flesh and their body is consumed These are those that Peter speaks of that shall utterly perish in their own corruptions these I say who count it pleasure to ryot in the day-time and that sport themselves with their own deceivings are as natural bruit beasts made to be taken and destroyed Atten. Well but I pray now concerning these three Villains that were young Badmans companions 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 I said they made him an arch a chief one in their ways First He became a Frequenter of Taverns and Tippling-houses and would stay there untill he was even as drunk as a Beast And if it was so that he could not get out by day he would be sure get out by night Yea he became so common a Drunkard at 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 against Nature that I wonder that any that have but the appearance of Men can give up themselves to so beastly yea worse thaâ— beastly a thing Wise. It is a Swinish vanity indeed I will tell you another Story There was a Gentleman that had a Drunkard to be his 〈◊〉 and coming home one night 〈◊〉 much abulâ—d with Beer his Master saw it Well quoth his Master within himself I will let thee alone to night but to morrow morning I will convince thee that thou art worse than a Beast by the behaviour of my Horse So when morning was come he bids his man goe and water his Horse and so he did but coming up to his Master he commands him to water him again so the fellow rid into the water the second time but his masters horse would now drink no more so the fellow came up and and told his Master Then said his Master 〈◊〉 drunken lot thou art far worse thaâ— my Horse he will drink but to satisfie nature but thou wilt drink to the abuse of nature he will drink but to refresh himself but thou to thy hurt and dammage He will drink that he may be more serviceable to his Master but thou till thou art uncapable of serving either God or 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 shewed him plainly as he said that he had not so much government of himself as his horse had of himself and consequently that his beast did live more according to the Law of his nature by far than did his man But pray go on with what you have 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 rendeth to impoverish and beggar a man The Drunkard says Solomon shall come to poverty Many that have begun the world with Plenty have gone out of it in Rags through drunkenness Yea many Children that have been born to good Estates have yet been brought to a Flail a Rake through this beastly sin 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 dye before their time 3. Drunkenness is a sin that is often times attended with abundance of other evils Who hath woe Who hath sorrow Who hath contention Who hath babblings Who hath wounds without cause Who hath redness of the eyes They that tarry long at the Wine they that go to seek mixt wine That is the Drunkard 4. By Drunkennnes Men do often times shorten their dayes goe out of the Ale-house drunk and break their Necks before they come home Instances not a 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 everlasting burnings Wise. Yea and it so stupifies and besotts the soul that a man that is
and glory without it Repent for the Ax is laid to the root of the tree every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit but no good fruit can be where there is not sound repentance shall be hewn down and cast into the fire This was Mr. Badmans case he had attending of him a sinfull life and that to the very last and yet dyed quietly that is without repentance he is gone to Hell and is damned For the Nature of repentance I have touched upon that already and shewed that it never was where a quiet death is the immediate companion of a sinfull life and therefore Mr. Badman is gone to Hell Secondly My second argument is drawn from that blessed Word of Christ While the strong man armed keeps the house his goods are in peace till a stronger than he comes but the strong man armed kept Mr. Badmans house that is his heart and soul and body for he went from a sinfull life quietly out of this world the stronger did not disturb by intercepting with sound repentance betwixt his sinful life and his quiet death Therefore Mr. Badman is gone to Hell The strong man armed is the Devil and quietness is his security The Devil never fears losing of the sinner if he can but keep him quiet can he but keep him quiet in a sinfull life and quiet in his death he is his own Therefore he saith his goods are in peace that is out of danger There is no fear of the Devils losing such a soul I say because Christ who is the best Judge in this matter saith his goods are in peace in quiet and out of danger Atten. This is a good one too for doubtless peace and quiet with sin is one of the greatest signs of a damnable state Wise. So it is Therefore when God would shew the greatness of his anger against sin and sinners in one word he saith They are joyned to Idols let them alone Let them alone that is disturb them not let them goe on without controll let the Devil enjoy them peaceably let him carry them out of the world unconverted quietly This is one of the sorest of Judgments and bespeaketh the burning anger of God against sinfull men See also when you come home the fourteenth Verse of the Chapter last mentioned in the Margent I will not punish your daughters when they commit Whoredom I will let them alone they shall live and dye in their sins But Thirdly My third argument is drawn from that saying of Christ He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts and be converted and I should heal them There are three things that I will take notice of from these words 1. The first is That there can be no conversion to God where the eye is darkned and the heart hardened The eye must first be made to see and the heart to break and relent under and for sin or else there can be no conversion He hath blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts lest they should see and understand and So be converted And this was clearly Mr. Badmans case he lived a wicked life and also died with his eyes shut and heart hardened as is manifest in that a sinful life was joyned with a quiet death and all for that he should not be converted but partake of the fruit of his sinfull life in Hell fire 2. The second thing that I take notice of from these words is That this is a dispensation and manifestation of Gods anger against a man for his sin When God is angry with men I mean when he is so angry with them this among many is one of the Judgments that he giveth them up unto to wit to blindness of mind and hardness of heart which he also suffereth to accompany them till they enter in at the gates of death And then and there and not short of then and there their eyes come to be opened Hence it is said of the rich man mentioned in Luke He dyed and in Hell he lift up his eyes Implying that he did not lift them up before He neither saw what he had done nor whither he was going till he came to the place of execution even into Hell He died asleep in his soul he dyed besotted stupified and so consequently for quietness like a Child or Lamb even as Mr. Badman did this was a sign of Gods anger he had a mind to damn him for his sins and therefore would not let him see nor have an heart to repent for them lest he should convert and his damnation which God had appointed should be frustrate lest they should be converted and I should heal them 3. The third thing that I take notice of from hence is That a sinfull life and a quiet death annexed to it is the ready the open the beaten the common high-way to Hell there is no surer sign of Damnation than for a man to dye quietly after a sinfull life I do not say that all wicked men that are molested at their death with a sence of sin and fears of Hell do therefore goe to Heaven for some are also made to see and are left to despair not converted by seeing that they might go roaring out of this world to their place But I say there is no surer sign of a mans Damnation than to dye quietly after a sinful life than to sin and dye with his eyes shut than to sin and dye with an heart that cannot repent He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart no not so long as they are in this world lest they should see with their eyes and understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them God has a Judgment for wicked men God will be even with wicked men God knows how to reserve the ungodly to the day of Judgment to be punished And this is one of his wayes by which he doth it Thus it was with Mr. Badman 4. Fourthly It is said in the Book of Psalms concerning the wicked There is no bâ—nds in their death but their strength is firm By no bands he means no troubles no gracious chastisements no such corrections for sin as fall to be the Lot of Gods people for theirs yea that many times falls to be theirs at the time of their death Therefore he adds concerning the wicked They are not troubled then like other men neither are they plagued like other men but go as securely out of the world as if they had never sinned against God and put their own souls into danger of damnation There is no band in their death They seem to go unbound and set at liberty out of this world though they have lived notoriously wicked all their dayes in it The Prisoner that is to dye at the
p. 149. l. 15. for herhaps r. perhaps p. 162. l. 3 4. for diaâ—aâ—olical r. diâ—bolical p. 287. l. 9. for for r. so p. 304. for reputation r. repentance THE LIFE and DEATH OF Mr. BADMAN Presented to the World in a Familiar DIALOGUE Betwixt Mr. WISEMAN And Mr. ATTENTIVE Wiseman GOOD morrow my good Neighbour Mr. Attentive whither are you walking so early this morning methinks you look as if you were concerned about something more than ordinary Have you lost any of your Cattel or what is the matter Attentive Good Sir Good morrow to you I have not as yet lost ought but yet you give a right ghess of me for I am as you say concerned in my heart but 't is because of the badness of the times And Sir you as all our Neighbours know are a 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 will be untill men are better for they are bad men that make bad times if men therefore would mend so would the times 'T is a folly to look for good dayes so long as sin is so high and those that study its nourishment so many God bring it down and those 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 you will be so cause 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 dare say could you see such dayes they would make you shout Atten. Ai so they would such times I have prayed for such times I have longed for but I fear they 'l be worse before they be better Wise. Make no Conclusions man for he that hath the hearts of men in his hand can change them from worse to better and so bad times into good God give long life to them that are good and especially to those of them that are capable of doing him service in the world The Ornament and Beauty of this lower World next to God and 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 else than that for the which as you have perceived I my self am concerned Wise. I am concerned with you for the badness of the times but that was not the cause of that sigh of the which as I see you take notice I sighed at the remembrance of 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 that he 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 concerned for that the world had lost a Light but the man that I am concerned for now was oue 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 his eyes Atten. Indeed to goe from a death-bed to Hell is a fearful thing to think on But good Neighbour Wiseman he pleased to tell me who this man was and why you conclude him so miserable in his death Wise. Well if you can stay I will tell you who he was and why I conclude thus concerning him Atten. My leisure will admit me to stay and I am willing to hear you out And I pray 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 death is not for that he was at all related to me or for that any good conditions died with him for he was far from them but for that as I greatly fear he hath as was hinted before died two deaths at once Atten. I perceive what you mean by two deaths at once and to speak truth 't is a fearfull thing thus to have ground to think of any for although the death of 〈◊〉 ungodly and sinners is laid to heart but of few yet to die in such a state is more dreadful and fearful than any man can imagine Indeed if a man had no Soul if his state was not truely Immortal the matter would not be so much but for a man to be so disposed of by his Maker as to be appointed a sensible being for ever and for him too to fall into the hands of revenging Justice that will be always to the utmost extremity that his sin deserveth punisbing of him in the dismal dungeon of Hell 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 he stricken with sorrow and grief because as you said well that mans state is such that he has a sensible being for ever For 't is sense that makes punishment heavy But yet sense is not all that the Damned have they have sense and reason too so then as Sense receiveth punishment with sorrow because it feels and bleeds under the same so by Reason and the exercise thereof in the midst of torment all present Affliction is aggravated and that three manner of wayes 1. Reason will consider thus with himself For what am I thus tormented and will easily find 't is for nothing but that base and filthy thing Sin and now will Vexation be mixed with Punishment and that will greatly heighten the Affliction 2. Reason will consider thus with himself How long must this be my state And will soon return to himself this Answer This must be my state for ever and ever Now this will greatly increase the torment 3. Reason will consider thus with himself What have I lost more than present ease and quiet by my sins that I have committed And will quickly return himself this answer I have lost Communion with God Christ Saints and Angels and a share in Heaven and eternal Life And this also must needs greaten the misery of poor damned souls And this is the case of 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 gives a very dreadful sound Wise. 〈◊〉 so it does in the ears
of him that has a tender Conscience But if as you say and that truly the very Name of Hell is so dreadful what is the Place it self and what are the Punishments that are there inflicted and that without the least 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 pray tell 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 thâ—n one Wise. O yes a great many both Brothers and Sisters and yet all of them the Children of 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 hundred years old shall be accursed Atten. Well but what makes you think he is gone to Hell Wise. His wicked life and fearful death specially since the Manner of his death was so corresponding with his life Atten. Pray let me know the manner of his death if your self did perfectly know it Wise. I was there when he died But I desire not to see another such man while I live 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 will discourse even orderly of him First we will begin with his Life and then proceed to his Death Because a relation of the first may the more affect you when you shall hear 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 special observation of him from first to last Atten. Pray then let me hear from you an account of his Life but be as brief as you can for I long to hear of the manner of his death Wise. I will endeavour to answer your desires and first I will tell you that from a Child he was very bad his very beginning was ominous and presaged that no good end was in likelyhood to follow thereupon There were several sins that he was given to when but a little one that manifested him to be notoriously infected with Orginal corruption for I dare say he learned none of them of his Father or Mother nor was he admitted to go much abroad among other Children that were vile to learn to sin of them Nay contrariwise if at any time he did get abroad amongst others he would be as the Inventer of bad words and an example in bad actions To them all he used to be as we say the Ring-leader and Master-sinner from a Childe 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 the World and that oft-times the sins of their youth especially while they are very young are rather by vertue of Indwelling sin than by examples that are set before them by others Not but that they learn to sin by example too but Example is not the root but rather the Temptation unto wickedness The root is sin within for from within out of the heart of man proccedeth sin Wise. I am glad to hear that you are of this opinion and to confirm what you have said by a few hints from the Word Man in his birth is compared to an Ass an unclean Beast and to a wretched Infant in its blood besides all the first-born of old that were offered unto the Lord were to be redeemed at the age of a month and that was before they were sinners by imitation The Scripture also affirmeth that by the sin of one Judgement came upon all and renders this reason for that all have sinned nor is that Objection worth a rush That Christ by his death hath taken away Original Sin First Because it 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 by him Many other things might be added but between persons so well agreed as you and I are these may suffice at present but when an Antagonist comes to deal with us about this matter then we have for him often other strong Arguments if he be an Antagonist worth the taking notice of Atten. But as was hinted before he used to be the Ring-leading Sinner or the Master of mischief among other children yet these are but Generals pray therefore tell 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 Parents scarce knew when to believe he spake true yea he would invent tell and stand to the Lyes that he invented and told and that with such an audacious face that one might even read in his very countenance the symptoms of an hard and desperate heart this way Atten. This was an ill beginning indeed and argueth that he began to harden himself in sin betimes For a lye cannot be knowingly told and stood in and I perceive that this was his manner of way in Lying but he must as it were force his own heart unto it Yea he must make his heart hard and bold to doe it Yea he must be arrived to an exceeding pitch of wickedness thus to doe since all this he did against that good 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 why Children doe so easily so soon become bad especially when there is not only a want of that but bad Examples enough as the more is the pity there is in many Families by vertue of which poor Children are trained up in Sin and nursed therein for the Devil and Hell But it was otherwise with Mr. Badman for to my knowledge this his way of Lying was a great grief to his Parents for their hearts were much dejected at this beginning of their Son nor did there want Counsel and Correction from them to 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 Lyars should have their part in the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone and that whosoever loveth and maketh a lye should not have any part in the new and heavenly Jerusalem 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 the biggest of truths that he told and that
many of his guts hung out of the bed on the side thereof But I cannot confirm all particulars but the general of the story with these circumstances above mentioned is true I had it from a sober and credible person who himself was one that saw him in this bloody state and that talked with him as was hinted before Many other such dreadful things might be told you but these are enough and too many too if God in his wisdom had thought necessary to prevent them Atten. This is a dreadful Story and I would to God that it might be a warning to others to instruct them to fear before God and pray lest he gives them up to doe as John Cox hath done For surely self-murderers cannot go to Heaven and therefore as you have said he that dieth by his own hands is certainly gone to Hell But speak a word or two of the other man you mentioned Wise. What of a wicked man dying in Despair Atten. Yes of a wicked man dying in despair Wise. Well then This Mr. Badmans other Brother was a very wicked man both in Heart and Life I say in Heart because he was so in Life nor could any thing reclaim him neither good Men good Books good Examples nor Gods Judgements Well after he had lived a great while in his sins God smote with a sickness of which he died Now in his sickness his Conscience began to be awakened and he began to roar out of his ill-spent Life insomuch that the Town began to ring of him Now when it was noysed about many of the Neighbours came to see him and to read by him as is the common way with some but all that they could doe could not abate his terror but he would lie in his Bedgnashing of his teeth and wringing of his wrists concluding upon the Damnation of his Soul and in that horror and despair he dyed not calling upon God but distrusting in his Mercy and Blaspheming of his Name Atten. This brings to my mind â—â— man that a Friend of mine told me of He had been a wicked liver â—â— whâ—n he came to die he fell into despair and having concluded that God had no mercy for him he addressed himself to the Devil for favour saying Good Devil be good unto me Wise. This is almost like Saul who being forsaken of God went to the Witch of Endor and so to the Devil for help But alas should I set my self to collect these dreadful Stories it would be easie in little time to present you with hundreds of them But I will conclude as I began They that are their own Murderers or that die in Despair after they have lived a life of wickedness do surely go to Hell And here I would put in a Caution Every one that dieth under consternation of spirit that is under amazement and great fear do not therefore die in Despair For a good man may have this for his bands in his death and yet go to Heaven and Glory For as I said before He that is a good man a man that hath Faith aâ—d Holiness a lover and Worshipper of God by Christ according to his Word may die in consternation of spirit for Satan will not be wanting to assault good men upon their death-bed but they are secured by the Word and Power of God yea and are also helped though with much agony of spirit to exercise themselves in Faith and Prayer the which he that dieth in Despair can by no means doe But let us return to Mr. Badman and enter further Discourse of the manner of his Death Atten. I think you and I are both of a mind for just now I was thinking to call you back to him also And pray now since it is your own motion to return again to him let us discourse a little more of his quiet and still death Wise. With all my heart You know we were speaking before of the manner of Mr. Badmans death How that he dyed very stilly and quietly upon which you made observation that the common people conclude that if a man dyes quietly and as they call it like a Lamb he is certainly gone to Heaven when alas if a wicked man dyes quietly if a man that has all his dayes lived in notorious sin dyeth quietly his quiet dying is so far off from being a sign of his being saved that it is an uncontrollable proof of his damnation This was Mr. Badmans case he lived wickedly even to the last and then went quietly out of the world therefore Mr. Badman is gone to Hell Att. Well but since you are upon it and also so confident in it to wit that a man that lives a wicked life till he dyes and then dyes quietly is gone to Hell let me see what shew of proof you have for this your opinion Wise. My first argument is drawn from the Necessity of repentance No man can be saved except he repents nor can he repent that sees not that knows not that he is a sinner and he that knows himself to be a sinner will I will warrant him be molested for the time by that knowledge This as it is testified by all the Scriptures so it is testified by Christian experience He that knows himself to be a sinner is molested especially if that knowledge comes not to him untill he is cast upon his death-bed molested I say before he can dye quietly Yea he is molested dejected and cast down he is also made to cry out to hunger and thirst after mercy by Christ and if at all he shall indeed come to dye quietly I mean with that quietness that is begotten by Faith and Hope in Gods mercy to the which Mr. Badman and his brethren were utter strangers his quietness is distinguished by all Judicious observers by what wâ—nt before it by what it flows from and also by what is the fruit thereof I must confess I am no admirer of sick-bed repentance for I think verily it is seldom good for any thing but I say he that hath lived in sin and profaneness all his dayes as Mr. Badman did and yet shall dye quietly that is without repentance steps in 'twixt his life and death he is assuredly gone to Hell and is damned Atten. This does look like an argument indeed for Repentance must come or else we must goe to Hell-fire and if a lewd liver shall I mean that so continues till the day of his death yet goe out of the world quietly 't is a sign that he dyed without repentance and so a sign that he is damned Wise. I am satisfied in it for my part and that from the Necessity and Nature of repentance It is necessary because God calls for it and will not pardon sin without it Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish This is that which God hath said and he will prove but a fool-hardy man that shall yet think to goe to Heaven
Gallows for his wickedness must first have his Irons knock't off his legs so he seems to goe most at liberty when indeed he is going to be executed for his transgressions Wicked men also have no bands in their death they seem to be more at liberty when they are even at the Wind-up of their sinfull life than at any time besides Hence you shall have them boast of their Faith and Hope in Gods Mercy when they lye upon their death-bed yea you shall have them speak as confidently of their salvation as if they had served God all their dayes when the truth is the bottom of this their boasting is because they have no bands in their death Their sin and base life comes not into their mind to correct them and bring them to repentance but presumptuous thoughts and an hope and faith of the Spiders the Devils making possesseth their soul to their own eternal undoing Hence wicked mens hope is said to dye not before but with them they give up the Ghost together And thus did Mr. Badman His sins and his hope went with him to the Gate but there his hope left him because it dyed there but his sins went in with him to be a worm to gnaw him in his conscience for ever and ever The opinion therefore of the common people concerning this kind of dying is frivolous and vain for Mr. Badman died like a Lamb or as they call it like a Chrisom child quietly and without fear I speak not this with reference to the strugling of nature with death but as to the strugling of the conscience with the Judgment of God I know that Nature will struggle with death I have seen a Dog and Sheep dye hardly And thus may a wicked man doe because there is an antipathy betwixt nature and death But even while even then when Death and Nature are strugling for mastery the soul the conscience may be as besotted as benummed as senceless and ignorant of its miserable state as the block or bed on which the sick lyes And thus they may dye like a Chrisom child in shew but indeed like one who by the Judgment of God is bound over to eternal damnation and that also by the same Judgment is kept from seeing what they are and whither they are going till they plunge down among the flames And as it is a very great Judgment of God on wicked men that so dye for it cuts them off from all possibility of repentance and so of salvation so it is as great a Judgment upon those that are their companions that survive them For by the manner of their death they dying so quietly so like unto chrisom children as they call it they are hardened and take courage to go on in their course For comparing their life with their death their sinful cursed lives with their child-like Lamb-like death they think that all is well that no damnation is happened to them Though they lived like Devils incarnate yet they dyed like harmless ones There was no whirl-wind no tempest no band nor plague in their death They dyed as quietly as the most godly of them all and had as great faith and hope of salvation and would talk as boldly of salvation as if they had assurance of it But as was their hope in life so was their death Their hope was without tryal because it was none of Gods working and their death was without molestation because so was the Judgment of God concerning them But I say at this their survivers take heart to tread their steps and to continue to live in the breach of the Law of God yea they carry it statelily in their villanies for so it follows in the Psalm There is no â—ands in their death but their strength is firm c. Therefore pride compasseth them the survivors about as a chain violence covereth them as a garment Therefore they take courage to do evil therefore they pride themselves in their iniquity Therefore Wherefore Why because their fellows died after they had lived long in a most profane and wicked life as quietly and as like to Lambs as if they had been innocent Yea they are bold by seeing this to conclude that God either does not or will not take notice of their sins They speak wickedly they speak loftily They speak wickedly of sin for that they make it better than by the Word it is pronounced to be They speak wickedly concerning oppression that they commend and count it a prudent act They also speak loftily They set their mouth against the Heavens c. And they say How doth God know and is there knowledge in the most High And all this so far as I can see ariseth in their hearts from the beholding of the quiet and lamb-like death of their companions Behold these are the ungodly that prosper in the world that is by wicked ways they increase in riches This therefore is a great Judgment of God both upon that man that dyeth in his sins and also upon his companion that beholdeth him so to dye He sinneth he dyeth in his sins and yet dyeth quietly What shall his companion say to this What Judgment shall he make how God will deal with him by beholding the lamb-like death of his companion Be sure he cannot as from such a sight say Wo be to me for Judgment is before him He cannot gather that sin is a dreadful and a bitter thing by the child-like death of Mr. Badman But must rather if he judgeth according to what he sees or according to his corrupted reason conclude with the wicked ones of old That every one that doth evil is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in them or where is the God of Judgment Yea this is enough to puzzle the wisest man David himself was put to a stand by beholding the quiet death of ungodly men Verily sayes he I have cleansed my heart in vain and have washed my hands in innocency Psal. 73. 13. They to appearance fare better by far than I Their eyes stand out with fatness they have more than heart can wish But all the day long have I been plagued and chastned every morning This I say made David wonder yea and Job and Jeremiah too But he goeth into the Sanctuary and then he understands their end nor could he understand it before I went into the Sanctuary of God What place was that why there where he might enquire of God and by him be resolved of this matter Then says he understood I their end Then I saw that thou hast set them in slippery places and that thou castest them down to destruction Castest them down that is suddenly or as the next words say As in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrors which terrors did not cease them on their sick-bed for they had no bands in their death The terrors therefore ceased them there where also they are holden in them
for ever This he found out I say but not without great painfulness grief and pricking in his reins so deep so hard and so difficult did he find it rightly to come to a determination in this matter And indeed this is a deep Judgment of God towards ungodly sinners it is enough to stagger a whole world only the Godly that are in the world have a Sanctuary to go to where the Oracle and Word of God is by which his Judgements and a reason of many of them are made known to and understood by them Atten. Indeed this is a staggering dispensation It is full of the wisdom and anger of God And I believe as you have said that it is full of Judgment to the world Who would have imagined that had not known Mr. Badman and yet had seen him die but that he had been a man of an holy life and conversation since he died so stilly so quietly so like a Lamb or Chrisom child Would they not I say have concluded that he was a righteous man or that if they haâ— known him and his life yet to see him die 〈◊〉 quietly would they not have concluded tâ—â—t he had made his peace with God Nay furâ—â—er if some had known that he had died in his sins and yet that he died so like a Lamb would they not have concluded that either God doth not know our sins or that he likes them or that he wants power or will or heart or skill to punish them since Mr. Badman himself went from a sinfull life so quietly so peaceably and so like a Lamb as he did Wise. Without controversie this is an heavy judgment of God upon wicked men Job 21. 23. one goes to Hell in peace another goes to Hell in trouble one goes to Hell being sent thither by his own hands another goes to Hell being sent thither by the hand of his companion one goes thither with his eyes shut and another goes thither with his eyes open one goes thither roaring and another goes thither boasting of Heaven and Happiness all the way he goes One goes thither like Mr. Badman himself and others go thither as did his Brethren But above all Mr. Badmansâ— death as to the manner of dying is the fullest of Snares and Traps to wicked men therefore they that die as he are the greatest stumble to the world They goe and goe they go on peaceably from Youth to old Age and thence to the Grave and so to Hell without noyse They goe as an Ox to the slaughter and as a fool to the correction of the Stocks that is both sencelesly and securely O! but being come at the gates of Hell O! but when they see those gates set open for them O! but when they see that that is their home and that they must go in thither then their peace and quietness flies away for ever Then they roar like Lions yell like Dragons howl like Dogs and tremble at their Judgment as do the Devils themselves Oh! when they see they must shoot the Gulf and Throat of Hell when they shall see that Hell hath shut her ghastly Jaws upon them when they shall open their eyes and find themselves within the belly and bowels of Hell then they will mourn and weep and hack and gnash their teeth for pain But this must not be or if it must yet very rarely till they are gone out of the sight and hearing of those mortals whom they do leave behind them alive in the world Atten. Well my good Neighbour Wiseman I perceive that the Sun grows low and that you have come to a conclusion with Mr. Badmans Life and Death and therefore I will take my leave of you Only first let me tell you I am glad that I have met with you to day and that our hap was to full in with Mr. Badmans state I also thank you for your freedom with me in granting of me your reply to all my questions I would only beg your Prayers that God will give me much grace that I may neither live nor die as did Mr. Badman Wise. My good Neighbour Attentive I wish your welfare in Soul and Body and if ought that I have said of Mr. Badmans Life and Death may be of benefit unto you I shall be heartily glad only I desire you to thank God for it and to pray heartily for me that I with you may be kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation Atten. Amen Farewell Wise. I wish you heartily Farewell FINIS Original sin is the root of Actual transgressions Mark 7. Job 11. 12 Ezek. 16. Exod. 12. 13. Chap. 34. 20. Rom. 5. * 〈◊〉 addicted to Lying from a child * A Lie knowingly told demonstrates that the heart is desperately hard The Lyers portion Rev. 21. 8. 27. Chap. 22. 15. Prov. 22. 15. Chap. 2â— 13 14. †Joh. 8. 44. * The Devils Brat Acts 5. 3 4. * The Father and Mother of a Lie †Mark * Some will tell a Lie for a Peny profit * An Example for Lyers Acts 5. * A Spirit of Lying accompanyed with other sins * Badman given to pilfer * Badman would rob his Father Exod. 20. 15. Zech. 5. 3. Jer. 2. 26. * How Badman did use to carry it when his Father used to chide him for his sins * Badman more firmly knit to his Companions than either to Father or Mother †Badman would rejoyce to think that his Parents death were at hand Prov. 28. 24. * 1 Sam. 2. 25. * Badman counted his thieving no great matter ☞ The Story of old Tod * Young Thieves take notice * Old Tod began his waâ— to the Gallows by robbing of Orchards and the like * Badman could not abide the Lords Day * Why Raâ—man could not abide the Lords Day * God proves the heart what it is by instituting of the Lords day and setting it apart 〈◊〉 his service Gen. 2. 2. Exod. 31. 13 14 15 16 17 Mar. 16. 1. Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Mar. 2. 27 2â— Revel 1. 10. Isa. 5. 8 13. Chap. 56. 2. Amos 8. 5. Heb. 4. 9. * How Badman did use to spend the Lords Day â—phes 5. 6. * Badman given to Swearing and Cursing Rom. 6. 13. * Swearing and Cursing a badge of Mr. Badmans honour * Difference â—etwixt Swearing and Cursing * What swearing is Exod. â—0 7. †A manâ— may sin in swearing to a truth Jer. 5. 2. †He that swears to a Lie concludes that God is as wicked as himself Zech. â— 3. Jer. 7. â— Hos. 4. â— 3. * Six Causes of vain Swearing Jam. 3. 6 7 8 9. * How Cursing is distinguished from Swearing * Of Cursing what it is 2 Sam. 16. 6 7 8. 1 King 2. 8. * How the profane ones of our times Curse Job 30. 31. Badmans way of Cursing * The Damme Blade Badman would curse his Father c. * Badman would curse his Fathers Cattel Job 15. Eccles. 7. 22. †〈◊〉
THE LIFE and DEATH OF Mr. BADMAN PRESENTED To the WORLD in a FAMILIAR DIALOGUE Between Mr. WISEMAN And Mr. ATTENTIVE By JOHN BVNYAN the Author of the Pilgrims Progress LONDON Printed by J. A. for Nath. Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultrey neer the Church 1680. THE AUTHOR TO THE READER Courteous Reader AS I was considering with my self what I had written concerning the Progress of the Pilgrim from this World to Glory and how it had been acceptable to many in this Nation 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 Vngodly and of their travel from this world to Hell The which in this I have done and have put it as thou seest under the Name and Title of Mr. Badman a Name very proper for such a Subject I have also put it into the form of a Dialogue that I might with more ease to my self and pleasure to the Reader perform the work And although as I said I have put it forth in this method yet have I as little as may be gone out of the road of mine own observation of things Yea I think I may truly say that to the best of my remembrance all the things that here I discourse of I mean as to matter of fact have been acted upon the stage of this World even many times before mine eyes Here therefore courteous Reader I present thee with the Life and Death of Mr. Badman indeed Yea I do trace him in his Life from his Childhood to his Death that thou mayest 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. Badmans Death whether thou thy self art treading in his path thereto And let me entreat thee to forbear Quirking and Mocking for that I say Mr. Badman is dead but rather gravely enquire concerning thy self by the Word whether thou art one of his Linage or no For Mr. Badman has left many of his Relations behind him yea the very World is overspread with his Kindred 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 Cousens Nephews besides innumerable of his Friends and Associates I may say and yet speak nothing but 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. Badmans Relations are there yea rarely can we find a Family or Houshold in a Town where he has not left behind him either Brother Nephew or Friend The Butt therefore that at this time I shoot at is wide and 't will be as impossible for this Book to go into several Families and not to arrest some as for the Kings Messenger to rush into an house full of Traitors and find none but honest men there I cannot but think that this shot will light upon many since our fields are so full of this Game but how many it will kill to Mr. Badmans course and make alive to the Pilgrims Progress that is not in me to determine this secret is with the Lord our God only and he alone knows to whom he will bless it to so good and so blessed and end However I have put fire to the Pan and doubt not but the report will quickly be heard I told you before that Mr. Badman had left many of his Friends and Relations behind him but if I survive them as that 's a great question to me I may also write of their lives However whether my life be longer or shorter this is my Prayer at present that God will stir up Witnesses against them that may either convert or confound them for wherever they live and roll in their wickedness they are the Pest and Plague of that Countrey England shakes and totters already by reason of the burden that Mr. Badman and his Friends have wickedly laid upon it Yea our Earth reels and staggereth to and fro like a Drunkard the transgression thereof is heavy upon 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 is laid 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 had their Funerals solemnized according to their Greatness and Grandure in the world so likewise Mr. Badman forasmuch as he deserveth not to go down to his grave with silence has his Funeral state according to his deserts Four things are usual at great mens Funerals which we will take leave and I hope without offence to allude to in the Funeral of Mr. Badman First They are sometimes when dead presented to their Friends by their compleatly wrought Images as lively as by cunning mens hands they can be that the remembrance of 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 therefore I have drawn him forth in his featours and actions from his Childhood to his Gray hairs Here therefore thou hast him lively set forth as in Cutts both as to the minority 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 Secondly There is also usual at great mens Funerals those Badges and Scutcheons of their honour that they have received from their Ancestors or have been thought worthy of for the deeds and exploits they have done in their life And here Mr. Badman has his but such as vary from all men of worth but so much the more agreeing with the merit of his doings They all have descended in state he only as an abominable branch His deserts are the deserts of sin and therefore the Scutcheons of honour that he has are only that he died without Honour and at his end became a fool Thou shalt not be joyned with them in burial The seed of evil doers shall never be renowned The Funeral pomp therefore of Mr. Badman is to wear upon his Hearse the Badges of a dishonourable and wicked life since his bones are full of the sins of his Youth which shall lye down as Job sayes in the dust with him nor is it fit that any should be his Attendants now at his death but such as with him conspired against their own souls in their life persons whose transgressions have made them infamous to all 2that have or shall know what they have done Some notice therefore I have also here in this little discourse given the Reader of
alone but it troubled me very much Atten. 'T was the most horrible thing that ever I heard in my life But how far off are these men from that Spirit and Grace that dwelt in Joseph Wise. Right when Joseph's Mistress tempted him yea tempted him daily yea she laid hold on him and said with her Whores forehead Come lie with me but he refused He hearkned not to lie with her or to be with her Mr. Badman would have taken the opportunity And a little to comment upon this of Joseph 1. Here is a Miss a great Miss the Wife of the Captain of the Guard some beautiful Dame I 'le warrant you 2. Here is a Miss won and in her whorish Affections come over to Joseph without his speaking of 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 to be taken 6. This was to him a Temptation from her that lasted days 7. And yet Joseph refused 1. Her daily Temptation 2. Her daily Solicitation 3. Her daily Provocation heartily violently and constantly For when she caught him by the Garment saying Lie with me he left his Garment in her hand and gat him out Ay and although contempt treachery slander accusation imprisonment and danger of death followed for an Whore careth not what mischief she does when she cannot have her end yet Joseph will not defile himself sin against God and hazard his own eternal salvation Atten. Blessed Joseph I would thou hadst more fellows Wise. Mr. Badman has more fellows than Joseph else there would not be so many Whores as there are For though I doubt not but that that Sex is bad enough this way yet I verily believe that many of them are made Whores at first by the flatteries of Badmans fellows Alas there is many a woman plunged into this sin at first even by promises of Marriage I say by these promises they are flattered yea forced into a consenting to these Villanies and so being in and growing hardened in their hearts they at last give themselves up even as wicked men do to act this kind of wickedness with greediness But Joseph you see was of another mind for the Fear of God was in him I will before I leave this tell you here two notable storyes and I wish Mr. Badmans companions may hear of them They are found in Clarks Looking-glass for Sinners and are these Mr. Cleaver says Mr. Clark reports of one whom he knew that had committed the act of Uncleanness whereupon he fell into such horror of Conscience that he hanged himself leaving it thus written in a paper Indeed saith he I acknowledge it to be utterly unlawful for a man to kill himself but I am bound to act the Magistrates part because the punishment of this sin is death Clark doth also in the same page make mention of two more who as they were committing Adultery in London were immediately struck dead with fire from Heaven in the very Act. Their bodyes were so found half burnt up and sending out a most loathsom savour Atten. These are not able storyes indeed Wise. So they are and I suppose they are as true as notable Atten. Well but I wonder if young Badmans Master knew him to be such a Wretch that he would suffer him in his house Wise. They liked one another even as fire and water doe Young Badmans wayes were odious to his Master and his Masters wayes were such as young Badman could not endure Thus in these two was fulfilled that saying of the Holy Ghost An unjust man is an abomination to the just and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked The good mans wayes Mr. Badman could not abide nor could the good man abide the bad wayes of his base Apprentice Yet would his Master if he could have kept him and also have learnt him his trade Atten. If he could why he might if he would might he not Wise. Alas Badman ran away from him once and twice and would not at all be ruled So the next time he did run away from him he did let him go indeed For he gave him no occasion to run away except it was by holding of him as much as he could and that he could do but little to good and honest rules of life And had it been ones own case one should have let him go For what should a man do that had either regard to his own Peace his Childrens Good or the preservation of the rest of his servants from evil but let him go Had he staid the house of Correction had been most fit for him but thither his Master was loth to send him because of the love that he bore to his Father An house of correction I say had been the fittest place for him but his Master let him go Atten. He ran away you say but whither did he run Wise. Why to one of his own trade and also like himself Thus the wicked joyned hand in hand and there he served out his time Atten. Then sure he had his hearts desire when he was with one so like himself Wise. Yes So he had but God gave it him in his anger Atten. How do you mean Wise. I mean as before that for a wicked man to be by the Providence of God turned out of a good mans doors into a wicked mans house to dwell is a sign of the Anger of God For God by this and such Judgements says thus to such an one Thou wicked one thou lovest not me my wayes nor my people Thou castest my Law and good Counsel behinde thy back Come I will dispose of thee in my wrath thou shalt be turned over to the ungodly thou shalt be put to school to the Devil I will leave thee to sink and swim in sin till I shall visit thee with Death and Judgment This was therefore another Judgment that did come upon this young Badman Atten. You have said the truth for God by such a Judgment as this in effect says so indeed for he takes them out of the hand of the just and binds them up in the hand of the wicked and whither they then shall be carried a man may easily imagin Wise. It is one of the saddest tokens of Gods anger that happens to such kind of persons And that for several reasons 1. Such an one by this Judgment is put out out of the way and from under the means which ordinarily are made use of to do good to the soul. For a Family where Godliness is professed and practised is Gods Ordinance the place which he has appointed to teach young ones the way and fear of God Now to be put out of such a Family into a bad a wicked one as Mr. Badman
and costly array the pleating of the hair the following of fashions the seeking by gestures to imitate the proud either by speech looks dresses goings or other fools baubles of which at this time the world is full all these and many more are signs as of a proud heart so of bodily pride also But Mr. Badman would not allow by any means that this should be called Pride but rather neatness handsonmess comeliness cleanliness c. neither would he allow that following of fashions was any thing else but because he would not be proud singular and esteemed fantastical by his neighbours Atten. But I have been told that when some have been rebuked for their pride they have turned it again upon the brotherhood of those by whom they have been rebuked saying Physician heal thy Friends look at home among your Brotherhood even among the wisest of you and see if you your selves be clear even you professors for who is prouder than you professors searcesly the Devil himself Wise. My heart akes at this answer because there is too much cause for it This very Answer would Mr. Badman give his wife when she as she would sometimes reproved him for his pride We shall have says he great amendments in living now for the Devil is turned a corrector of vice For no sin reigneth more in the world quoth he than pride among professors And who can contradict him let us give the Devil his due the thing is too apparent for any man to deny And I doubt not but the same answer is ready in the mouths of Mr. Badmans friends for they may and do see pride display it self in the Apparel and carriages of professors one may say almost as much as among any people in the Land the more is the pity Ay and I fear that even their Extravagancies in this hath hardened the heart of many a one as I perceive it did somewhat the heart of Mr. Badman himself For mine own part I have seen many my self and those Church-members too so deckt and bedaubed with their Fangles and Toyes and that when they have been at the solemn Appointments of God in the way of his Worship that I have wondred with what face such painted persons could sit in the place where they were without swounding But certainly the holiness of God and also the pollution of themselves by sin must needs be very far out of the minds of such people what profession soever they make I have read of an Whores forehead and I have read of christianshamefacedness I have read of costly array and of that which becometh women professing Godliness with good works but if I might speak I know what I know and could say and yet do no wrong that which would make some professors stink in their places but now I forbear Atten. Sir you seem to be greatly concerned at this but what if I shall say more it is whispered that some good Ministers have countenanced their people in their light and wanton Apparrel yea have pleaded for their Gold and Pearls and costly array c. Wise. I know not what they have pleaded for but 't is easily seen that they tolerate or at least wise wink and connive at such things both in their Wives and Children And so from the Prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land And when the hand of the Rulers are chief in a trespass who can keep their people from being drowned in that trespass Atten. This is a lamentation and must stand for a lamentation Wise. So it is and so it must And I will add it is a shame it is a reproach it is a stumbling-block to the blind for though men be as blind as Mr. Badman himself yet they can see the foolish lightness that must needs be the bottom of all these apish and wanton extravagancies But many have their excuses ready to wit their Parents their Husbands and their breeding calls for it and the like yea the examples of good people prompt them to it but all these will be but the Spiders webb when the thunder of the Word of the great God shall rattle from Heaven against them as it will at Death or Judgment but I wish it might do it before But alas these excuses are but bare pretences these proud ones love to have it so I once talked with a Maid by way of reproof for her fond and gaudy garment But she told me The Tailor would wake it so when alas poor proud Girle she gave order to the Taylor so to make it Many make Parents and Husbands and Taylors c. the Blind to others but their naughty hearts and their giving of way thereto that is the original cause of all these evils Atten. Now you are speaking of the cause of pride pray shew me yet further why pride is now so much in request Wise. I will shew you what I think are the reasons of it 1. The first is Because such persons are led by their own hearts rather than by the Word of God I told you before that the original fountain of pride is the heart For out of the heart comes pride it is therefore because they are led by their hearts which naturally tends to lift them up in pride This pride of heart tempts them and by its deceits overcometh them yea it doth put a bewitching vertue into their Peacocks feathers and then they are swallowed up with the vanity of them 2. Another reason why professors are so proud for those we are talking of now is because they are more apt to take example by those that are of the World than they are to take example of those that are Saints indeed Pride is of the world For all that is of the world the lusts of the slesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life are not of the Father but of the world Of the world therefore Professors learn to be proud But they should not take them for example It will be objected No nor your saints neither for you are as proud as others Well let them take shame that are guilty But when I say professors should take example for their life by those that are saints indeed I mean as Peter says They should take example of those that were in old time the saints for saints of old time were the best therefore to these he directeth us for our patrern Let the wives conversation be chast and also coupled with fear Whose adorning saith Peter let it not be that outward adorning of pleating the hair and of wearing of gold or of putting on of Apparel but let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price For after this manner in the old time the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves being
to all that are about him I will here tell you another story or two I have read in Mr. Clark's Looking-glass for Sinners That upon a time a certain drunken fellow boasted in his Cups that there was neither Heaven nor Hell also he said He believed that man had no Soul and that for his own part he would sell his soul to any that would buy it Then did one of his companions buy it of him for a cup of Wine and presently the Devil in mans shape bought it of that man again at the the same price and so in the presence of them all laid hold on this Soul-seller and carried him away through the Air so that he was never more heard of In pag. 148. he tells us also That there was one at Salisbury in the midst of his health drinking and carousing in a Tavern and he drank a health to the Devil saying That if the Devil would not come and pledge him he would not believe that there was either God or Devil Whereupon his companions stricken with fear hastened out of the room and presently after hearing a hideous noise and smelling a stinking savour the Vintner ran up into the chamber and coming in he missed his Guest and found the window broken the Iron barr in it bowed and all bloody But the man was never heard of afterwards Again in pag. 149. he tells us of a Bailiff of Hedly Who upon a Lords Day being drunk at Melford got upon his horse to ride through the streets saying That his horse would carry him to the Devil and presently his horâ—e threw him and broke his neck These things are worse than the breaking of Mr. Badmans Leg and should be a caution to all of his friends that are living lest they also fall by their sin into these sad Judgements of God But as I said Mr. Badman quickly forgot all his conscience was choaked before his legg was healed And therefore before he was well of the fruit of one sin he tempts God to send another Judgment to seize upon him And so he did quickly after For not many months after his legg was well he had a very dangerous fit of sickness insomuch that now he began to think he must dye in very deed Atten. Well and what did he think and do then Wise. He thought he must go to Hell this I know for he could not forbear but say so To my best remembrance he lay crying out all one night for fear and at times he would so tremble that he would make the very bed shake under him But Oh! how the thoughts of Death of Hell-fire and of eternal Judgment did then wrack his conscience Fear might be seen in his face and in his tossings to and fro It might also be heard in his words and be understood by his heavy groans He would often cry I am undone I am undone my vile life has undone me Atten. Then his former atheistical thoughts and principles were too weak now to support him from the fears of eternal damnation Wise. Aie they were too weak indeed They may serve to stifle conscience when a man is in the midst of his prosperity and to harden the heart against all good counsel when a man is left of God and given up to his reprobate mind But alas atheistical thoughts Notions and Opinions must shrink and melt away when God sends yea comes with sickness to visit the soul of such a sinner for his sin There was a man dwelt abour 12 miles off from us that had so trained up himself in his atheistical Notions that at last he attempted to write a book against Jesus Christ and against the divine Authority of the Scriptures But I think it was not printed Well after many days God struck him with sickness whereof he dyed So being sick and musing upon his former doings the Book that he had written came into his mind and with it such a sence of his evil in writing of it that it tore his Conscience as a Lyon would tare a Kid. He lay therefore upon his death-bed in sad case and much affliction of conscience some of my friends also went to see him and as they were in his chamber one day he hastily called for Pen Ink and Paper which when it was given him he took it and writ to this purpose I such an one in such a Town must goe to Hell-fire for writing a Book against Jesus Christ and against the Holy Scriptures And would also have leaped out of the window of his house to have killed himself but was by them prevented of that so he dyed in his bed such a death as it was 'T will be well if others take warning by him Atten. This is a remarkable story Wise. 'T is as true as remarkable I had it from them that I dare believe who also themselves were eye and ear witnesses and also that catcht him in their arms and saved him when he would have leaped out of his chamber-window to have destroyed himself Atten. Well you have told me what were Mr. Badmans thoughts now being sick of his condition pray tell me also what he then did when he was sick Wise. Did he did many things which I am sure he never thought to have done and which to be sure was not looked for of his wife and children In this fit of sickness his Thoughts were quite altered about his wife I say his Thoughts so far as could be judged by his words and carriages to her For now she was his good wife his godly wife his honest wife his duck and dear and all Now he told her that she had the best of it she having a good Life to stand by her while his debaucheries and ungodly Life did always stare him in the face Now he told her the counsel that she often gave him was good though he was so bad as not to take it Now he would hear her talk to him and he would lie sighing by her while she so did Now he would bid her pray for him that he might be delivered from Hell He would also now consent that some of her good Ministers might come to him to comfort him and he would seem to shew them kindness when they came for he would treat them kindly with words and hearken diligently to what they said only he did not care that they should talk much of his ill spent life because his conscience was clogged with that already he cared not now to see his old companions the thoughts of them was a torment to him and now he would speak kindly to that child of his that took after its mothers steps though he could not at all abide it before He also desired the prayers of good people that God of his mercy would spare him a little longer promising that if God would but let him recover this once what a new what a penitent man he would be toward God and
what a loving husband he would be to his wife what liberty he would give her yea how he would goe with her himself to hear her Ministers and how they should go hand in hand in the way to heaven together Atten. Here was a fine shew of things I 'le warrant you his wife was glad for this Wise. His wife Aie and a many good people besides it was noysed all over the Town what a great change there was wrought upon Mr. Badman how sorry he was for his sins how he began to love his wife how he desired good men should pray to God to spare him and what promises he now made to God in his sickness that if ever he should raise him from his sick bed to health again what a new penitent man he would be towards God and what a loving husband to his good wife Well ministers prayed and good people rejoyced thinking verily that they now had gotten a man from the Devil nay some of the weaker sort did not stick to say that God had began a work of Grace in his heart and his wife poor woman you cannot think how apt she was to believe it so she rejoyced and she hoped as she would have it But alas alas in little time things all proved otherwise After he had kept his Bed a while his distemper began to abate and he to feel himself better so he in little time was so finely mended that he could walk about the house and also obtained a very fine stomach to his food and now did his wife and her good friends stand gaping to see Mr. Badman fulfill his promise of becoming new towards God and loving to his wife but the contrary only shewed it self For so soon as ever he had hopes of mending and found that his strength began to renew his trouble began to goe off his heart and he grew as great a stranger to his frights and fears as if he had never had them But verily I am apt to think that one reason of his no more regarding or remembring of his sick-bed fears and of being no better for them was some words that the Doctor that supplied him with Physick said to him when he was mending For as soon as Mr. Badman began to mend the Doctor comes and sits him down by him in his house and there fell into discourse with him about the nature of his disease and among other things they talked of Badmans trouble and how he would cry out tremble and express his fears of going to Hell when his sickness lay pretty hard upon him To which the Doctor replyed That those fears and Out-cries did arise from the height of his distemper for that disease was often attended with lightness of the head by reason the sick party could not sleep and for that the vapours disturbed the brain But you see Sir quoth he that so soon as you got sleep and betook your self to rest you quickly mended and your head settled and so those frenzies left you And was it so indeed thought Mr. Badman was my troubles only the effects of my distemper and because ill vapours got up into my brain Then surely since my Physician was my Saviour my Lust again shall be my God So he never minded Religion more but betook him again to the world his lusts and wicked companions And there was an end of Mr. Badmans Conversion Atten. I thought as you told me of him that this would be the result of the whole for I discerned by your relating of things that the true symptoms of conversion were wanting in him and that those that appeared to be any thing like them were only such as the reprobates may have Wise. You say right for there wanted in him when he was most sensible a sence of the pollution of his Nature he only had guilt for his sinful actions the which Cain and Pharaoh and Saul and Judas those reprobates have had before him Besides the great things that he desired were to be delivered from going to Hell and who would willingly and that his life might be lengthened in this world We find not by all that he said or did that Jesus Christ the Saviour was desired by him from a sence of his need of his Righteousness to cloath him and of his Spirit to sanctifie him His own strength was whole in him he saw nothing of the treachery of his own heart for had he he would never have been so free to make promises to God of amendment He would rather have been afraid that if he had mended he should have turned with the dog to his vomit and have begged prayers of Saints and assistance from heaven upon that account that he might have been kept from doing so 'T is true he did beg prayers of good people and so did Pharaoh of Moses and Aaron and Simon Magus of Simon Peter His mind also seemed to be turned to his wife and child but alas 't was rather from conviction that God had given him concerning their happy estate over his than for that he had any true love to the work of God that was in them True some shews of kindness he seemed to have for them and so had rich Dives when in Hell to his five brethren that were yet in the world yea he had such love as to wish them in Heaven that they might not come thither to be tormented Atten. Sick-bed Repentance is seldom good for anything Wise. You say true it is very rarely good for any thing indeed Death is unwelcom to Nature and usually when sickness and death visit the sinner the first taking of him by the shoulder and the second standing at the Bed-chamber door to receive him then the sinner begins to look about him and to bethink with himself These will have me away before God and I know that my Life has not been as it should how shall I do to appear before God! Or if it be more the sence of the punishment and the place of the punishment of sinners that also is starting to a desiled conscience now rouzed by deaths lumbring at the door And hence usually is sick-bed Repentance and the matter of it To wit to be saved from Hell and from Death and that God will restore again to health till they mend concluding that it is in their power to mend as is evident by their large and lavishing promises to do it I have known many that when they have been sick have had large measures of this kind of Repentance and while it has lasted the noyse and sound thereof has made the Town to ring again but alas how long has it lasted oft-times scarce so long as untill the party now sick has been well It has passed away like a mist or a vapour it has been a thing of no continuance But this kind of Repentance is by God compared to the howling of a dog And they have
first signs of repentance When Paul lay repenting of his sin upon his bed the Holy Ghost said of him Behold he prayes But he that hath not the first signs of repentance 't is a sign he hath none of the other and so indeed none at all I do not say but there may be crying where there may be no sign of repentance They cryed says David to the Lord but he answered them not but that he would have done if their cry had been the fruit of repentance But I say if men may cry and yet have no repentance be sure they have none that cry not at all It is said in Job They cry not when he bindeth them that is because they have no repentance no repentance no cryes false repentance false cryes true repentance true cryes Wise. I know that it is as possible for a man to forbear crying that hath repentance as it is for a man to forbear groaning that feeleth deadly pain He that looketh into the Book of Psalms where repentance is most lively set forth even in its true and proper effects shall there find that crying strong crying hearty crying great crying and uncessant crying hath been the fruits of repentance But none of this had this Mr. Badman therefore he dyed in his sins That Crying is an inseparable effect of repentance is seen in these Scriptures Have mercy upon me O God according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed My soul is also vexed but thou O Lord how long Return O Lord deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake O Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure for thine arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin For mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burthen they are too heavy for me My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I goe mourning all the day long My loyns are filled with a loathsom disease and there is no soundness in my flesh I am feeble and sore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart I might give you a great number more of the holy sayings of good men whereby they express how they were what they felt and whether they cryed or no when repentance was wrought in them Alas alas it is as possible for a man when the pangs of Guilt are upon him to forbear praying as it is for a woman when pangs of travel are upon her to forbear crying If all the world should tell me that such a man hath repentance yet if he is not a praying man I should not be perswaded to believe it Atten. I know no reason why you should for there is nothing can demonstrate that such a man hath it But pray Sir what other sign have you by which you can prove that Mr. Badman died in his sins and so in a state of damnation Wise. I have this to prove it Those who were his old sinfull companions in the time of his health were those whose company and carnal talk he most delighted in in the time of his sickness I did occasionally hint this before but now I make it an argument of his want of grace for where there is indeed a work of Grace in the heart that work doth not only change the heart thoughts and desires but the conversation also yea conversation and company too When Paul had a work of grace in his soul he assayed to Joyn himself to the Disciples He was for his old companions in their abominations no longer he was now a Disciple and was for the company of Disciples And he was with them coming in and going out in Jerusalem Atten. I thought something when I heard you make mention of it before Thought I this is a shrewd sign that he had not grace in his heart Birds of a feather thought I will flock together If this man was one of Gods childâ—en he would heard with Gods children his delight would be with and in the company of Gods children As David said I am a companion of all them that fear thee and of them that keep thy precepts Wise. You say well for what fellowship hath he that believeth with an Infidel And although it be true that all that joyn to the godly are not godly yet they that shall inwardly choose the company of the ungodly and open profane rather than the company of the godly as Mr. Badman did surely are not godly men but profane He was as I told you out of his element when good men did come to visit him but then he was where he would be when he had his vain companions about him Alas grace as I said altereth all heart life company and all for by it the heart and man is made new and a new heart a new man must have objects of delight that are new and like himself Old things are passed away Why For all things are become new Now if all things are become new to wit heart mind thoughts desires and delights it followeth by consequence that the company must be answerable hence it is said That they that believed were together that they went to their own company that they were added to the Church that they were of one heart and of one soul and the like Now if it be objected that Mr. Badman was sick and so could not goe to the godly yet he had a tongue in his head and could had he had an heart have spoken to some to call or send for the godly to come to him Yea he would have done so yea the company of all others specially his fellow sinners would even in every appearance of them before him have been a burden and a grief unto him His heart and affection standing bent to good good companions would have suited him best But his Companions were his old Associates his delight was in them therefore his heart and soul were yet ungodly Atten. Pray how was he when he drew near his end for I perceive that what you say of him now hath reference to him and to his actions at the beginning of his sickness Then he could endure company and much talk besides perhaps then he thought he should recover and not die as afterwards he had cause to think when he was quite wasted with pining sickness when he was at the graves mouth But how was he I say when he was as we say at the graves mouth within a step of death when he saw and knew and could not but know that shortly he must dye
indeed This last Master of Mr. Badmans would tell Mr. Badman of his sins in Mr. Badmans own dialect he would swear and curse and damn when he told him of his sins and this he could bear better than to be told of them after a godly sort Besides that last Master would when his passions and rage was over laugh at and make merry with the sins of his servant Badman And that would please young Badman well Nothing offended Badman but blows and those he had but few of now because he was pretty well grown up For the most part when his Master did rage and swear he would give him Oath for Oath and Curse for Curse at least secretly let him go on as long as he would Atten. This was hellish living Wise. 'T was hellish living indeed And a man might say that with this Master young Badman compleated himself yet more and more in wickedness as well as in his trade for by that he came out of his time what with his own inclination to sin what with his acquaintance with his three companions and what with this last Master and the wickedness he saw in him he became a sinner in grain I think he had a Bastard laid to his charge before he came out of his time Atten. Well but it seems he did live to come out of his time but what did he then Wise. Why he went home to his Father and he like a loving and tender-hearted Father received him into his house Atten. And how did he carry it there Wise. Why the reason why he went home was for Money to set up for himself he staied but a little at home but that little while that he did stay he refrained himself as well he could and did not so much discover himself to be base for fear his Father should take distaste and so should refuse or for a while forbear to give him money Yet even then he would have his times and companions and the fill of his lusts with them but he used to blind all with this he was glad to see his old acquaintance and they as glad to see him and he could not in civility but accomodate them with a bottle or two of Wine or a dozen or two of Drink Atten. And did the old man give him money to set up with Wise. Yes above two hundred pounds Atten. Therein I think the old man was out Had I been his Father I would have held him a little at slaves-end till I had had far better proof of his manners to be good for I perceive that his Father did know what a naughty boy he had been both by what he used to do at home and because he changed a good Master for a bad c. He should not therefore have given him money so soon What if he had pinched a little and gone to Journey-work for a time that he might have known what a penny was by his earning of it Then in all probability he had known better how to have spent it Yea and by that time perhaps have better considered with himself how to have lived in the world Ay and who knows but he might have come to himself with the Prodigal and have asked God and his Father forgiveness for the villanies that he had committed against them Wise. If his Father could also have blessed this manner of dealing to him and have made it effectual for the ends that you have propounded then I should have thought as you But alas alas you talk as if you never knew or had at this present forgot what the bowels and compassions of a Father are Why did you not serve your own son so But 't is evident enough that we are better at giving good counsel to others than we are at taking good counsel our selves But mine honest neighbour suppose that Mr. Badmans Father had done as you say and by so doing had driven his son to ill courses what had he bettered either himself or his son in so doing Atten. That 's true but it doth not follow that if the Father had done as I said the son would have done as you suppose But if he had done as you have supposed what had he done worse than what he hath done already Wise. He had done bad enough that 's ' true But suppose his Father had given him no Money and suppose that young Badman had taken a pett thereat and in an anger had gone beyond Sea and his Father had neither seen him nor heard of him more Or suppose that of a mad and headstrong stomach he had gone to the High-way for money and so had brought himself to the Gallows and his Father and Family to great contempt or if by so doing he had not brought himself to that end yet he had added to all his wickedness such and such evils besides And what comfort could his Father have had in this Besides when his Father had done for him what he could with desire to make him an honest man he would then whether his son had proved honest or no have laid down his head with far more peace than if he had taken your Counsel Atten. Nay I think I should not a been forward to have given advice in the cause but truly you have given me such an account of his villanies that the hearing thereof has made me angry with him Wise. In an angry mood we may soon out-shoot ourselves but poor wretch as he is he is gone to his place But as I said when a good Father hath done what he can for a bad Child and that Child shall prove never the better he will lie down with far more peace than if through severity he had driven him to inconveniencies I remember that I have heard of a good woman that had as this old man a bad and ungodly son and she prayed for him counselled him and carried it Motherly to him for several years together but still he remained bad At last upon a time after she had been at prayer as she was wont for his conversion she comes to him and thus or to this effect begins again to admonish him Son said she Thou hast been and art a wicked Child thou hast cost me many a prayer and tear and yet thou remainest wicked Well I have done my duty I have done what I can to save thee now I am satisfied that if I shall see thee damned at the day of Judgment I shall be so far off from being grieved for thee that I shall rejoyce to hear the sentence of thy damnation at that day And it converted him I tell you that if Parents carry it lovingly towards their Children mixing their Mercies with loving Rebukes and their loving Rebukes with Fatherly and Motherly Compassions they are more likely to save their Children than by being churlish and severe toward them but if they do not save them if their mercy doth them no good yet
it will greatly ease them at the day of death to consider I have done by love as much as I could to save and deliver my child from Hell Atten. Well I yield But pray let us return again to Mr. Badman You say that his Father gave him a piece of money that he might set up for himself Wise. Yes his Father did give him a piece of money and he did set up and almost as soon set down again for he was not long set up but by his ill managing of his matters at home together with his extravagant expences abroad he was got so far into debt and had so little in his shop to pay that he was hard put to it to keep himself out of prison But when his Creditors understood that he was about to marry and in a fair way to get a rich Wife they said among themselves We will not be hasty with him if he gets a rich Wife he will pay us all Atten. But how could he so quickly run out for I perceive 't was in little time by what you say Wise. 'T was in little time indeed I think he was not above two years and an half in doing of it but the reason is apparent for he being a wild young man and now having the bridle loose before him and being wholly subjected to his lusts and vices he gave himself up to the way of his heart and to the sight of his eye forgetting that for all these things God will bring him to Judgment and he that doth thus you may be sure shall not be able long to stand on his leggs Besides he had now an addition of new companions companions you must think most like himself in Manners and so such that cared not who sunk if they themselves might swim These would often be haunting of him and of his shop too when he was absent They would commonly egg him to the Ale-house but yet make him Jackpay-for-all They would be borrowing also money of him but take no care to pay again except it was with more of their company which also he liked very well and so his poverty came like one that travelleth and his want like an armed man But all the while they studied his temper he loved to be flattered praised and commended for Wit Manhood and Personage and this was like stroking him over the face Thus they Collogued with him and got yet more and more into him and so like Horse-leaches they drew away that little that his father had given him and brought him quickly down almost to dwell next dore to the begger Atten. Then was the saying of the wise man fulfilled He that keepeth company wâ—th harlots and a companion of fools shall be destroyed Wise. Ay and that too A companion of riotous persons shameth his father For he poor man had both grief and shame to see how his son now at his own hand be haved himself in the enjoyment of those good things in and under the lawfull â—use of which he might have lived to Gods glory his own comfort and credit among his neighbours But he that followeth vain persons shall have poverty enough The way that he took led him directly into this condition for who can expect other things of one that follows such courses Besides when he was in his Shop he could not abide to be doing He was naturally given to Idleness He loved to live high but his hands refused to labour and what else can the end of such an one be but that which the wise man saith The Drunkard and the Glutton shall come to poverty and drowsiness shall cloath a man with rags Atten. But now methinks when he was brought thus low he should have considered the hand of God that was gone out against him and should have smote upon the breast and have returned Wise. Consideration good consideration was far from him he was as stout and proud now as ever in all his life and was as high too in the pursuit of his sin as when he was in the midst of his fulness only he went now like a tyred Jade the Devil had rid him almost off of his leggs Atten. Well but what did he do when all was almost gone Wise. Two things were now his play 1. He bore all in hand by Swearing and Cracking and Lying that he was as well to pass as he was the first day he set up for himself yea that he had rather got than lost and he had at his beck some of his Companions that would swear to confirm it as fast as he Atten. This was double wickedness 't was a sin to say it and another to swear it Wise. That 's true but what evil is that that he will not doe that is left of God as I believe Mr. Badman was Atten. And what was the other thing Wise. Why that which I hinted before he was for looking out for a rich Wife and now I am come to some more of his invented devised designed and abominable Roguery such that will yet declare him to be a most desperate sinner The thing was this A Wife he wanted or rather Money for as for a woman he could have Whores enow at his whistle But as I said he wanted Money and that must be got by a Wife or no way nor could he so easily get a Wife neither except he became an Artist at the way of dissembling nor would dissembling do among that people that could dissemble as well as he But there dwelt a Maid not far from him that was both godly and one that had a good Portion but how to get her there lay all the craft Well he calls a Council of some of his most trusty and cunning Companions and breaks his mind to them to wit that he had a mind to marry and he also told them to whom But said he how shall I accomplish my end she is Religious and I am not Then one of them made reply saying Since she is Religious you must pretend to be so likewise and that for some time before you go to her Mark therefore whither she goes daily to hear and do you go thither also but there you must be sure to behave your self soberly and make as if you liked the Word wonderful well stand also where she may see you and when you come home be sure that you walk the street very soberly and go within sight of her This done for a while then go to her and first talk of how sorry you are for your sins and shew great love to the Religion that she is of still speaking well of her Preachers and of her godly acquaintance bewailing your hard hap that it was not your lot to be acquainted with her and her fellow-Professors sooner and this is the way to get her Also you must write down Sermons talk of Scriptures and protest that you came a wooing to her