the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but of the world.' 1 Jn. ii. 16. 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 directed us for our pattern. Let the wives' conversation be chaste and also coupled with fear. Whose adorning,' saith Peter, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting 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 in subjection to their own husbands.' 1 Pe. iil. 1–5. 3. Another reason is, because they have forgotten the pollution of their nature. For the remembrance of that must needs keep us humble, and being kept humble, we shall be at a distance from pride. The proud and the humble are set in opposition; God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.' And can it be imagined that a sensible Christian should be a proud one; sense of baseness tends to lay us low, not to lift us up with pride; not with pride of heart, nor pride of life. But when a man begins to forget what he is, then he, if ever, begins to be proud. Methinks it is one of the most senseless and ridiculous things in the world that a man should be proud of that which is given him on purpose to cover the shame of his nakedness with. 4. Persons that are proud have gotten God and his holiness out of their sight. If God was before them, as he is behind their back. And if they saw him in his holiness, as he sees them in their sins and shame, they would take but little pleasure in their apish knacks. The holiness of God makes the angels cover their faces, crumbles Christians, when they behold it, into dust and ashes. And as his majesty is, such is his Word. Is. vi. Therefore they abuse it that bring it Third reason. Fourth reason. to countenance pride. Lastly. But what can be the end of those that are proud in the decking of themselves after their antic manner? Why are they for going with their bull's foretops, with their naked shoulders, and paps hanging out like a cow's Fifth reason. A tuft of hair worn on a man's forehead, or a projecting conspicuous part of the women's caps worn by the fashionables of that time.-(Ed.) bag? Why are they for painting their faces, for stretching out their neck, and for putting of themselves unto all the formalities which proud fancy leads them to? Is it because they would honour God? because they would adorn the gospel? because they would beautify religion, and make sinners to fall in love with their own salvation? No, no, it is rather to please their lusts, to satisfy their wild and extravagant fancies; and I wish none doth it to stir up lust in others, to the end they may commit uncleanness with them. I believe, whatever is their end, this is one of the great designs of the devil; and I believe also that Satan has drawn more into the sin of uncleanness by the spangling show of fine cloths, than he could possibly have drawn unto it without them. I wonder what it was that of old was called the attire of a harlot ; certainly it could not be more bewitching and tempting than are the garments of many professors this day. ATTEN. I like what you say very well, and I wish that all the proud dames in England that profess were within the reach and sound of your words. WISE. What I have said I believe is true; but as for the proud dames in England that profess, they have Moses and the prophets, and if they will not hear them, how then can we hope that they should receive good by such a dull-sounding ram'shorn as I am? However, I have said my mind, and now, if you will, we will proceed to some other of Mr. Badman's doings. ATTEN. No; pray, before you show me anything else of Mr. Badman, show me yet The evil effects more particularly the evil effects of of the sin of this sin of pride. pride. proud man come nigh unto him. Now this is a ❘ that is, graciously, or his hand in things. But, dreadful thing. Fifth evil effect. 5. Pride, where it comes, and is entertained, is a certain forerunner of some judgment that is not far behind. When pride goes before, shame and destruction will follow after. When pride cometh, then cometh shame.' Fr. xi. 2. Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.' Pr. xvi. 18. 6. Persisting in pride makes the condition of a poor man as remediless as is that of Sixth evil effect. the devils themselves. 1 Ti. iii. 6. And this, I fear, was Mr. Badman's condition, and that was the reason that he died so as he did; as shall show you anon. A general cha A brief relation man's ways. But what need I thus talk of the particular actions, or rather the prodigious sins of racter of Mr. Mr. Badman, when his whole life, and Badman. all his actions, went, as it were, to the making up one massy body of sin? Instead of believing that there was a God, his mouth, his life and actions, declared that he believed no such thing. His 'transgression saith within my heart, that there was no fear of God before his eyes.' rs. xxxvi. 1. Instead of honouring of God, of Mr. Bad- and of giving glory to him for any of his mercies, or under any of his good providences towards him, for God is good to all, and lets his sun shine, and his rain fall upon the unthankful and unholy, he would ascribe the glory to other causes. If they were mercies, he would ascribe them, if the open face of the providence did not give him the lie, to his own wit, labour, care, industry, cunning, or the like. If they were crosses, he would ascribe them, or count them the offspring of fortune, ill luck, chance, the ill management of matters, the ill will of neighbours, or to his wife's being religious, and spending, as he called it, too much time in reading, praying, or the like. It was not in his way to acknowledge God, 1 A professor of Christianity who indulges in sin, is the worst of Atheists. Such conduct is practical hypocrisy and Atheism.-(ED.) as the prophet saith, Let favour be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness.' Is xxvi. 10. And again, They returned not to him that smote them, nor did they seek the Lord of hosts. Is. ix. 13. This was Mr. Badman's temper, neither mercies nor judgment would make him seek the Lord. Nay, as another scripture says, He would not see the works of God, nor regard the operations of his hands either in mercies or in judg ments.' Is. xxvi. 11. Ps. xxix. 5. But farther, when by providence he has been cast under the best means for his soul-for, as was showed before, he having had a good master, and before him a good father, and after all a good wife, and being sometimes upon a journey, and cast under the hearing of a good sermon, as he would sometimes for novelty's sake go to hear a good preacher—he was always without heart to make use thereof. Pr. xvii. 6. In this land of righteousness he would deal unjustly, and would not behold the majesty of the Lord. Is. xxvi. 10. Mr. Badman's judgment of the Scriptures. Instead of reverencing the Word, when he heard it preached, read, or discoursed of, he would sleep, talk of other business, or else object against the authority, harmony, and wisdom of the Scriptures; saying, How do you know them to be the Word of God? How do you know that these sayings are true? The Scriptures, he would say, were as a nose of wax, and a man may turn them whithersoever he lists. One scripture says one thing, and another says the quite contrary; besides, they make mention of a thousand impossibilities; they are the cause of all dissensions and discords that are in the land. Therefore you may, would he say, still think what you will, but in my mind they are best at ease that have least to do with them. Badman's sung. Instead of loving and honouring of them that did bear in their foreheads the name, Good men Mr. and in their lives the image of Christ, they should be his song, the matter of his jests, and the objects of his slanders. He would either make a mock at their sober deportment, their gracious language, quiet behaviour, or else desperately swear that they did all in deceit and hypocrisy. He would endeavour to render godly men as odious and contemptible as he could; any lies that were made by any, to their disgrace, those he would avouch for truth, and would not endure to be controlled. He was much like those that the prophet speaks of, that would sit and slander his mother's son. Ps. L 19, 20. Yea, he would speak reproachfully of his wife, though his conscience told him, and many would testify, that she slanders of his wife's friends himself, affirming was a very virtuous woman. He would also raise that their doctrine tended to lasciviousness, and thought, that since you spake of the Whence envy pride of Mr. Badman before, we should flows. have something of these before we had done. that in their assemblies they acted and did unbe- | ance, and ignorance from the devil. And I seeming men and women, that they committed uncleanness, &c. He was much like those that affirmed the apostle should say, 'Let us do evil that good may come.' Ro. iii. 7, 8. Or, like those of whom it is thus written; Report, say they, and we will report it.' Je. xx. 10. And if he could get any thing by the end that had scandal in it, if it did but touch professors, how falsely soever reported, O! then he would glory, laugh, and be glad, and lay it upon the whole party; saying, Hang them rogues, there is not a barrel better herring of all the holy brotherhood of them. Like to like, quoth the devil to the collier, this is your precise crew. And then he would send all home with a WISE. Envy flows from ignorance indeed. And this Mr. Badman was so envious an one, where he set against, that he would swell with it as a toad, as we say, swells with poison.1 He whom he maligned, might at any time even read envy in his face wherever he met with him, or in whatever he had to do with him. His envy was so rank and strong, that if it at any time turned its head against a man, it would hardly ever be pulled in again; he would watch over that man to do him mischief, as the cat watches over the mouse to destroy it; yea, he would wait seven years, but he would have an opportunity to hurt him, and when he had it, he would make him feel the weight of his envy. Envy is a devilish thing, the scripture intimates that none can stand before it: A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both. Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?' Pr. xxvii. 3, 4. This envy, for the foulness of it, is reckoned among the foulest villainies that are, Envy the worst as adultery, murder, drunkenness, of the four." revellings, witchcrafts, heresies, seditions, &c. Ga. v. 19, 20. Yea, it is so malignant a corruption, that it rots the very bones of him in whom it dwells. 'A sound heart is the life of the flesh; but envy the rottenness of the bones.' Pr. xiv. 30. ATTEN. This is the envy father and mother very of a great many hideous and prodi- Envy is the fagious wickednesses. I say, it is the very father and mother of them; it both begets them, and also nourishes them up, till they come to their cursed maturity in the bosom of him that entertains them. ther and mother of a many wickednesses. WISE. You have given it a very right descrip ATTEN. Solomon saith, He is a fool that rageth, tion, in calling of it the father and mother of a Fr. xiv. 16. WISE. He doth so; and says moreover, that 'Anger resteth in the bosom of fools.' Ec. vii. 9. And, truly, if it be a sign of a fool to have anger rest in his bosom, then was Mr. Badman, notwithstanding the conceit that he had of his own abilities, a fool of no small size. great many other prodigious wickednesses; for it is so venomous and vile a thing that it puts the whole course of nature out of order, and makes it fit for nothing but confusion, and a hold for every evil thing: For where envying and strife is, there is confusion, and every evil work.' Ja. iii. 16. Wherefore, I say, you have rightly called it the very ATTEN. Fools are mostly most wise in their own father and mother of a great many other sins. eyes. WISE. True; but I was a saying, that if it be a sign that a man is a fool, when anger rests in his bosom; then what is it a sign of, think you, when malice and envy rests there? For, to my knowledge Mr. Badman was as malicious and as envious a man as commonly you can hear of. ATTEN. Certainly, malice and envy flow from pride and arrogancy, and they again from ignor And now for our further edification, I will reckon up of some of the births of envy. 1. Some of the Envy, as I told you before, it rotteth births of envy. 1 The general opinion, to a late period, was, that the frog or toad was poisonous. Bartolomeus calls the frog venomous,' and that in proportion to the number of his spots. Bunyan, who was far in advance of his age, throws a doubt upon it, by the words as we say.'-(ED.) 2 Pride, Atheism, infidelity, and envy.—(ED.) Ile prays. the very bones of him that entertains it. And, | self, and feeling by his pain, and the uselessness 2. As you have also hinted, it is heavier than a of his leg, what case he was in, and also fearing stone, than sand; yea, and I will add, it falls like that this bout might be his death; he began to cry a millstone upon the head. Therefore, 3. It kills out after the manner of such, Lord help me, Lord him that throws it, and him at whom it is thrown. have mercy upon me, good God de'Envy slayeth the silly one.' Job v. 2. That is, him liver me, and the like. So there he in whom it resides, and him who is its object. lay, till some came by, who took him up, carried 4. It was that also that slew Jesus Christ himself; him home, where he lay for some time, before he for his adversaries persecuted him through their could go abroad again. envy. Mat. xxvii. 18. Mar. xv. 10. 5. Envy was that, by ATTEN. And then you say he called upon God. virtue of which Joseph was sold by his brethren WISE. He cried out in his pain, and would say, into Egypt. Ac. vii. 9. O God, and, O Lord, help me. But whether it was that his sin might be pardoned, and his soul saved, or whether to be rid of his pain, I will not positively determine; though I fear it was but for the last; because when his pain was gone, It has no good and he had got hopes of mending, even before he could go abroad, he cast off prayer, and began his old game; to wit, to be as bad as he was before.1 He then would send for his old companions; his sluts also would come to his house to see him, and with them he would be, as well as he could for his lame leg, as vicious as they could be for their hearts. 6. It is envy that hath the hand in making of variance among God's saints. Is. xi. 13. 7. It is envy in the hearts of sinners, that stirs them up to thrust God's ministers out of their coasts. Ac. xiii. 50; xiv. 6. 8. What shall I say? It is envy that is the very nursery of whisperings, debates, backbitings, slanders, reproaches, murders, &c. It is not possible to repeat all the particular fruits of this sinful root. Therefore, it is no marvel that Mr. Badman was such an ill-natured man, for the great roots of all manner of wickedness were in him unmortified, unmaimed, untouched. ATTEN. But it is a rare case, even A rare thing. this of Mr. Badman, that he should never in all his life be touched with remorse for his ill-spent life. CHAPTER XIII. [HE GETS DRUNK AND BREAKS HIS LEG-GOD'S JUDGMENTS UPON DRUNKARDS.] trouble mind. of WISE. Remorse, I cannot say he ever had, if by Mr. Badman un- remorse you mean repentance for his der some evils. Yet twice I remember he was under some trouble of mind about his condition. Once when he broke his leg as he came home drunk from the ale-house; and another time when he fell sick, and thought he should die. sides these two times, I do not remember any more. ATTEN. Did he break his leg then? WISE. Yes; once as he came home drunk from the ale-house. ATTEN. Pray how did he break it? effect upon him. ATTEN. It was a wonder he did not break his neck. WISE. His neck had gone instead of his leg, but that God was long-suffering towards him; he had deserved it ten thousand times over. There have been many, as I have heard, and as I have hinted to you before, that have taken their horses when drunk as he; but they have gone from the pot to the grave; for they have broken their necks betwixt the ale-house and home. One hard by us also drunk himself dead; he drank, and died in his drink. ATTEN. It is a sad thing to die drunk. drunkenness. WISE. So it is; but yet I wonder that no more do so. For considering the heinousHow many sing Be-ness of that sin, and with how many do accompany other sins it is accompanied, as with oaths, blasphemies, lies, revellings, whorings, brawlings, &c., it is a wonder to me that any that live in that sin should escape such a blow from Heaven, that should tumble them into their graves. Besides, when I consider also how, when they are as drunk as beasts, they, without all fear of danger, will ride like bedlams and madmen, even as if they did dare God to meddle with them if he durst, for their being drunk. I say, I wonder that he doth not withdraw his protecting providences from them, and leave them to those dangers and destructions that by their sin they have deserved, and that by their bedlam madness they would rush WISE. Why upon a time he was at an ale-house, Mr. Badman that wicked house about two or three breaks his leg. miles from home, and having there drank hard the greatest part of the day, when night was come, he would stay no longer, but calls for his horse, gets up and like a madman, as drunken persons usually ride, away he goes, as hard as horse could lay legs to the ground. Thus he rid, till coming to a dirty place, where his horse flouncing in, fell, threw his master, and with his fall broke his leg. So there he lay. But you would not think how he swore at first. He swears. But after a while, he coming to him 1 Outward reformation without inward grace is like washing it will soon return to the mire, and delight in filth more than a sow, which you may make clean, but never can make cleanly; ever.-(Mason.) themselves into. Only I consider again, that he has appointed a day wherein he will reckon with them, and doth also commonly make examples of some, to show that he takes notice of their sin, abhors their way, and will count with them for it at the set time. Ac. xvii. 30, 31. ATTEN. It is worthy of our remark, to take notice how God, to show his dislike of the sins of men, strikes some of them down with a blow; as the breaking of Mr. Badman's leg, for doubtless that was a stroke from heaven. WISE. It is worth our remark, indeed. It was an open stroke, it fell upon him while he was in the height of his sin; and it looks much like to that in Job- Therefore he knoweth their works, and overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed. He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others.' Or, as the margin reads it, in the place of beholders.' Job xxxiv. 25, 26. He lays them, with his stroke, in the place of beholders. There was Mr. Badman laid; his stroke was taken notice of by every one, his broken leg was at this time the town talk. Mr. Badman has An open stroke. broken his leg, says one. How did he break it? says another. As he came home drunk from such an ale-house, said a third. A judgment of God upon him, said a fourth. This his sin, his shame, and punishment, are all made conspicuous to all that are about him. I will here tell you another story or two. Page 1. 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 man's shape, bought it of that man again at the same price; and so, in the presence of them all, laid hold on the soul-seller, and carried him away through the air, so that he was never more heard of.1 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, Page 141. 1 Mr. Clarke relates this singular story on the authority of Disci de Temp.' The writers in the Middle Ages are full of such narrations; see especially the first English book of homilies called The Festival.-(ED.) Page 143. the iron bar in it bowed, and all bloody. But the man was never heard of afterwards.2 Again, he tells us of a bailiff of Hedley, who, upon a Lord's 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 horse threw him, and broke his neck. These things are worse than the breaking of Mr. Badman's leg; and should be a caution to all of his friends that are living, lest they also fall by their sin into these sad judgments of God. But, as I said, Mr. Badman quickly forgot all; his conscience was choked before his leg 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 Mr. Badman leg was well, he had a very dangerous fit of sickness, insomuch that now he began to think he must die in very deed. CHAPTER XIV. fallen sick. [HIS PRETENDED REPENTINGS AND PROMISES OF REFORM WHEN DEATH GRIMLY STARES AT HIM.] 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 His conscience so. To my best remembrance, he lay is wounded. 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 O! how He crieth out in the thoughts of death, of hell-fire, and his sickness. 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. Ay! 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, not help him when God sends, yea, comes with sickness to visit the soul of such a sinner for his sin. There was a man dwelt about twelve miles off from us, that had so trained up himself in his atheistical His atheism will now. 2 Clarke's authority for this account is Beard's Theatre of God's Judgments.—(ED.) |