the devil, the only father of lies. For a lie has only one father and mother, the devil and the heart. No marvel therefore if the hearts that hatch and bring forth lies be so much of complexion with the devil. Yea, no marvel though God and Christ have so bent their word against liars. A liar is wedded to the devil himself. ATTEN. It seems a marvellous thing in mine eyes, that since a lie is the offspring of the devil, and since a lie brings the soul to the very den of devils, to wit, the dark dungeon of hell, that men should be so desperately wicked as to accustom themselves to so horrible a thing. Some will tell a profit. WISE. It seems also marvellous to me, especially when I observe for how little a matter some men will study, contrive, make, and tell a lie. You shall have some that will lie it over and over, and that for a penny profit. Yea, lie and stand in it, although they know that they lie. he for a penny Yea, you shall have some men that will not stick to tell lie after lie, though themselves get nothing thereby. They will tell lies in their ordinary discourse with their neighbours, also their news, their jests, and their tales, must needs be adorned with lies; or else they seem to bear no good sound to the ear, nor show much to the fancy of him to whom they are told. But alas! what will these liars do, when, for their lies they shall be tumbled down into hell, to that devil that did beget those lies in their heart, and so be tormented by fire and brimstone, with him, and that for ever and ever, for their lies? ATTEN. Can you not give one some example of God's judgments upon liars, that one may tell them to liars when one hears them lie, if perhaps they may by the hearing thereof, be made afraid, and ashamed to lie. liars. WISE. Examples! why, Ananias and his wife An example for are examples enough to put a stop, one would think, to a spirit addicted thereto, for they both were stricken down dead for telling a lie, and that by God himself, in the midst of a company of people. Ac. v. But if God's threatening of liars with hell-fire, and with the loss of the kingdom of heaven, will not prevail with them to leave off to lie and make lies, it cannot be imagined that a relation of temporal judgments that have swept liars out of the world heretofore, should do it. Now, as I said, this lying was one of the first sins that Mr. Badman Peculiarly awful are the denunciations of the Scriptures against the crime of lying. The liar and the murderer are joined together to receive the curse. Thou shalt destroy them that speak lies the man of blood and of deceit are abhorred of the Lord,' Ps. v. 6. 2 The first edition has 'Sapphira and his wife.' It is not noticed in the errata, but was corrected in the later copies.(ED.) was addicted to, and he could make them and tell them fearfully. A spirit of lying accompanied with other sins. ATTEN. I am sorry to hear this of him, and so much the more, because, as I fear, this sin did not reign in him alone; for usually one that is accustomed to lying, is also accustomed to other evils besides ; and if it were not so also with Mr. Badman, it would be indeed a wonder. to pilter. WISE. You say true, the liar is a captive slave of more than the spirit of lying; and therefore this Mr. Badman, as he was a liar from a child, so he was also much given to pilfer Badman given and steal, so that what he could, as we say, handsomely lay his hands on,3 that was counted his own, whether they were the things of his fellow-children, or if he could lay hold of anything at a neighbour's house, he would take it away; you must understand me of trifles; for being yet but a child, he attempted no great matter, especially at first. But yet as he grew up in strength and ripeness of wit, so he attempted to pilfer and steal things still of more value than at first. He took at last great pleasure in robbing of gardens and orchards; and as he grew up, to steal pullen from the neighbourhood. was his father's could not escape his fingers, all was fish that came to his net, so hardened, at last, was he in this mischief also. Yea, what Badman would rob his father. ATTEN. You make me wonder more and more. What, play the thief too! What, play the thief so soon! He could not but know, though he was but a child, that what he took from others was none of his own. Besides, if his father was a good man, as you say, it could not be but he must also hear from him that to steal was to transgress the law of God, and so to run the hazard of eternal damnation. 6 WISE. His father was not wanting to use the means to reclaim him, often urging, as I have been told, that saying in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not steal.' Ex. xx. 15. And also that, 'This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth; for every one that stealeth shall be cut off,' &c. Zec. v. 3. The light of nature also, though he was little, must needs show him that what he took from others was not his own; and that he would not willingly have been served so himself. But all was to no purpose, let father and conscience say what they would to him, he would go on, he was resolved to go on in his wickedness. 3 The solemn importance of instilling right principles into the mind, from the first dawn of reason, cannot be too strongly enforced. Many a wretched midnight burglar commenced his career of vice and folly by stealing fruit, followed by thieving anything that he could HANDSOMELY. Pilfering, unless severely checked, is a hotbed for the foulest crimes.-(ED.) Poultry. (ED.) ATTEN. But his father would, as you intimate, | take, even anything, the least thing that was his sometimes rebuke him for his wickedness; pray how would he carry it then? when his father 1 WISE. How! why like to a thief that is found. Je. ii. 26. He would stand gloating, and hanging How Badman did down his head in a sullen, pouching use to carry it manner; a body might read, as we used to chide used to say, the picture of ill-luck in him for his sins. his face; and when his father did demand his answer to such questions concerning his villainy, he would grumble and mutter at him, and that should be all he could get. ATTEN. But you said that he would also rob his father, methinks that was an unnatural thing. Badman more than either to ther. WISE. Natural or unnatural, all is one to a thief. Besides, you must think that he had likewise companions to whom he was, for the wickedness that he saw in them, more firmly knit, than firmly knit to either to father or mother. Yea, and his companions what had he cared if father and mofather or mother had died for grief for him. Their death would have been, as he would have counted, great release and liberty to him; for the truth is, they and their counsel were his bondage; yea, and if I forget not, I have heard some say that when he was, at times, among his Badman would companions he would greatly rejoice rejoice to think to think that his parents were old, and that his parents' could not live long, and then, quoth he, I shall be mine own man, to do what I list, without their control. death were at nand. neighbour's; and that if he did, it would be a transgression of the law; but all was one to him; what through the wicked talk of his companions, and the delusion of his own corrupt heart, he would go on in his pilfering course, and where he thought himself secure, would talk of, and laugh at it when he had done. ATTEN. Well I heard a man once, when he was upon the ladder with the rope about his neck, confess, when ready to be turned off by the hangman, that that which had brought him to that end was his accustoming of himself, when young, to pilfer and steal small things. To my best remembrance he told us, that he began the trade of a thief by stealing of pins and points;2 and therefore did forewarn all the youth that then were gathered together to see him die, to take heed of beginning, though but with little sins; because by tampering at first with little ones, way is made for the commission of bigger.3 Tod. WISE. Since you are entered upon The story of old stories, I also will tell you one; the which, though I heard it not with mine own ears, yet my author I dare believe. It is Young thieves concerning one old Tod, that was hanged about twenty years ago, or more, at Hertford, for being a thief. The story is this: take notice. At a summer assizes holden at Hertford, while the judge was sitting upon the bench, comes this old Tod into court, clothed J ATTEN. Then it seems he counted that robbing in a green suit, with his leathern girdle in his hand, of his parents was no crime. Old Tod began his way to the gallows by rob. Ling of orci. ards, and the like. his bosom open, and all on a dung sweat, as if he had run for his life; and being come in, he spako aloud as follows:-My lord, said he, here is the veriest rogue that breathes upon the face of the earth. I have been a thief from a child. When I was but a little one, I gave myself to rob orchards, and to do other such like wicked things, and I have continued a thief ever since. My lord, there has not been a robbery committed these many years, within so many miles of this place, but I have either been at it, or privy to it. The judge thought the fellow was mad, but after some conference with some of the justices, they agreed to indict him; and so they did of several felonious actions; to all which he heartily con 2 Point, a tag or metal point fixed on the end of a lace. Fox narrates that a martyr, brought to the stake in his shirt, took a point from his hose, and trussed in his shirt between his legs. -(ED.) 3Sin will at first, just like a beggar, crave -Bunyan's Caution against Sin, vol. II., p. 575. fessed guilty, and so was hanged, with his wife at week. the same time. But I suppose that the reason of his loathing of it was for that God hath put sanctity and ATTEN. This is a remarkable story indeed, and holiness upon it; also, because it is the you think it is a true one. day above all the days of the weok that ought to be spent in holy devotion, in remembrance of our Lord's resurrection from the dead. WISE. It is not only remarkable, but pat to our purpose. This thief, like Mr. Badman, began his trade betimes; he began too where Mr. Badman began, even at robbing of orchards, and other such things, which brought him, as you may perceive, from sin to sin, till at last it brought him to the public shame of sin, which is the gallows. As for the truth of this story, the relater told me that he was, at the same time, himself in the court, and stood within less than two yards of old Tod, when he heard him aloud to utter the words. ATTEN. These two sins, of lying and stealing, were a bad sign of an evil end. Why Badmon could not abide the Lord's day. WISE. Yes, it was therefore that he was such an enemy to it; even because more restraint was laid upon him on that day, from his own ways, than were possible should be laid upon him on all others. ATTEN. Doth not God, by instituting of a day unto holy duties, make great proof how the hearts and inclinations of poor people do stand to holiness of heart, and a conversation in holy duties? God proves the heart what it is, by instituting of the Lord's day, and setting it apart to his service. WISE. Yes, doubtless; and a man shall show his heart and his life what they are, more by one Lord's day than by all the days of the week besides. And the reason is, because on the Lord's day there is a special restraint laid upon men as to thoughts and life, more than upon other days of the week besides. Also, men are enjoined on that day to a stricter performance of holy duties, and restraint of worldly business, than upon other days they are; wherefore, if their hearts ATTEN. Why, what other sins was he addicted incline not naturally to good, now they will show to, I mean while he was but a child? WISE. So they were, and yet Mr. Badman came not to his end like old Tod; though I fear to as bad, nay, worse than was that death of the gallows, though less discerned by spectators; but more of that by and by. But you talk of these two sins as if these were all that Mr. Badman was addicted to in his youth. Alas, alas, he swarmed with sins, even as a beggar does with vermin, and that when he was but a boy. Badman could Lord's day. WISE. You need not ask to what other sins was he, but to what other sins was he not addicted; that is, of such as suited with his age; for a man may safely say that nothing that was vile came amiss to him, if he was but capable to do it. Indeed, some sins there be that childhood knows not how to be tampering with; but I speak of sins that he was capable of committing, of which I will nominate two or three more. And, First, He could not endure the Lord's day, because of the not abide the holiness that did attend it; the beginning of that day was to him as if he was going to prison, except he could get out from his father and mother, and lurk in by-holes among his companions, until holy duties were over. Reading the Scriptures, hearing sermons, godly conference, repeating of sermons and prayers, were things that he could not away with; and, therefore, if his father on such days, as often he did, though sometimes, notwithstanding his diligence, he would be sure to give him the slip, did keep him strictly to the observation of the day, he would plainly show, by all carriages, that he was highly discontent therewith. He would sleep at duties, would talk vainly with his brothers, and, as it were, think every godly opportunity seven times as long as it was, grudging till it was over. ATTEN. This his abhorring of that day, was not, I think, for the sake of the day itself; for as it is a day, it is nothing else but as other days of the it, now they will appear what they are. The Lord's day is a kind of an emblem of the heavenly Sabbath above, and it makes manifest how the heart stands to the perpetuity of holiness, more than to be found in a transient duty does. On other days, a man may be in and out of holy duties, and all in a quarter of an hour; but now, the Lord's day is, as it were, a day that enjoins to one perpetual duty of holiness. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day;' which, by Christ, is not abrogated, but changed, into the first of the week, not as it was given in particular to the Jews, but as it was sanctified by him from the beginning of the world; Ge. ii. 2; Ex. xxxi. 13–17; Mar. xvi. 1; Ac. xx. 7; 1 Co. xvi. 1, 2; Mar. ii. 27, 28; Re. i. 10; and therefore is a greater proof of the frame and temper of a man's heart, and does more make manifest to what he is inclined, than doth his other performance of duties. Therefore, God puts great difference between them that truly call, and walk in, this day as holy, and count it honourable, upon the account that now they have an opportunity to show how they delight to honour him; in that they have not only an hour, but a whole day, to show it in. Is. Iviii. 13. I say, he puts great difference between these, and that other sort that say, When will the Sabbath be gone, that we may be at our worldly business? Am. viii. 5. The first he calleth a blessed man, but brandeth the other for an unsanctified worldling. And, indeed, to delight ourselves in God's service upon his holy days, gives a better proof of a sanctified nature than to grudge at the coming, and to be weary of the holy duties of such days, as Mr. Badman did.1 ATTEN. There may be something in what you say, for he that cannot abide to keep one day holy to God, to be sure he hath given a sufficient proof that he is an unsanctified man; and, as such, what should he do in heaven? That being the place where a perpetual Sabbath is to be kept to God; I say, to be kept for ever and ever. He. iv. 9. And, for ought I know, one reason why one day in seven hath been by our Lord set apart unto holy duties for men, may be to give them conviction that there is enmity in the hearts of sinners to the God of heaven, for he that hateth holiness, hateth God himself. They pretend to love God, and yet love not a holy day, and yet love not to spend that day in one continued act of holiness to the Lord. They had as good say nothing as to call him Lord, Lord, and yet not do the things that he says. And this Mr. Badman was such a one, he could not abide this day, nor any of the duties of it. Indeed, when he could get from his friends, did use to spend and so spend it in all manner of idlethe Lord's day. ness and profaneness, then he would be pleased well enough; but what was this but a turning the day into night, or other than taking an opportunity at God's forbidding, to follow our callings, to solace and satisfy our lusts and delights of the flesh? I take the liberty to speak thus of Mr. Badman, upon a confidence of what you, Sir, have said of him is true. How Badman WISE. You needed not to have made that apology for your censuring of Mr. Badman, for all that knew him will confirm what you say of him to be true. He could not abide either that day, or anything else that had the stamp or image of God upon it. Sin, sin, and to do the thing that was naught, was that which he delighted in, and that from a little child. ATTEN. I must say again I am sorry to hear it, and that for his own sake, and also for the sake of his relations, who must needs be broken to pieces with such doings as these. For, for these things' sake comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Ep. v. 6. And, doubtless, he must be gone to hell, if he died without repentance; and to beget a child for hell is sad for parents to think on. WISE. Of his dying, as I told you, I will give you a relation anon; but now we are upon his life, and upon the manner of his life in his childhood, even of the sins that attended him then, some of which I have mentioned already; and, indeed, I have 1 Christian assemblies are the life, food, and nourishment of our souls; consequently the forsaking of them, and the profanation of the Sabbath, are usually the forerunners of apostacy.-(Mason.) VOL. III. mentioned but some, for yet there are more to follow, and those not at all inferior to what you have already heard. ATTEN. Pray what were they? WISE. Why he was greatly given, and that while a lad, to grievous swearing and cursing; yea, ho then made no more of swearing and Badman given cursing than I do of telling my fingers. to swearing and Yea, he would do it without provocation thereto. He counted it a glory to swear and curse, and it was as natural to him as to eat, and drink, and sleep. cursing. ATTEN. O what a young villain was this! IIere is, as the apostle says, a yielding of 'members, as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin,' indeed! Ro. vi. 18. This is proceeding from evil to evil with a witness. This argueth that he was a blackmouthed young wretch indeed. of Mr. Bad WISE. He was so; and yet, as I told you, he he counted above all this kind of Swearing and sinning to be a badge of his honour; cursing a badge he reckoned himself a man's fellow man's honour. when he had learned to swear and curse boldly. ATTEN. I am persuaded that many do think as you have said, that to swear is a thing that does bravely become them, and that it is the best way for a man, when he would put authority or terror into his words, to stuff them full of the sin of swearing. WISE. You say right, else, as I am persuaded, men would not so usually belch out their blasphemous oaths as they do; they take a pride in it; they think that to swear is gentleman-like; and, having once accustomed themselves unto it, they hardly leave it all the days of their lives.2 ATTEN. Well, but now we are upon it, pray show me the difference between swearing and cursing; for there is a difference, is there not? Difference betwixt swearing and cursing. is. WISE. Yes; there is a difference between swearing and cursing. Swearing, vain swearing, such as young Badman accustomed himself What swearing unto. Now, vain and sinful swearing is a light and wicked calling of God, &c., to witness to our vain and foolish attesting of things, aud those things are of two sorts. 1. Things that we swear, are or shall be done. 2. Things so sworn to, true or false. 1. Things that we swear, are or shall be done. Thou swearest thou hast done such a thing, that such a thing is so, or shall be so; for it is no matter which of these it is that men swear about, if it be done lightly, and wickedly, and groundlessly, it is vain, because it is a sin against the "Profane swearers use the language of hell before they arrive at their awful destination. Were God to answer their imprecations they would be miserable beyond conception. Because of swearing the land mourneth.'-(ED.) 76 third commandment, which says, 'Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.' Ex. xx. 7. For this is a vain using of that holy and sacred name, and so a sin for which, without sound repentance, there is not, nor can be rightly expected, forgiveness. A man may sin a truth. ATTEN. Then it seems, though as to the matter of fact, a man swears truly, yet if he in swearing to sweareth lightly and groundlessly, his oath is evil, and he by it under sin. WISE. Yes, a man may say, The Lord liveth,' and that is true, and yet in so saying 'swear falsely;' because he sweareth vainly, in swearing to needlessly, and without a ground. Je. v. 2. To swear groundedly and necessarily, which then a man does when he swears as being called thereto of God, that is tolerated by the Word. But this was none of Mr. Badman's swearing, and therefore that which now we are not concerned about. A man may sin the truth. ATTEN. I perceive by the prophet that a man may sin in swearing to a truth. They therefore must needs most horribly sin that swear to confirm their jests and lies; and, as they think, the better to beautify their foolish talking. He that swears to a lie, con is as wicked as cludes that God himself. WISE. They sin with a high hand; for they presume to imagine that God is as wicked as themselves, to wit, that he is an avoucher of lies to be true. For, as I said before, to swear is to call God to witness; and to swear to a lie is to call God to witness that that lie is true. This, therefore, must needs offend; for it puts the highest affront upon the holiness and righteousness of God, therefore his wrath must sweep them away. Zec. v. 3. This kind of swearing is put in with lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery; and therefore must not go unpunished. Je. vii. 9; Ho. iv. 2, 3. For if God will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain,' which a man may do when he swears to a truth, as I have showed before, how can it be imagined that he should hold such guiltless, who, by swearing, will appeal to God for lies that be not true, or that swear out of their frantic and bedlam madness. It would grieve and provoke a sober man to wrath, if one should swear to a notorious lie, and avouch that that man would attest it for a truth; and yet thus do men deal with the holy God. They tell their jestings, tales, and lies, and then swear by God that they are true. Now, this kind of swearing was as common with young Bad Profane cursing and swearing was awfully fashionable in Bunyan's days. This led many pious persons to denounce oaths altogether; and the time is fast coming when the world will agree with the Quakers that an affirmation is the best test of truth. It is like the controversy of the teetotallers; some who would be ashamed of taking intoxicating liquors, except as medicine, will soon throw such physics to the dogs or on the dunghill.-(ED.) man, as it was to eat when he was an hungered, or to go to bed when it was night. ATTEN. I have often mused in my mind, what it should be that should make men so common in the use of the sin of swearing, since those that be wise will believe them never the sooner for that. vain swearing. WISE. It cannot be anything that is good, you may be sure; because the thing itself is abominable. 1. Therefore it must be from Six causes of the promptings of the spirit of the devil within them. 2. Also it flows sometimes from hellish rage, when the tongue hath set on fire of hell even the whole course of nature. Ja. iii. 6–9. 3. But commonly, swearing flows from that daring boldness that biddeth defiance to the law that forbids it. 4. Swearers think, also, that by their belching of their blasphemous oaths out of their black and polluted mouths, they show themselves the more valiant men. 5. And imagine also, that by these outrageous kind of villanies, they shall conquer those that at such a time they have to do with, and make them believe their lies to be true. 6. They also swear frequently to get gain thereby, and when they meet with fools they overcome them this way. But if I might give advice in this matter, no buyer should lay out one farthing with him that is a common swearer in his calling; especially with such an oath-master that endeavoureth to swear away his commodity to another, and that would swear his chapman's money into his own pocket. ATTEN. All these causes of swearing, so far as I can perceive, flow from the same root as do the oaths themselves, even from a hardened and desperate heart. But, pray, show me now how wicked cursing is to be distinguished from this kind of swearing. WISE. Swearing, as I said, hath immediately to do with the name of God, and it calls upon him to be witness to the truth of what is How cursing is said; that is, if they that swear, swear distinguished from swearing. by him. Some, indeed, swear by idols, as by the mass, by our lady, by saints, beasts, birds, and other creatures; but the usual way of our profane ones in England is to swear by God, Christ, faith, and the like. But, however, or by whatever they swear, cursing is distinguished from swearing thus. To curse, to curse profanely, it is to sentence another or ourself, for or to evil; or to of cursing, what wish that some evil might happen to the person or thing under the curse unjustly. it is. 2 This is one of Bunyan's home-thrusts at Popery. Classing the mass, our lady-saints, and beasts, among the idols or objects of divine worship. He omits an oath very common among Irish labourers, which much puzzled me when a boy, "bloodunoons," meaning the bleeding wounds of the Saviour. How thankful ought we to be that, in our days, profane swearing stamps, upon any one who uses it, the character of a blackguard. (ED.) |