Ile prilys.

eflect
him.

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 6. It is envy that hath the hand in making of that his sin might be pardoned, and his soul saved, variance among God's saints. Is. xi. 13. 7. It is or whether to be rid of his pain, I will not posienvy in the hearts of sinners, that stirs them up tively determine; though I fear it was but for the to thrust God's ministers out of their coasts. Ac. last; because when his pain was gone, It has no good xiii. 50; xiv. 6. 8. What shall I say? It is envy and he had got hopes of mending, even upon that is the very nursery of whisperings, debates, before he could go abroad, he cast off backbitings, slanders, reproaches, murders, &c. prayer, and began his old game; to wit, to be as

It is not possible to repeat all the particular bad as he was before. He then would send for fruits of this sinful root. Therefore, it is no mar- his old companions; his sluts also would come to vel that Mr. Badman was such an ill-natured man, his house to see him, and with them he would be, for the great roots of all manner of wickedness as well as he could for his lame leg, as vicious as were in him unmortified, unmaimed, untouched. they could be for their hearts.

ATTEN. But it is a rare case, even ATTEN. It was a wonder he did not break his A rare thing.

this of Mr. Badman, that he should neck. never in all his life be touched with remorse for WISE. IIis neck had gone instead of his leg, but his ill-spent life.

that God was long-suffering towards him; he had

deserved it ten thousand times over. There have CHAPTER XIII.

been many, as I have heard, and as I have hinted

to you before, that have taken their horses when (IIE GETS DRUNK AND BREAKS HIS LEG-

drunk as he; but they have gone from the pot to JUDGMENTS UPON DRUNKARDS.]

the grave; for they have broken their Wiss. Remorse, I cannot say he ever had, if hy necks betwixt the alc-house and home.

remorse you mean repentance for his One hard by us also drunk himself dead; he drank,

Yet twice I remember he was and died in his drink. trouble

under some trouble of mind about his Atten. It is a sad thing to die drunk. condition. Once when he broke his leg as he came WISE. So it is; but yet I wonder that no more home drunk from the ale-house; and another time do so. For considering the heinous

How many sins when he fell sick, and thought he should die. Beness of that sin, and with how many sides these two times, I do not remember any more. other sins it is accompanied, as with Atten. Did he break his leg then?

oaths, blasphemies, lies, revellings, whorings, Wise. Yes; once as he came home drunk from brawlings, &c., it is a wonder to me that any that the ale-house.

live in that sin should escape such a blow from ATTEN. Pray how did he break it ?

Heaven, that should tumble them into their graves. Wise. Why upon a time he was at an ale-house, Besides, when I consider also how, when they are

that wicked house about two or three as drunk as beasts, they, without all fear of danbreaks his leg. miles from home, and having there yer, will ride like bedlams and madmen, even as drank hard the greatest part of the day, when if they did dare God to meddle with them if he night was come, he would stay no longer, but calls durst, for their being drunk. I say, I wonder that for his horse, gets up and like a madman, as he doth not withdraw his protecting providences drunken persons usually ride, away he goes, as from them, and leave them to those dangers and hard as horse could lay legs to the ground. Thus destructions that by their sin they have deserved, he rid, till coming to a dirty place, where his horse and that by their bedlam madness they would rush flouncing in, fell, threw his master, and with his fall broke his leg. So there he lay. But you

1 Outward reformation without iuward grace is like washing would not think how he swore at first. it will soon return to the mire, and delight iu filth more than

a sow, which you may make clean, but never can make cleanly ; But after a while, he coming to him-ever.-(Mason.)

-GOD's

Mr. Badman under

of mind.

some evils.

do accompany
drunkenness.

1

Mr.

Badman

He ewean.

2

6

Mr.

fallen sick.

FORM WIEN DEATII GRIMLY STARES AT HIM.

themselves into. Only I consider again, that he the iron bar in it bowed, and all bloody. But has appointed a day wherein he will reckon with the man was never heard of afterwards.? them, and doth also commonly make examples of · Again, he tells us of a bailiff of Hedley, who, some, to show that he takes notice of their sin, upon a Lord's day, being drunk at Mel

Page 149. abhors their way, and will count with them for it ford, got upon his horse, to ride through at the set time. Ac. xvii. 30, 51.

the streets, saying that his horse would carry him Atten. It is worthy of our remark, to take notice to the devil. And presently his horse threw him, how God, to show his dislike of the sins of men, and broke his neck. These things are worse than strikes some of them down with a blow; as the the breaking of Mr. Badman's leg; and should be breaking of Mr. Badman's leg, for doubtless that a caution to all of his friends that are living, lest was a stroke from heaven.

they also fall by their sin into these sad judgments WISE. It is worth our remark, indeed. It was of God. an open stroke, it fell upon him while he was in But, as I said, Mr. Badman quickly forgot all; the height of bis sin; and it looks much like to his conscience was choked before his leg was that in Job— Therefore he knoweth their works, healed. And, therefore, before he was well of the and overturneth them in the night, so that they are fruit of one sin, he tempts God to send another destroyed. He striketh them as wicked men in judgment to seize upon him. And so he did quickly the open sight of others.' Or, as the margin reads after. For not many months after his

Badman it, in the place of beholders.' Job xxxiv. 25, 26. He leg was well, he had a very dangerous lays them, with his stroke, in the place of beholders. fit of sickness, insomuch that now he began to think There was Mr. Badman laid; his stroke was taken he must die in very deed. notice of by every one, his broken leg was at this time the town talk, Mr. Badman has

CHAPTER XIV. An open stroke. broken his leg, says one.

How did he

(DIS PRETENDED RETENTINGS AND PROMISES OF REbreak it ?

says
another. As he came home drunk

M.] from such an ale house, said a third. A judgment of God upon him, said a fourth. This his sin, bis ATTEN. Well, and what did he think and do shame, and punishment, are all made conspicuous then? to all that are about him, I will here tell you Wise. He thought he must go to hell ; this I another story or two.

know, for he could not forbear but say Ilis conscience I have read, in Mr. Clark's Looking-glass for so. To my best remembrance, he lay is wounded.

Sinners, that upon a time a certain drunken crying out all one night for fear; and at times he Page 11.

fellow boasted in his cups that there was would so tremble that he would make the very neither heaven nor hell; also he said he believed bed shake under bim. But 0! how lle crieth out in that man had no soul, and that, for his own part, the thoughts of death, of hell-fire, and

his sickuess. he would sell his soul to any that would buy it. of eternal judgment, did then wrack his conscience. Then did one of his companions buy it of him for Fear might be sees in his face, and in his tossings a cup of wive, and presently the devil, in man's to and fro; it might also be heard in his words, shape, bought it of that man again at the same and be understood by his heavy groans. He would price; and so, in the presence of them all, laid often cry, I am undone, I am undone; my vile life hold on the soul-seller, and carried him away has undone me! through the air, so that he was never more heard ATTEN. Then his former atheistical thoughts and of.

principles were too weak now to support him from He tells us also, that there was one at Salisbury, the fears of eternal damnation.

in the midst of his health, drinking and WISE. Ay! they were too weak indeed. They Fage 141.

carousing in a tavern; and he drank a may serve to stifle conscience, when a man is in health to the devil, saying that if the devil would the midst of his prosperity; and to harden the not come and pledge him, he would not believe heart against all good counsel, when a man is left that there was either God or devil. Whereupon of God, and given up to his reprobate mind. But, his companions, stricken with fear, hastened out alas, atheistical thoughts, notions, and

His atheism will of the room; and presently after, hearing a hide- opinions must shrink and melt away, not heip mina ous noise, and smelling a stinking savour, the when God sends, yea, comes with sickvintner ran up into the chamber; and coming in ness to visit the soul of such a sinner for his sin. he missed his guest, and found the window broker, There was a man dwelt about twelve miles ofl

' from

us, that had so trained up himself in his atheistical * Mr. Clarke relates this singular story on the authority of • Disci de Temp. The writers in the Middle Ages are full of sich narrations; see especially the first English book of homilies ? Clarke's anthority for this account is Beard's Theatre of called The Festival.-(£D.)

God's Judgments.—(LD.) VOL. 111.

83

now.

A dreadful ex

auger.

The town-talk of
Mr. Badman's

notions, that at last he attempted to write a book he would seem to show them kindness when they against Jesus Christ, and against the Divine au-came, for he would treat them kindly with words, thority of the Scriptures. But I think it was not and hearken diligently to what they said; only he printed. Well, after many days, God struck him did not care that they should talk much of his ill. with sickness, whereof he died. So, being sick, spent life, because his conscience was clogged with and musing upon his former doings, the book that that already. He cared not now to see his old he had written came into his mind, and with it companions, the thoughts of them were a torment such a sense of his evil in writing of it, that it tore to him; and now he would speak kindly to that

his conscience as a lion would tear a child of his that took after its mother's steps, ample of God's kid. He lay, therefore, upon his death- though he could not at all abide it before.

bed in sad case, and much affliction of He also desired the prayers of good people, that conscience; some of my friends also went to see God of his mercy would spare him a little longer; him; and as they were in his chamber one day, promising that if God would but let him recover he hastily called for pen, ink, and paper; which this once, what a new, what a penitent mau he when it was given him, he took it and writ to this would be toward God, and what a loving husband purpose:-1, such a one, in such a town, must go he would be to his wife; what liberty he would

to hell-fire, for writing a book against give her, yea, how he would go with her himself,

Jesus Christ, and against the Holy to hear her ministers, and how they should go Scriptures. And would also have leaped out of hand in hand in the way to heaven together. the window of his house, to have killed himself, ATTEN. Here was a fine show of things; I'll but was by them prevented of that; so he died in warrant you, his wife was glad for this. his bed, such a death as it was. It will be well if Wise. His wife! ay, and a many good people others take warning by him.

besides. It was noised all over the ATTEN. This is a remarkable story.

town what a great change there was

change. Wise. It is as true as remarkable. I had it wrought upon Mr. Badman; how sorry from them that I dare believe, who also themselves he was for his sins, how he began to love his wife, were eye and ear witnesses; and also that catched how he desired good men should pray to God to him in their arms, and saved him, when he would spare him; and what promises he now made to have leaped out of his chamber window, to have God, in his sickness, that if ever he should raise destroyed himself!

him from his sick bed to health again, what a new ATIEN. Well, you have told me what were Mr. penitent man he would be towards God, and what a Badman's thoughts now, being sick, of his con-loving husband to his good wife. Well, ministers dition; pray tell me also what he then did when prayed, and good people rejoiced, thinking verily he was sick?

that they now had gotten a man from the devil ; Wise. Did! he did many things which, I am nay, some of the weaker sort did not stick to say sure, he never thought to have done ; and which, that God had begun a work of grace in his heart; to be sure, was not looked for of his wife and and his wife, poor woman, you cannot His wife is comWhat Mr. Bad- children. In this fit of sickness, his think how apt she was to believe it so;

thoughts were quite altered about his she rejoiced, and she hoped as she would have it.

wife; I say his thoughts, so far as But, alas! alas! in little time things all proved could be judged by his words and carriages to her. Otherwise. For now she was his good wife, bis godly wife, his After he had kept his bed a while, his distemper honest wife, his duck and dear, and all. Now he began to abate, and he to feel himself Mr. Badman retold her that she had the best of it; she having a better; so he in a little time was so good life to stand by her, while his debaucheries finely mended, that he could walk and ungodly life did always stare him in the face. about the house, and also obtained a very fine Now he told her the counsel that she often gave stomach to his food; and now did his wife and her him was good; though he was so bad as not to good friends stand gaping to see Mr. Badman take it.

fulfil his promise of becoming new towards God, Now he would hear her talk to him, and he would and loving to his wife; but the contrary only

lie sighing by her while she so did. showed itself. For, so soon as ever he had hopes made in Jr. Now he would bid her pray for him, of mending, and found that his strength began to

that he might be delivered from hell. renew, his trouble began to go off his heart, and He would also now consent that some of her good he grew as great a stranger to his friglits and ministers might come to him to comfort him; and fears, as if he never had them.

forted.

man did more when he was sick.

covers, and returns to hus old course.

Great wteration

Badman.

TO HIS SIN LIKE A SOW THAT HAS BEEN WASHED

Ac. viii. 24.

cians kill souls

bodies.

pentance, and that it is to be

CHAPTER XV.

have been afraid, that if he had mended, he should

have turned with the dog to his vomit, and have (DEATH LEAVES HIM FOR A SEASON, AND HE RETURNS

begged prayers of the saints, and assistance from heaven

upon that account, that he might have been TO HER WALLOWING IN THE MIRE. ]

kept from doing so. It is true he did beg prayers But verily, I am apt to think, that one reason of good people, and so did Pharaoh of Moses and of his no more regarding or remembering of his Aaron, and Simon Magus of Simon Peter. Ex. i1. 28. sick-bed fears, and of being no better for them. wag

His mind also seemed to be turned to some words that the doctor that supplied him with his wife and child ; but, alas! it was rather from physic said to him when he was mending. For conviction that God had given him concerning as soon as Mr. Badman began to mend, the doctor their happy estate over his, than for that he had any comes and sits him down by him in his house, and true love to the work of God that was in them. True, there fell into discourse with him about the nature some shows of kindness he seemed to have for of his disease; and among other things they talked them, and so had rich Dives when in hell, to his of Badman's trouble, and how he would cry out, five brethren that were yet in the world: yea, he tremble, and express his fears of going to hell when had such love as to wish them in heaven, that they his sickness lay pretty hard upon him. To which might not come thither to be tormented. Lu, xvi. 27, 28. lgnorant physi- the doctor replied, that those fears ATTEN. Sick-bed repentance is seldom good for while they cure

and outeries did arise from the height anything.

of his distemper; for that disease was WISE. You say true, it is very rarely good for often attended with lightness of the head, by reason anything indeed. Death is unwelcome of sick-bed rethe sick party could not sleep, and for that the to nature, and usually when sickness vapours disturbed the brain : but you see, Sir, and death visit the sinner; the first suspected. quoth he, that so soon as you got sleep and betook taking of him by the shoulder, and the second yourself to rest, you quickly mended, and your standing at the bed-chamber door to receive him ; head settled, and so those frenzies left

you.

And then the sinner begins to look about him, and to it was so indeed, thought Mr. Badman; was my bethink with himself, these will have me away betroubles only the effects of my distemper, and before God ; and I know that my life has not been cause ill vapours got up into my brain? Then as it should, how shall I do to appear before God ! surely, since my physician was my saviour, my Or if it be more the sense of the punishment, and lust again shall be my god. So he never minded the place of the punishment of sinners, that also is religion more, but betook him again to the world, starting to a defiled conscience, now roused by his lusts and wicked companions: and there was death's lumbering at the door. And hence usually an end of Mr. Badman's conversion.

is sick-bed repentance, and the matter of it; to wit, Atten. I thought, as you told me of him, that to be saved from hell, and from death, and that this would be the result of the whole; for I dis- God will restore again to health till they mend, cerned, by your relating of things, that the true concluding that it is in their power to mend, as is symptoms of conversion were wanting in him, and evident by their large and lavishing promises to do that those that appeared to be anything like them, it. I have known many that, when they have been were only such as reprobates may have.

sick, have had large measures of this kind of reWise. You say right, for there wanted in him, pentance, and while it has lasted, the noise and when he was most sensible, a sense of the pollution sound thereof has made the town to ring again. of his nature; he only had guilt for his sinful But, alas ! how long has it lasted ? ofttimes scarce actions, the which Cain, and Pharaoh, and Saul, so long as until the party now sick has been well. and Judas, those reprobates, have had before him. It has passed away like a mist or a vapour, it has Ge. iv. 13, 14. Ex, ix. 27. 1 Sa. xv. 24. Mat. xxvii. 3–5.

been a thing of no continuance. But this kind of Besides, the great things that he desired, were repentance is by God compared to the howling of The true

to be delivered from going to hell, and a dog. . And they have not cried unto me with toms of conter who would, willingly ? and that his their heart, when they howled upon their beds.' in all Mr. Bild life might be lengthened in this world. IIo. vii. 14. sin, and desires We find not, by all that he said or did, ATTEN. Yet one may see by this the desperate

that Jesus Christ the Saviour was de- ness of man's heart; for what is it but sired by him, from a sense of his need of his right desperate wickedness to make promise desperateness eousness to clothe him, and of his Spirit to sanctify to God of amendment, if he will but him. His own strength was whole in him, he saw spare them; and yet, so soon as they are recovered, nothing of the treachery of his own heart: for had or quickly after, fall to sin as they did before, and he, he would never have been so free to make never to regard their promise more. promises to God of amendment. He would rather Wise. It is a sign of desperateness indeed; yca,

symp

sion wanting

man's sense of

of mercy.

A sign of the

.

I can say

WIFE

DIES BROKEN-HEARTED. - HIER

of desperate madness. De. i. 34, 35. For, surely, | my mournings, and complaints: I have heretofore they must needs think that God took notice of longed to be among the saints, but might by no their promise, that he heard the words that they means be suffered to go, but now I am going, and spake, and that he hath laid them up against the no man can stop me, to the great meeting, 'to the time to come; and will then bring out, and testify general assembly, and church of the firstborn which to their faces, that they flattered him with their are written in heaven.' He. xii. 22–24. There I shall mouth, and lied unto him with their tongue, when have my heart's desire; there I shall worship with. they lay sick, to their thinking, upon their death-out temptation or other impediment; Her talk to her bed, and promised him that if he would recover there I shall see the face of my Jesus, friends. thom they would repent and amend their ways. whom I have loved, whom I have served, and who Ps. lxxviii. 34-37. But thus, as I have told you, Mr. now I know will save my soul. I have prayed Badman did. He made great promises that he often for my husband, that he might be converted, would be a new man, that he would leave his sins but there has been no answer of God in that matand become a convert, that he would love, &c., ter. Are my prayers lost ? are they forgotten ? his godly wife, &c. Yea, many fine words had are they thrown over the bar ? No: they are Mr. Badman in his sickness, but no good actions hanged upon the horns of the golden altar, and I when he was well.

must have the benefit of them myself, that moment

that I shall enter into the gates, in at which the CHAPTER XVI.

righteous nation that keepeth truth shall enter: I

say, I shall have the benefit of them. (1718 PIOUS DEATII-BED CHARGE TO HER FAMILY.]

as holy David; I say, I can say of my husband,

as he could of his enemies: •As for me, when they ATTEN. And how did his good wife take it, were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled when she saw that he had no amendment, but that my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into he returned with the dog to his vomit, to his old mine own bosom.' Ps. XXXV. 13. My prayers are not courses again?

lost, my tears are yet in God's bottle; I would Wise. Why, it broke her heart, it was a worse have had a crown, and glory for my husband, and Mr. Badman's disappointment to her than the cheat for those of my children that follow his steps ; but wife's heart is that he gave her in marriage. At so far as I can see yet, I must rest in the hope of broken.

least she laid it more to heart, and having all myself. could not so well grapple with it. You must think Atten. Did she talk thus openly? that she had put up many a prayer to God for him Wise. No: this she spake but to one or two of before, even all the time that he had carried it so her most intimate acquaintance, who were permitbadly to her, and now, when he was so affrighted ted to come and see her, when she lay languishing in his sickness, and so desired that he might live upon her death-bed. and mend; poor woman, she thought that the time Atten. Well, but pray go on in your relation, was come for God to answer her prayers; nay, she this is good; I am glad to hear it, this is as a cordid not let' with gladness, to whisper it out amongst dial to my heart while we sit thus talking under her friends, that it was so: but when she saw her- this tree. self disappointed by her husband turning rebel WISE. When she drew near her end, she called again, she could not stand up under it, but falls for her husband, and when he was ler talk to her into a languishing distemper, and in a few weeks come to her she told him that now gave up the ghost.

he and she must part, and, said she, God knows, ATTEN. Pray how did she die ?

and thou shalt know, that I liave been a loving, WISE. Die ! she died bravely; full of comfort faithful wife unto thee; my prayers have been mauy of the faith of her interest in Christ, and by him, for thee; and as for all the abuses that I have reof the world to come. She had many brave ex- ceived at thy hand, those I freely and heartily forpressions in her sickness, and gave to those that give, and still shall pray for thy conversion, even as came to visit her many signs of her salvation; the long as I breathe in this world. But husband, I am thoughts of the grave, but especially of her rising going thither, where no bad man shall come, and again, were sweet thoughts to her. She would if thou dost not convert, thou wilt never see me long for death, because she knew it would be her more with comfort; let not my plain words offend friend. She behaved herself like to some that were thee ; I am thy dying wife, and of my faithfulness making of them ready to go meet their bridegroom. to thee, would leave this exhortation with thee; Hier Christian Now, said she, I am going to rest break off thy sins, fly to God for mercy while speech. from my sorrows, my sighs, my tears, mercy’s gate stands open; remember that the day

is coming, when thou, though now lusty and well, To let, prevent, or hiuder. Sce Isa. xliii. 13.--(ED.) must lie at the gates of death as I do; and what

a

husband.