of lying: and therefore this Mr. Badman, as he was a lier from a Child,
so he was also much given to {24b} pilfer and steal, so that what he
could, as we say, handsomly lay his hands on, that was counted his own,
whether they were the things of his fellow Children; or if he could lay
hold of any thing at a Neighbours house, he would take it away; you
must understand me of Trifles; for being let 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: Yea, what was his {24c} Fathers, could not escape his
fingers, all was Fish that came to his Net, so hardened, at last, was
he in this mischief also.
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.
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, {24d}
Thou shalt not steal: 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. {25a} The light of Nature also, though he was little, must
needs shew 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.
Atten. But his Father would, as you intimate, sometimes rebuke him for
his wickedness; pray how would he carry it then?
Wise. How! why, like to a Thief that is found. He would stand {25b}
gloating, and hanging down his head in a sullen, pouching manner, (a
body might read, as we use to say, the picture of Ill-luck in his
face,) and when his Father did demand his answer to such questions
concerning his Villany, 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.
Wise. Natural or unnatural, all is one to a Thief. Beside, you
must think that he had likewise Companions to whom he was, for the
wickedness that he saw in them, more {25c} firmly knit, than either to
Father or Mother. Yea, and what had he cared if Father and 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 was his Bondage; yea, and if I forget not, I have heard
some say, that when he was, at times, among his Companions, he would
greatly {25d} rejoyce to think that his Parents were old, and could not
live long, and then, quoth he, I shall be mine own man, to do what I
list without their controul.
Atten. Then it seems he counted that robbing of his Parents was no
crime.
Wise. None at all, and therefore he fell directly under that
Sentence, Whoso robbeth his Father or his Mother, and saith it is no
transgression, the same is the companion of a destroyer. And for that
he set so light by them as to their Persons and Counsels, ’twas a sign
that at present he was of a very abominable spirit, {26a} and that some
Judgement waited to take hold of him in time to come.
Atten. But can you imagin what it was, I mean, in his conceit (for I
speak not now of the suggestions of Satan, by which doubtless he was
put on to do these things,) I say what it should be in his conceit,
that should make him think that this his manner of pilfering and
stealing was no great matter.
Wise. It was, for that, the things that he stole, were small; to rob
Orchards, and Gardens, and to steal Pullen, and the like, these he
counted {26b} Tricks of Youth, nor would he be beat out of it by all
that his Friends could say. They would tell him that he must not covet,
or desire, (and yet to desire, is less than to take) even any thing,
the least thing that was his Neighbours, 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.
[Picture: Take note symbol] 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 Pins and Points, 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.
Wise. Since you are entred upon Storyes, I also will tell you one, the
which, {26d} though I heard it not with mine own Ears, yet my Author I
dare believe: {26e} It is concerning one old Tod, that was hanged about
Twenty years agoe, or more, at Hartford, for being a Thief. The Story
is this:
[Picture: Take note symbol] At a Summer Assizes holden at Hartfor[d],
while the Judge was sitting upon the Bench, comes this old Tod into
the Court, cloathed in a green Suit, with his Leathern Girdle in his
hand, his Bosom open, and all on a dung sweat, as if he had run for
his Life; and being come in, he spake aloud as follows: {27} My Lord,
said he, Here is the veryest Rogue that breaths upon the face of the
earth. I have been a Thief from a Child: When I was but a little one, I
gave my self 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 thus many years within so many miles if 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 confessed Guilty,
and so was hanged with his Wife at the same time.
Atten. This is a remarkable Story indeed, and you think it is a true
one.
Wise. It is not only remarkable, but pat to our purpose. This Thief,
like Mr. Badman, began his Trade betimes; he began too where Mr. Badman
began, even at robbing 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 publick shame of sin, which is the Gallows.
As for the truth of this Story, the Relator 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.
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 Begger does with Vermin, and that when he was but a Boy.
Atten. Why what other sins was he addicted to, I mean while he was but
a Child?
Wise. You need not ask, to what other sins was he, but to what other
sins was he 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 {28a} Lords Day, because of 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, untill holy Duties were
over.) Reading the Scriptures, hearing Sermons, godly Conference,
repeating of Sermons, and Prayer, 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 shew 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, gruding 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 Week: But I suppose that the {28b} reason of his loathing
of it, was, for that God hath put sanctity and holiness upon it; also
because it is the day above all the days of the week that ought to be
spent in holy Devotion, in remembrance of our Lords Resurrection from
the dead.
Wise. Yes, ’twas 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 [h]oly duties?
Wise. {29a} Yes doubtless; and a man shall shew his Heart and his Life
what they are, more by one Lords-day, than by all the days of the week
besides: And the reason is, because on the Lords-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 enjoyned 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 incline not
naturally to good, now they will shew it, now they will appear what
they are. The Lords 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 Lords Day is, as it were, a day that
enjoyns to one perpetual Duty of Holiness: Remember that thou keep
holy the Sabbath day, {29b} (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; and therefore is a greater proof of the frame and temper
of a mans 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, {29c} upon the account that now they have
an opportunity to shew how they delight to honour him; {29d} in that
they have, not only an Hour, but a whole Day to shew it in: 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.
{29e} The first he calleth a Blessed man, but brandeth the other for
an unsanctified worldling. And indeed, to delight ourselves in Gods
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 dayes, as Mr. Badman did.
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 Sabath is to be kept
to God; {30a} I say, to be kept for ever and ever. 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 doe the things that he says. And
this Mr. Badman was such an one: he could not abide this day, nor any
of the Duties of it. Indeed, when he could get from his Friends, and
so {30b} spend it in all manner of idleness 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 Gods forbidding,
to follow our Callings, to solace and satisfie our lusts and delights
of the flesh. I take the liberty to speak thus of Mr. Badman, upon a
confidence of what you, Sir, have said of him, is true.
Wise. You needed not to have made that Apology for your censuring of
Mr. Badman, for all that knew him, will confirm what you said of him
to be true. He could not abide either that day, or any thing 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: {30c} 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 mentioned but some, for yet
there are more to follow, and those not at all inferiour to what you
have already heard.
Atten. Pray what were they?
Wise. Why he was greatly given, and that while a Lad, to grievous
{31a} Swearing and Cursing: yea, he then made no more of Swearing and
Cursing, than I do of telling my fingers. Yea, he would do it without
provocation thereto. He counted it a glory to Swear and Curse, and it
was as natural to him, as to eat and drink and sleep.
Atten. Oh! what a young Villain was this! here is, as the Apostle says,
a yielding of Members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, {31b}
indeed! This is proceeding from evil to evil with a witness; This
argueth that he was a black-mouthed young Wretch indeed.
Wise. He was so; and yet, as I told you, he counted, above all, this
kind of sinning, to be {31c} a Badge of his Honour: He reckoned himself
a mans Fellow when he had learnt to Swear and Curse boldly.
Atten. I am perswaded 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 terrour into his
words, to stuff them full of the sin of Swearing.
Wise. You say right, else, as I am perswaded, 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.
Atten. Well, but now we are upon it, pray shew me {31d} the difference
between Swearing and Cursing; for there is a difference, is there not?
Wise. Yes: There is a difference between Swearing and Cursing,
Swearing, vain swearing, such as young Badman accustomed himself unto.
Now vain and sinful swearing, {31e} Is a light and wicked calling of
God, &c. to witness to our vain and foolish attesting of things, and
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 groundlesly, it is vain, because it is
a sin against the Third Commandement, which says, Thou shalt not take
the Name of the Lord thy God in vain. {32a} 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.
Atten. Then it seems, though as to the matter of fact, a man swears
truely, yet if he sweareth lightly and groundlesly, his Oath is evil,
and he by it, under sin.
Wise. Yes; a man may say, {32b} The Lord liveth, and that is true, and
yet in so saying, swear falsly; because he sweareth vainly, needlesly,
and without a ground. To swear groundedly and necessarily, (which then
a man does, when he swears as being called thereto of God,) that is
tolerated of the Word: but this was none of Mr. Badmans swearing, and
therefore that which now we are not concerned about.
Atten. I perceive, by the Prophet, that a man may sin in swearing
to a Truth: They therefore must needs most horribly sin, that swear
to confirm their Jests and Lies; and as they think, the better to
beautifie their foolish talking.
Wise. They sin with an high hand; for they presume to imagine, {32c}
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 himself, 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. This kind of Swearing is put
in with lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing Adultery; and
therefore must not go unpunished: {32d} For if God will not hold him
guiltless that taketh his Name in vain, which a man may doe when he
swears to a truth, (as I have shewed before,) how can it be imagined,
that he should hold such guiltless, who, by Swearing, will appeal to
God, if Lies be not true, or that swear out of their frantick and
Bedlam madness. It would grieve and provoke a sober man to wrath, if
one should swear to a notorious lye, 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 Badman, as
it was to eat when he was an hungred, 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.
Wise. It cannot be any thing that is good, you may be sure; because the
thing it self is abominable: {33a} 1. Therefore it must be from 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. {33b} 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 shew themselves the
more valiant men: 5. And imagine also, that by these outrageous kind
of villianies, they shall conquer those that at such a time they have
to do with, and make them believe their lyes 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
Chapmans money into his own pocket.
Atten. All these causes of Swearing, so far as I can perceive, flow
from the same Root as doe the Oaths themselves, even from a hardened
and desperate heart. But pray shew me now how wicked cursing is to be
distinguished from this kind of swearing.
Wise. {34a} 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
said: That is, if they that swear, swear by him. Some indeed swear by
Idols, as by the Mass, by our Lady, by Saints, Beasts, Birds, and other
creatures; 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 {34b} Curse, to Curse profanely, it is to sentence another or our
self, for, or to evil: or to wish that some evil might happen to the
person or thing under the Curse, unjustly.
It is to sentence for, or to evil, (that is, without a cause): Thus
Shimei cursed David: He sentenced him for and to evil unjustly, when
he said to him, Come out, come out thou bloody man, and thou man of
Belial. The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of
Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned, and the Lord hath delivered the
kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and behold thou art taken in
thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. {34c}
This David calls a grievous Curse. And behold, saith he to Solomon his
Son, thou hast with thee Shimei a Benjamite, which cursed me with a
grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. {34d}
But what was this Curse? Why, First, It was a wrong sentence past upon
David; Shimei called him Bloody man, man of Belial, when he was not.
Secondly, He sentenced him to the evil that at present was upon him,
for being a bloody man, (that is, against the house of Saul,) when that
present evil overtook David, for quite another thing.
And we may thus apply it to the {34e} profane ones of our times who in
their rage and envy, have little else in their mouths but a sentence
against their Neighbour for, and to evil unjustly. How common is it
with many, when they are but a little offended with one, to cry, Hang
him, Damn him, Rogue! This is both a sentencing of him for, and to
evil, and is in it self a grievous Curse.
2. The other kind of Cursing, is to wish that some evil might happen
to, and overtake this or that person or thing: And this kind of
Cursing, Job counted a grievous sin. I have not suffered (says he) my
mouth to sin, {35a} by wishing a curse to his soul; or consequently, to
Body or Estate. This then is a wicked cursing, to wish that evil might
either befall another or our selves: And this kind of cursing young
Badman accustomed himself unto.
1. He {35b} would wish that evil might befall others; he would wish
their Necks broken, or that their Brains were out, or that the Pox, or
Plague was upon them, and the like: All which is a devilish kind of
cursing, and is become one of the common sins of our age.
2. He would also as often wish a Curse to himself, saying, Would I
might be hanged, or burned, or that the Devil might fetch me, if it
be not so, or the like. We count the {35c} Damme Blades to be great
Swearers; but when in their hellish fury they say, God-damme me, God
perish me, or the like, they rather curse than swear; yea, curse
themselves, and that with a Wish that Damnation might light upon
themselves; which wish and Curse of theirs, in a little time, they will
see accomplished upon them, even in Hell-fire, if they repent not of
their sins.
Atten. But did this young Badman accustom himself to such filthy kind
of language?
Wise. I think I may say, that nothing was more frequent in his mouth,
and that upon the least provocation. Yea he was so versed in such kind
of language, that neither {35d} Father, nor Mother, nor Brother, nor
Sister, nor Servant, no nor the very Cattel that his Father had, could
escape these Curses of his. I say, that even the bruit Beasts when he
drove them, or rid upon them, if they pleased not his humour, they must
be sure to partake of his curse. {35e} He would wish their Necks broke,
their Legs broke, their Guts out, or that the Devil might fetch them,
or the like: and no marvel, for he that is so hardy to wish damnation,
or other bad curses to himself, or dearest relations; will not stick to
wish evil to the silly Beast, in his madness.