[BADMAN'S APPRENTICESHIP TO A PIOUS MASTER.]
WISE. Alas! his father did so; he put him out betimes to one of
his own acquaintance, and entreated him of all love that he would
take care of his son, and keep him for extravagant ways. His
trade also was honest and commodious; he had besides a full employ
therein, so that this young Badman had no vacant seasons nor idle
hours yielded him by his calling, therein to take opportunities
to do badly; but all was one to him, as he had begun to be vile
in his father's house, even so he continued to be when he was in
the house of his master.
ATTEN. I have known some children, who, though they have been
very bad at home, yet have altered much when they have been put
out abroad; especially when they have fallen into a family where
the governors thereof have made conscience of maintaining of the
worship and service of God therein; but perhaps that might be
wanting in Mr. Badman's master's house.
WISE. Indeed some children do greatly mend when put under other
men's roofs; but, as I said, this naughty boy did not so; nor did
his badness continue because he wanted a master that both could
and did correct it. For his master was a very good man, a very
devout person; one that frequented the best soul means, that set
up the worship of God in his family, and also that walked himself
thereafter. He was also a man very meek and merciful, one that
did never over-drive young Badman in business, nor that kept him
at it at unseasonable hours.
ATTEN. Say you so! This is rare. I for my part can see but few
that can parallel, in these things, with Mr. Badman's master.
WISE. Nor I neither, yet Mr. Badman had such an one; for, for the
most part, masters are now-a-days such as mind nothing but their
worldly concerns, and if apprentices do but answer their commands
therein, soul and religion may go whither they will. Yea, I much
fear that there have been many towardly lads put out by their
parents to such masters, that have quite undone them as to the
next world.
ATTEN. The more is the pity. But, pray, now you have touched upon
this subject, show me how many ways a master may be the ruin of
his poor apprentice.
WISE. Nay, I cannot tell you of all the ways, yet some of them I
will mention. Suppose, then, that a towardly lad be put to be an
apprentice with one that is reputed to be a godly man, yet that lad
may be ruined many ways; that is, if his master be not circumspect
in all things that respect both God and man, and that before his
apprentice.
1. If he be not moderate in the use of his apprentice; if he drives
him beyond his strength; if he holds him to work at unseasonable
hours; if he will not allow him convenient time to read the Word,
to pray, &c. This is the way to destroy him; that is, in those
tender beginning of good thoughts, and good beginnings about
spiritual things.
2. If he suffers his house to be scattered with profane and wicked
books, such as stir up to lust, to wantonness, such as teach
idle, wanton, lascivious discourse, and such as have a tendency
to provoke to profane drollery and jesting; and lastly, such as
tend to corrupt and pervert the doctrine of faith and holiness. All
these things will eat as doth a canker, and will quickly spoil,
in youth, &c. those good beginnings that may be putting forth
themselves in them.
3. If there be a mixture of servants, that is, if some very bad be
in the same place, that is a way also to undo such tender lads;
for they that are bad and sordid servants will be often, and they
have an opportunity too, to be distilling and fomenting of their
profane and wicked words and tricks before them, and these will
easily stick in the flesh and minds of youth, to the corrupting
of them.
4. If the master have one guise for abroad, and another for home;
that is, if his religion hangs by in his house as his cloak does,
and he be seldom in it, except he be abroad; this young beginners
will take notice of, and stumble at. We say, hedges have eyes,
and little pitchers have ears;[23] and, indeed, children make a
greater inspection into the lives of fathers, masters, &c., than
ofttimes they are aware of. And therefore should masters be careful,
else they may so destroy good beginnings in their servants.
5. If the master be unconscionable in his dealing, and trades with
lying words; or if bad commodities be avouched to be good, or if
he seeks after unreasonable gain, or the like; his servant sees
it, and it is enough to undo him. Eli's sons being bad before the
congregation, made men despise the sacrifices of the Lord (1 Sam
2).
But these things, by the by, only they may serve for a hint to
masters to take heed that they take not apprentices to destroy
their souls. But young Badman had none of these hindrances; his
father took care, and provided well for him, as to this. He had
a good master, he wanted not good books, nor good instruction,
nor good sermons, nor good examples, no nor good fellow-servants
neither; but all would not do.
ATTEN. It is a wonder that in such a family, amidst so many
spiritual helps, nothing should take hold of his heart! What!
not good books, nor good instructions, nor good sermons, nor good
examples, nor good fellow-servants, nor nothing do him good!
WISE. You talk, he minded none of these things; nay, all these
were abominable to him. 1. For good books, they might lie in his
master's house till they rotted from him, he would not regard
to look into them; but contrariwise, would get all the bad and
abominable books that he could, as beastly romances, and books full
of ribaldry, even such as immediately tended to set all fleshly
lusts on fire.[24] True, he durst not be known to have any of these
to his master; therefore would he never let them be seen by him,
but would keep them in close places, and peruse them at such times
as yielded him fit opportunities thereto.
2. For good instruction, he liked that much as he liked good books;
his care was to hear but little thereof, and to forget what he
heard as soon as it was spoken. Yea, I have heard some that knew
him then say, that one might evidently discern by the show of his
countenance and gestures that good counsel was to him like little
ease, even a continual torment to him; nor did he ever count
himself at liberty but when farthest off of wholesome words (Prov
15:12). He would hate them that rebuked him, and count them his
deadly enemies (Prov 9:8).
3. For good example, which was frequently set him by his master,
both in religious and civil matters, these young Badman would
laugh at, and would also make a by-word of them when he came in
place where he with safety could.
4. His master indeed would make him go with him to sermons, and
that here he thought the best preachers were, but this ungodly
young man, what shall I say, was, I think, a master of art in all
mischief, he had these wicked ways to hinder himself of hearing,
let the preacher thunder never so loud. 1. His way was, when come
into the place of hearing, to sit down in some corner and then to
fall fast asleep. 2. Or else to fix his adulterous eyes upon some
beautiful object that was in the place, and so all sermon-while
therewith to be feeding of his fleshly lusts. 3. Or, if he could
get near to some that he had observed would fit his humour, he
would be whispering, giggling, and playing with them till such
time as sermon was done.
ATTEN. Why! he was grown to a prodigious height of wickedness.
WISE. He was so, and that which aggravates all was, this was his
practice as soon as he was come to his master--he was as ready
at all these things as if he had, before he came to his master,
served an apprenticeship to learn them.
ATTEN. There could not but be added, as you relate them, rebellion
to his sin. Methinks it is as if he had said, I will not hear,
I will not regard, I will not mind good, I will not mend, I will
not turn, I will not be converted.
WISE. You say true, and I know not to whom more fitly to compare
him than to that man who, when I myself rebuked him or his
wickedness, in this great huff replied, What would the devil do
for company if it was not for such as I?
ATTEN. Why, did you ever hear any man say so?
WISE. Yes, that I did, and this young Badman was as like him as
an egg is like an egg. Alas! the Scripture makes mention of many
that by their actions speak the same, 'They say unto God, Depart
from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways' (Job 21:14).
Again, 'They refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder,
and stopped their ears. Yea, they make their hearts' hard 'as an
adamant-stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which
the Lord of hosts hath sent' (Zech 7:11,12). What are all these
but such as Badman, and such as the young man but now mentioned?
That young man was my play-fellow when I was solacing myself in
my sins; I may make mention of him to my shame, but he has a great
many fellows.
ATTEN. Young Badman was like him indeed, and he trod his steps
as if his wickedness had been his very copy: I mean as to his
desperateness, for had he not been a desperate one he would never
have made you such a reply when you was rebuking of him for his
sin. But when did you give him such a rebuke?
WISE. A while after God had parted him and I, by calling of me,
as I hope, by his grace, still leaving him in his sins; and so
far as I could ever gather, as he lived, so he died, even as Mr.
Badman did; but we will leave him and return again to our discourse.
ATTEN. Ha! poor obstinate sinners! Do they think that God cannot
be even with them?
WISE. I do not know what they think, but I know that God hath
said, 'That as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried
and I would not hear, saith the Lord' (Zech 7:13). Doubtless there
is a time coming when Mr. Badman will cry for this.
ATTEN. But I wonder that he should be so expert in wickedness so
soon! Alas, he was but a stripling, I suppose he was as yet not
twenty.
WISE. No, nor eighteen either; but, as with Ishmael, and with the
children that mocked the prophet, the seeds of sin did put forth
themselves betimes in him (Gen 21:9,10; 2 Kings 2:23,24).
ATTEN. Well, he was as wicked a young man as commonly one shall
hear of.
WISE. You will say so when you know all.
ATTEN. All, I think, here is a great all; but if there is more
behind, pray let us hear it.
WISE. Why then, I will tell you, that he had not been with his
master much above a year and a half, but he came acquainted with
three young villains, who here shall be nameless, that taught
him to add to his sin much of like kind, and he as aptly received
their instructions. One of them was chiefly given to uncleanness,
another to drunkenness, and the third to purloining, or stealing
from his master.
ATTEN. Alas! poor wretch, he was bad enough before, but these, I
suppose, made him much worse.
WISE. That they made him worse you may be sure of, for they taught
him to be an arch, a chief one in all their ways.
ATTEN. It was an ill hap that he ever came acquainted with them.
WISE. You must rather word it thus--it was the judgment of God
that he did, that is, he came acquainted with them through the
anger of God. He had a good master, and before him a good father;
by these he had good counsel given him for months and years
together, but his heart was set upon mischief, he loved wickedness
more than to do good, even until his iniquity came to be hateful,
therefore, from the anger of God it was that these companions of
his and he did at last so acquaint together. Says Paul, 'They did
not like to retain God in their knowledge'; and what follows?
wherefore 'God gave them over,' or up to their own hearts' lusts
(Rom 1:28). And again, 'As for such as turn aside unto their
crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of
iniquity' (Psa 125:5). This therefore was God's hand upon him,
that he might be destroyed, be damned, 'because he received not
the love of the truth that he might be saved' (2 Thess 2:10).
He chose his delusions and deluders for him, even the company of
base men, of fools, that he might be destroyed (Prov 12:20).
ATTEN. I cannot but think indeed that it is a great judgment of
God for a man to be given up to the company of vile men; for what
are such but the devil's decoys, even those by whom he draws the
simple into his net? A whoremaster, a drunkard, a thief, what are
they but the devil's baits by which he catcheth others?
WISE. You say right; but this young Badman was no simple one, if
by simple you mean one uninstructed; for he had often good counsel
given him; but, if by simple you mean him that is a fool as to
the true knowledge of, and faith in Christ, then he was a simple
one indeed; for he chose death rather than life, and to live in
continual opposition to God, rather than to be reconciled unto
him; according to that saying of the wise man, 'The fools hated
knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord' (Prov 1:29).
And what judgment more dreadful can a fool be given up to, than
to be delivered into the hands of such men, that have skill to do
nothing but to ripen sin, and hasten its finishing unto damnation?
And, therefore, men should be afraid of offending God, because he
can in this manner punish them for their sins. I knew a man that
once was, as I though, hopefully awakened about his condition;
yea, I knew two that were so awakened, but in time they began to
draw back, and to incline again to their lusts; wherefore, God
gave them up to the company of three or four men, that in less
than three years' time, brought them roundly to the gallows, where
they were hanged like dogs, because they refused to live like
honest men.
ATTEN. But such men do not believe that thus to be given up of God
is in judgment and anger; they rather take it to be their liberty,
and do count it their happiness; they are glad that their cord is
loosed, and that the reins are on their neck; they are glad that
they may sin without control, and that they may choose such company
as can make them more expert in an evil way.
WISE. Their judgment is, therefore, so much the greater, because
thereto is added blindness of mind, and hardness of heart in a
wicked way. They are turned up to the way of death, but must not
see to what place they are going. They must go as the ox to the
slaughter, 'and as a fool to the correction of the stocks, till
a dart strike through his liver,' not knowing 'that it is for his
life' (Prov 7:22,23). This, I say, makes their judgment double;
they are given up of God for a while, to sport themselves with
that which will assuredly make them 'mourn at the last, when
their flesh and their body are consumed' (Prov 5:11). These are
those that Peter speaks, that shall utterly perish in their own
corruptions; these, I say, who 'count it pleasure to riot in the
day-time,' and that sport 'themselves with their own deceivings,'
are 'as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed' (2
Peter 2:12,13).
ATTEN. Well, but I pray now concerning these three villains that
were young Badman's companions; tell me more particularly how he
carried it then.
WISE. How he carried it? why, he did as they. I intimated so much
before, when I said they made him an arch,[25] a chief one in
their ways.
First, he became a frequenter of taverns and tippling-houses, and
would stay there until he was even as drunk as a beast. And if it
was so that he could not get out by day, he would, be sure, get
out by night. Yea, he became so common a drunkard at last, that
he was taken notice of to be a drunkard even by all.
ATTEN. This was swinish, for drunkenness is so beastly a sin, a
sin so much against nature, that I wonder that any that have but
the appearance of men can give up themselves to so beastly, yea,
worse than beastly, a thing.
WISE. It is a swinish vanity indeed. I will tell you another story.
There was a gentleman that had a drunkard to be his groom, and
coming home one night very much abused with beer, his master saw
it. Well, quoth his master within himself, I will let thee alone
to night, but to-morrow morning I will convince thee that thou art
worse than a beast by the behaviour of my horse. So, when morning
was come, he bids his man go and water his horse, and so he did;
but, coming up to his master, he commands him to water him again;
so the fellow rode into the water the second time, but his master's
horse would now drink no more, so the fellow came up and told
his master. Then, said his master, thou drunken sot, thou art far
worse than my horse; he will drink but to satisfy nature, but thou
wilt drink to the abuse of nature; he will drink but to refresh
himself, but thou to thy hurt and damage; he will drink that
he may be more serviceable to his master, but thou till thou art
incapable of serving either God or man. O thou beast, how much
art thou worse than the horse that thou ridest on!
ATTEN. Truly, I think that his master served him right; for, in
doing as he did, he showed him plainly, as he said, that he had
not so much government of himself as his horse had of himself;
and, consequently, that his beast did live more according to the
law of his nature by far than did his man. But, pray, go on with
what you have further to say.
WISE. Why, I say, that there are four things, which, if they were
well considered, would make drunkenness to be abhorred in the
thoughts of the children of men. 1. It greatly tendeth to impoverish
and beggar a man. 'The drunkard,' says Solomon, 'shall come to
poverty' (Prov 23:21). Many that have begun the world with plenty,
have gone out of it in rags, through drunkenness. Yea, many children
that have been born to good estates, have yet been brought to a
flail and a rake, through this beastly sin of their parents. 2.
This sin of drunkenness it bringeth upon the body many, great,
and incurable diseases, by which men do, in little time, come to
their end, and none can help them. So, because they are overmuch
wicked, therefore they die before their time (Eccl 7:17). 3.
Drunkenness is a sin that is oftentimes attended with abundance of other
evils. 'Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? Who
hath babbling? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of
eyes? They that tarry long at the wine, they that go to seek mixed
wine'; that is, the drunkard (Prov 23:29,30). 4. By drunkenness,
men do oftentimes shorten their days; go out of the ale-house
drunk, and break their necks before they come home. Instances,
not a few, might be given of this, but this is so manifest a man
need say nothing.
ATTEN. But that which is worse than all is, it also prepares men
for everlasting burnings (1 Cor 6:10).
WISE. Yea, and it so stupefies and besots the soul, that a man
that is far gone in drunkenness is hardly ever recovered to God.
Tell me, when did you see an old drunkard converted? No, no, such
an one will sleep till he dies, though he sleeps on the top of a
mast; let his dangers be never so great, and death and damnation
never so near, he will not be awaked out of his sleep (Prov
23:34,35). So that if a man have any respect either to credit,
health, life, or salvation, he will not be a drunken man. But the
truth is, where this sin gets the upper hand, men are, as I said
before, so intoxicated and bewitched with the seeming pleasures
and sweetness thereof, that they have neither heart nor mind to
think of that which is better in itself; and would, if embraced,
do them good.
ATTEN. You said that drunkenness tends to poverty, yet some make
themselves rich by drunken bargains.
WISE. I said so, because the Word says so. And as to some men's
getting thereby, that is indeed but rare and base; yea, and base
will be the end of such gettings. The Word of God is against such
ways, and the curse of God will be the end of such doings. An
inheritance may sometimes thus be hastily gotten at the beginning,
but the end thereof shall not be blessed. Hark what the prophet
saith, 'Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness, that
he may set his nest on high' (Hab 2:5,9-12,15). Whether he makes
drunkenness, or ought else, the engine and decoy to get it; for
that man doth but consult the shame of his own house, the spoiling
of his family, and the damnation of his soul; for that which he
getteth by working of iniquity is but a getting by the devices of
hell; therefore he can be no gainer neither for himself or family,
that gains by an evil course. But this was one of the sins that
Mr. Badman was addicted to after he came acquainted with these
three fellows, nor could all that his master could do break him
off this beastly sin.
ATTEN. But where, since he was but an apprentice, could he get money
to follow this practice; for drunkenness, as you have intimated,
is a very costly sin.
WISE. His master paid for all. For, as I told you before, as he
learned of these three villains to be a beastly drunkard, so he
learned of them to pilfer and steal from his master. Sometimes he
would sell off his master's goods, but keep the money, that is,
when he could; also, sometimes he would beguile his master by
taking out of his cash box; and when he could do neither of these,
he would convey away of his master's wares, what he thought would
be least missed, and send or carry them to such and such houses,
where he knew they would be laid up to his use; and then appoint
set times there, to meet and make merry with these fellows.
ATTEN. This was as bad, nay, I think, worse than the former; for
by thus doing he did not only run himself under the wrath of God,
but has endangered the undoing of his master and his family.
WISE. Sins go not alone, but follow one the other as do the links
of a chain; he that will be a drunkard, must have money, either of
his own or of some other man's; either of his father's, mother's,
master's, or at the highway, or some way.
ATTEN. I fear that many an honest man is undone by such kind of
servants.
WISE. I am of the same mind with you, but this should make the
dealer the more wary what kind of servants he keeps, and what kind
of apprentices he takes. It should also teach him to look well to
his shop himself; also to take strict account of all things that
are bought and sold by his servants. The master's neglect herein
may embolden his servant to be bad, and may bring him too in short
time to rags and a morsel of bread.
ATTEN. I am afraid that there is much of this kind of pilfering
among servants in these bad days of ours.
WISE. Now while it is in my mind, I will tell you a story. When
I was in prison, there came a woman to me that was under a great
deal of trouble.[26] So I asked her, she being a stranger to me,
what she had to say to me. She said she was afraid she should be
damned. I asked her the cause of those fears. She told me that she
had, some time since, lived with a shopkeeper at Wellingborough,
and had robbed his box in the shop several times of money, to the
value of more than now I will say; and pray, says she, tell me
what I shall do. I told her I would have her go to her master,
and make him satisfaction. She said she was afraid; I asked her,
why? She said, she doubted he would hang her. I told her that I
would intercede for her life, and would make use of other friends
too to do the like; but she told me she durst not venture that.
Well, said I, shall I send to your master, while you abide out of
sight, and make your peace with him, before he sees you; and with
that I asked her her master's name. But all that she said, in
answer to this, was, Pray let it alone till I come to you again.
So away she went, and neither told me her master's name nor her
own. This is about ten or twelve years since, and I never saw
her again. I tell you this story for this cause; to confirm your
fears that such kind of servants too many there be; and that God
makes them sometimes like old Tod, of whom mention was made before,
through the terrors that he lays upon them, to betray themselves.
I could tell you of another, that came to me with a like relation
concerning herself, and the robbing of her mistress; but at this
time let this suffice.
ATTEN. But what was that other villain addicted to; I mean young
Badman's third companion.
WISE. Uncleanness; I told you before, but it seems you forgot.
ATTEN. Right, it was uncleanness. Uncleanness is also a filthy
sin.
WISE. It is so; and yet it is one of the most reigning sins in our
day.[27]
ATTEN. So they say, and that too among those that one would think
had more wit, even among the great ones.
WISE. The more is the pity; for usually examples that are set by
them that are great and chief, spread sooner, and more universally,
than do the sins of other men; yea, and when such men are at the
head in transgressing, sin walks with a bold face through the
land. As Jeremiah saith of the prophets, so may it be said of such,
'From them is profaneness gone forth into all the land': that is,
with bold and audacious face (Jer 23:15).
ATTEN. But pray let us return again to Mr. Badman and his companions.
You say one of them was very vile in the commission of uncleanness.
WISE. Yes, so I say; not but that he was a drunkard and also
thievish, but he was most arch in this sin of uncleanness: this
roguery was his masterpiece, for he was a ringleader to them all
in the beastly sin of whoredom. He was also best acquainted with
such houses where they were, and so could readily lead the rest
of his gang unto them. The strumpets also, because they knew this
young villain, would at first discover themselves in all their
whorish pranks to those that he brought with him.
ATTEN. That is a deadly thing: I mean, it is a deadly thing to
young men, when such beastly queens shall, with words and carriages
that are openly tempting, discover themselves unto them; it is
hard for such to escape their snare.
WISE. That is true, therefore the wise man's counsel is the best:
'Come not nigh the door of her house' (Prov 5:8). For they are,
as you say, very tempting, as is seen by her in the Proverbs. 'I
looked,' says the wise man, 'through my casement, and behold among
the simple ones I discerned a young man void of understanding,
passing through the street near her corner, and he went the way
to her house, in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and
dark night. And, behold, there met him a women with the attire
of an harlot, and subtle of heart; she is loud and stubborn; her
feet abide not in her house; now is she without, now in the streets,
and lieth in wait at every corner. So she caught him, and kissed
him, and, with an impudent face, said unto him, I have peace-offerings
with me; this day have I paid my vows. Therefore came I forth to
meet thee diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. I
have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works,
with fine linen of Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,
aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until the
morning; let us solace ourselves with loves' (Prov 7:6-18). Here
was a bold beast. And, indeed, the very eyes, hands, words, and
ways of such, are all snares and bands to youthful, lustful fellows.
And with these was young Badman greatly snared.
ATTEN. This sin of uncleanness is mightily cried out against both
by Moses, the prophets, Christ, and his apostles; and yet, as we
see, for all that, how men run headlong to it!
WISE. You have said the truth, and I will add, that God, to hold
men back from so filthy a sin, has set such a stamp of his indignation
upon it, and commanded such evil effects to follow it, that, were
not they that use it bereft of all fear of God, and love to their
own health, they could not but stop and be afraid to commit it.
For besides the eternal damnation that doth attend such in the
next world, for these have no 'inheritance in the kingdom of Christ
and of God' (Eph 5:5), the evil effects thereof in this world are
dreadful.
ATTEN. Pray show me some of them, that as occasion offereth itself,
I may show them to others for their good.
WISE. So I will. 1. It bringeth a man, as was said of the sin
before, to want and poverty; 'For by means of a whorish woman, a
man is brought to a piece of bread' (Prov 6:26). The reason is,
for that a whore will not yield without hire; and men, when the
devil and lust is in them, and God and his fear far away from
them, will not stick, so they may accomplish their desire, to lay
their signet, their bracelets, and their staff to pledge, rather
than miss of the fulfilling of their lusts (Gen 38:18). 2. Again,
by this sin men diminish their strength, and bring upon themselves,
even upon the body a multitude of diseases. This King Lemuels'
mother warned him of. 'What, my son?' said she, 'and what the son
of my womb? And what the son of my vows? Give not thy strength
unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings' (Prov
31:2,3). This sin is destructive to the body. Give me leave to
tell you another story. I have heard of a great man that was a
very unclean person, and he had lived so long in that sin that he
had almost lost his sight. So his physicians were sent for, to
whom he told his disease; but they told him that they could do
him no good, unless he would forbear his women. Nay then, said he,
farewell sweet sight. Whence observe, that this sin, as I said,
is destructive to the body; and also, that some men be so in love
therewith, that they will have it, though it destroy their body.[28]
ATTEN. Paul says also, that he that sins this sin, sins against
his own body. But what of that? He that will run the hazard of
eternal damnation of his soul, but he will commit this sin, will
for it run the hazard of destroying his body. If young Badman feared
not the damnation of his soul, do you think that the consideration
of impairing of his body would have deterred him therefrom?
WISE. You say true. But yet, methinks, there are still such bad
effects follow, often upon the commission of it, that if men would
consider them, it would put, at least, a stop to their career
therein.
ATTEN. What other evil effects attend this sin?
WISE. Outward shame and disgrace, and that in these particulars:--
First, There often follows this foul sin the foul disease, now called
by us the pox. A disease so nauseous and stinking, so infectious
to the whole body, and so entailed to this sin, that hardly are
any common with unclean women, but they have more or less a touch
of it to their shame.
ATTEN. That is a foul disease indeed! I knew a man once that
rotted away with it; and another that had his nose eaten off, and
his mouth almost quite sewed up thereby.
WISE. It is a disease, that where it is it commonly declares that
the cause thereof is uncleanness. It declares to all that behold
such a man, that he is an odious, a beastly, unclean person. This
is that strange punishment that Job speaks of, that is appointed
to seize on these workers of iniquity (Job 31:1-3).
ATTEN. Then it seems you think, that the strange punishment that
Job there speaks of should be the foul disease.
WISE. I have thought so indeed, and that for this reason. We see
that this disease is entailed, as I may say, to this most beastly
sin, nor is there any disease so entailed to any other sin as this
to this. That this is the sin to which the strange punishment is
entailed, you will easily perceive when you read the text. 'I made
a covenant with mine eyes,' said Job, 'why then should I think
upon a maid? For what portion of God is there,' for that sin,
'from above, and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?'
And then he answers himself: 'Is not destruction to the wicked,
and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?' This strange
punishment is the pox. Also, I think that this foul disease is
that which Solomon intends when he saith, speaking of this unclean
and beastly creature, 'A wound and dishonour shall he get, and
his reproach shall not be wiped away' (Prov 6:33). A punishment
Job calls it; a wound and dishonour Solomon calls it; and they
both do set it as a remark upon this sin; Job calling it a 'strange
punishment,' and Solomon a 'reproach that shall not be wiped away,'
from them that are common in it.
ATTEN. What other things follow upon the commission of this beastly
sin?
WISE. Why, oftentimes it is attended with murder, with the murder
of the babe begotten on the defiled bed. How common it is for the
bastard-getter and bastard-bearer to consent together to murder
their children, will be better known at the day of judgment, yet
something is manifest now.
I will tell you another story. An ancient man, one of mine
acquaintance, a man of good credit in our country, had a mother that
was a midwife, who was mostly employed in laying great persons.
To this woman's house, upon a time, comes a brave young gallant
on horseback, to fetch her to lay a young lady. So she addresses
herself to go with him, wherefore he takes her up behind him, and
away they ride in the night. Now they had not rid far, but the
gentleman lit of his horse, and, taking the old midwife in his
arms from the horse, turned round with her several times, and then
set her up again, then he got up and away they went till they came
at a stately house, into which he had her, and so into a chamber
where the young lady was in her pains. He then bid the midwife
do her office, and she demanded help, but he drew out his sword,
and told her if she did not make speed to do her office without,
she must look for nothing but death. Well, to be short, this old
midwife laid the young lady, and a fine sweet babe she had. Now
there was made in a room hard by a very great fire; so the gentleman
took up the babe, went and drew the coals from the stock, cast
the child in and covered it up, and there was an end of that. So
when the midwife had done her work he paid her well for her pains,
but shut her up in a dark room all day, and when night came took
her up behind him again, and carried her away till she came almost
at home, then he turned her round and round as he did before, and
had her to her house, set her down, bid her farewell, and away he
went, and she could never tell who it was. This story the midwife's
son, who was a minister, told me, and also protested that his
mother told it him for a truth.
ATTEN. Murder doth often follow indeed, as that which is the fruit
of this sin. But sometimes God brings even these adulterers and
adulteresses to shameful ends. I heard of one, I think a doctor
of physic, and his whore, who had three or four bastards betwixt
them and had murdered them all, but at last themselves were
hanged for it, in or near to Colchester. It came out after this
manner,--the whore was so afflicted in her conscience about it
that she could not be quiet until she had made it known. Thus God
many times makes the actors of wickedness their own accusers, and
brings them, by their own tongues, to condign punishment for their
own sins.
WISE. There has been many such instances, but we will let that
pass. I was once in the presence of a woman, a married woman, that
lay sick of the sickness whereof she died, and being smitten in
her conscience for the sin of uncleanness, which she had often
committed with other men, I heard her, as she lay upon her bed,
cry out thus, I am a whore, and all my children are bastards, and
I must go to hell for my sin, and look, there stands the devil at
my bed's feet to receive my soul when I die.
ATTEN. These are sad stories, tell no more of them now, but if you
please show me yet some other of the evil effects of this beastly
sin.
WISE. This sin is such a snare to the soul, that, unless a miracle
of grace prevents, it unavoidably perishes in the enchanting and
bewitching pleasures of it. This is manifest by these and such
like texts--'The adulteress will hunt for the precious life' (Prov
6:26). 'Whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding.
He that doeth it destroyeth his own soul' (Prov 6:32). 'A whore is
a deep ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow pit' (Prov 23:27).
'Her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
None that go under her return again, neither take they hold of the
paths of life' (Prov 2:18,19). 'She hath cast down many wounded;
yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way
to hell, going down to the chambers of death' (Prov 7:26,27).
ATTEN. These are dreadful sayings, and do show the dreadful state
of those that are guilty of this sin.
WISE. Verily so they do. But yet that which makes the whole more
dreadful is, that men are given up to this sin because they are
abhorred of God, and because abhorred, therefore they shall fall
into the commission of it, and shall live there. 'The mouth,' that
is, the flattering lips, 'of strange women is a deep pit, he that
is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein' (Prov 22:14). Therefore
it saith again of such, that they have none 'inheritance in the
kingdom of Christ and of God' (Eph 5:5).
ATTEN. Put all together, and it is a dreadful thing to live and
die in this transgression.
WISE. True, but suppose that instead of all these judgments this
sin had attending of it all the felicities of this life, and no
bitterness, shame, or disgrace mixed with it, yet one hour in
hell will spoil all. O! This hell, hell-fire, damnation in hell,
it is such an inconceivable punishment that, were it but thoroughly
believed, it would nip this sin, with others, in the head. But
here is the mischief, those that give up themselves to these things
do so harden themselves in unbelief and atheism about the things,
the punishments that God hath threatened to inflict upon the
committers of them, that at last they arrive to almost an absolute
and firm belief that there is no judgment to come hereafter; else
they would not, they could not, no not attempt to commit this sin
by such abominable language as some do.
I heard of one that should say to his miss when he tempted her to
the committing of this sin, If thou wilt venture thy body I will
venture my soul. And I myself heard another say, when he was
tempting of a maid to commit uncleanness with him--it was in Oliver's
days--that if she did prove with child he would tell her how she
might escape punishment--and that was then somewhat severe--Say,
saith he, when you come before the judge, that you are with child
by the Holy Ghost. I heard him say thus, and it greatly afflicted
me; I had a mind to have accused him for it before some magistrate,
but he was a great man, and I was poor and young, so I let it
alone, but it troubled me very much.
ATTEN. It was the most horrible thing that ever I heard in my
life. But how far off are these men from that spirit and grace
that dwelt in Joseph (Gen 39:10).
WISE. Right; when Joseph's mistress tempted him, yea, tempted
him daily, yea, she laid hold on him and said, with her whore's
forehead, Come, 'lie with me,' but he refused; he hearkened not
to lie with her or to be with her. Mr. Badman would have taken
the opportunity.
And a little to comment upon this of Joseph. 1. Here is a miss, a
great miss, the wife of the captain of the guard, some beautiful
dame I'll warrant you. 2. Here is a miss won, and in her whorish
affections come over to Joseph without his speaking of a word. 3.
Here is her unclean desire made known, Come, 'lie with me,' said
she. 4. Here was a fit opportunity, there was none of the men of the
house there within. 5. Joseph was a young man, full of strength,
and therefore the more in danger to be taken. 6. This was to him
a temptation from her that lasted days. 7. And yet Joseph refused,
(1.) Her daily temptation; (2.) Her daily solicitation; (3.) Her
daily provocation, heartily, violently, and constantly. For when
she got him by the garment, saying, 'Lie with me,' he left his
garment in her hand and gat him out. Ay, and although contempt,
treachery, slander, accusation, imprisonment, and danger of death
followed--for a whore careth not what mischief she does when
she cannot have her end--yet Joseph will not defile himself, sin
against God, and hazard his own eternal salvation.
ATTEN. Blessed Joseph! I would thou hadst more fellows!
WISE. Mr. Badman has more fellows than Joseph, else there would
not be so many whores as there are; for though I doubt not but
that that sex is bad enough this way, yet I verily believe that
many of them are made whores at first by the flatteries of Badman's
fellows. Alas! there is many a woman plunged into this sin at
first even by promises of marriage. I say by these promises they
are flattered, yea, forced into a consenting to these villainies,
and so being in, and growing hardened in their hearts, they at
last give themselves up, even as wicked men do, to act this kind
of wickedness with greediness.[29] But Joseph you see, was of
another mind, for the fear of God was in him.
I will, before I leave this, tell you here two notable stories; and
I wish Mr. Badman's companions may hear of them. They are found
in Clark's Looking-glass for Sinners; and are these:--Mr. Cleaver,
says Mr. Clark, reports of one whom he knew that had committed the act
of uncleanness, whereupon he fell into such horror of conscience
that he hanged himself, leaving it thus written in a paper:--'Indeed,'
saith he, 'I do acknowledge it to be utterly unlawful for a man
to kill himself, but I am bound to act the magistrate's part,
because the punishment of this sin is death.'
Clark doth also, in the same page, make mention of two more, who, as
they were committing adultery in London, were immediately struck
dead with fire from heaven, in the very act. Their bodies were so
found, half burned up, and sending out a most loathsome savour.
ATTEN. These are notable stories indeed.
WISE. So they are, and I suppose they are as true as notable.
ATTEN. Well, but I wonder if young Badman's master knew him to be
such a wretch, that he would suffer him in his house.
WISE. They liked one another even as fire and water do. Young
Badman's ways were odious to his master, and his master's ways
were such as young Badman could not endure. Thus, in these two,
were fulfilled that saying of the Holy Ghost: 'An unjust man is
an abomination to the just; and he that is upright in the way is
an abomination to the wicked' (Prov 29:27). The good man's ways,
Mr. Badman could not abide, nor could the good man abide the bad
ways of his base apprentice. Yet would his master, if he could,
have kept him, and also have learned him his trade.
ATTEN. If he could! Why, he might, if he would, might he not?
WISE. Alas, Badman ran away from him once and twice, and would
not at all be ruled. So the next time he did run away from him,
he did let him go indeed. For he gave him no occasion to run away,
except it was by holding of him as much as he could, and that he
could do but little, to good and honest rules of life. And had it
been one's own case, one should have let him go. For what should
a man do that had either regard to his own peace, his children's
good, or the preservation of the rest of his servant's from evil,
but let him go? Had he staid, the house of correction had been most
fit for him, but thither his master was loth to send him, because
of the love that he bore to his father. A house of correction, I
say, had been the fittest place for him, but his master let him
go.
ATTEN. He ran away, you say, but whither did he run?