Chapter 10

I am perswaded, if men upon whom this hand of God is, would thus quietly lye down, and humble themselves under it, they would find more peace, yea, more blessing of God attending them in it, than the most of men are aware of. But this is an hard Chapter, and therefore I do not expect that many should either read it with pleasure, or desire to take my counsel.

Having thus spoken to the Broken man, with reference to his own self; I will now speak to him as he stands related to his Creditors.

In the next place therefore, let him fall upon the most {101a} honest way of dealing with his Creditors, and that I think must be this.

First, Let him timely make them acquainted with his condition, and also do to them these three things.

1. Let him heartily, and unfeignedly ask them forgiveness for the wrong that he has done them.

2. Let him proffer them all, and the whole all that ever he has in the world; let him hide nothing, let him strip himself to his raiment for them; let him not keep a Ring, a Spoon, or any thing from them.

3. If none of these two will satisfie them, let him proffer them his Body, to be at their dispose, to wit, either to abide imprisonment their pleasure, or to be at their service, till by labour and travel he hath made them such amends as they in reason think fit, (only reserving something for the succour of his poor and distressed Family out of his labour, which in Reason, and Conscience, and Nature, he is bound also to take care of:) Thus shall he make them what amends he is able, for the Wrong that he hath done them in wasting and spending of their Estates.

By thus doing, he submits himself to Gods rod, commits himself to the dispose of his Providence; yea, by thus doing, he casteth the lot of his present and future condition into the lap of his Creditors, and leaves the whole dispose thereof to the Lord, {101b} even as he shall order and incline their hearts to do with him. And let that be either to forgive him; or to take that which he hath for satisfaction; or to lay his body under affliction, this way or that, according to Law; can he, I say, thus leave the whole dispose to God, let the issue be what it will, that man shall have peace in his mind afterward. And the comforts of that state, (which will be comforts that attend Equity, Justice, and Duty,) will be more unto him, because more according to Godliness, than can be the comforts that are the fruits of Injustice, Fraudulency, and Deceit. Besides, this is the way to engage God to favour him by the sentence of his Creditors; (for He can entreat them to use him kindly,) and he will do it when his ways are pleasing in his sight: When a mans ways please the Lord, his enemies shall be at peace with him; {102a} And surely, for a man to seek to make restitution for wrongs done, to the utmost of his power, by what he is, has, and enjoys in this world, is the best way, in that capacity, and with reference to that thing, that a man can at this time be found active in.

But he that doth otherwise, abides in his sin, refuses to be disposed of by the Providence of God, chuseth an high Estate, though not attained in Gods way; when Gods Will is, that he should descend into a low one: yea, he desperately saith in his heart and actions, I will be mine own chooser, and that in mine own way, whatever happens or follows thereupon.

Atten. You have said well, in my mind. But suppose now, that Mr. Badman was here, could he not object as to what you have said, saying, Go and teach your Brethren, that are Professors, this lesson, for they, as I am, are guilty of Breaking; yea I am apt to think, of that which you call my Knavish way of breaking; to wit, of breaking before they have need to break. But if not so, yet they are guilty of neglect in their Calling, {102b} of living higher, both in Fare and Apparrel, than their Trade or Income will maintain. Besides, that they do break, all the world very well knowes, and that they have the art to plead for a composition, is very well known to men; and that it is usual with them, to hide their Linnen, their Plate, their Jewels, and (’tis to be thought, sometimes Money and Goods besides,) is as common as four eggs a penny. And thus they beguile men, debauch their consciences, sin against their Profession, and make, ’tis to be feared, their lusts in all this, and the fulfilling of them, their end. I say, if Mr. Badman was here to object thus unto you, what would be your reply?

Wise. What! Why I would say, I hope no Good man, no man of good conscience, no man that either feareth God, regardeth the credit of Religion, the peace of Gods people, or the salvation of his own soul, will do thus.

Professors, such perhaps there may be, and who, upon earth can help it? Jades there be of all colours. {103a} If men will profess, and make their profession a stalking-Horse to beguile their neighbours of their estates, as Mr. Badman himself did, when he beguiled her that now is with sorrow his wife, who can help it? The Churches of old were pestered with such, and therefore no marvel if these perilous difficult times be so. But mark how the Apostle words it: Nay do wrong and defraud, and that your Brethren: Know you not, that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither Fornicator, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor Effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with Mankind, nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God. {103b}

None of these shall be saved in this state, nor shall profession deliver them from the censure of the Godly, when they shall be manifest such to be. But their profession we cannot help: How can we help it, if men should ascribe to themselves the title of Holy ones, Godly ones, Zealous ones, Self-denying ones, or any other such glorious title? and while they thus call themselves, they should be the veryest Rogues for all evil, sin, and villany imaginable, who could help it? True, they are a scandal to Religion, a grief to the honest hearted, an offence to the world, and a stumbling stone to the weak, and these offences have come, do come, and will come, do what all the world can; but wo be to them through whom they come; {103c} let such professors therefore disowned by all true Christians, and let them be reckoned among those base men of the world which by such actions they most resemble: They are Mr. Badmans Kindred.

For {103d} they are a shame to Religion, I say these slithy, rob-Shop, pick-pocket men, they are a shame to Religion, and religious men should be ashamed of them. God puts such an one among the Fools of the world, therefore let not Christians put them among those that are wise for heaven. As the Partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not, so he that getteth riches and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his dayes, and at his end shall be a fool. {103e} And the man under consideration is one of these, and therefore must look to fall by this Judgment.

A professor! and practice such villianies as these! such an one is not worthy to bear that name any longer. We may say to such as the Prophet spake to their like, to wit, to the rebellious that were in the house of Israel. Goe ye, serve every man his Idols:—If ye will not hearken to the Law and Testament of God, to lead your lives thereafter: but pollute Gods holy name no more with your Gifts, and with your Idols. {104a}

Goe professors, Goe; leave off profession, unless you will lead your lives according to your profession. Better never profess, than to make profession a stalking-horse to sin, Deceit, to the Devil, and Hell.

The ground and rules of Religion allow not any such thing: Receive us, says the Apostle, we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. {104b} Intimating, that those that are guilty of wronging, corrupting or defrauding of any, should not be admitted to the fellowship of Saints, no nor into the common catalogue of Brethren with them.

Nor can men with all their Rhetorick, and Eloquent speaking prove themselves fit for the Kingdom of Heaven, or men of good conscience on earth. {104c} O that godly plea of Samuel: Behold here I am, says he, witness against me, before the Lord, and before his Anointed, whose Oxe have I taken, or whose Ass have I taken, or whom have I defrauded, whom have I oppressed, {104d} &c? This was to do like a man of good conscience indeed. And in this his Appeal, he was so justified in the consciencies of the whole Congregation, that they could not but with one voice, as with one mouth, break out joyntly and say, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us. {104e}

A Professor, and defraud, away with him! a Professor should not owe any man any thing, but love. A professor should provide things, not of other mens, but of his own, of his own honest getting, and that not onely in the sight of God, but of all men; that he may adorn the Doctrine if God our Saviour in all things.

Atten. But {105a} suppose God should blow upon a Professor in his Estate, and Calling, and he should be run out before he is aware, must he be accounted to be like Mr. Badman, and lie under the same reproach as he?

Wise. No: {105b} If he hath dutifully done what he could to avoid it. It is possible for a Ship to sink at sea, notwithstanding the most faithfull endeavour of the most skilful Pilot under Heaven. And thus, as I suppose, it was with the Prophet that left his wife in debt to the hazarding the slavery of her children by the Creditors. {105c} He was no profuse man, nor one that was given to defraud, for the Text says he feared God; yet, as I said, he was run out more than she could pay.

If God would blow upon a man, who can help it? and he will do so sometimes, {105d} because he will change dispensations with men, and because he will trye their Graces. {105e} Yea, also because he will overthrow the wicked with his Judgments; and all these things are seen in Job. But then the consideration of this, should bid men have a care that they be honest, lest this comes upon them for their sin: It should also bid them beware of launching further into the world, than in an honest way by ordinary means they can Godlily make their retreat; for the further in, the greater fall. It should also teach them, to begg of God his blessing upon their endeavours, their honest and lawfull endeavours. And it should put them upon a diligent looking to their steps, that if in their going they should hear the Ice crack, they may timely goe back again.

These things considered, and duely put in practice, if God will blow upon a man, then let him be content, and with Job embrace the dunghill; let him give unto all their dues, and not fight against the Providence of God, (but humble himself rather under his mighty hand,) which comes to strip him naked and bare: for he that doth otherwise, fights against God; and declares that he is a stranger to that of Paul; I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound; every where, in all things, I am instructed both to be full, and to be hungry, both to abound, and to suffer need. {105f}

Atten. But Mr. Badman would not, I believe, have put this difference ’twixt things feigned, and those that fall of necessity.

Wise. If he will not, God will, Conscience will; and that not thine own only, but the Consciences of all those that have seen the way, and that have known the truth of the condition of such an one.

Atten. Well: Let us at this time leave this matter, and return again to Mr. Badman.

Wise. With all my heart will I proceed to give you a relation of what is yet behind of his Life, in order to our discourse of his Death.

Atten. But pray do it with as much brevity as you can.

Wise. Why? are you a weary of my relating of things?

Atten. No. But it pleases me to hear a great deal in few words.

Wise. I profess not my self an artist that way, but yet as briefly as I can, I will pass through what of his Life is behind; and again I shall begin with his fraudulent dealing (as before I have shewed with his Creditors, so now) with his Customers, and those that he had otherwise to deal withall.

He dealt by deceitfull Weights and Measures. {106} He kept weights to buy by, and weights to sell by; measures to buy by, and measures to sell by: those he bought by were too big, those he sold by were too little.

Besides, he could use a thing called slight of hand, if he had to do with other mens weights and measures, and by that means make them whether he did buy or sell, yea though his Customer or Chapman looked on, turn to his own advantage.

Moreover, he had the art to misreckon men in their Accounts whether by weight, or measure, or money, and would often do it to his worldly advantage, and their loss: What say you to Mr. Badman now?

And if a question was made of his faithfull dealing, he had his servants ready, that to his purpose he had brought up, that would avouch and swear to his Book, or word: this was Mr. Badmans practice; What think you of Mr. Badman now?

Atten. Think! Why I can think no other but that he was a man left to himself, a naughty man; for these, as his other, were naughty things; if the tree, as indeed it may, ought to be judged, what it is by its fruits; then Mr. Badman must needs be a bad Tree. But pray, for my further satisfaction, shew me now by the Word of God, evil of this his practice: and first of his using false Weights and Measures.

Wise. The evil of that! why the evil of that appears to every eye: the Heathens, that live like Beasts and Bruits in many things, do abominate and abhorr such wickedness as this. Let a man but look upon these things as he goes by, and he shall see enough in them from the light of nature to make him loath so base a practice; although Mr. Badman loved it.

Atten. But shew me something out of the Word against it, will you?

Wise. I will willingly do it. And first we will look into the Old Testament: {107a} You shall, saith God there, do no unrighteousness in Judgment, in mete-yard, in weights or in measures, a just Ballance, a just Weight, a just Ephah, and a just Hin shall you have. {107b} This is the Law of God, and that which all men according to the Law of the land ought to obey. So again: Ye shall have just Ballances, and a just Ephah, &c. {107c}

Now having shewed you the Law, I will also shew you how God takes swerving therefrom. A false Ballance is not good; a false Ballance is an abomination to the Lord. {107d} Some have just Weights but false Ballances, and by vertue of those false Ballances, by their just Weights, they deceive the Countrey: {107e} Wherefore, God first of all commands that the Ballance be made Just: A just Ballance shalt thou have. Else they may be, yea are, decievers, notwithstanding their just weights.

Now, having commanded that men have a just Ballance, and testifying that a false one is an abomination to the Lord, he proceedeth also unto weight and measure.

Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small; {107f} that is one to buy by, and another to sell by, as Mr. Badman had. Thou shalt not have in thy house divers measures, a great and a small, (and these had Mr. Badman also) but thou shalt have a perfect and a just weight; a perfect and a just measure shalt thou have, that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. For all that do such things, (that is, that use false Weights and Measures) and all that do unrighteously are abomination to the Lord. See now both how plentiful, and how punctual the Scripture is in this matter. But perhaps it may be objected, that all this is old Law, and therefore hath nothing to do with us under the New Testament. (Not that I think you, neighbour, will object thus:) Well, to this foolish objection, let us make an Answer. First, he that makes this objection, if he doth it to overthrow the authority of those Texts, {108a} discovereth that himself is first cousen to Mr. Badman: For a Just man is willing to speak reverently of those commands. That man therefore hath, I doubt, but little conscience, if any at all that is good, that thus objecteth against the Text: but let us look into the New Testament, and there we shall see how Christ confirmeth the same: Where he commandeth that men make to others good measure, including also that they make good weight; telling such that doe thus, or those that do it not, that they may be encouraged to do it; Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom; for with the same measure that ye mete withall, it shall be measured to you again: {108b} To wit, both from God and man. For as God will shew his indignation against the false man, by taking away even that he hath, so he will deliver up the false man to the Oppressor, and the Extortioner shall catch from him, as well as he hath catched from his neighbour; therefore another Scripture saith, When thou shalt cease to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee. That the New Testament also, hath an inspection into mens Trading, yea even with their weights and measures, is evident from these general exhortations. {108c} Defraud not; lye not one to another; let no man goe beyond his brother in any matter, for God is the avenger of all such: whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord, doing all in his name, to his glory; and the like. All these injunctions and commandments do respect our life and conversation among men, with reference to our dealing, trading, and so consequently they forbid false, deceitful, yea all doings that are corrupt.

Having thus in a word or two shewed you, that these things are bad; I will next, for the conviction of those that use them, shew you, where God saith they are to be found. {109a}

1. They are not to be found in the house of the good and godly man, for he, as his God, abhorrs them; but they are to be found in the house of evil doers, {109b} such as Mr. Badmans is. Are there, saith the Prophet, yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abomination? {109c} Are they there yet, notwithstanding Gods forbidding, notwithstanding Gods tokens of anger against those that do such things? O how loth is a wicked man to let goe a sweet, a gainful sin, when he hath hold of it! They hold fast deceit, they refuse to let it goe.

2. These deceitful Weights and Measures are not to be found in the house of the Mercifull, but in the house of the Cruel; in the house of them that love to oppress. {109d} The Ballances of deceit are in his hand, he loveth to oppress. {109e} He is given to oppression and cruelty, therefore he useth such wicked things in his calling. Yea he is a very cheat, and as was hinted before, concerning Mr. Badmans breaking, so I say now, concerning his using these deceitful weights and measures, it is as bad, as base, as to take a purse, or pick a pocket; for it is a plain robbery, it takes away from a man that which is his own, even the price of his money.

3. The deceitful Weights and Measures are not to be found in the house of such as relieve the belly, and that cover the loyns of the poor, but of such as indeed would swallow them up. {109f} Hear ye this, ye that swallow up the needy, and that make the poor of the land to fail, saying, When will the new Moon be gone that we may sell corn, and the Sabbath that we may set forth Wheat, making the Ephah small and the Sheckle great, (making the Measure small, and the Price great) and falsifying the Ballances by deceit, that ye may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shooes, and sell the refuse of the Wheat. The Lord hath sworn by the excellencie of Jacob, surely I will not forget any of their works. {109g} So detestable and vile a thing is this in the sight of God.

4. God abominates the thoughts of calling of those that use false weights and measures, by any other term than, that they be Impure ones {110a} or the like: Shall I count them pure (saith he) with the bag of deceitful weights? {110b} no by no means, they are impure ones, their hands are defiled, deceitful gain is in their houses, they have gotten what they have by coveting an evil Covetousness, and therefore must and shall be counted among the impure, among the wicked of the world.

Thus you see how full and plain the Word of God is, against this sin, and them that use it. And therefore Mr. Badman, for that he used by these things thus to rook and cheat his neighbours, is rightly rejected from having his Name in, and among the catalogue of the godly.

Atten. But I am perswaded, that the using of these things, and the doing by them thus deceitfully, is not counted so great an evil by some.

Wise. Whether it be counted an evil or a vertue, by men, it mattereth not; you see by the Scriptures, the Judgment of God upon it. It was not counted an evil by Mr. Badman, nor is it by any that still are treading in his steps. But, I say, ’tis no matter how men esteem of things, let us adhere to the Judgment of God. And the rather, because when we our selves have done weighing and measuring to others, then God will weigh and measure both us and our actions. And when he doth so, as he will do shortly, then wo be to him to whom, and of whose actions it shall be thus said by him: Tekel, Thou art weighed in the Ballances, and art found wanting. {110c} God will then recompense their evil of deceiving upon their own head, when he shall shut them out of his presence, favour, and kingdom, for ever and ever.

Atten. But ’tis a wonder, that since Mr. Badmans common practice was to do thus, that some one or more did not find him out, and blame him for this his wickedness.

Wise. For the generality of people, he went away clever with his Knavery. For what with his Ballance, his false Ballance, and good weight, and what with his slight of hand to boot, he beguiled, sometimes a little, and sometimes more, most that he had to deal with: Besides, those that use this naughty trade, are either such as blind men with a shew of Religion, or by hectoring the buyer out by words. I must confess Mr. Badman was not so arch at the first; {111a} that is, to do it by shew of Religion; for now he began to grow threadbare, (though some of his brethren are arch enough this way, yea and of his sisters too, for I told you at first that there was a great many of them, and of them good:) but for hectoring, for swearing, for lying, if these things would make weight and measure, they should not be wanting to Mr. Badmans Customers.

Atten. Then it seems he kept good Weights, and a bad Ballance; well that was better than that both should be bad.

Wise. Not at all. There lay the depth of his deceit: {111b} For if any at any time found fault, that he used them hardly, and that they wanted their weight of things; he would reply: Why did you not see them weighed? will you not believe your own eyes: If you question my weights, pray carry them whether you will, I will maintain them to be good and just. The same he would say of his scales. So he blinded all, by his Ballance.

Atten. This is cunning indeed: but as you say, there must be also something done or said, to blind therewith, and this I perceive Mr. Badman had.