Chapter 7

Besides, when his Father had done for him what he could, with desire to make him an honest man, he would then, whether his son had proved honest or no, have laid down his head with far more peace, than if he had taken your Counsel.

Atten. Nay I think I should not a been forward to have given advice in the cause; but truly you have given me such an account of his vilianies, that the hearing thereof has made me angry with him.

Wise. In an angry mood we may soon out-shoot our selves, but poor wretch, as he is, he is gone to his place. But, as I said, when a good Father hath done what he can for a bad Child, and that Child shall prove never the better, he will lie down with far more peace, than if through severity, he had driven him to inconveniencies.

I remember that I have heard of a good woman, that had (as this old man) a bad and ungodly {68a} son, and she prayed for him, counselled him, and carried it Motherly to him for several years together; but still he remained bad. At last, upon a time, after she had been at prayer, as she was wont, for his conversion, she comes to him, and thus, or to this effect, begins again to admonish him. Son, said she, Thou hast been and art a wicked Child, thou hast cost me many a prayer and tear, and yet thou remainest wicked. Well, I have done my duty, I have done what I can to save thee; now I am satisfied, that if I shall see thee damned at the day of Judgment, I shall be so far off from being grieved for thee, that I shall rejoyce to hear the sentence of thy damnation at that day: And it converted him.

I tell you, that if Parents carry it lovingly towards their Children, mixing their Mercies with loving Rebukes and their loving Rebukes with Fatherly and Motherly Compassions, they are more likely to save their Children, than by being churlish and severe toward them: but if they do not save them, if their mercy doth them no good, yet it will greatly ease them at the day of death, to consider; I have done by love as much as I could, to save and deliver my child from Hell.

Atten. Well I yield. But pray let us return again to Mr. Badman: You say, that his Father gave him a piece of money that he might set up for himself.

Wise. Yes, his Father did give him a piece of money, and he did set up, {68b} and almost as soon set down again: for he was not long set up, but by his ill managing of his matters at home, together with his extravagant expences abroad, he was got so far into debt, and had so little in his shop to pay, that he was hard put to it to keep himself out of prison. But when his Creditors understood that he was about to marry, and in a fair way to get a rich Wife, they said among themselves, We will not be hasty with him, if he gets a rich Wife he will pay us all.

Atten. But how could he so quickly run out, for I perceive ’twas in little time, by what you say?

Wise. ’Twas in little time indeed, I think he was not above two years and a half in doing of it: but the reason {69a} is apparent; for he being a wild young man, and now having the bridle loose before him, and being wholly subjected to his lusts and vices, he gave himself up to the way of his heart, and to the sight of his eye, forgetting that for all these things God will bring him to Judgment; {69b} and he that doth thus, you may be sure, shall not be able long to stand on his leggs.

Besides, he had now an addition of {69c} new companions; companions you must think, most like himself in Manners, and so such that cared not who sunk, if they themselves might swim. These would often be haunting of him, and of his shop too when he was absent. They would commonly egg him to the Ale-house, but yet make him Jack-pay-for-all; They would be borrowing also money of him, but take no care to pay again, except it was with more of their company, which also he liked very well; and so his poverty came like one that travelleth, and his want like an armed man.

But all the while they studied his temper; {69d} he loved to be flattered, praised and commanded for Wit, Manhood, and Personage; and this was like stroking him over the face. Thus they Collogued with him, and got yet more and more into him, and so (like Horse-leaches) they drew away that little that his father had given him, and brought him quickly down, almost to dwell next dore to the begger.

Atten. Then was the saying of the wise man fulfilled, He that keepeth company with harlots, and a companion of fools, shall be destroyed. {69e}

Wise. Ay, and that too, A companion of riotous persons shameth his father; {69f} For he, poor man, had both grief and shame, to see how his son (now at his own hand) behaved himself in the enjoyment of those good things, in and under the lawfull use of which he might have lived to Gods glory, his own comfort, and credit among his neighbours. But he that followeth vain persons, shall have poverty enough. {69g} The way that he took, led him directly into this condition; for who can expect other things of one that follows such courses? Besides, when he was in his Shop, he could not abide to be doing; He was naturally given to Idleness: He loved to live high, but his hands refused to labour; and what else can the end of such an one be, but that which the wise man saith? The Drunkard and the Glutton shall come to poverty, and drowsiness shall cloath a man with rags. {70a}

Atten. But now, methinks, when he was brought thus low, he should have considered the hand of God that was gone out against him, and should have smote upon the breast, and have returned.

Wise. Consideration, good consideration was far from him, he was as stout and proud now, as ever in all his life, and was as high too in the pursuit of his sin, as when he was in the midst of his fulness; only he went now {70b} like a tyred Jade, the Devil had rid him almost off of his leggs.

Atten. Well, but what did he do when all was almost gone?

Wise. Two things were now his play. {70c} 1. He bore all in hand by Swearing, and Cracking and Lying, that he was as well to pass, as he was the first day he set up for himself, yea that he had rather got than lost; and he had at his beck some of his Companions that would swear to confirm it as fast as he.

Atten. This was double wickedness, ’twas a sin to say it, and another to swear it.

Wise. That’s true, but what evil is that that he will not doe, that is left of God, as I believe Mr. Badman was?

Atten. And what was the other thing?

Wise. Why, that which I hinted before, he was for looking out for a rich Wife: {70d} and now I am come to some more of his invented, devised, designed, and abominable Roguery, such that will yet declare him to be a most desperate sinner.

The thing was this: A Wife he wanted, or rather Money; for as for a woman, he could have Whores enow at his whistle. But, as I said, he wanted Money, and that must be got by a Wife, or no way; nor could he so easily get a Wife neither, except he became an Artist at the way of dissembling; nor would dissembling do among that people that could dissemble as well as he. But there dwelt a Maid not far from him, that was both godly, {70e} and one that had a good Portion, but how to get her, there lay all the craft. {71a} Well, he calls a Council of some of his most trusty and cunning Companions, {71b} and breaks his mind to them; to wit, that he had a mind to marry: and he also told them to whom; But, said he, how shall I accomplish my end, she is Religious, and I am not? Then one of them made reply, saying, Since she is Religious, you must pretend to be so likewise, and that for some time before you go to her: Mark therefore whither she goes daily to hear, and do you go thither also; but there you must be sure to behave your self soberly, and make as if you liked the Word wonderful well; stand also where she may see you, and when you come home, be sure that you walk the street very soberly, and go within sight of her: This done for a while, then go to her, and first talk of how sorry you are for your sins, and shew great love to the Religion that she is of; still speaking well of her Preachers and of her godly acquaintance, bewailing your hard hap, that it was not your lot to be acquainted with her and her fellow-Professors sooner; and this is the way to get her. Also you must write down Sermons, talk of Scriptures, and protest that you came a wooing to her, only because she is Godly, and because you should count it your greatest happiness if you might but have such an one: As for her Money, slight it, it will be never the further off, that’s the way to come soonest at it, for she will be jealous at first that you come for her Money; you know what she has, but make not a word about it. Do this, and you shall see if you do not intangle the Lass.

Thus was the snare laid for this poor honest Maid, and she was quickly catched in his pit.

Atten. Why, did he take this counsel?

Wise. Did he! yes, and after a while, went as boldly to her, {71c} and that under a Vizzard of Religion, as if he had been for Honesty and Godliness, one of the most sincere and upright-hearted in England. He observed all his points, and followed the advice of his Counsellers, and quickly obtained her too; for natural parts he had, he was tall, and fair, and had plain, but very good Cloaths on his back; and his Religion was the more easily attained; for he had seen something in the house of his Father, and first Master, and so could the more readily put himself into the Form and Shew thereof.

So he appointed his day, and went to her, as that he might easily do, for she had neither father nor mother to oppose. Well, when he was come, and had given her a civil Complement, {72a} to let her understand why he was come, then he began and told her, That he had found in his heart a great deal of love to her Person; and that, of all the Damosels in the world he had pitched upon her, if she thought fit, to make her his beloved wife. The reasons, as he told her, why he had pitched upon her were, her Religious and personal Excellencies; and therefore intreated her to take his condition into her tender and loving consideration. As for the world, quoth he, I have a very good trade, and can maintain my self and Family well, while my wife sits still on her seat; I have got thus, and thus much already, and feel money come in every day, but that is not the thing that I aim at, ’tis an honest and godly Wife. Then he would present her with a good Book or two, pretending how much good he had got by them himself. He would also be often speaking well of godly Ministers, especially of those that he perceived she liked, and loved most. Besides, he would be often telling of her, what a godly Father he had, and what a new man he was also become himself; and thus did this treacherous Dealer, deal with this honest and good Girl, to her great grief and sorrow, as afterward you shall hear.

Atten. But had the maid no friend to looke after her?

Wise. Her Father and Mother were dead, and that he knew well enough, and so she was the more easily overcome by his naughty lying tongue. But if she had never so many friends, she might have been beguiled by him. It is too much the custom of young people now, to think themselves wise enough to make their own Choyce, and that they need not ask counsel of those that are older and also wiser then they: {72b} but this is a great fault in them, and many of them have paid dear for it. Well, to be short, in little time Mr. Badman obtains his desire, {73a} gets this honest Girl and her money, is married to her, brings her home, makes a Feast, entertains her royally, but her Portion must pay for all.

Atten. This was wonderfull deceitfull doings, a man shall seldom hear of the like.

Wise. By this his doing, he shewed how little he feared God, {73b} and what little dread he had of his Judgments. For all this carriage, and all these words were by him premeditated evil, he knew he lyed, he knew he dissembled; yea, he knew that he made use of the name of God, of Religion, good Men, and good Books, but as a stalking-Horse, thereby the better to catch his game. In all this his glorious pretense of Religion, he was but a glorious painted Hypocrite, and hypocrisie is the highest sin that a poor carnal wretch can attain unto; it is also a sin that most dareth God, and that also bringeth the greater damnation. Now was he a whited Wall, now was he a painted Sepulchre; {73c} now was he a grave that appeared not; for this poor honest, godly Damosel, little thought that both her peace, and comfort, and estate, and liberty, and person, and all, were going to her burial, {73d} when she was going to be married to Mr. Badman; And yet so it was, she enjoyed her self but little afterwards; she was as if she was dead and buried, to what she enjoyed before.

Atten. Certainly some wonderfull Judgment of God must attend and overtake such wicked men as these.

Wise. You may be sure that they shall have Judgment to the full, for all these things, when the day of Judgment is come. But as for Judgment upon them in this life, it doth not alwayes come, no not upon those that are worthy thereof. They that tempt God are delivered, and they that work wickedness are set up: {73e} But they are reserved to the day of wrath, and then for their wickedness, God will repay them to their faces. {73f} The wicked is reserved to the day of destruction, they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath; who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done? yet shall he be brought to the grave, and remain in the tomb. {73g} That is, ordinarily they escape God’s hand in this life, save only a few Examples are made, that others may be cautioned, and take warning thereby: But at the day of Judgment they must be rebuked for their evil with the lashes of devouring fire.

Atten. Can you give me no examples of Gods wrath upon men that have acted this tragical wicked deed Mr. Badman.

Wise. Yes; {74a} Hamor and Shechem, and all the men of their City, for attempting to make God and Religion the stalking-Horse to get Jacobs daughters to wife, were together slain with the edge of the sword. A Judgment of God upon them, no doubt, for their dissembling in that matter. All manner of lying and dissembling is dreadfull, but to make God and Religion a Disguise, therewith to blind thy Dissimulation from others eyes, is highly provoking to the Divine Majesty.

[Picture: Take note symbol] I knew one that dwelt not far off from our Town, that got him a wife as Mr. Badman got his; but he did not enjoy her long: for one night as he was riding home (from his companions, where he had been at a neighbouring Town) his horse threw him to the ground, where he was found dead at break of day; frightfully and lamentably mangled with his fall, and besmeared with his own blood.

Atten. Well, but pray return again to Mr. Badman, how did he carry it to his wife, after he was married to her?

Wise. Nay, let us take things along as we go. He had not been married but a little while, but his Creditors came upon him {74c} for their money: He deferred them a little while, but at last things were come to that point, that pay he must, or must do worse; so he appointed them a time, and they came for their money, and he payed them down with her money before her eyes, for those goods that he had profusely spent among his Whores long before, (besides the portion that his Father gave him) to the value of two hundred pounds.

Atten. This beginning was bad; but what shall I say? ’twas like Mr. Badman himself. Poor woman, this was but a bad beginning for her, I fear it filled her with trouble enough, as I think such a beginning would have done, one, perhaps much stronger than she.

Wise. Trouble, ay, you may be sure of it, but now ’twas too late to repent, {75a} she should have looked better to herself, when being wary would have done her good; her harms may be an advantage to others, that will learn to take heed thereby; but for her self, she must take what follows, even such a life now as Mr. Badman her Husband will lead her, and that will be bad enough.

Atten. This beginning was bad, and yet I fear it was but the beginning of bad.

Wise. You may he sure, that it was but the beginning of badness, for other evils came on apace; as for instance: it was but a little while after he was married, {75b} but he hangs his Religion upon the hedge, or rather dealt with it as men deal with their old Cloaths, who cast them off, or leave them to others to wear, for his part he would be Religious no longer.

Now therefore he had pulled off his Vizzard, and began to shew himself in his old shape, a base, wicked, debauched fellow, (and now the poor woman saw that she was betrayed indeed;) now also his old Companions begin to flock about him, and to haunt his house and Shop as formerly: And who with them but Mr. Badman? and who with him again but they?

Now those good people that used to company with his Wife, began to be ama[t]ed and discouraged; {75c} also he would frown and gloat upon them, as it he abhorred the appearance of them: so that in little time he drove all good company from her, and made her sit solitary by herself. He also began now to go out a nights to those Drabs {75d} who were his Familiars before, with whom he would stay somtimes till midnight, and sometimes till almost morning, and then would come home as drunk as a Swine; and this was the course of Mr. Badman.

Now, when he came home in this case, if his wife did but speak a word to him, about where he had been, and why he had so abused himself, though her words were spoken in never so much meekness and love, then she was Whore, {76a} and Bitch, and Jade; and ’twas well if she miss’d his fingers and heels. Sometimes also he would bring his Puncks home to his house, and wo be to his wife when they were gone, if she did not entertain them with all varieties possible, and also carry it lovingly to them.

Thus this good woman was made by Badman her Husband, to possess nothing but disappointments as to all that he had promised her, or that she hoped to have at his hands.

But that that added pressing weight to all her sorrow, was, that, as he had cast away all Religion himself, so he attempted, if possible, to make her do so too. {76b} He would not suffer her to go out to the Preaching of the Word of Christ, nor to the rest of his Appointments, for the health and salvation of her Soul: he would now taunt at, and reflectingly speak of her Preachers; {76c} and would receive, yea raise scandals of them, to her very great grief and affliction.

Now she scarce durst go to an honest Neighbours house, or have a good Book in her hand; specially when he had his companions in his house, or had got a little drink in his head. He would also, when he perceived that she was dejected, speak tauntingly, {76d} and mockingly to her in the presence of his Companions, calling of her his Religious Wife, his demure Dame, and the like; also he would make a sport of her among his wanton ones abroad.

If she did ask him (as sometimes she would) to let her go out to a Sermon, he would in a currish manner reply, Keep at home, keep at home, and look to your business, we cannot live by hearing of Sermons. {76e} If she still urged that he would let her goe, then he would say to her, Goe if you dare. He would also charge her with giving of what he had to her Ministers, when, vile wretch, he had spent it on his vain Companions before.

This was the life that Mr. Badmans good wife lived, within few months after he had married her.

Atten. This was a disappointment indeed.

Wise. A disappointment indeed, as ever, I think, poor woman had. One would think that the Knave might a little let her have had her will, since it was nothing but to be honest, and since she brought him so sweet, so lumping a Portion, for she brought hundreds into his house: I say, one would think he should have let her had her own will a little, since she desired it only in the Service and Worship of God: but could she win him to grant her that? no, not a bit if it would have saved her life. True, sometimes she would steal out when he was from home, on a Journey, or among his drunken companions, but with all privacy imaginable; {77a} and, poor woman, this advantage she had, she carried it so to all her Neighbours, that, though many of them were but carnal, yet they would not betray her, or tell of her going out to the Word, if they saw it, but would rather endeavour to hide it from Mr. Badman himself.

Atten. This carriage of his to her, was enough to break her heart.

Wise. It was enough to do it indeed, yea it did effectually do it. It killed her in time, yea it was all the time a killing of her. She would often-times when she sate by her self, thus mournfully bewail her condition: {77b} Wo is me that I sojourn in Meshech, and that I dwell in the tents of Kedar; my soul hath long time dwelt with him that hateth peace. {77c} O what shall be given unto thee, thou deceitful tongue? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? I am a Woman grieved in spirit, my Husband has bought me and sold me for his lusts: ’Twas not me, but my Money that he wanted: O that he had had it, so I had had my liberty!

This she said, not of contempt of his Person, but of his Conditions, and because she saw that by his hypocritical tongue, he had brought her not only almost to beggery, but robbed her of the Word of God.

Atten. It is a deadly thing, I see, to be unequally yoaked with Unbelievers. If this woman had had a good Husband, how happily might they have lived together! Such an one would have prayed for her, taught her, and also would have encourages her in the Faith, and ways of God: But now, poor creature, instead of this, there is nothing but the quite contrary.

Wise. It is a deadly thing indeed, and therefore, by the Word of God his people are forbid to be joyned in marriage with them. {77d} Be not, saith it, unequally yoaked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what Concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an Infidel? And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? {78a} There can be no agreement where such Matches are made, even God himself hath declared the contrary, from the beginning of the world. I (says he) will put enmity betwixt thee and the woman, betwixt thy seed and her seed. {78b} Therefore he saith in another place, they can mix no better than Iron and Clay. I say, they cannot agree, they cannot be one, and therefore they should be aware at first, and not lightly receive such into their affections. God has often made such Matches bitter, especially to his own. Such matches are, as God said of Elie’s Sons that were spared, to consume the eyes, and to grieve the heart. Oh the wailing, and lamentation that they have made that have been thus yoaked, especially if they were such as would be so yoaked, against their light, and good counsel to the contrary.

Atten. Alas! he deluded her with his tongue, and feigned reformation.