John Bunyan - Life and Death of Mr. Badman

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. Elies Sons being bad before the congregation, made Men despise the sacrifices of the Lord. 76 76 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 hinderances; 77 77 Badman had all advantages to be good, but continued Badman still. 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 doe.

Atten. ’Tis 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 78 78 All good things abominable to Badman. abominable to him.

1. For good Books, they might lie in his Masters house till they rotted for him, he would not regard to look into them; but, contrary-wise, would get all the bad and abominable Books that he could, as beastly Romances, and books full of Ribbauldry, even such as immediately tended to set all fleshly lusts on fire. 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 ’twas spoken. Yea, I have heard some that knew him then, say, that one might evidently discern by the shew of his countenance and gestures, that good counsel was to him like 79 79 Good counsel to Badman like Little-Ease. Prov. 9. 8. Chap. 15. 12. little-ease, even a continual torment to him; nor did he ever count himself at liberty, but when farthest off of wholsom words. He would hate them that rebuked him, and count them his deadly enemies.

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 byword 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 where 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 80 80 How Badman used to behave himself at Sermons. 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 beautifull Object that was in the place, and so all Sermon-while, therewith 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, gigling, 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 Apprentiship 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, 81 81 The desperate words of one H. S. who once was my Companion. He was own bother to Ned, of whom you read before. than to that man, who when I my self rebuked him for 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; Again, They refuse to hearken, and pull away their shoulder, and stop their ears; yea, they make their hearts hard as an Adamant-stone, lest they should hear the Law, and the words that the Lord of Host[s] hath sent. 82 82 Job 21. 14. Zech. 1. 11, 12, 13. 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 my self 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! doe 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 shall crie, and I will not hear, saith the Lord. 83 83 Zech. 7. 13. Doubtless there is a time a coming, when Mr. Badman will crie 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 neither: but (as with Ishmael, and with the Children that mocked the Prophet) the seeds of sin did put forth themselves betimes in him. 84 84 Gen. 21. 9, 10. 2 King. 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 85 85 Badmans Acquaintance. acquainted with three young Villains (who here shall be nameless,) that taught him to adde 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 wayes.

Atten. It was an ill hap that he ever came acqu[a]inted with them.

Wise. You must rather word it thus. It 86 86 A Sign of Gods Anger. was the Judgement 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 untill 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. Sayes Paul, They did not like to retain God in their knowledge; 87 87 Rom. 1. 28. and what follows? wherefore, God gave them over, or up to their own hearts lusts. And again, As for such as turn aside to their own crooked wayes, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. 88 88 Psal. 125. 5. This therefore was Gods hand upon him, that he might be destroyed, be damned; because he received not the love of the Truth that he might be saved. He chose his Delusions and Deluders for him, even the company of base men, of Fools, that he might be destroyed. 89 89 2 Thess. 2. 10, 11, 12. 90 90 Prov. 12. 20.