Life and Death of Mr. Badman by John Bunyan (most life changing books TXT) 📕

gave her an ugly wish, and then fell into a fearfull rage, and sware moreover that if she did go, he would make both her, and all her damnable Brotherhood (for so he was pleased to call them) to repent their coming thither.

Atten. But what should he mean by that?

Wise. You may easily guess what he meant: he meant, he would turn Informer, and so either weary out those that she loved, from meeting together to Worship God; or make them pay dearly for their so doing; the which if he did, he knew it would vex every vein of her tender heart.

Atten. But do you think Mr. Badman would have been so base?

Wise. Truly he had malice, and enmity enough in his heart to do it, onely he was a Tradesman; also he knew that he must live by his neighbours, and so he had that little wit in his anger, that he refrained himself, and did it not. But, as I said, he had malice and envy enough in his heart {85c} to have made him to do it, only he thought it would worst him in his trade: yet these three things he would be doing.

1. He would be putting of others on to molest and abuse her friends.

2. He would be glad when he heard that any mischief befell them.

3. And would laugh at her, when he saw her troubled for them. And now I have told you Mr. Badmans way as to this.

Atten. But was he not afraid of the Judgments of God, that did fly about at that time?

Wise. He regarded not the Judgment nor Mercy of God, for had he at all done that, he could not have done as he did. But what Judgments do you mean?

Atten. Such Judgments, that if Mr Badman himself had taken but sober notice of, they might have made him a hung down his ears.

Wise. Why, have you heard of any such persons that the Judgments of God have overtaken.

Atten. Yes, and so, I believe, have you too, though you make so strange about it.

Wise. I have so indeed, to my astonishment and wonder.

Atten. Pray, therefore, if you please, tell me what it is, as to this, that you know; and then, perhaps, I may also say something to you of the same.

Wise. In {86a} our Town {86b} there was one W. S. a man of a very wicked life; and he, when there seemed to be countenance given to it, would needs turn Informer. Well, so he did, and was as diligent in his business as most of them could be; he would watch a nights, climb Trees, and range the Woods a days, if possible, to find out the Meeters, for then they were forced to meet in the Fields: yea, he would curse them bitterly, and swear most fearfully what he would do to them when he found them. Well, after he had gone on like a Bedlam in his course a while, and had done some mischiefs to the people, he was stricken by the hand of God, and that in this manner.

1. Although he had his tongue naturally at will, now he was taken with a faultering in his speech, and could not for weeks together speak otherwise, than just like a man that was drunk.

2. Then he was taken with a drauling, or slabbering at his mouth, which slabber sometimes would hang at his mouth well nigh half way down to the ground.

3. Then he had such a weakness in the back sinews of his Neck, that oft times he could not look up before him, unless he clapped his hand hard upon his forehead, and held up his head that way, by strength of hand.

4. After this his speech went quite away, and he could speak no more than a Swine or a Bear. Therefore, like one of them, he would gruntle and make an ugly noyse, according as he was offended, or pleased, or would have any thing done, &c.

In this posture he continued for the space of half a year, or thereabouts, all the while otherwise well, and could go about his business, save once that he had a fall from the Bell as it hangs in our Steeple, which ‘twas a wonder it did not kill him: But after that he also walked about, till God had made him a sufficient spectacle of his Judgment for his sin, and then on a sudden he was stricken and dyed miserably: and so there was an end of him and his doings.

I will tell you {87a} of another. About four miles from St. Neots, there was a Gentleman had a man, and he would needs be an Informer, and a lusty young man he was. Well, an Informer he was, and did much distress some people, and had perfected his Informations so effectually against some, that there was nothing further to do, but for the Constables to make distress on the people, that he might have the Money or Goods; and as I heard, he hastened them much to do it. Now while he was in the heat of his work, as he stood one day by the Fire-side, he had (it should seem) a mind to a Sop in the Pan, (for the Spit was then at the fire,) so he went to make him one; but behold, a Dog (so say his own Dog) took distaste at something, and bit his Master by the Leg; the which bite, notwithstanding all the means that was used to cure him, turned (as was said) to a Gangrene; however, that wound was his death, and that a dreadful one too: for my Relator said, that he lay in such a condition by this bite, (as the beginning) till his flesh rotted from off him before he went out of the world. But what need I instance in particular persons, when the Judgement of God against this kind of people was made manifest, I think I may say, if not in all, yet in most of the Counties in England where such poor Creatures were. But I would, if it had been the will of God, that neither I nor any body else, could tell you more of these Stories: True stories, that are neither Lye, nor Romance.

Atten. Well, I also heard of both these my self, and of more too, as remarkable in their kind as these, if I had any list to tell them: but let us leave those that are behind to others, or to the coming of Christ, who then will justifie or condemn them as the merit of their work shall require; or if they repented, and found mercy, I shall be glad when I know it, for I wish not a curse to the Soul of mine Enemy.

Wise. There can be no pleasure in the telling of such stories, though to hear of them may do us a pleasure: They may put us in mind that there is a God that judgeth in the earth, and that doth not alwayes forget nor deferre to hear the Crye of the destitute; They also carry along with them both Caution and Counsel to those that are the survivors of such. Let us tremble at the Judgements of God, and be afraid of sinning against him, and it shall be our protection. It shall go well with them that fear God, that fear before him.

Atten. Well Sir, as you have intimated, so I think we have in this place spoken enough about these kind of men; if you please, let us return again to Mr. Badman himself, if you have any more to say of him.

Wise. More! we have yet scarce throughly begun with Any thing that we have said. All the particulars are in themselves so full of badness, that we have rather only looked in them, than indeed said any thing to them: but we will pass them, and proceed. You have heard of the sins of his Youth, of his Apprentiship, and how he set up, and married, and what a life he hath led his wife; and now I will tell you some more {88a} of his pranks. He had the very knack of Knavery; had he, as I said before, been bound to serve an Apprentiship to all these things, he could not have been more cunning, he could not have been more artificial at it.

Atten. Nor perhaps so artificially neither. For as none can teach Goodness like to God himself, so concerning Sin and Knavery, none can teach a man it like the Devil, to whom, as I perceive, Mr. Badman went to School from his Childhood to the end of his life. But pray Sir, make a beginning.

Wise. Well so I will. You may remember that I told you what a condition he was in for Money before he did marry, and how he got a rich Wife, with whose Money he paid his debts: Now when he had paid his debts, he having some Moneys left, he sets up again {88b} as briskly as ever, keeps a great Shop, drives a great Trade, and runs again a great way into debt; but now not into the debt of one or two, but into the debt of many, so that at last he came to owe some thousands; and thus he went on a good while. And to pursue his ends the better, he began now to study to please all men, and to suit himself to any company; he could now be as they, say as they, that is, if he listed; and then he would list, when he perceived that by so doing, he might either make them his Customers or Creditors for his Commodities. If he dealt with honest men, (as with some honest men he did) then he would be as they; talk as they, seem to be sober as they, talk of Justice and Religion as they, and against Debauchery as they; yea, and would too seem to shew a dislike of them that said, did, or were otherwise than honest.

Again, when he did light among those that were bad, then he would be as they, but yet more close and cautiously, except he were sure of his company: Then he would carry it openly, be as they; say, Damn’em and Sink’em, as they. If they railed on Good men, so could he; {89a} if they railed on Religion, so could he: if they talked beastly, vainly, idlely, so would he; if they were for drinking, swearing, whoring, or any the like Villanies, so was he. This was now the path he trod in, and could do all artificially, as any man alive. And now he thought himself a perfect man, he thought he was always a Boy till now. What think you now of Mr. Badman?

Atten. Think! why, I think he was an Atheist: For no man but an Atheist can do this. I say, it cannot be, but that the man that is such as this Mr. Badman, must be a rank and stinking Atheist; for he that believes that there is either God or Devil, Heaven or Hell, or Death, and Judgment after, cannot doe as Mr. Badman did; I mean, if he could do these things without reluctancy and check of Conscience; yea, if he had not sorrow and remorse for such abominable sins as these.

Wise. Nay, he was so far off from reluctancies and remorse of Conscience for these things, that he counted them the excellency of his Attainments, the quintessence of his Wit, his rare and singular vertues, such as but few besides himself could be the Masters of. Therefore, as for those that made boggle and stop at things,