The Life and Death of Mr. Badman (A companion to The Pilgrim's Progress). John Bunyan
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that is found. He would stand [25b] gloating, and hanging down his head in a sullen, pouching manner, (a body might read, as we use to say, the picture of Ill-luck in his face,) and when his Father did demand his answer to such questions concerning his Villany, he would grumble and mutter at him, and that should be all he could get.
Atten. But you said that he would also rob his Father, methinks that was an unnatural thing.
Wise. Natural or unnatural, all is one to a Thief. Beside, you must think that he had likewise Companions to whom he was, for the wickedness that he saw in them, more [25c] firmly knit, than either to Father or Mother. Yea, and what had he cared if Father and Mother had died for grief for him. Their death would have been, as he would have counted, great release and liberty to him: For the truth is, they and their counsel was his Bondage; yea, and if I forget not, I have heard some say, that when he was, at times, among his Companions, he would greatly [25d] rejoyce to think that his Parents were old, and could not live long, and then, quoth he, I shall be mine own man, to do what I list without their controul.
Atten. Then it seems he counted that robbing of his Parents was no crime.
Wise. None at all, and therefore he fell directly under that Sentence, Whoso robbeth his Father or his Mother, and saith it is no transgression, the same is the companion of a destroyer. And for that he set so light by them as to their Persons and Counsels, ’twas a sign that at present he was of a very abominable spirit, [26a] and that some Judgement waited to take hold of him in time to come.
Atten. But can you imagin what it was, I mean, in his conceit (for I speak not now of the suggestions of Satan, by which doubtless he was put on to do these things,) I say what it should be in his conceit, that should make him think that this his manner of pilfering and stealing was no great matter.
Wise. It was, for that, the things that he stole, were small; to rob Orchards, and Gardens, and to steal Pullen, and the like, these he counted [26b] Tricks of Youth, nor would he be beat out of it by all that his Friends could say. They would tell him that he must not covet, or desire, (and yet to desire, is less than to take) even any thing, the least thing that was his Neighbours, and that if he did, it would be a transgression of the Law; but all was one to him: what through the wicked Talk of his Companions, and the delusion of his own corrupt heart, he would go on in his pilfering course, and where he thought himself secure, would talk of, and laugh at it when he had done.
Atten. Well, I heard a man once, when he was upon the Ladder with the Rope about his Neck, confess (when ready to be turned off by the Hangman) that that which had brought him to that end, was his accustoming of himself, when young, to pilfer and steal small things. To my best remembrance he told us, that he began the trade of a Thief by stealing Pins and Points, and therefore did forewarn all the Youth, that then were gathered together to see him die, to take heed of beginning, though but with little sins, because by tampering at first with little ones, way is made for the commission of bigger.
Wise. Since you are entred upon Storyes, I also will tell you one, the which, [26d] though I heard it not with mine own Ears, yet my Author I dare believe: [26e] It is concerning one old Tod, that was hanged about Twenty years agoe, or more, at Hartford, for being a Thief. The Story is this:
At a Summer Assizes holden at Hartfor[d], while the Judge was sitting upon the Bench, comes this old Tod into the Court, cloathed in a green Suit, with his Leathern Girdle in his hand, his Bosom open, and all on a dung sweat, as if he had run for his Life; and being come in, he spake aloud as follows: [27] My Lord, said he, Here is the veryest Rogue that breaths upon the face of the earth. I have been a Thief from a Child: When I was but a little one, I gave my self to rob Orchards, and to do other such like wicked things, and I have continued a Thief ever since. My Lord, there has not been a Robbery committed thus many years within so many miles if this place, but I have either been at it, or privy to it.
The Judge thought the fellow was mad, but after some conference with some of the Justices, they agreed to Indict him; and so they did of several felonious Actions; to all which he heartily confessed Guilty, and so was hanged with his Wife at the same time.
Atten. This is a remarkable Story indeed, and you think it is a true one.
Wise. It is not only remarkable, but pat to our purpose. This Thief, like Mr. Badman, began his Trade betimes; he began too where Mr. Badman began, even at robbing of Orchards, and other such things, which brought him, as you may perceive, from sin to sin, till at last it brought him to the publick shame of sin, which is the Gallows.
As for the truth of this Story, the Relator told me that he was at the same time himself in the Court, and stood within less than two yards of old Tod, when he heard him aloud to utter the words.
Atten. These two sins of lying and stealing were a bad sign of an evil end.
Wise. So they were, and yet Mr. Badman came not to his end like old Tod; Though I fear, to as bad, nay, worse than was that death of the Gallows, though less discerned by spectators; but more of that by and by. But you talk of these two sins as if these were all that Mr. Badman was addicted to in his Youth: Alas, alas, he swarmed with sins, even as a Begger does with Vermin, and that when he was but a Boy.
Atten. Why what other sins was he addicted to, I mean while he was but a Child?
Wise. You need not ask, to what other sins was he, but to what other sins was he not addicted, that is, of such as suited with his Age: for a man may safely say, that nothing that was vile came amiss to him; if he was but capable to do it. Indeed some sins there be that Childhood knows not how to be tampering with; but I speak of sins that he was capable of committing, of which I will nominate two or three more. And,
First, He could not endure the [28a] Lords Day, because of the Holiness that did attend it; the beginning of that Day was to him as if he was going to Prison, (except he could get out from his Father and Mother, and lurk in by-holes among his Companions, untill holy Duties were over.) Reading the Scriptures, hearing Sermons, godly Conference, repeating of Sermons, and Prayer, were things that he could not away with; and therefore if his Father on such days, (as often he did, though sometimes notwithstanding his diligence, he would be sure to give him the slip) did keep him strictly to the observation of the day, he would plainly shew by all carriages that he was highly discontent therewith: he would sleep at Duties, would talk vainly with his Brothers, and as it were, think every godly opportunity seven times as long as it was, gruding till it was over.
Atten. This his abhorring of that day, was not, I think, for the sake of the day itself: for as it is a day, it is nothing else but as other days of the Week: But I suppose it were, think every godly as it was, grudging till it that day, was not, I think) as it is a day, it is nothing of the Week: But I suppose that the [28b] reason of his loathing of it, was, for that God hath put sanctity and holiness upon it; also because it is the day above all the days of the week that ought to be spent in holy Devotion, in remembrance of our Lords Resurrection from the dead.
Wise. Yes, ’twas therefore, that he was such an enemy to it, even because more restraint was laid upon him on that day, from his own ways, than were possible should be laid upon him on all others.
Atten. Doth not God by instituting of a day unto holy Duties, make great proof how the hearts and inclinations of poor people do stand to Holiness of heart, and a Conversation in [h]oly duties?
Wise. [29a] Yes doubtless; and a man shall shew his Heart and his Life what they are, more by one Lords-day, than by all the days of the week besides: And the reason is, because on the Lords-day there is a special restraint laid upon men as to Thoughts and Life, more than upon other days of the week besides. Also, men are enjoyned on that day to a stricter performance of holy Duties, and restraint of worldly business, than upon other days they are; wherefore, if their hearts incline not naturally to good, now they will shew it, now they will appear what they are. The Lords Day is a kind of an Emblem of the heavenly Sabbath above, and it makes manifest how the heart stands to the perpetuity of Holiness, more than to be found in a transient Duty, does.
On other days a man may be in and out of holy Duties, and all in a quarter of an hour; but now, the Lords Day is, as it were, a day that enjoyns to one perpetual Duty of Holiness: Remember that thou