John Bunyan
Life and Death of Mr. Badman
And I doubt not but the same answer is ready in the mouths of Mr. Badmans friends; for they may and do see pride display it self in the Apparel and carriages of professors; one may say, almost as much, as among any people in the Land, the more is the pity. Ay, and I fear that even their Extravagancies in this, hath hardened the heart of many a one, as I perceive it did somewhat the heart of Mr. Badman himself.
For mine own part, I have seen many my self, and those Church-members too, so deckt and bedaubed with their Fangles and Toyes, and that when they have been at the solemn Appointments of God, in the way of his Worship, that I have wondred with what face such painted persons could sit in the place where they were without swounding. But certainly the holiness of God, and also the pollution of themselves by sin, must needs be very far out of the minds of such people, what profession soever they make.
I have read of an Whores forehead, 397 and I have read of christian-shamefacedness; I have read of costly array, and of that which becometh women professing Godliness, with good works; 398 399 but if I might speak, I know what I know, and could say, and yet do no wrong, that which would make some professors stink in their places; 400 but now I forbear.
Atten. Sir, you seem to be greatly concerned at this, but what I shall say more? it is whispered, that some good Ministers have countenanced their people in their light and wanton Apparrel, yea have pleaded for their Gold, and Pearls, and costly array, &c.
Wise. I know not what they have pleaded for, but ’tis easily seen that they tolerate, or at least wise, wink and connive at such things, both in their Wives and Children. And so from the Prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. 401 And when the hand of the Rulers are chief in a trespass, who can keep their people from being drowned in that trespass?
Atten. This is a lamentation, and must stand for a lamentation.
Wise. So it is, and so it must. And I will add, it is a shame, it is a reproach, it is a stumbling-block to the blind; 402 for though men be as blind as Mr. Badman himself, yet they can see the foolish lightness that must needs be the bottom of all these apish and wanton extravagancies. But many have their excuses ready; to wit, their Parents, their Husbands, and their breeding calls for it, and the like: yea, the examples of good people prompt them to it: but all these will be but the Spiders webb, when the thunder of the Word of the great God shall rattle from Heaven against them, as it will at Death or Judgment; but I wish it might do it before. But alas! these excuses are but bare pretences, these proud ones love to have it so. I once talked with a Maid, by way of reproof, for her fond and gaudy garment. But she told me, ☛ The Tailor would make it so: when alas, poor proud Girle, she gave order to the Taylor so to make it. Many make Parents, and Husbands, and Taylors, &c. the Blind to others, but their naughty hearts, and their giving of way thereto, that is the original cause of all these evils.
Atten. Now you are speaking of the cause of pride, pray shew me yet further why pride is now so much in request? 403
Wise. I will shew you what I think are the reasons of it.
1. The first is, 404 Because such persons are led by their own hearts, rather than by the Word of God. I told you before, that the original fountain of pride is the heart. For out of the heart comes pride; it is therefore because they are led by their hearts, which naturally tends to lift them up in pride. This pride of heart, tempts them, and by its deceits overcometh them; 405 yea it doth put a bewitching vertue into their Peacocks feathers, and then they are swallowed up with the vanity of them.
2. Another reason why professors are so proud, (for those we are talking of now) is because they are more apt to take example of those that are of the World, than they are to take example of those that are Saints indeed. Pride is of the world. For all that is of the world, the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, are not of the Father but of the world. 406 Of the world therefore Professors learn to be proud. But they should not take them for example. It will be objected, No, nor your saints neither, for you are as proud as others: Well, let them take shame that are guilty. But when I say, professors should take example for their life by those that are saints indeed, I mean as Peter says: They should take example of those that were in old time, the saints; for saints of old time were the best, therefore to these he directeth us for our pattern. Let the wives conversation be chast, and also coupled with fear. Whose adorning, saith Peter, let it not be that outward adorning, of pleating the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of Apparel: but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner, in the old time, the holy women also who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands. 407
3. Another reason is, 408 Because they have forgotten the pollution of their Nature. For the remembrance of that, must needs keep us humble, and being kept humble, we shall be at a distance from pride. The proud and the humble are set in opposition; (God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.) And can it be imagined, that a sensible Christian should be a proud one; sence of baseness tends to lay us low, not to lift us up with pride; not with pride of Heart, nor pride of Life: But when a man begins to forget what he is, then he, if ever, begins to be proud.
Methinks it is one of the most senceless and ridiculous things in the world, that a man should be proud of that which is given him on purpose to cover the shame of his nakedness with.
4. Persons that are proud, have gotten God and his Holiness out of their sight. 409 If God was before them, as he is behind their back; And if they saw him in his holiness, as he sees them in their sins and shame, they would take but little pleasure in their apish Knacks. The Holiness of God makes the Angels cover their faces, crumbles Christians, when they behold it, into dust and ashes: 410 and as his Majesty is, such is his Word; Therefore they abuse it, that bring it to countenance pride.
Lastly, 411 But what can be the end of those that are proud, in the decking of themselves after their antick manner? why are they for going with their Bulls-foretops, with their naked shoulders, and Paps hanging out like a Cows bag? why are they for painting their faces, for stretching out their necks, and for putting of themselves into all the Formalities which proud Fancy leads them to? Is it because they would honour God? because they would adorn the Gospel? because they would beautifie Religion, and make sinners to fall in love with their own salvation? No, no. It is rather to please their lusts, to satisfie their wild and extravagant fancies; and I wish none doth it to stir up lust in others, to the end they may commit uncleanness with them. I believe, whatever is their end, this is one of the great designes of the Devil: and I believe also, that Satan has drawn more into the sin of uncleanness, by the spangling shew of fine cloaths, than he could possibly have drawn unto it, without them. I wonder what it was, that of old was called the Attire of an Harlot: certainly it could not be more bewitching and tempting than are the garments of many professors this day.
Atten. I like what you say very well, and I wish that all the proud Dames in England that profess, were within the reach and sound of your words.
Wise. What I have said, I believe is true, but as for the proud Dames in England that profess, they have Moses and the Prophets, and if they will not hear them, how then can we hope that they should recieve good by such a dull sounding Ramshorn as I am? However, I have said my mind, and now if you will, we will proceed to some other of Mr. Badmans doings.
Atten. No: pray before you shew me any thing else of Mr. Badman, shew me yet more particularly the evil effects of this sin of Pride.
Wise. With all my heart, I will answer your request. 412
1. 413 Then: ’Tis pride that makes poor Man so like the Devil in Hell, that he cannot in it be known to be the Image and similitude of God. The Angels when they became Devils, ’twas through their being lifted or puffed up with pride. ’Tis pride also that lifteth or puffeth up the heart of the sinner, and so makes him to bear the very image of the Devil.
2. 414 Pride makes a man so odious in the sight of God, that he shall not, must not come nigh his Majesty. Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect to the lowly, but the proud he knows afar off. Pride sets God and the Soul at a distrance; pride will not let a man come nigh God, nor God will not let a proud man come nigh unto him: Now this is a dreadful thing.
3. 415 As pride sets, so it keeps God and the Soul at a distance. God resisteth the proud; resists, that is, he opposes him, he thrusts him from him, he contemneth his person and all his performances. Come in to Gods Ordinances, the proud man may; but come into his presence, have communion with him, or blessing from him, he shall not. For the high God doth resist him. 416
4. 417 The Word saith, that The Lord will destroy the House of the proud. He will destroy his House; it may be understood, he will destroy him and his. So he destroyed proud Pharaoh, so he destroyed proud Corah, and many others.
5. 418 Pride, where it comes, and is entertained, is a certain forerunner of some Judgment that is not far behind. When pride goes before, shame and destruction will follow after. When pride cometh, then cometh shame. Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
6. 419 Persisting in pride makes the condition of a poor man as remediless as is that of the Devils themselves.
And this I fear was Mr. Badmans condition, and that was the reason that he died so as he did; as I shall shew you anon.
But what need I thus talk of the particular actions, or rather prodigious sins of Mr. Badman, when his whole Life and all his actions, went as it were to the making up one massie body of sin? 420 Instead of believing that there was a God, his Mouth, his Life and Actions declared, that he believed no such thing. His transgression said within my heart, that there was no fear of God before his eyes. 421 422 Instead of honouring of God, and of giving glory to him for any of his Mercies, or under any of his good Providences towards him (for God is good to all, and lets his Sun shine, and his Rain fall upon the unthankful and unholy,) he would ascribe the glory to other causes. If they were Mercies, he would ascribe them (if the open face of the providence did not give him the lye) to his own wit, labour, care, industry, cunning, or the like: if they were Crosses, he would ascribe them, or count them the offspring of Fortune, ill Luck, Chance, the ill mannagement of matters, the ill will of neighbours, or to his wifes being Religious, and spending, as he called it, too much time in Reading, Praying, or the like. It was not in his way to acknowledge God, (that is, graciously) or his hand in things. But, as the Prophet saith; Let favour be skewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness. 423 And again, They returned not to him that smote them, nor did they seek the Lord of hosts. 424 This was Mr. Badmans temper, neither Mercies nor Judgment would make him seek the Lord. Nay, as another Scripture sayes, he would not see the works of God, nor regard the operations of his hands either in mercies or in Judgments. 425 But further, when by Providence he has been cast under the best Means for his soul, (for, as was shewed before, he having had a good master, and before him a good father, and after all a good wife, and being sometimes upon a Journey, and cast under the hearing of a good Sermon, as he would sometimes for novelties sake go to hear a good Preacher;) he was always without heart to make use thereof: In this land of righteousness he would deal unjustly, and would not behold the majesty of the Lord.
Instead of reverencing the Word, 426 when he heard it preached, read, or discoursed of, he would sleep, talk of other Business, or else object against the authority, harmony, and wisdom of the Scriptures. Saying, How do you know them to be the Word of God? how do you know that these sayings are true? The Scriptures, he would say, were as a Nose of Wax, and a man may turn them whithersoever he lists: one Scripture says one thing, and another sayes the quite contrary; Besides, they make mention of a thousand imposibilities; they are the cause of all dissensions and discords that are in the Land: Therefore you may (would he say) still think what you will, but in my mind they are best at ease that have least to do with them.
Instead of loving and honouring of them that did bear in their Foreheads the Name, and in their Lives the Image of Christ, they should be his Song, 427 the matter of his Jests, and the objects of his slanders. He would either make a mock at their sober deportment, their gracious language, quiet behaviour, or else desperately swear that they did all in deceit and hypocrisie. He would endeavour to render godly men as odious and contemptable as he could; any lyes that were made by any, to their disgrace, those he would avouch for truth, and would not endure to be controlled. He was much like those that the prophet speaks of, that would sit and slander his mothers son; 428 yea, he would speak reproachfully of his wife, though his conscience told him, and many would testifie, that she was a very vertuous woman. He would also raise slanders of his wives friends himself, affirming that their doctrine tended to lasciviousness, and that in their assemblies they acted and did unbeseeming men and women, that they committed uncleanness, &c. He was much like those that affirmed the Apostle should say, Let us do evil that good may come: 429 Or like those of whom it is thus written: Report, say they, and we will report it. 430 And if he could get any thing by the end that had scandal in it, if it did but touch professors, how falsely soever reported; Oh! then he would glory, laugh, and be glad, and lay it upon the whole party: Saying, Hang them Rogues, there is not a barrel better Herring of all the holy Brotherhood of them: Like to like, quoth the Devil to the Collier, this is your precise Crew. And then he would send all home with a curse.
Atten. If those that make profession of Religion be wise, Mr. Badmans watchings and words will make them the more wary and careful in all things.
Wise. You say true. For when we see men do watch for our halting, and rejoyce to see us stumble and fall, it should make us so much abundance the more careful. 431
I do think it was as delightful to Mr. Badman to hear, raise, and tell lies, and lying stories of them that fear the Lord, as it was for him to go to bed when a weary. But we will at this time let these things pass. For as he was in these things bad enough, so he added to these, many more the like.
He was an 432 angry, wrathfull, envious man, a man that knew not what meekness or gentleness meant, nor did he desire to learn. His natural temper was to be surly, huffie, and rugged, and worse; and he so gave way to his temper, as to this, that it brought him to be furious and outrageous in all things, specially against goodness it self, and against other things too, when he was displeased. 433
Atten. Solomon saith, He is a fool that rageth.
Wise. He doth so; and sayes moreover, That anger rests in the bosom of fools. 434 And truly, if it be a sign of a Fool to have anger rest in his bosom, then was Mr. Badman, notwithstanding the conceit that he had of his own abilities, a Fool of no small size.
Atten. Fools are mostly most wise in their own eyes.
Wise. True. But I was a saying, that if it be a sign that a man is a Fool, when Anger rests in his bosom; Then what is it a sign of, think you, when Malice and Envy rests there? For to my knowledge Mr. Badman was as malicious and as envious a man as commonly you can hear of.
Atten. Certainly, malice and envy flow 435 from pride and arrogancy, and they again from ignorance, and ignorance from the Devil; And I thought, that since you spake of the pride of Mr. Badman before, we should have something of these before we had done.
Wise. Envy flows from Ignorance indeed. And this Mr. Badman was so envious an one, where he set against, that he would swell with it, as a Toad, as we say, swells with poyson. He whom he maligned, might at any time even read envy in his face wherever he met with him, or in whatever he had to do with him.
His envy was so rank and strong, that if it at any time turned its head against a man, it would hardly ever be pulled in again: He would watch over that man to do him mischief, as the Cat watches over the Mouse to destroy it; yea, he would wait seven years, but he would have an opportunity to hurt him, and when he had it, he would make him feel the weight of his Envy.
Envy is a devilish thing, the Scripture intimates that none can stand before it. A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty, but a fools wrath is heavier than them both. Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous, but who can stand before envy? 436 437
This Envy, for the foulness of it, is reckoned 438 among the foulest Villanies that are, as adultery, murder, drunkenness, revellings, witchcrafts, heresies, seditions, &c. Yea, it is so malignant a corruption, that it rots the very bones of him in whom it dwells. A sound heart is life to the flesh, but envy the rottenness of the bones. 439
Atten. This Envy is the very Father and Mother of a great many hideous and prodigious wickednesses: I say, it is the very 440 Father and Mother of them; it both besets them, and also nourishes them up, till they come to their cursed maturity in the bosom of him that entertains them.
Wise. You have given it a very right description, in calling of it the Father and Mother of a great many other prodigious wickednesses: for it is so venomous and vile a thing, that it puts the whole course of Nature out of order, and makes it fit for nothing but confusion, and a hold for every evil thing. For where envy and strife is, there is confusion, and every evil work. 441 Wherefore, I say, you have rightly called it, The very Father and Mother of a great many other sins. And now for our further edification, I will reckon up some of the births of Envy.
1. Envy, as I told you before, it rotteth the very bones of him that entertains it. And, 442
2. As you have also hinted, it is heavier than a Stone, than Sand; yea, and I will add, It falls like a Mill-stone upon the head. Therefore,
3. It kills him that throws it, and him at whom it is thrown. Envy slayeth the silly one. 443 That is, him in whom it resides, and him who is its object.
4. ’Twas that also that slew Jesus Christ himself; for his adversaries persecuted him through their envy. 444 445
5. Envy was that by vertue of which Joseph was sold by his Brethren into Egypt: 446
6. ’Tis envy that hath the hand in making of variance among Gods Saints. 447
7. ’Tis envy in the hearts of Sinners, that stirres them up to thrust Gods Ministers out of their coasts.
8. What shall I say? ’Tis envy that is the very Nursery of whisperings, debates, backbitings, slanders, reproaches, murders, &c.
’Tis not possible to repeat all the particular fruits of this sinfull root. Therefore, it is no marvel that Mr. Badman was such an ill natured man, for the great roots of all manner of wickedness were in him, unmortified, unmaimed, untouched.
Atten. But it is 448 a rare case, even this of Mr. Badman, that he should never in all his life be touched with remorse for his ill-spent life.
Wise. Remorse, I cannot say he ever had, if by remorse you mean repentance for his evils. Yet twice I remember he was under some trouble of mind about his condition: 449 Once when he broke his legg as he came home drunk from the Ale-house; and another time when he fell sick, and thought he should die: Besides these two times, I do not remember any more.
Atten. Did he break his legg then?
Wise. Yes: Once, as he came home drunk from the Ale-house.
Atten. Pray how did he break it?
Wise. Why upon a time he was at an Ale-house, that wicked house, about two or three miles from home, and having there drank hard the greatest part of the day, when night was come, he would stay no longer, but calls for his horse, gets up, and like a Madman (as drunken persons usually ride) away he goes, as hard as horse could lay legs to the ground. Thus he rid, till coming to a dirty place, where his horse flouncing in, fell, threw his master, and with his fall broke his legg: so there he lay. 450 But you would not think how he 451 swore at first. But after a while, he comeing to himself, and feeling by his pain, and the uselesness of his legg, what case he was in, and also fearing that this bout might be his death; he began to crie out after the manner of such; 452 Lord help me, Lord have mercy upon me, good God deliver me, and the like. So there he lay, till some came by, who took him up, carried him home, where he lay for some time, before he could go abroad again.
Atten. And then, you say, he called upon God.
Wise. He cryed out in his pain, and would say, O God, and O Lord, help me: but whether it was that his sin might be pardoned, and his soul saved, or whether to be rid of his pain, I will not positively determine; though I fear it was but for the last; 453 because, when his pain was gone, and he had got hopes of mending, even before he could go abroad, he cast off prayer, and began his old game; to wit, to be as bad as he was before. He then would send for his old companions; his Sluts also would come to his house to see him, and with them he would be, as well as he could for his lame leg, as vicious as they could be for their hearts.
Atten. ’Twas a wonder he did not break his neck.
Wise. His neck had gone instead of his leg, but that God was long-suffering towards him; he had deserved it ten thousand times over. There have been many, as I have heard, and as I have hinted to you before, that have taken their Horses when drunk, as he; but they have gone from the pot to the grave; for they have broken their necks ’twixt the Ale-house and home. ☛ One hard by us also drunk himself dead; he drank, and dyed in his drink.
Atten. ’Tis a sad thing to dye drunk.
Wise. So it is: But yet I wonder that no more do so. For considering the heinousness of that sin, and with how many other sins it is accompanied, 454 as with oaths, blasphemies, lyes, revellings, whoreings, brawlings, &c. it is a wonder to me, that any that live in that sin should escape such a blow from heaven that should tumble them into their graves. Besides, when I consider also how, when they are as drunk as beasts, they, without all fear of danger, will ride like Bedlams and mad men, even as if they did dare God to meddle with them if he durst, for their being drunk: I say, I wonder that he doth not withdraw his protecting providences from them, and leave them to those Dangers and Destructions that by their sin they have deserved, and that by their Bedlam madness they would rush themselves into: only I consider again, that he has appointed a day wherein he will reckon with them, 455 and doth also commonly make Examples of some, to shew that he takes notice of their sin, abhorrs their way, and will count with them for it at the set time.
Atten. It is worthy of our remark, to take notice how God, to shew his dislike of the sins of men, strikes some of them down with a blow; as the breaking of Mr. Badmans legg, for doubtless that was a stroak from heaven.
Wise. It is worth our remark indeed. It was an open stroak, it fell upon him while he was in the height of his sin: And it looks much like to that in Job; Therefore he knoweth their works, and overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed. He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others: 456 Or as the Margent reads it, in the place of beholders. He layes them with his stroak in the place of beholders. There was 457 Mr. Badman laid, his stroak was taken notice of by every one: his broken legg was at this time the Town-talk. Mr. Badman has broken his legg, sayes one: How did he break it? sayes another: As he came home drunk from such an Ale-house, said a third; A Judgment of God upon him, said a fourth. This his sin, his shame, and punishment, are all made conspicuous to all that are about him. I will here tell you another story or two.
I have read in Mr. Clark’s Looking-glass for Sinners; 458 That upon a time, a certain drunken fellow boasted in his Cups, that there was neither Heaven nor Hell; also he said, He believed, that man had no Soul, and that for his own part, he would sell his soul to any that would buy it. Then did one of his companions buy it of him for a cup of Wine; and presently the Devil in mans shape bought it of that man again at the same price; and so in the presence of them all laid hold on this Soul-seller, and carried him away through the Air, so that he was never more heard of.
In pag. 148, he tells us also: That there was one at Salisbury, in the midst of his health drinking and carousing in a Tavern; and he drank a health to the Devil, saying, That if the Devil would not come and pledge him, he would not believe that there was either God or Devil. Whereupon his companions stricken with fear, hastened out of the room: and presently after, hearing a hideous noise, and smelling a stinking savour, the Vintner ran up into the chamber; and coming in, he missed his Guest, and found the window broken, the Iron barr in it bowed, and all bloody: But the man was never heard of afterwards.
Again, in pag. 149. he tells us of a Bailiff of Hedly: Who upon a Lords Day being drunk at Melford, got upon his horse, to ride through the streets, saying, That his horse would carry him to the Devil: and presently his horse threw him, and broke his neck. These things are worse than the breaking of Mr. Badmans Leg, and should be a caution to all of his friends that are living, lest they also fall by their sin into these sad Judgements of God.
But, as I said, Mr. Badman quickly forgot all, his conscience was choaked, before his legg was healed. And therefore, before he was well of the fruit of one sin, he tempts God to send another Judgment to seize upon him: And so he did quickly after. For not many months after his legg was well, he had a very dangerous fit of sickness, insomuch that now he began to think he must dye in very deed. 459
Atten. Well, and what did he think and do then?
Wise. He thought he must go to Hell; this I know, for he could not forbear but say so. 460 To my best remembrance, he lay crying out all one night for fear, and at times he would so tremble, that he would make the very bed shake under him. 461 But, Oh! how the thoughts of Death, of Hell-fire, and of eternal Judgment, did then wrack his conscience. Fear might be seen in his face, and in his tossings to and fro: It might also be heard in his words, and be understood by his heavy groans. He would often cry, I am undone, I am undone; my vile life has undone me.
Atten. Then his former atheistical thoughts and principles, were too weak now to support him from the fears of eternal damnation.
Wise. Aie! they were too weak indeed. They may serve to stifle conscience, when a man is in the midst of his prosperity, and to harden the heart against all good counsel when a man is left of God, and given up to his reprobate mind: 462 But alas, atheistical thoughts, Notions and Opinions, must shrink and melt away, when God sends, yea comes with sickness to visit the soul of such a sinner for his sin. There was a man dwelt about 12 miles off from us, that had so trained up himself in his atheistical Notions, that at last he attempted to write a book against Jesus Christ, and against the divine Authority of the Scriptures. (But I think it was not printed:) Well, after many days God struck him with sickness, whereof he dyed. So, being sick, and musing upon his former doings, the Book that he had written came into his mind, and with it such a sence of his evil in writing of it, that it tore his Conscience as a Lyon would tare a Kid. He lay therefore upon his death-bed in sad case, 463 and much affliction of conscience: some of my friends also went to see him; and as they were in his chamber one day, he hastily called for Pen Ink and Paper, which when it was given him, he took it and writ to this purpose. ☛ I, such an one, in such a Town, must goe to Hell-fire, for writing a Book against Jesus Christ, and against the Holy Scriptures: And would also have leaped out of the window of his house to have killed himself, but was by them prevented of that: so he dyed in his bed, such a death as it was. ’Twill be well if others take warning by him.
Atten. This is a remarkable story.
Wise. ’Tis as true as remarkable; I had it from them that I dare believe, who also themselves were eye and ear witnesses; and also that catcht him in their arms, and saved him when he would have leaped out of his chamber-window, to have destroyed himself.
Atten. Well, you have told me what were Mr. Badmans thoughts (now, being sick) of his condition; pray tell me also what he then did when he was sick?
Wise. Did! he did many things, which I am sure he never thought to have done, and which, to be sure, was not looked for of his wife and children.
In this fit of sickness, his Thoughts were quite altered about his wife; I say his Thoughts, so far as could be judged by his words and carriages to her. 464 For now she was his good wife, his godly wife, his honest wife, his duck, and dear, and all. Now he told her, that she had the best of it, she having a good Life to stand by her, while his debaucheries and ungodly Life did always stare him in the face. Now he told her, the counsel that she often gave him, was good; though he was so bad as not to take it.
