Wise. You say true, the lier is a Captive slave of more than the spirit of lying: and therefore this Mr. Badman, as he was a lier from a Child, so he was also much given to {24b} pilfer and steal, so that what he could, as we say, handsomly lay his hands on, that was counted his own, whether they were the things of his fellow Children; or if he could lay hold of any thing at a Neighbours house, he would take it away; you must understand me of Trifles; for being let but a Child he attempted no great matter, especially at first. But yet as he grew up in strength and ripeness of wit, so he attempted to pilfer and steal things still of more value than at first. He took at last great pleasure in robbing of Gardens and Orchards; and as he grew up, to steal Pullen from the Neighbourhood: Yea, what was his {24c} Fathers, could not escape his fingers, all was Fish that came to his Net, so hardened, at last, was he in this mischief also. Atten. You make me wonder more and more. What, play the Thief too! What play the Thief so soon! He could not but know, though he was but a Child, that what he took from others, was none of his own. Besides, if his Father was a good man, as you say, it could not be, but he must also hear from him, that to steal was to transgress the Law of God, and so to run the hazard of eternal Damnation. Wise. His Father was not wanting to use the means to reclaim him, often urging, as I have been told, that saying in the Law of Moses, {24d} Thou shalt not steal: And also that, This is the Curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth, for every one that stealeth shall be cut off, &c. {25a} The light of Nature also, though he was little, must needs shew him that what he took from others, was not his own, and that he would not willingly have been served so himself. But all was to no purpose, let Father and Conscience say what they would to him, he would go on, he was resolved to go on in his wickedness. Atten. But his Father would, as you intimate, sometimes rebuke him for his wickedness; pray how would he carry it then? Wise. How! why, like to a Thief 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.