Christian ethics -- Fiction; Christian fiction; Conduct of life -- Fiction
Wise. You needed not to have made that Apology for your censuring of
Mr. Badman, for all that knew him, will confirm what you said of him
to be true. He could not abide either that day, or any thing else that
had the stamp or image of God upon it. Sin, sin, and to do the thing
that was naught, was that which he delighted in, and that from a little
Child.
Atten. I must say again, I am sorry to hear it, and that for his own
sake, and also for the sake of his Relations, who must needs be broken
to pieces with such doings as these: For, for these things sake comes
the wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience: {30c} and doubtless
he must be gone to Hell, if he died without Repentance; and to beget a
Child for Hell, is sad for Parents to think on.
Wise. Of his Dying, as I told you, I will give you a Relation anon,
but now we are upon his Life, and upon the Manner of his Life in his
Childhood, even of the sins that attended him then, some of which I
have mentioned already; and indeed I have mentioned but some, for yet
there are more to follow, and those not at all inferiour to what you
have already heard.
Atten. Pray what were they?
Wise. Why he was greatly given, and that while a Lad, to grievous
{31a} Swearing and Cursing: yea, he then made no more of Swearing and
Cursing, than I do of telling my fingers. Yea, he would do it without
provocation thereto. He counted it a glory to Swear and Curse, and it
was as natural to him, as to eat and drink and sleep.
Atten. Oh! what a young Villain was this! here is, as the Apostle says,
a yielding of Members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, {31b}
indeed! This is proceeding from evil to evil with a witness; This
argueth that he was a black-mouthed young Wretch indeed.
Wise. He was so; and yet, as I told you, he counted, above all, this
kind of sinning, to be {31c} a Badge of his Honour: He reckoned himself
a mans Fellow when he had learnt to Swear and Curse boldly.
Atten. I am perswaded that many do think, as you have said, that to
Swear, is a thing that does bravely become them, and that it is the
best way for a man, when he would put authority, or terrour into his
words, to stuff them full of the sin of Swearing.
Wise. You say right, else, as I am perswaded, men would not so usually
belch out their blasphemous Oaths, as they do: they take a pride in it;
they think that to swear is Gentleman-like; and having once accustomed
themselves unto it, they hardly leave it all the days of their lives.
Atten. Well, but now we are upon it, pray shew me {31d} the difference
between Swearing and Cursing; for there is a difference, is there not?
Wise. Yes: There is a difference between Swearing and Cursing,
Swearing, vain swearing, such as young Badman accustomed himself unto.
Now vain and sinful swearing, {31e} Is a light and wicked calling of
God, &c. to witness to our vain and foolish attesting of things, and
those things are of two sorts.
1. Things that we swear, are, or shall be done.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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