Christian ethics -- Fiction; Christian fiction; Conduct of life -- Fiction
Wise. I will assure you, ’tis as I say. For you must know, that
Badmans wayes suited not with his Masters gains. Could he have done
as the Damsel that we read of Acts 16. {63d} did, to wit, fill his
Masters Purse with his badness, he had certainly been his White-boy,
but it was not so with young Badman; and therefore, though his Master
and he did suit well enough in the main, yet in this and that point
they differed. Young Badman {63e} was for neglecting of his Masters
business, for going to the Whore-house, for beguiling of his Master,
for attempting to debauch his Daughters, and the like: No marvel then
if they disagreed in these points. Not so much for that his Master had
an antipathy against the fact it self, for he could do so when he was
an Apprentice; but for that his servant by his sin made spoil of his
Commodities, &c. and so damnified his Master.
Had (as I said before) young Badmans wickedness, had only a tendency to
his Masters advantage; as could he have sworn, lied, cousened, cheated,
and defrauded customers for his Master, (and indeed sometimes he did
so) but had that been all that he had done, he had not had, no not a
wry word from his Master: But this was not always Mr. Badmans way.
Atten. That was well brought in, even the Maid that we read of in the
Acts, and the distinction was as clear betwixt the wickedness, and
wickedness of servants.
Wise. Alas! men that are wicked themselves, yet greatly hate it in
others, not simply because it is wickedness, but because it opposeth
their interest. Do you think that that Maids master would have been
troubled at the loss of her, if he had not lost, with her, his gain:
No, I’le warrant you; she might have gone to the Devil for him: But
when her master saw that the hope of his gain was gone, then, then he
fell to persecuting Paul. {64a} But Mr. Badmans master did sometimes
lose by Mr. Badmans sins, and then Badman and his master were at odds.
Atten. Alas poor Badman! Then it seems thou couldest not at all times
please thy like.
Wise. No, he could not, and the reason I have told you.
Atten. But do not bad Masters condemn themselves in condemning the
badness of their servants. {64b}
Wise. Yes; {64c} in that they condemn that in another which they either
have, or do allow in themselves. And the time will come, when that
very sentence that hath gone out of their own mouths against the sins
of others, themselves living and taking pleasure in the same, shall
return with violence upon their own pates. The Lord pronounced Judgment
against Baasha, as for all his evils in general, so for this in
special, because he was like the house of Jeroboam, and yet killed him.
{64d} This is Mr. Badmans Masters case, he is like his man, and yet he
beats him. He is like his man, and yet he rails at him for being bad.
Atten. But why did not young Badman run away from this Master, as he
ran away from the other?
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