niel aggravates Belshazzar's crime, for that he hardened his heart in pride, though he knew that for that very sin and transgression, his father was brought down from his height, and made to be a companion for asses. "And thou his son, O Belshazzar, (says he) hast not humbled thy heart, though thou knewest all this," Dan. v. A home reproof indeed, but home is most fit for an open and a continued transgression.

Let those then that are the offspring or relations of such, who by their own sin, and the dreadful judgments of God, are made to become a sign, (Deut. xvi. 9, 10.) having been swept as dung from off the face of the earth, beware, lest when judgment knocks at their door, for their sins, as it did before at the door of their progenitors, it falls also with as heavy a stroke as on them that went before them: Lest, I say, they in that day, instead of finding mercy, find for their high, daring, and judgment-affronting sins, judgment without mercy.

To conclude: Let those that would not die Mr Badman's death, take heed of Mr Badman's ways; for his ways bring to his end: Wickedness will not deliver him that is given to it; though he should cloke all with a profession of religion.

If it was a transgression of old, for a man to wear a women's apparel, surely it is a transgression now for a sinner to wear a Christian profession for a cloak. Wolves in sheeps

cloathing swarm in England this day; wolves both as to doctrine, and as to practice too. Some men make a profession, I doubt, on purpose that they may twist themselves into à trade, and thence into an estate; yea, and if need be, into an estate knavishly, by the ruins of their neighbour. Let such take heed, for those that do such things have the greater damnation.

Christian, make thy profession shine by a conversation according to the gospel; or else if thou wilt damnify religion, bring scandal to thy brethren, and give offence to the enemies; and it would be better that a mill-stone was hanged about thy neck, and that thou, as so adorned, wascast into the bottom of the sea, than so to do.

Christian, a profession according to the gospel is, in these days, a rare thing; seek then after it, put it on, and keep it without spot, and (as becomes thee) white and clean, and thou shall be a rare Christian.

The prophecy of the last times is, that professing men (for so I understand the text) shall be many of them base, (2 Tim. iii.) but continue thou in the things that thou hast learned, not of wanton men, nor of licentious times, but of the word and doctrine of God, that is, according to godliness; and thou shalt walk with Christ in white.

Now, God Almighty give his people grace, not to hate or malign sinners, nor yet to chuse any of their ways, but to keep them

selves pure from the blood of all men, by speaking and doing according to that name, and those rules, that they profess to know and love; for Jesus Christ's sake.

JOHN BUNYAN.

THE

LIFE AND DEATH

OF

MR BADMAN.

Wiseman. Gbour Mr Attentive; whither

OOD morrow, my good neigh

are you walking so early this morning? Methinks you look as if you were concerned about something more than ordinary. Have you lost any of your cattle? or what is the matter?

Attentive. Good sir, good morrow to you. I have not as yet lost aught; but yet you give a right guess of me, for I am, as you say, concerned in my heart; but it is because of the badness of the times. And, Sir, you, as all our neighbours know, are a very observing man; pray, therefore, what do you think of them.

Wise. Why, I think, as you say, to wit, that they are bad times, and bad they will be, until men are better for they are bad men that make bad times; if men therefore

would mend, so would the times. It is a folly to look for good days, so long as sin is so high, and those that study its nourishment so many. God bring it down, and those that nourish it, to repentance, and then my good neighbour you will be concerned, not as you are now: Now you are concerned because times are so bad; but then you will be so, because times are so good; now you are concerned so as to be perplexed, but then you will be concerned so as to lift up your voice with shouting; for I dare say, could you see such days, they would make you shout.

Atten. Ay, so they would; such times I have prayed for, such times I have longed for: but I fear they will be worse before they be better.

Wise. Make no conclusions, man: for he that hath the hearts of men in his hand, can change them from worse to better, and so bad times into good. God give long life to them that are good, and especially to those of them that are capable of doing him service in the world. The ornament and beauty of this lower world, next to God and his wonders, are the men that spangle and shine in godliness. Now as Mr Wiseman said this, he gave a great sigh.

Atten. Amen, amen. But why, good Sir, do you sigh so deeply? is it for ought else than that for the which as you have perceived, I myself am concerned?

Wise. I am concerned with you for the

badness of the times; but that was not the cause of that sigh, of the which, as I see you take notice. I sighed at the remembrance of the death of that man for whom the bell tolled at our town yesterday.

Atten. Why, I trow Mr Goodman, your neighbour is not dead? Indeed I did hear that he had been sick.

Wise. No, no, it is not he. Had it been he, I could not but have been concerned, but yet not as I am concerned now. If he had died, I should only have been concerned for that the world had lost a light: but the man that I am concerned for now, was one that never was good, therefore such a one, who is not dead only, but damned. He died that he might die, he went from life to death, and then from death to death, from death natural to death eternal. And as he spake this, the water stood in his eyes.

Atten. Indeed, to go from a death-bed to hell is a fearful thing to think on. But good neighbour Wiseman, be pleased to tell me who this man was, and why you conclude him so miserable in his death?

Wise. Well, if you can stay, I will tell you who he was, and why I conclude thus concerning him.

Atten. My leisure will admit me to stay, and I am willing to hear you out: And I pray God your discourse may take hold on my heart, that I may be bettered thereby. So they agreed to sit down under a tree;