Reasons of

their disagree

neglecting of his master's business, for going to the whorehouse, 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 mas

ing.

ter had an antipathy against the fact itself, 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 Badman's wickedness only a tendency to his master's advantage; as could he have sworn, lyed, cozened, 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 Badman's 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 maid's master would have been troubled at the loss of her, if he had not lost with her his gain? No, I'll 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. But Mr Badman's master did sometimes lose by Mr Badman's sins, and then Badman and his master were at odds.

Atten Alas, poor Badman! Then it seems thou couldst 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?

Wise. Yes; 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." This is Mr Badman's master's 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?

Wise. He did not.

And if I be not mis

taken, the reason why was this. There was godliness in the house of the first, and that

young Badman could not endure. For fare, for lodging, for work, and time, he had better, and more by this master's allowance, than ever he had by his last; but all this would not content, because godliness was promoted there. He could not abide this praying, this reading of scriptures, and hearing and repeating of sermons: he could not abide to be told of his transgressions in a sober and godly manner.

Atten. There is a great deal in the manner of reproof: Wicked men both can, and cannot, abide to hear their transgressions spoken against.

Wise. There is a great deal of difference indeed: This last master of Mr Badman would tell Mr Badman of his sins, in Mr Badman's own dialect; he would swear, and curse, and damn, when he told him of his sins, and this he could bear better, than to be told of them after a godly sort. Besides the last master would, when his passions and rage was over, laugh at and make merry with the sins of his servant_Badman; and that would please young Badman well. Nothing offended Badman but blows, and those he had but few of now, because he was pretty well grown up. For the most part, when his master did rage and swear, he would give him oath for oath, and curse for curse, at least secretly, let him go on as long as he would,

Atten. This was hellish living.

Wise. It was hellish living indeed: Andaman

F

By what

means Bad

man came to

be completed

might say, that with this mas ter young Badman completed himself yet more and more in wickedness, as well as in his trade; for by that he came out in wicked- of his time, what with his own inclination to sin, what with his acquaintance with his three companions, and what with this last master, and the wickedness he saw in him, he became a sinner in grain. I think he had a bastard laid to his charge before he came out of his time.

ness.

Atten. Well, but it seems he did live to come to out of his time: But what did he then?

Wise. Why, he went home to his father; and he, like a loving and tender-hearted fa ther, received him into his house.

Atten. And how did he carry it there?

Wise. Why, the reason why he went home was, for money to set up for himself. He staid but a little at home, but that little while that he did stay, he refrained himself as well as he could, and did not so much discover himself to be base, for fear his father should take distaste, and so should refuse, or for a while forbear to give him money.

Yet even then he would have his times, and companions, and the fill of his lusts with them; but he used to blind all with this; he was glad to see his old acquaintance, and they

as glad to see him; and he could not in civility but accommodate them with a bottle or two of wine, or a dozen or two of drink.

Atten. And did the old man give him money to set up with?

Wise. Yes, above two hundred pounds.

Atten. Therein, I think, the old man was out. Had I been his father, I would have held him a little at staves-end, till I had had far better proof of his manners to be good; (for I perceive that his father did know what a naughty boy he had been, both by what he used to do at home, and because he changed a good master for a bad, &c.) He should not therefore have given him money so soon. What if he had pinched a little, and gone to journeywork for a time, that he might have known what a penny was, by his earning of it? Then, in all probability, he had known better how to have spent it; yea, and by that time, perhaps, have better considered himself how to have lived in the world. Ay, and who knows but he might have come to himself with the prodigal, and have asked God and his father forgiveness for the villainies that he had committed against them.

with

Wise. If his father could also have blessed this manner of dealing to him, and have made it effectual for the ends that you have propounded, then I should have thought as you. But alas! alas! you talk as if you never knew, or had at this present forgot, what