Life and Death of Mr. Badman by John Bunyan (most life changing books TXT) 📕

O! that I could mourn for England, and for the sins that are committed therein, even while I see that without repentance, the men of Gods wrath are about to deal with us, each having his slaughtering weapon in his hand: (Ezek. 9. 1, 2.) Well, I have written, and by Gods assistance shall pray, that this flood may abate in England: and could I but see the tops of the Mountains above it, I should think that these waters were abating.

2. It is the duty of those that can, to cry out against this deadly plague, yea, to lift up their voice as with a Trumpet against it; that men may he awakened about it, flye from it, as from that which is the greatest of evils. Sin pull’d Angels out of Heaven, pulls men down to Hell, and overthroweth Kingdoms. Who, that sees an house on fire, will not give the Allarum to them that dwell therein? who that sees the Land invaded, will not set the Beacons on a fame? Who, that sees the Devils, as roaring Lyons, continually devouring souls, will not make an Out-cry? But above all, when we see sin, sinful sin, a swallowing up a Nation, sinking of a Nation, and bringing its Inhabitants to temporal, spiritual, and eternal ruine, shall we not cry out, and cry, They are drunk, but not with Wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink; they are intoxicated with the deadly poyson of sin, which will, if its malignity be not by wholsom means allayed, bring Soul and Body, and Estate and Countrey, and all, to ruin and destruction?

3. In and by this my Out-cry, I shall deliver my self from the ruins of them that perish: for a man can do no more in this matter, I mean a man in my capacity, than to detect and condemn the wickedness, warn the evil doer of the Judgment, and fly therefrom my self. But Oh! that I might not only deliver my self! Oh that many would hear, and turn at this my cry, from sin! that they may be secured from the death and Judgment that attend it.

Why I have handled the matter in this method, is best known to my self: and why I have concealed most of the Names of the persons whose sins or punishments I here and there in this Book make relation of, is,

1. For that neither the sins nor Judgments were all alike open; the sins of some, were committed, and the Judgments executed for them only in a corner. Not to say that I could not learn some of their names; for could I, I should not have made them publick, for this reason.

2. Because I would not provoke those of their Relations that survive them; I would not justly provoke them, and yet, as I think, I should, should I have intailed their punishment to their sins, and both to their names, and so have turned them into the world.

3. Nor would I lay them under disgrace and contempt, which would, as I think, unavoidably have happened unto them had I withall inserted their Names.

As for those whose Names I mention, their crimes or Judgments were manifest; publick almost as any thing of that nature that happeneth to mortal men. Such therefore have published their own shame by their sin, and God, his anger, by taking of open vengeance.

As Job sayes, God has strook them as wicked men in the open sight of others, Job 34. 26. So that I cannot conceive, since their sin and Judgment was so conspicuous, that my admonishing the world thereof, should turn to their detriment: For the publishing of these things, are, so far as Relation is concerned, intended for remembrancers: That they may also bethink themselves, repent and turn to God, lest the Judgments for their sins should prove hereditary. For the God of Heaven hath threatned to visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, if they hate him, to the third and fourth generation, Exod. 20. 5.

Nebuchadnezzars punishment for his pride being open, (for he was for his sin, driven from his Kingly dignity, and from among men too, to eat grass like an Ox, and to company with the beasts,) Daniel did not stick to tell Belshazzar his son to his face thereof; nor to publish it that it might be read and remembred by the generations to come. The same may be said of Judas and Ananias, &c. for their sin and punishment were known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem, Acts 1. Chap. 5.

Nor is it a sign but of desperate impenitence and hardness of heart, when the offspring or relations of those who have fallen by open, fearfull and prodigious Judgments, for their sin, shall overlook, forget, pass by, or take no notice of such high outgoings of God against them and their house. Thus Daniel aggravates Belshazzars 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, sayes he, hast not humbled thy heart, though thou knewest all this. Dan. 5. A home reproof indeed, but home is most fit for an open and continued-in transgression.

Let those then that are the Offspring or relations of such, who by their own sin, and the dreadfull Judgments of God, are made to become a sign, (Deut. 16. 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 Pregenitors, it falls also with as heavy a stroak 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 dye Mr. Badmans death, take heed of Mr. Badmans wayes: for his wayes bring to his end; Wickedness will not deliver him that is given to it; though they should cloak all with a Profession of Religion.

If it was a transgression of Old, for a man to wear a Womans 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 a 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 thou wilt damnifie Religion, bring scandal to thy Brethren, and give offence to the Enemies; and ‘twould be better that a Millstone was hanged about thy neck, and that thou, as so adorned, wast cast into the bottom of the Sea, than so to do.

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

The Prophecy of the last times is, that professing men (for so I understand the Text) s[h]all be, many of them, base; (2 Tim. 3.) but continue thou in the things that thou hast learned, not of wanton men, not 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 choose any of their wayes, but to keep themselves 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 Christs sake.

John Bunyan.

Books lately Printed for and Sold by Nathaniel Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultrey, neer the Church.

Biblia Sacra, sive Testamentum Vetus, ab Im. Tremellio & Fr. Junio ex Hebraeo Latine redditum. Et Testamentum Novum a Theod. Beza e Graeco in Latinum versum. Argumentis Capitum additis versibusque singulis distinctis, & seorsum expressis. 12 [degree sign].

[Greek text], Or, A Declaration of the Glorious Mystery of the Person of Christ, God and Man. With the Infinite Wisdom, Love and Power of God in the contrivance and constitution thereof. As also of the Grounds and Reasons of his Incarnation, the nature of his Ministry in Heaven, the present State of the Church above thereon, and the Use of his Person in Religion. With an Account and Vindication of the Honour, Worship, Faith, Love, and Obedience due unto him, in and from the Church. By John Owen, D.D.

Divine Breathings: or a Manual of practical Contemplations, in one Century: Tending to promote Gospel-Principles, and a good Conversation in Christ. Comprizing in brief many of those great Truths that are to be known and practised by a Christian. By T.S.

Youth’s Comedy, or the Souls Tryals and Triumph: a Dramatick Poem. With Divers Meditations intermixt upon several Subjects. Set forth to help and encourage those that are seeking a Heavenly Country. By the Author of Youth’s Tragedy.

A Treatise of the Fear of God: shewing what it is, and how distinguished from that which is not so. Also Whence it comes. Who has it. What are the Effects. And What the Priviledges of those that have it in their hearts. By John Bunyan.

The Tragical History of Jetzer: Or, a Faithful Narrative of the Feigned Visions, Counterfeit Revelations, and false Miracles of the Dominican Fathers of the Covent of Bern in Switzerland, to Propagate their Superstitions. For which Horrid Impieties, the Prior, Sub-Prior, Lecturer, and Receiver of the said Covent were Burnt at a Stake, Anno Dom. 1509. Collected From the Records of the said City by the Care of Sir William Waller, Knight. Translated from his French Copy by an Impartial Pen, and now made Publick for the Information of English Protestants, who may hence learn, that Catholicks will stick at no Villanies which may Advance their Designs, nor at any Perjuries that may Conceal them. With an Epistle, wherein are some soft and gentle Reflections upon the Lying, Dying Speeches of the Jesuites lately Executed at Tyburn. The Second Edition.

The Pilgrims Progress from this World to that which is to come: Delivered in the Similitude of a Dream. By John Bunyan. This fourth Impression hath the Authors Picture and many Additions.

There is now in the Press, and will be suddenly published, An Exposition on the 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10th Chapters on the Hebrews: Being a Third Volume. By John Owen, D.D.

ERRATA.

Page 127. line 8. for amated read amazed, p. 149. l. 15. for herbaps r. perhaps, p. 162. l. 3, & 4. for diababolical r. diabolical, p. 287. l. 9. for, for r. so, p. 304. for reputation r. repentance.

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF MR. BADMAN Presented to the World in a Familiar DIALOGUE Betwixt { Mr. WISEMAN, { And, { Mr. ATTENTIVE.

Wiseman.

Good morrow my good Neighbour, Mr. Attentive; whither 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 Cattel, or what is the matter?

Attentive. Good Sir, Good morrow to you, I have not as yet lost ought, but yet you give a right ghess of me, for I am, as you say, concerned in my heart, but ‘tis because of the badness